Why do we love/"obsess" over The Gaslight Anthem so much?

I first heard TGA in February of 2009, and I haven't been able to stop listening to them
since. The 59' Sound came on the radio and I was immediately hooked. I went home and bought all of their albums and listened non-stop. What is it about them that is so addicting? Is it the simplicity of the songs, while at the same time they tell such deep and meaningful stories? Is it that they sing about what a lot of people are thinking and feeling? Is it the passion and emotion that they put into every song? Or is it that you can tell if Brain Fallon is smiling, laughing, or crying with his words of rememberance? What do you think makes them irresistable?

hmm... good question. Is "because they are awesome" a good enough answer?

e7c wrote:

hmm... good question. Is "because they are awesome" a good enough answer?

That answer can be countered by asking "What makes them awesome?".

Tim was here wrote:

e7c wrote:

hmm... good question. Is "because they are awesome" a good enough answer?

That answer can be countered by asking "What makes them awesome?".

They are awesome.

QueenOfTheBronx wrote:

What is it about them that is so addicting?

"Talking about music is like talking about sex. Can you describe it? Are you supposed to?" -- Bruce Springsteen

That Springsteen quote fits this 100%

What I love about their live shows most is probably the sincerity and to see how much Brian and the lads enjoy themselves on stage. It's refreshing to see him genuinly smiling and enjoying himself on stage as he's singing/playing.

Their music, I'm not even sure, Springsteen says it well, I can't describe what it is about the music, it's just a step above anything else I've heard in a long time, in almost all senses.

I obsess about the songs, because I have made a very special emotional connection with their work.

I obsess about the band, because they are genuine and really likeable.

They cool.

I think fans connect with them as 'everyday' people, they seem likable, approachable, they have the blue collar mentality, there just like everyone else. They don't have the rock star mentality, they aren't primadonnas. And with that, people want to see them succeed.

Musically, I think they sing about "real" stuff...i.e., the struggles and problems and highs and lows that everyone deals with, and add to that a steady helping of nostalgic, simpler times of yore, with great vocals....it's awesome to hear. (there's no bitches and hos, no degradation to women, no fake posturing)

I think I posted several months ago, categorizing their music as "inclusion rock", b/c people from every demographic can like them...An older generation digs them b/c it's nostalgic, it's rock from their hey day, there's not any swearing...Kids like them b/c it's so easy to sing along to, and it's unique... People in their late 30's / early 40's (cough, cough, ahem) like them b/c it's a refreshing departure from the mid to late 90's nu metal scene, and the early 2000's emo burst and the Warped tour where most bands sound very similar. They are not cookie cutter...

Sorry about the rambling...But it's a great question...what make them great?

All of these answers are right. Even the simple ones like "they're cool." There are too many reasons that are amazing to read.

because they call themselves a soul band

or a band with soul