Every Once in a while a band will come along that will change your life forever. For me that band was The Gaslight Anthem. A few years back in 2007 a buddy left a cd in my car. That cd was "Sink or Swim" by then, a not to well known band. There was something about the way front-man/Guitarist Brian Fallon, mixed his words with Rhythm and Blues and delivered them with a punk rock attitude. Over the next 5 years i watched this band grown and evolve as musicians and songwriters with the releases of "The 59 Sound" and "American Slang". The bands newest release, "Handwritten" is not genre defying or the wheel reinvented. Its good honest music from hard working blue collared boys from New Jersey. Every song is as great as the one before it. Its an album you have to listen from beginning to end every time u spin it.

Great record from one of my favorite bands going right now. The blue vinyl looks awesome. A great pickup for any Gaslight fan.

From what I have read online this album has been fairly unpopular among fans. When I first listened to it I really enjoyed it although it has quickly disappered from my turntable for whatever reason! The comparisons to Bruce Springsteen are disturbingly obvious on this album, really sounds like it could be one of his albums. Overall it is a good album although a lot slower and more mellow than some of their past releases.

Two things scared me about this album, one a jump to a major label, and two Brian Fallon said in an interview that this is the direction we are going in. Most bands that are really great change their formula in order to stay fresh. For what ever reason it usually ends up negative from the fan base view. Hell look how Metallica went to and haircuts for all. Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin once claimed that CODA was his favorite album pressed but it was smashed and ripped to pieces by the press. So anyhow I do find this album a little hard to listen to all the way around. Although it does have some very good tracks. 45 might be one of their most intimate and widely recognized songs to date. But many others seem to have the same tempo all the way through. I do see the change to more Tom Petty and Springsteen which I thought would be amazing. I am still a fan and will see them live this September.