HANDWRITTEN: your impressions, comments, and declarations of love

Harbortown wrote:

Songs by the Gaslight Anthem using the Am - F - C - G chord progression (in different keys):

Wooderson, 1930, Drive, We're getting a divorce, Señor and the queen, Blue jeans, Great expectations, '59 Sound, Old white Lincoln, High lonesome, Miles Davis, Casanova, Here's lookin', Diamond church, Orphans, Old haunts, Spirit of jazz, She loves you.

..and I didn't even include the songs on Handwritten. Now I could go on a new tangent and discuss their usage of the C - G - Am - F progression, but I won't, because it's completely irrelevant. In this day and age, every single chord progression has been tried and weathered. They're using a formula for a reason - It works. That's the way that songwriting works.

exactly. everybody uses the Am - F - C - G and the C-G-Am-F (in different keys) one. it's sort of the same as 'verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-repeat'.....it's just a formula. same as the 'national anthem' rhythm.

There's only so much you can do in this genre.
I don't mean to sound rude or snobby or anything, but if you want music with surprises and impressive technical proficiency (The Gaslight Anthem doesn't really qualify too much in that regard) listen to stuff like jazz or progressive metal.

The Gaslight Anthem plays music to make your hips shake and your heart bleed. A cornflakes kinda band. And that's the beauty of it.

Yeah, and people have made entire careers based off of the picking pattern on Here's Looking At You Kid/National Anthem.

i think we might be misunderstanding each other. i'm not looking for mars volta surprises or steve vai proficiency. i think it really says alot about brian fallon's songwriting that he can keep using the same patterns and formulas but still make the songs sound interesting and original. i was only pointing out that he does use those same patterns a lot as an example of why the guitar rhythm to 'national anthem' sounding kinda sorta like 'here's looking at you, kid' doesn't bother me in the least. of course, i only slept for about 2 hours last night, so that may not have come across correctly.

spgilbert wrote:

i think we might be misunderstanding each other. i'm not looking for mars volta surprises or steve vai proficiency. i think it really says alot about brian fallon's songwriting that he can keep using the same patterns and formulas but still make the songs sound interesting and original. i was only pointing out that he does use those same patterns a lot as an example of why the guitar rhythm to 'national anthem' sounding kinda sorta like 'here's looking at you, kid' doesn't bother me in the least. of course, i only slept for about 2 hours last night, so that may not have come across correctly.

I know, I'm on your side bro! I was just saying that as an extention to my previous post. Or an agreement with your post without an "I agree".

I could have been clearer with that.

Harbortown wrote:

spgilbert wrote:

i think we might be misunderstanding each other. i'm not looking for mars volta surprises or steve vai proficiency. i think it really says alot about brian fallon's songwriting that he can keep using the same patterns and formulas but still make the songs sound interesting and original. i was only pointing out that he does use those same patterns a lot as an example of why the guitar rhythm to 'national anthem' sounding kinda sorta like 'here's looking at you, kid' doesn't bother me in the least. of course, i only slept for about 2 hours last night, so that may not have come across correctly.

I know, I'm on your side bro! I was just saying that as an extention to my previous post. Or an agreement with your post without an "I agree".

I could have been clearer with that.

gotcha. misunderstanding was on my part. again.....two hours of sleep. 6 more hours of work and i get to take a nap!

enough derailing. I LOVE THE NEW ALBUM!!!!!

Um not to be a Johnny-Come-Lately, but the Am F C G and C G Am F are actually the same progression - just starting and ending on a different chord. Fun with theory! yay!

JJW319 wrote:

Um not to be a Johnny-Come-Lately, but the Am F C G and C G Am F are actually the same progression - just starting and ending on a different chord. Fun with theory! yay!

It's been a while since I studied music theory but I'll contend you on that.

From my perspective, they're different chord progressions as they progress differently. Then again I took theory classes in Sweden and learned this word on the internet so I'm not sure.

i looked it up and i think he's right. something about this particular group of notes together is called the same 'progression' even though they actually 'progress' differently. but, i don't understand 'progression' and i barely understand 'theory', so i call them different.

After giving it a few listens I've really come to love this album. At first, like many people I found 'Too Much Blood' to be a tad too long, but now that I've become familiar with it more, I find it's perfect the way it is.

With that said, the rest of the album is pure gold to me and this might be one of my top favorite albums ever.

RE: Mae

Love the line:
"In my faded jeans and far away eyes
And salt carnival kiss
That all my former loves say
Was once magnificent"

Anyone else feel this is an homage to Bon Iver ala the "In the Deep" lyric in "45" that may be an homage to Adele.

Seems like Brian was watching the grammy's this year intently.

Chesser19 wrote:

After giving it a few listens I've really come to love this album. At first, like many people I found 'Too Much Blood' to be a tad too long, but now that I've become familiar with it more, I find it's perfect the way it is.

With that said, the rest of the album is pure gold to me and this might be one of my top favorite albums ever.

I may have to give Too Much Blood another shot. I've been skipping it because at least to me it just drags on. Plus I get to Howl quicker .

I'm not sold on the order on the album, flow is off at times and I think it's a bit top heavy in terms of the great songs. I probably would've put "too much blood" second to last, if not last.

Maybe:

45
Handwritten
Mulholland Drive
Keepsake
Biloxi Parish
Mae
Desire
Howl
Here Comes My Man
Too Much Blood
National Anthem

Ghost wrote:

I think I must be the only person waiting for release day to hear the album! So excited though, mostly positive comments from you guys, and I heard Handwritten (song) for the first time yesterday and it sounds like an instant classic!

You're not alone! I even refused to listen to Handwritten yesterday... I figured: I've waited this long already, a few extra days won't do any harm. But please God, make it friday very fast, because I'm getting a little bit impatient!

snakester wrote:

Chesser19 wrote:

After giving it a few listens I've really come to love this album. At first, like many people I found 'Too Much Blood' to be a tad too long, but now that I've become familiar with it more, I find it's perfect the way it is.

With that said, the rest of the album is pure gold to me and this might be one of my top favorite albums ever.

I may have to give Too Much Blood another shot. I've been skipping it because at least to me it just drags on. Plus I get to Howl quicker .

I found it dragged on at the start, but after awhile I become familiar with it and now it doesn't bother me. Give it another chance or two and maybe it will grow on you as well.

The song actually JUST finished and it seemed like it was only 4 minutes to me.

Favourite song is Handwritten and then Mae. Really moving songs.

Not to hot on Keepsake and Too Much Blood. Slows the album down alot.

National anthem is the perfect ending.

One of the members of one of my other favourite bands just tweeted about how good National Anthem was!

I'm just kinda taking it all in right now. 4 listens in, it feels a little overwhelming.

Which band?

A band called The Heartbreaks. Just a small British indie band, doubt anybody on here has heard of them. Nevertheless, thought it was pretty sweet.

Quote :

deaks ‏@heartbreakdeaks
Listen to 'National Anthem' by Gaslight Anthem at all costs.

steady now steady now wrote:

- The one song that does nothing for me (yet) is 'Howl', which sounds like generic US pop punk; almost as if it was put on there by the label to sell the album to a new, bigger crowd, but then wasn't used as the single.

Pleased someone out there has the same feelings towards Howl as me. Honestly thought I was going to be thrown to the wolves when I even uttered the phrase "pop-punk."

The lyrics to Howl are awesome.

Boxer is pop-punk, this is less

Also pop-punk is awesome

long live the ergs!

Harbortown wrote:

JJW319 wrote:

Um not to be a Johnny-Come-Lately, but the Am F C G and C G Am F are actually the same progression - just starting and ending on a different chord. Fun with theory! yay!

It's been a while since I studied music theory but I'll contend you on that.

From my perspective, they're different chord progressions as they progress differently. Then again I took theory classes in Sweden and learned this word on the internet so I'm not sure.

i suppose if you start with C, you're in the key of C. if you start with Am, you're in the key of Am. i know A is C's relative minor but if a song's verse starts with C and it's chorus with Am then technically the chorus counts as a key change.... as i understand it.

in other news i think they can still write pants droppin rock with more chords. thunder road has 3 different minor chords in it, just sayin!

It doesn't matter what note you start on. If you play Am, F, C, G, you could be in C or its relative minor, Am. Neither key has sharps or flats (e.g. only white keys on the piano).

Labhras is incorrect about the key change in the chorus. The song is completely in C or Am, likely C.

I've never posted here before but I thought I'd just offer my opinion.
I've been listening to this on NPR all day (15-20 times, I'd guess) and, frankly, it gets better with each listen. For my money, it is at least on a par with The '59 Sound, a good collection of individual songs, and American Slang, a more cohesive album. I think it manages to combine those two elements to create the ultimate Gaslight album (to date).
The only niggle I have are that the album doesn't end with the usual epic sweep (Backstreets/ WDIWWWY) - not that I think National Anthem is a bad song, far from it, but perhaps it should've been the bonus track for the deluxe edition. The songs I initially thought of as 'filler' - Howl and Desire - are growers.
One interesting thing I noticed is that Too Much Blood ended on a fade-out. Is this the first Gaslight Anthem track to do so? If so, is it in order to make a point? Perhaps the story he's telling in the song - putting everything into his lyrics and having nothing left to give to his everyday relationships - will never end; it'll just go on and on. Like this post!
I hope everybody gets as much out of this album as I have.

still think i'm right about the pants droppin rock bit though