Really need I say more. So great.
Also, here’s my review of “American Slang.”
At the end of 2008, I discovered a band from New Jersey called the Gaslight Anthem. This was just as the buzz around it was starting to build. Gaslight Anthem’s sound is a punk/soul hybrid, but the sum is infinitely greater than the influences. I have very likely listened to this band more than any other since then. I have anticipated no 2010 release as highly as 
“American Slang.” The reason is simple. The first time I listened to the Gaslight Anthem reminded me of what it was like to fall in love with rock & roll. And to be able to capture this emotion is no small feat.
“American Slang” does not disappoint in the slightest. It tackles the big stuff—the American Dream (or lack of its reality as in “You told me fortunes in American Slang”) is really the overarching theme. Rare is the record that can tackle heavy themes, but still keep the redemptive power of music present at every moment. “American Slang,” like the Gaslight Anthem’s previous albums, has done this. However, the beauty of the Gaslight Anthem has always been found in the details—the interplay of the guitars, the wonderful lyrics, and the joy that permeates every note—as much as in the total. But the total is beautiful.
