Posted on June 14, 2010 - by Editor

Album Reviews: The Gaslight Anthem/ Minus The Bear/ Dependency

American Slang
The Gaslight Anthem
SideOneDummy Records

Has there been a band connected to punk rock with a more meteoric rise and widespread popularity than New Jersey’s new favourite sons? Aside from the UK’s Frank Turner who has benefited from the Americans, stripped down heartfelt offerings paving a way to his own success, it’s difficult to think of many others and in Brian Fallon they have a wounded soul that the ladies swoon over and the tough guys by en large respect, having carved into his own body and soul the spirit of punk rock.

With the mainstream breakthrough of“59 The Sound” the band struck a definite chord with people, and although instant comparisons to America rock icons Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty in terms of raw, heartfelt and authentic songs were drawn, The Gaslight Anthem managed to bring a  modern time and place to their lyrical content but somehow sound like a band of all the ages, and that is the theme that runs through “American Slang” as the band deliver a catchy rock ‘n’ roll, rhythm and blues journey. With hefty tinges of motown and some extraordinary percussion from Benny Horowitz and the now trademark deliberately loose sounding guitar melodies from Alex Rosamilia, the band deliver a American songbook feel to the album, resulting in the listener being swept up in a world of nostalgia as the ballads and emotion, despite being completely easy radio friendly without compromising the integrity of the band, a delicate ambition, strung together by Tedd Hutt as producer who seems to have the Midas touch.

I won’t lie; this record carried an enormous sense of pressure for the band, and it was not one I took to as comfortably and easily as I did their previous offerings, but its craft and end result is one that over time is etched into your heart and soul. From the first single and title track ‘American Slang’ to one of my highlights ‘Bring it on’ the layered production and maturity and development of the band are plain to see. Although Fallon relies on similar imagery and phrases from the previous records (‘romeos and broken hearts’, ‘queens’, ‘cool breezes’ etc) he still has proven his mastery in song writing and vocal delivery despite obvious influences which work to a tee for him

The finger snapping and soulful ‘Diamond Street Choir’, the broke hearted ‘The Queen Of Lower Chelsea’, brooding ‘old Haunts’ and album ender ‘We Did It When We Were Young’ showing the variety but beautiful diversity of the record. There is a charm to the Gaslight anthem that’s undeniable and enviable, and traits which will hopefully see them last a generation to come.

OMNI
Minus The Bear
Dangerbird Records
By Chris Higginson

For those of you who don’t already know ‘the bear they formed in 2001 out of the ashes of Botch, Sharks Keep Moving and Kill Sadie. They took a deliberately hefty step away from what they’d done before and started writing indie rock songs, but kept a lot a good deal of the finger tapping and unusual melodies they’d done so well previously. “OMNI” is their fourth studio album (there’s also a handful of Ep’s and a remix album) and follows “Planet of Ice” and “Menos El Oso” which were extraordinarily strong albums that showed a band confident and at the top of their game.

I suspect there are two kinds of MTB fans, those who simply enjoy a good pop-indie-rock band and those who have been drawn in by the member’s previous post-hardcore/techy/jazzy outings for whom the pop melodies are a bit of novelty. For better or worse this is going to divide those fans.

Much of the finger tapping, strange use of unusual chords and odd time signatures are gone; in short this is more of a pure pop album than MTB have ever produced before; exemplified in the first single ‘My Time’ and accompanying hip-hop influenced music video.

It’s still clearly the same band but where; however, previously, where there would have been a line of finger tapping there is now a funky lick that could be nicked straight from the Kaiser Chiefs (‘Summer Angel’) or catchy vocal hook (‘Excuses’). The entire album has a tighter and cleaner production overall and is just more snyth led than previous offerings which adds to the poppy feeling and possible comparisons to, the funkier, Head Automatica.

That’s not to say the album is a write-off, MTB are amazing song writers and I have no doubt that whatever they turned their hand to they would do well, and they have produced an album of exceptionally good pop-indie songs, but I can’t help but be a little disappointed as that’s not what first drew me to them so at times I find the pop melodies just too much (‘The Thief’). But it’s still worth a listen for everyone and there’s plenty of subtlety and ingenuity that you don’t get with other pop-indie bands to keep you coming back.

Convicted
Dependency
Blood & Ink Records
By Joe Kennedy

I really like listening to Melodic Hardcore (Have heart, Champion, More Than Life) and now with new up and comers Dependency releasing their latest EP this is another band who keep tolling up on my ‘25 most played’ list.

The record has a really loud and overpowering sound, which I think is always a sign of well produced music. With tracks like ‘Goliath’, ‘Fragile’ and ‘Vultures, Scavengers’ all having the guitars scream at you whilst the drums aren’t sticking in sub drops and bells to try and sound too big.

The vocals on the whole album are in dire need of a little compression and some more gain because the singer’s voice sounds quite short and almost crow-like. However If that is his natural clean voice I would defiantly advise some Soothers or vocal training as his chords will have trouble speaking let alone singing soon!

I love how the guitars do an almost call and response style in their melodies; the rhythm starts then lead will take over on another melody. It’s really nice to hear ‘Forgiven’ in the middle of the EP which is a lovely instrumental where the guitarist has a delay effect and plays a simple melody resulting in a soothing TV like endorsement of those calming waves and rain audio collections!

The EP is definitely niche, you couldn’t compare it to a lot of other bands, but it’s also definitely taken influence from hardcore and pop punk and sounds a lot like Title Fight with more hardcore and less singing.?