What is it that Makes Everything Gaslight Amazing?

I was thinking about it, and one of the most common raves I've ever seen regarding pretty much everything TGA's ever recorded (and most of Brian's solo work, too) is that there's not a single bad song. Now, while this is admittedly and unfortunately a generalization (I can't really name any, but there are definitely one or two bad Gaslight songs- only, they're covers), the same thing pretty much rings true:

Almost every Gaslight Anthem song is a master piece.

Now how is this? Why is this?

The sheer probability of 48 of their around 50 songs (including covers, but not including the unreleased songs from Handwritten since we obviously haven't heard them) being nearly perfect is just mind-boggling.

Bands don't do this. Hitting on all sixes at such a perfect consistency is something that very few bands in the history of music have ever been able to do, something thought only possible by mega-giants like the literal paragon of catalog perfection, The Beatles (a band who had its fair share of crappy songs, too!) and Queen and all those bands of yesteryear that we think of and say, "Holy crap, every one of their songs rules!"

Just how the hell do the boys do it?

My guess is human sacrifice. What do you guys think?

Haha well you got the obvious one, but I'd say two things:

1) Having a brilliant songwriter in Brian Fallon
2) Knowing their strengths and not straying too far from those strengths. Meaning they don't put eleven minute electro-pop dirges on albums. At least...not yet. Obviously that's an extreme example, but they really don't have songs that sound out-of-place in their catalog. It all fits, because the songs have a sort of cohesion and unity to them. Some of this has to do with chord progressions and things, but it's definitely a part of it.

JohnnyC wrote:

...they don't put eleven minute electro-pop dirges on albums. At least...not yet...

No.

Not yet.

Not yet.

They have a workingman sound/lyrics that makes them easily relatable and likeable.

It's because Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young and Tom Petty secretly write all of the songs!

For me, it's mostly about the lyrics to the songs. That's what got me hooked on TGA in the first place. I think there is at least one line, if not many lines, in every single song Brian has written that applies to me and my life in some way. I can't say that about any other artist/band out there. It'll be interesting to see if that statement still holds true after hearing the rest of the songs from Handwritten. I have a feeling it will!

Yeah, what Shannon said.

They just get me.

Another input could come from their influences. When a band begins making music, what they make is essentially a culmination of all of their influences and bands they listen placed in their creative mind. Listening to music is the most important step in creating it. Something like that. But I mean give credit where credit is do - the four guys simply have the talent, the passion, the heart, the dedication, the love.

Heart & Soul.

Brian's voice

They're real.

The other day, standing on the beach, 45 comes on...chills, wicked chills.