It’s been a steady climb for New Jersey nostalgia-rockers the Gaslight Anthem: The band played the record-release party for their last album, 2008’s The ’59 Sound, at the cozy, now-shuttered Tribeca Knitting Factory, but have spent the time since ceaselessly plugging it on the road, working their way up to a boatload of international festivals, sold-out Terminal 5 status the last time they were in town, and even a shared stage with their god, Bruce Springsteen. Next up is their new album, American Slang, out June 15, previewed with today’s release of the first single and title track. It’s instantly recognizable for anyone who’s ever heard a Gaslight Anthem: a big, bright guitar line; a chorus seemingly engineered by highly paid rock-and-roll scientists for maximum sing-along-ability; lyrics about tattoos and dreams and fortunes and long-gone beauties. (A few representative American Slang song titles: “The Diamond Church Street Choir,” “The Queen of Lower Chelsea,” “We Did It When We Were Young.”) For better or for worse, Gaslight still sound like an act that might be parodying a band very similar to themselves. Since “American Slang” is already stuck in our heads, we’re going with “for better.”
(Embedded above, but sound’s a bit better at their myspace.com page)
