Eh, I like pretty much everything on The 59 Sound and American Slang better, and probably two thirds of Handwritten too. It’s a good song, but not even particularly high on my Gaslight ballads list.
Some songs just don't work as well when recorded and need the space of a live setting in order to work it out. I don't know if it would've been better if they waited to record to capture how it sounds live, but regardless the recording, to me, is meh.
I thought the Crowe’s came from Brian and Ian’s mutual love of Afghan Whigs or something like that. I really do think that songs like this are a good example though of a variety of influences because I’m sure they are both familiar this song or a lot of common songs. The Crowes has a nice variety of sounds and I remember Brian calling the project “nighttime music”. So many great songs too. I couldn’t rank this bands songs because I love so many for different reasons.
Brian’s cover of Capo 4th Fret for the Tony Sly tribute still brings on the waterworks every time. The original was sad enough, but the Brian Fallon version just has this haunting somber quality too it. Then again, that whole tribute album just destroys me, especially the Frank Turner cover of Kira.
The summer is my prime Gaslight listening. It is pure joy but these last few years are very bittersweet. Even though I saw them 3 times last year and it would be a perfect ending to an amazing band’s chapter, the selfish part of me doesn’t want it to be over. I sometimes just hope one day they’ll do a surprise album drop haha. If there was a band who would want to do it and could pull it off ...
You gotta think at some point Brian will want to write an album's worth of more aggressive stuff and do it with these guys. But even if he doesn't........I think his solo stuff is just as good, honestly, just a little different.
Painkillers and Sleepwalkers are fantastic, both were my AOTY for their respected years. Thankfully he is still churning out quality music so it isn’t entirely the end of the world!
It’s probably easier financially being his name and paying people, even if it’s former Gaslight members. Painkillers and Sleepwalkers are different. I could see them doing more Festival stuff with Gaslight.
Based on what Brian said on a recent podcast, he said if he had Gaslight or HC songs that he felt were on the level of the previous records he would be open to either project again. He also stated that he is content with each of those projects and thinks it's a high bar to reach. That's the main reason he has never followed-up Elsie is because he isn't sure if he could reach that level with another HC album. With Gaslight, he feels the '59-Sound and Handwritten are the quality standard. I still think there will be another Gaslight record at some point. It just may not be as soon as we'd like it to be. The solo project gives Brian the flexibility to lean into some of what Gaslight and HC did, but not taint or ruin that legacy. I think there is sort of freedom with that situation that is hard to discount if you're Brian. Painkillers and Sleepwalkers have vastly different vibes and I think that is important to Brian to write whatever record he is feeling at the time.
Is this true though? Do you think he makes more money touring as BF and paying a small wage to bandmates than he does to tour as GASLIGHT and (let's assume) split everything 4 ways, evenly? I'm not so sure about that. I bet it's pretty close when you factor in the bigger venue size they play as Gaslight
Yeah I still hold out hope one day they give it another go. 5 straight albums and endless touring for nearly 8 years, plus some of them having kids, plus a poor reaction to Get Hurt all accumulated to a perfect time for a break.
Could be, but maybe he has more freedom and less pressure. I have heard Frank Turner talk about being the point man in the band, and how he owns all the rights and such. I feel confident in whatever Brian wants to do musically, so I am excited for a new solo album, and I would be excited if he ever wanted to revisit Gaslight with the guys or more Crowe’s.