Although they'd just released a fourth cracking album of blue collar, punky rock ‘n' roll, there was a feeling after 2012’s 'Handwritten' that the Gaslight Anthem were treading water. 'Get Hurt' may be a well intentioned attempt to shake up that formula, but, unfortunately, it's also easily the band's worst effort to date.
Discussing their reasons for trying something new, singer Brian Fallon recently said: “You get a realisation at some point in your career that whatever it is you do, you can no longer continue to do it. You realise you can’t put out the same records forever.”
After showing superb versatility with his side project – the Horrible Crowes - the prospect of Fallon and the band exploring new territory was an exciting one. So what in the name of sweet Jesus has gone wrong?
Alarm bells started ringing when we learned the 1975 and Jake Bugg producer Mike Crossey was in the hotseat. No disrespect to those artists, but a band who bleed iconic American history and culture choosing the go-to-guy for British indie-pop darlings? Was this really the best way to reinvent themselves?
The answer is a resounding no, with 'Get Hurt' being a messy, unfocused album that has diluted the identity and strength of the Gaslight Anthem to produce something that's, well, Gas-lite. Where their previous records exploded into life with exceptional anthems like Great Expectations and ‘45, Stay Vicious is a plodding dirge of an opener whose chorus is nevertheless crooned and rather pleasant. But, when that's the best word you can find to describe a song, you know you're in trouble.
Doing something different is all well and good, but the songs still need to feel genuine. Take 1000 Years, with its Snow Patrol guitar lines and radio friendly chorus that bizarrely brings to mind Katy Perry. It's contrived, lacks sincerity and doesn't stand up to repeat listens. Fallon has such a raw, honest, soulful voice that it's uncomfortable hearing him sing such empty bombast.
Many tracks attempt to be different but lack direction, strong ideas and memorable hooks. Both Stray Paper and Helter Skeleton refuse to stick in the memory and sound like leftovers from previous albums. Only the delicate title track, which has the icy heartache of the Shins, Underneath The Ground's smart narrative and the pumped up Dark Places can hold their heads high.
For all the talk of progression, the second half of the record feels more familiar as Rollin' and Tumblin', Selected Poems and Ain't That A Shame ape the band's usual style. Unfortunately, they're Gaslight-by-numbers tracks that don't come close to matching their best work. If this sounds harsh, listen to 'Get Hurt' and then immediately spin any of their other albums. The difference in conviction and the calibre of songs is astonishing.
Fallon appears stuck in a songwriting comfort zone, with recurring motifs – wounds, bandages, bleeding - and themes losing their impact through familiarity. For a guy who cites Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen as his heroes, he needs to look at how they continually evolve without losing their distinctive voices.
The Gaslight Anthem Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Mon November 17 2014 - MANCHESTER O2 Apollo
Tue November 18 2014 - MANCHESTER O2 Apollo
Wed November 19 2014 - LONDON Alexandra Palace
Fri November 21 2014 - EDINBURGH Edinburgh Corn Exchange
Sat November 22 2014 - CARDIFF Motorpoint Arena Cardiff
Sun November 23 2014 - BIRMINGHAM O2 Academy Birmingham
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