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Nella stazione di servizio della lunga autostrada americana che porta dalla "beat generation" di Kerouac al nuovo sogno americano di Barack Obama, potreste incontrare questi quattro ragazzotti americani, ultimi sognatori in una terra riportata con i piedi a terra da un decennio che avrebbe dovuto incarnare il futuro e che, invece, si è trasformato in uno dei decenni peggiori della storia made in USA.
"The '59 sound" è un titolo significativo per capire dove l'immaginario della band del New Jersey, si è fermato. Prima che tutto accadesse, quando una macchina, una radio e la ragazza seduta nel sedile accanto erano la libertà.
Brian Fallon, tatuato leader dei Gaslight Anthem non nasconde le sue influenze, anzi, in un gioco di citazioni e rimandi, le rende pubbliche. Cosichè dai testi spuntano fuori Miles Davis, Tom Petty, Tom Waits, Elvis, Dylan e Bruce Springsteen. Se però nelle liriche sono così mainstream, lo sono un pò meno nel suono che va a parare nel punk'n'roll dei Clash di London Calling, nei padri Social Distortion, nei Del Fuegos e nello Springsteen più urbano.
Proprio Springsteen, sembra averli presi sotto la sua ala protettrice, riempendoli di elogi e chiamandoli spesso e volentieri a suonare con lui in questo ultimo anno solare. Il testo di Meet me by the river's edge"...NO SURRENDER, my BOBBY JEAN. And we been burned by all our fears. Just from GROWING UP round here." sembra parlare chiaro.
Proletariato rock, romanticismo on the road e melanconia(al gruppo piace definirsi come un incrocio tra Springsteen e i Cure) sono dei punti fissi. I Gaslight Anthem sanno spingere sull'acceleratore punk in canzoni come Great expectations, The '59 sound( debitrice del periodo The River), The patient Ferris wheel, nella clashiana Film noir e nella quasi rockabilly Casanova,baby!. Ma sanno anche parlare al cuore come nel blues di Even cowgirls get the blues o nella ballad Here's looking at you, baby.
Questo secondo album della band, completata da Alex Levine, Benny Horowitz e Alex Rosamilia, pur non essendo il massimo di originalità in campo musicale, si è fatto apprezzare per la genuinità e la padronanza nel saper parlare alle nuove generazioni con un linguaggio che pesca agli albori del rock'n'roll, mischiando speranza,romanticismo e disillusione.
Quando le stazioni radio accompagnavano le lunghe corse nelle strade deserte americane e l'11 settembre era ancora lontano. I Gaslight Anthem hanno forse sbagliato decennio?
Elenco tracce testi e video
02 The '59 Sound (03:09)
And I wonder which song they're going to play when we go.
I hope it's something quiet mannered, peaceful, and slow.
When we throw out into the ether.
Into the everlasting arms.
I hope we don't hear Marley's chains before July.
Cause the chains I've been hearing now for most of my life.
And the chains I've been hearing for most of my life.
To hear the '59 sound coming through my Grandfather's radio.
Did you hear the rattling chains in the hospital walls?
Did you hear the old gospel choir when they came to carry you over?
Did you hear your favorite song one last time?
And I wonder were you scared when the metal hit the glass.
See I was playing a show down the road when your spirit left your body.
And they told me on the front lawn, I'm sorry I couldn't go.
But I still know the song and the words and the name and the reasons.
And I know cause we were kids and we used to hang.
And I know cause we were kids and we used to hang.
To hear the '59 sound coming through my Grandfather's radio.
Did you hear the rattling chains in the hospital walls?
Did you hear the old gospel choir when they came to carry you over?
Did you hear your favorite song one last time?
Young boys........young girls.
Young boys........young girls.
Ain't supposed to die on a saturday nights.
Ain't supposed to die on a saturday.
Well they ain't supposed to die on a saturday night.
Ain't supposed to die on a saturday night.
To hear the '59 sound coming through my Grandfather's radio.
Did you hear the rattling chains in the hospital walls?
Did you hear the old gospel choir when they came to carry you over?
Did you hear your favorite song one last time?
Young boys.......young girls.
Young boys.......young girls.
04 High Lonesome (03:05)
So the ambulances came
They took your pulse and packed up your things
And the papers read
Some boys forget what the party brings
And the pounding in the street
Was your heart in four four time
And the taste of defeat
Was was never too far from your mind
And Maria came from Nashville with a suitcase in her hand
I always kinda sorta wished I looked like Elvis
And in my head there's all these classic cars
And Alamo cowboy bands
I always kinda sorta wish I'm someone else
So gravity came
And stole the temple that the schoolboys praised
And the crowd shuffled in
You're getting drinks for the same boys
Who once bought you everything
And the patter on the bar
Was just this one time
The patter on the bar
Was just this one night
Only to get by
And Maria came from Nashville with a suitcase in her hand
I always kinda sorta wished I looked like Elvis
And in my head there's all these classic cars
And Alamo cowboy bands
I always kinda sorta wish I'm someone else
There were Southern accents
On the radio
As I drove home
And at night I woke up with the sheets soaking wet
It's a pretty good song
Maybe you know the rest
Maybe you know the rest
And Maria came from Nashville with a suitcase in her hand
Always kinda sorta wished I looked like Elvis
And in my head there's all these classic cars
And Alamo cowboy bands
I always kinda sorta wish I'm someone else
When our boots they hit the ground
They made a high and lonesome sound
When our boots they hit the ground
They made a high and lonesome sound
When our boots they hit the ground
They made a high and lonesome sound
When our boots they hit the ground
Down from the clouds
They made a high and lonesome sound
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