Handwritten: How has time affected your opinions and thoughts?

rkirkpatrick25 wrote:

I think "Handwritten" the song would be stronger without the woah-ohs.... I don't know why I just thought of this, but listening to it live, I think it'd be better without them

Definitely agree. That version without them on the "Making of Handwritten" video was great.

rkirkpatrick25 wrote:

I think "Handwritten" the song would be stronger without the woah-ohs.... I don't know why I just thought of this, but listening to it live, I think it'd be better without them

every song ever written would be better without woah woah's!

One of the reasons I cant stand desire (although acoustic is the mint!)

Ive listened to Handwritten a lot since saw em last week at Troxy. Here Comes My Man is one of their best. Immense choon.

Sidenote: Whats happened to Bring it on and 1930 live????!!!!

I disagree that every song ever written would be better without woahs, but I think Handwritten would be just as strong without them, maybe stronger. ESPECIALLY live. Live, it kills the song a bit because they sound so out of tune for it. But listening to the making of version, they just left off the woah's at the beginning but have them later. I think that works really well.

I wish I had a CD of all the making of video versions but played through, not just the 90 second clip. I'm even attached to HCMM starting as acoustic and switching into electric.

StitchesOnTheRadio wrote:

I disagree that every song ever written would be better without woahs, but I think Handwritten would be just as strong without them, maybe stronger. ESPECIALLY live. Live, it kills the song a bit because they sound so out of tune for it. But listening to the making of version, they just left off the woah's at the beginning but have them later. I think that works really well.

I wish I had a CD of all the making of video versions but played through, not just the 90 second clip. I'm even attached to HCMM starting as acoustic and switching into electric.

In my opinion that riff in Handwritten is really good but gets diminished behind the woah ohs in the intro and after the verse. Sounds a lot better in the making of video. And the acoustic HCMM in the Making of video gives me chills every time I listen to it, I wish it was the actual song.


For me I just develop more problems with the lyrics as time goes on.

Like come on, "Do I ever cross your mind and do you ever think of me?" is just "Do I ever cross your mind....and I need another part of the line so I'll just rephrase "do I ever cross your mind""

"I got things on my mind and they're gonna come up and they're gonna come out time to time".. again, being redundant within a line. You can say "oh come on you're just nitpicking" but I never have these moments with any of the lyrics on their first 3 albums.

And there are parts where the lyrics don't fit the melody, like in Keepsake when he awkwardly drags the "if" in "What we coulda had if you'da had a part in my life" and the "wild as they DO come" in National Anthem. Again I am nitpicking but when you're talking about a band that has blown you away in some form with every song, that's all there is to do.

Still really like the album but I'm not just going back to it like I am with 59Sound or American Slang or even Sink or Swim, all of which I've known for years and still seem fresh.

ral wrote:

rkirkpatrick25 wrote:

I think "Handwritten" the song would be stronger without the woah-ohs.... I don't know why I just thought of this, but listening to it live, I think it'd be better without them

Definitely agree. That version without them on the "Making of Handwritten" video was great.

I agree as well. I think maybe the versions we liked on the making of video are more stripped back, probably like Brian's solo album's gonna be

For me, Handwritten's greatest strength as well as its biggest weakness is its layering. Like, I end up coming back to it a lot because the production is so powerful and hits so hard compared to the other albums.
But also, the album probably could have benefited from some more understated moments.

I liked their other albums more. I don't listen so much to the Handwritten album. Usually i go for one of the other albums. I liked the Handwritten alot when it just came out and i have been listening alot to it. Don't know what happend between me and that album now... I still like it, but i have to be in the right mood to listen to it, while i'm always in the mood for one of the other albums. I liked their old sound more.

eagles1139 wrote:

StitchesOnTheRadio wrote:

I disagree that every song ever written would be better without woahs, but I think Handwritten would be just as strong without them, maybe stronger. ESPECIALLY live. Live, it kills the song a bit because they sound so out of tune for it. But listening to the making of version, they just left off the woah's at the beginning but have them later. I think that works really well.

I wish I had a CD of all the making of video versions but played through, not just the 90 second clip. I'm even attached to HCMM starting as acoustic and switching into electric.

In my opinion that riff in Handwritten is really good but gets diminished behind the woah ohs in the intro and after the verse. Sounds a lot better in the making of video. And the acoustic HCMM in the Making of video gives me chills every time I listen to it, I wish it was the actual song.


For me I just develop more problems with the lyrics as time goes on.

Like come on, "Do I ever cross your mind and do you ever think of me?" is just "Do I ever cross your mind....and I need another part of the line so I'll just rephrase "do I ever cross your mind""

"I got things on my mind and they're gonna come up and they're gonna come out time to time".. again, being redundant within a line. You can say "oh come on you're just nitpicking" but I never have these moments with any of the lyrics on their first 3 albums.

And there are parts where the lyrics don't fit the melody, like in Keepsake when he awkwardly drags the "if" in "What we coulda had if you'da had a part in my life" and the "wild as they DO come" in National Anthem. Again I am nitpicking but when you're talking about a band that has blown you away in some form with every song, that's all there is to do.

Still really like the album but I'm not just going back to it like I am with 59Sound or American Slang or even Sink or Swim, all of which I've known for years and still seem fresh.

I agree with everything you just said. It's almost odd that he just left those redundant lines. Like I can see him writing them because he couldn't think of something else at the time, and then coming back and trying something new but not leaving it.

They all seem so pleased with this record and I mean, as a fan, I'm pleased with it, but as an artist, this feels like the kind of thing that I'd be left feeling like "damn, I wish I'd fixed that". Idk, if they're pleased with it, then that's what's most important, and who knows, maybe those few points bother them too. But you know, if it was like, this is the best we can get, it's this or we scrap the song, then I'll gladly take some minor weak points and they make up for it in other ways. I still listen to it, I did today actually.

Also, I'd kill for that acoustic version of HCMM. I loved that song in the preview. Now it's a love-hate relationship. Like, I'd marry HCMM, but I also might murder it in it's sleep.

StitchesOnTheRadio wrote:

Also, I'd kill for that acoustic version of HCMM. I loved that song in the preview. Now it's a love-hate relationship. Like, I'd marry HCMM, but I also might murder it in it's sleep.

It's tough because my first exposure to HCMM was the Making Of video and I remember being blown away by it, and then to hear the album version it's impossible for me to judge it objectively because I always have that black-and-white clip of Brian sitting with an acoustic guitar in the back of my head

I'm anticipating the moments in promotion of their next album where they subtly shit on Handwritten, just like they did to the '59 Sound during American Slang and to American Slang during Handwritten. Maybe it's just my imagination (running away with me)

DeathoftheCool wrote:

I'm anticipating the moments in promotion of their next album where they subtly shit on Handwritten, just like they did to the '59 Sound during American Slang and to American Slang during Handwritten. Maybe it's just my imagination (running away with me)

I didn't see much shitting on '59 Sound during the American Slang release cycle. Just like, acknowledgement that the new album would be different.

But like, the band isn't dumb. They know T59S is their best album and they still haven't fully recaptured its magic. People will be more excited if they subtly admit the later releases haven't been quite up to snuff.

CluckyB wrote:

DeathoftheCool wrote:

I'm anticipating the moments in promotion of their next album where they subtly shit on Handwritten, just like they did to the '59 Sound during American Slang and to American Slang during Handwritten. Maybe it's just my imagination (running away with me)

I didn't see much shitting on '59 Sound during the American Slang release cycle. Just like, acknowledgement that the new album would be different.

But like, the band isn't dumb. They know T59S is their best album and they still haven't fully recaptured its magic. People will be more excited if they subtly admit the later releases haven't been quite up to snuff.

Yeah you're right. I guess shitting on wasnt the right term, more like reject the style of the last album in favor of the new one. Whatever the case, that type of attitude regarding their past music is a good thing

I still think Handwritten as an entire album is their worst effort to date. Its not bad, but definitely not close to being their best work.

However, 45 and Handwritten are among my favorite Gaslight songs.

I rank it just behind The 59 Sound which is about were I had it when it first came out. I thought it was a much improved effort from American Slang which was such a disappointment coming off of the 59 Sound (AS was a good album but not great). My Gaslight Album power rankings have stayed the same.

1- 59 Sound
2- Handwritten
3- Sink or Swim
4- American Slang

I don't rank Senor and the Queen against full albums.

In the beginning, Handwritten was competing for the number one spot. Not anymore.

1. The 59 Sound
2. Sink Or Swim
3. American Slang
4. Handwritten

It just doesn't feel like Gaslight anymore. It's kind of a boring album, and few of it's tracks are excellent. I'd say only the slower numbers really stand the test of time.
Still a better album than most other bands out can do, but just not up to Gaslight standards IMO.

I think this album is right up there with their best work and the fact that I think I have probably played Handwritten even more all the way through than The '59 Sound says a lot about what a great record it is. It still doesn't quite beat The '59 Sound though I don't think. It's interesting because if I was to rank my top 10 Gaslight songs I know that at least 5 would be from Handwritten - Handwritten, Here Comes My Man, Mulholland Drive, Mae, Blue Dahlia.

I think it's amazing how polarizing this record is. I think people who got into them through HW have it towards the top of their list, but people who jumped in earlier than that are kind of put out by the record...

Same thing with the live shows... It seems like people who saw them the first time before Handwritten came out are less pleased with the live shows, and those who recently found the band (as in circa HW release) think they're amazing....

I don't think it's an I'm a better fan thing, I think it's just two totally different eras of Gaslight that aren't really comparable to one another....

rkirkpatrick25 wrote:

I think it's amazing how polarizing this record is. I think people who got into them through HW have it towards the top of their list, but people who jumped in earlier than that are kind of put out by the record...

Same thing with the live shows... It seems like people who saw them the first time before Handwritten came out are less pleased with the live shows, and those who recently found the band (as in circa HW release) think they're amazing....

I don't think it's an I'm a better fan thing, I think it's just two totally different eras of Gaslight that aren't really comparable to one another....

I see where you're coming from though I do disagree, most people on here weren't around for the early Bruce and Dylan records for example, yet im sure most people agree its the best work they've done. For me, at the end of the day, Music is Music...59 > HW thats just a fact. If people just getting into Gaslight look back, im sure they agree.

To be honest if you were a fan of Gaslight before Handwritten I don't see how you could really dislike Handwritten. Everyone has their own opinion which is fine but I don't think there is any way you could say Handwritten is a bad album. To me they have always been very consistent and one of the great things about the band is that they do switch up their style slightly record to record.

I fell in love with Gaslight just after The '59 Sound and that will probably always be my favourite record ever. American Slang was a solid album but in my opinion Handwritten is better. I think there are lots of fans like me who got into Gaslight earlier but still love Handwritten. I don't think Handwritten is so vastly different from previous material for fans to strongly dislike the album and obviously opinions will differ as to which album is their best. I rate all four of Gaslight's albums (plus SaTQ) highly and can't wait to hear what album #5 will sound like

I don't like Handwritten because it's boring, plodding, and the lyrics aren't as good as they were on previous records...

It lacks the sense of nostalgia that existed on previous albums, it sounds over-produced.... It sounds forced....

There are some moments on the record and songs that I do really enjoy.... Handwritten is a great song (minus the woah-ohs), Mae is heart-wrenching, Biloxi was great before they removed the verse about being home in Asbury Park to replace it with a bridge that doesn't fit the song, the lyrics on Keepsake are really great...

Howl and 45 are fun, but they lack the lyrics that really bring you in on other fast songs like 1930/59 Sound...

As a fan from before Handwritten I am really disappointed in this record because I don't think it comes close to reaching the standard they created with their incredible body of work that came before it

I also fell in love with Gaslight during the 59 Sound days and I love Handwritten. I think all the records have common ground and they all have their share of differences. I think HW was a little bit bigger step than the others in terms of change but they all still are Gaslight records to me, and I like that they're not afraid to change it up.

I think the best tracks on HW as SO amazing, that they make the other tracks look weak, when really the "weak" tracks are on par with the weaker tracks of all their albums, it's just the gap that makes them seem worse.

And I give up trying to rank them. I love them all, 1st to last depends entirely on my mood. Even objectively, I think they all have different strong and weak points.

rkirkpatrick25 wrote:

I don't like Handwritten because it's boring, plodding, and the lyrics aren't as good as they were on previous records...

It lacks the sense of nostalgia that existed on previous albums, it sounds over-produced.... It sounds forced....

There are some moments on the record and songs that I do really enjoy.... Handwritten is a great song (minus the woah-ohs), Mae is heart-wrenching, Biloxi was great before they removed the verse about being home in Asbury Park to replace it with a bridge that doesn't fit the song, the lyrics on Keepsake are really great...

Howl and 45 are fun, but they lack the lyrics that really bring you in on other fast songs like 1930/59 Sound...

As a fan from before Handwritten I am really disappointed in this record because I don't think it comes close to reaching the standard they created with their incredible body of work that came before it

Obviously we will have to agree to disagree on Handwritten as a whole but I do agree with you on Biloxi. In my opinion the third verse was the best one and it made the build up to the last chorus bigger. I also don't particularly like the way that song sounds on record, the production isn't great on that track in my opinion. It's a shame because that song sounds so good live. My initial criticisms of Handwritten remain - I think it sags a bit in the middle with Keepsake and Too Much Blood. I kind of wish Too Much Blood ended the way they end it live instead of fading out (I guess I just wasn't used to a TGA song fading out before).

Lyrically I think HW is as strong as ever and to me sometimes the best songs are the most basic lyrically, instead of being shrouded in metaphors. Again I can see why lyrically you might think of it as not as good as previous material with the more direct approach but I think it works.

One thing that is certain is that the tracks from Handwritten translate really well live. Even Keepsake which isn't one of my favourites on HW sounds so good in a live setting. Here Comes My Man has really become a crowd favourite too now. To me there are so many moments of magic on HW that outweigh the weaker aspects of the album.

Agree to disagree Peace has been made....

Ps. Nothing is Real is an AWESOME song... Can't wait for the new GGD record... Have you heard Come to Me?

rkirkpatrick25 wrote:

Agree to disagree Peace has been made....

Ps. Nothing is Real is an AWESOME song... Can't wait for the new GGD record... Have you heard Come to Me?

Haha cool. Hey that's great that you are a fellow GGD fan I really can't wait for Magnetic from what I've heard it's going to be great! Come To Me is pretty special, I think my favourite new song they have played live is When The World Breaks Your Heart. I really like the positive upbeat tone they have brought to the new album Just a pain that they have had to push the release date back again

rkirkpatrick25 wrote:

I think it's amazing how polarizing this record is. I think people who got into them through HW have it towards the top of their list, but people who jumped in earlier than that are kind of put out by the record...

Same thing with the live shows... It seems like people who saw them the first time before Handwritten came out are less pleased with the live shows, and those who recently found the band (as in circa HW release) think they're amazing....

I don't think it's an I'm a better fan thing, I think it's just two totally different eras of Gaslight that aren't really comparable to one another....

Some people are also just assholes about bands who get new fans (Not anyone on here that I have seen but for any band people like to hold it as a badge of honor that they liked a band before everyone else). I started liking the band in 2009 once 59 sound started getting radio play on a now defunct awesome alternative radio station. I heard Great Expectations on the radio and I was hooked, I had to listen to everything they ever recorded.

I put Handwritten just behind 59 sound but way ahead of American Slang. To me its still Gaslight, I don't think we are in a different era by any means. I think their popularity has increased somewhat but by no means are they a mainstream band (They are far from a household name). I think the idea that Handwritten has changed the band is overblown.

Their Liveshows don't feel any different to me either, it still feels like a regular Gaslight show. I just think people will try to draw lines in the sand, like them hopping labels to demarcate eras but I personally don't see the difference.

Overall I think the same thing happened American Slang. At first 75% of the fans on here loved they ranked it ahead or just behind 59 sound (I was in that category). The other 25% maybe a little disappointed. As time went on I think people made their own opinions and had a better context for it. I think the same thing is happening with Handwritten people are putting it into context now that there is time. And for me personally unlike American Slang its stood right about were I pegged it when I first heard it last summer.

If you don't see a difference between now and a few years back you're blind.