The Gaslight Anthem - History Books (October 27th 2023) Album • Page 8

snagged the brooklyn vegan tiger's eye. so pumped

 

Sitting here really debating if I want to listen to the new track or hold off for nine new songs in October.

 

Treat yourself. It's been nine years.

 

Agreed, it's a beautiful song and I'm excited to have it be the soundtrack to the second half of summer.

 

Holy fuck—you know it’s an instant classic when after one listen it’s already tattooed into your soul.

 

Love it

 

decent song. production is really tough. everything sounds so flat.

 

I don’t mind the instrumental production, but I am curious why they are seemingly running the lead vocal through a telephone EQ. It’s especially noticeable when Bruce comes in and sounds incredible.

 

Yeah i was wondering that myself....if its the production or just him singing so much lower that makes things seem a little different.

 

His voice definitely doesn't keep up like it used to. Some of the return shows were a bit rough. And this is after quitting smoking, too...

I'm wondering if they might need to adjust some of the keys for the older songs.

 

I just listened to History Books again, the lack of any bass is quite jarring.

 

His voice sounds muffled

 

The mixing on these songs is also a little weird, to my ears at least. So I think it's a combination of factors.

 

Fuck Positive Charge is still so good lol

 

The bridge is just... chef's kiss emoji

 

Now that I’ve adjusted to the shock of seeing “featuring Bruce Springsteen” on a Gaslight single I can say: definitely better than Positive Charge. The bridge and outro are incredible in particular.

But as much as I don’t want to harp on the same criticism over and over….I really don’t get what’s going on with the mixing on this album? Both singles have moments that should absolutely soar but they don’t. I know Brian’s changed as a vocalist but it’s not like his voice is shot or something; the “time keeps rolling us on” moment sounds like it should explode through the speakers but it’s just muted.

Anyway I’m hoping I’ll settle into the production more when the full album comes out. At the very least I think it’ll work well for the slower songs. But when these new songs end and something from another Gaslight album (or even Painkillers/Sleepwalkers) starts playing, I’m immediately struck by how weird the mixing is by comparison.

 

When they released Positive Charge I assumed it was a demo. The production on these songs are abysmal. Incredibly weird choice.

the songs rule though, so that’s cool.

 

Yea. Peter Katis is on my shit list for this one. The songs are good enough to triumph over it but it’s a baffling choice. I think it’s far more egregious than the last Menzingers album that a lot of people couldn’t get past, and on par or worse than JEW’s “Damage” which is a famously botched one. It sucks we have to talk about for the rest of our lives instead of of just talking about the songs, like, it could have been avoided. Just make it sound remotely normal please.

 

that's the problem for me. i think i'd really enjoy the songs more if they didn't sound like they were recorded in my basement in 2002

 

Menzingers the music was fine, vocals were buried in the mix. This feels like everything is somehow buried.

 

It’s definitely worse than either of those comps. I still think Hello Exile sounds great. Damage, maybe not, but it does sound pretty awesome on vinyl! Hoping this one is similar.

 

Listened to Sleepwalkers and Get Hurt today. Both of which I've come to adore over the past few years.

 

This is where I'm at. Happy to have the song but it's frustrating knowing it could sound so much better

 

https://instagram.com/stories/thebrianfallon/3152087829567838619?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

 

Somehow, this sounds better on worse speakers. The demo comparisons are an apt one.

I was bumping it last night in my wife’s car, which doesn’t have a great sound system, and it sounded phenomenal. I could not wait to hear it on my good headphones or good house speakers. I put it on this morning and turned up the volume, and thought I must’ve been too high last night, because it sounded so washed out. The guitars, in particular on the chorus, simply do not chainsaw in the way I think we all expect them to, and in a way that would make this new single an absolute all timer in their catalog.

it is a testament to their songwriting, that this community appreciates the songs, even presented at less than their best.