The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound

Heavy on blue collar atmosphere and cinematic references, New Jersey quartet The Gaslight Anthem’s blend of Bruce Springsteen, Hot Water Music and The Killers yields impressive results on their second full-length album The ‘59 Sound.

What distinguishes The Gaslight Anthem is their evocative lyrical themes; the title track connects a sudden, devastating lost with the adoration of music to greatly emotive effect. References to Miles Davis, fading tail lights, high top sneakers, Counting Crows, California nights and Tom Petty help to create a sense of classic Americana.

Although essentially a punk album, ‘The ’59 Sound’ is shot with a surfeit of memorable melodies and immediate choruses that suggest this could be one of the rarest albums of the genre; one that remains true to its roots whilst crossing over into new audiences. Purists might object to the lack of crunching riffs and driving rhythms, but then the purists are always happy underground.