Artform will never cease being a self-involved & possessive medium for any and all onlookers. One can’t help but draw their own experiences in order to relate to whatever it is they see or hear from any artist, whether it be a painter, musician or filmmaker. Part of including our own relation to a piece is referring to our historical worldview, always spotting influence & inspiration. A song lyric, a brush stroke or even part of a character’s outift — we’re bound to pick out what we recognize, making it easier as participants to relate to the artist’s motivation and our own perspective.

In five short years, New Jersey quartet The Gaslight Anthem have gone from punk rock bruisers to one of the most celebrated & prolific modern rock acts on the scene. Much of that success stems from the band’s ability to seamlessly weave influences into their music, both in terms of lyrical reference and overall sound. With their 2008 breakthrough, The ’59 Sound, music fans relished the opportunity to hear a large combination of influence from Bruce Springsteen and Elvis Presley, something that was heard not only through the raspy vocal charm of Brian Fallon, but also through a more traditional, old-school production (courtesy of Ted Hutt, who is also present on this record). Many of the themes and style were reminescent of 1950’s rock n’ roll, something the band used to their advantage. With their third full-length, American Slang, the distinction between individual art and influence continues to grow, offering everyone on board a chance to carefully sift through and pay tribute to the influential legends, all while concocting their own sound for the future.

For years, we Fallon’s have had to deal with the only famous carrier of our surname being an unfunny, untalented hack who laughs at his own jokes and headlines bad movies with Queen Latifah. It hasn’t been easy as everyone believes we are linked by name association; it’s an ugly life that has resulted in many courtroom visits for potential name changes (suggestion: Max Power) and long nights of agonizing emotional breakdowns.

Thank our lucky stars New Brunswick, New Jersey produced The Gaslight Anthem – and subsequently, another Fallon to the mix. This time, our leather-clad, rough-patched vocalist proudly totes the Fallon name (no relation) and is the punk rock equivalent of New Jersey’s other Golden God, Bruce Springsteen. In fact, Brian Fallon matches the Boss so much, he could be unofficially deemed Lil’ Boss – okay, well that name needs some work, but just work with me here.