TGA/THC/BF stuff that sucked ;-)

I assume we must all be here because we love the Gaslight Anthem, the Horrible Crowes, and Brian and the gang, but I bet that we all thought at some point that some things sucked.

So, without anyone getting nasty please, let's hear it.

Here are my top 5:

1) They should have filmed the 2010 show at Hammersmith (even Brian said so). Amazing show, great visually, and a historic venue. [How can we get to 2013 and still not have a live DVD?]
2) That the Horrible Crowes only played 2 gigs.
3) Why on earth did Brian not think of the word 'sinews', in place of 'mixture', when he wrote (in 'Our Father's Sons'): "... we're all the same/Our troubles and our sorrows and underneath/Blood and bone and mixture"? Cringe.
4) 'American Slang' was the wrong lead single for that album (some other singles choices also had me scratch my head).
5) Premature talk of playing arenas.

LEAVING BLUE DAHLIA OFF OF THE HANDWRITTEN LP!!!!!!!!

All that, plus
1. How it's unclear whether or not they're gonna continue using standard tuning for the rest of their future shows/records :\
2. How Brian seems to be afraid to commit to the pork-pie hat thing. It was working for you during American Slang, man! I guess we all change
3. How in different interviews you hear Brian talk about how the tele is his favorite guitar, and then he says the same thing about Les Pauls in the another one
4. How Ian's guitar and the guys' backing vocals never come through in the mixes for festival set recordings or any live recordings that ive heard!
5. How the crowd seems to be maliciously rough for no good reason sometimes (hopefully only at the show that I went to, which took place in Ventura, CA on "4/20" so people were probably not all there)
^ Now those were some random ass complaints

Shrewsbury_Stars wrote:

LEAVING BLUE DAHLIA OFF OF THE HANDWRITTEN LP!!!!!!!!

Yep. And I'd like to see the flat cap return, but that's not really a thing. Plus I think it was in the making of Handwritten video where Brian was wearing a cool floppy beanie. But I'm flexible on headwear issues.

That Brian didn't want to take pictures after the show here in Luxembourg -.-

1) No Blue Dahlia on vinyl (It's practically my favorite Gaslight song)
2) No new Horrible Crowes stuff in the works.
3) No more Ted Hutt.
4) Alex won't tell us the lead line of Say I Won't (Recognize)
5) The vocals on Halloween are the same as the live show.

1. Ditto on the short Elsie tour and no confirmed future HC records. Elsie is my favourite record of all time. Such a complete album with a very tightly wound theme and atmosphere, truly a work of haunting art.

2. The live version of Goodnight Irene, (with a couple extra instruments) was so much better than the lousily produced studio version.

3. Still no studio recording of an acoustic 1930. I prefer the acoustic version so much more, really a beautiful song.

4. In a perfect world, Desire would have never been written and Blue Dahlia would have taken it's place. Teenage Rebellion and either or both of the aforementioned songs (a better version of Goodnight Irene and an acoustic 1930) would be the bonus tracks. Didn't care too much for the covers and don't like considering them as part of the album.

5. Finally, as I grow older, my taste in music has been changing. Gaslight will always be one of my favourite bands but I hope they start to mix things up. I'm definitely more a fan of Elsie than anything TGA produced, which is always straight rock records. Gaslight is beginning to sound a little generic to me, and I hope to see them to take a step in a different direction. I'll be here hounding over their next album like everyone else, and will really enjoy it, but I find myself preferring to dive into The National and Radiohead more than Gaslight these days. Hard to beat Fallon's songwriting though.


-


In regards to number 5, I feel like Halloween is a step in the right direction. Here's hoping it's a sign of things to come.

1. Brian's vocals
The guy's got a beautiful, beautiful voice but lots of times he doesn't know how to use it, especially during acoustic performances. It's like he doesn't know what to do with his singing so he resorts to singing the highest possible notes that he can.

2. Ted Hutt
He always manages to do something wrong if you ask me. The '59 Sound has the perfect sound because it really envelops the record in this nostalgic shimmer and it sounds all dreamy, but it's like there are no rhythm guitars at all. It could benefit from just a little bit more juice in that department.
As far as American Slang is concerned, I hate that they decided not to use any open chords at all. It makes the songs sound dull and lifeless where they should sound vibrant and full.

3. Handwritten
I get that they want to try and reinvent themselves, but how does sounding more generic help them achieve that? It's not necessarily a bad record, it's got some great songs, but overall I think it sounds less inspired.

4. Blue Dahlia
Everyone talks about this song like it's the bitch tits, and it is definitely a fantastic song, but why the key change for the chorus? It irks me so badly, why'd they have to do that?

5. Wooderson
The chords for the verse are A, E, F#m, D, but Alex L never plays the F#m, instead he plays an A. I guess they figured it would be cool, maybe they just dumbed out in the studio, either way it drives me nuts.

6. Desire
hahahahahahahahahaha

7. Alex L wore a bright red t-shirt once
It was awful.

8. Alex L wore a pink button up shirt once
It wasn't quite as awful but still pretty awful

I've always wondered about that Wooderson thing!

My main one - Brian is too safe. Before every record he talks up how this one's different and they don't care what people say about it and if you wanna stick with the band you're gonna have to grow with them. And then the album comes out and there's nothing that's different enough to earn that type of talk. Handwritten wasn't like Gaslight 2.0 or something, it was just the same stuff but with a big time producer and more guitar solos. The lyrics were, if anything, dumbed-down Gaslight. The one time Brian actually took a risk and didn't care what people thought, it was the Horrible Crowes record. He should have just had that be the next Gaslight record. Throw out the concept of "this is a Gaslight song, this isn't."

Hoping the talk of this next record being "weird" and "different" isn't off-base.

eagles1139 wrote:

My main one - Brian is too safe. Before every record he talks up how this one's different and they don't care what people say about it and if you wanna stick with the band you're gonna have to grow with them. And then the album comes out and there's nothing that's different enough to earn that type of talk. Handwritten wasn't like Gaslight 2.0 or something, it was just the same stuff but with a big time producer and more guitar solos. The lyrics were, if anything, dumbed-down Gaslight. The one time Brian actually took a risk and didn't care what people thought, it was the Horrible Crowes record. He should have just had that be the next Gaslight record. Throw out the concept of "this is a Gaslight song, this isn't."

Hoping the talk of this next record being "weird" and "different" isn't off-base.

 this

This is a cool topic...
1. Can I say I don't like a lot of what happened during the Handwritten era? Maybe I kind of hate that theyre on a major label and all that goes with that...but I mean to me theyre a band, to them this is a career...at the end of the day they have to do what's best for them. It's a business after all...
2. I wish Brian would wear hats again.
3. The setlist changes towards the end of the Handwritten shows....took out some old favorites for other songs that left room for other favorites but I mean, come on, no 59 sound?! weird.
4. I think this summer was a low point for the band...I dont need to get into it. that SUCKED.
5. New fans who just dont get it like the rest of us. Don't come to the show on drugs and act like a fool.

DeathoftheCool wrote:

eagles1139 wrote:

My main one - Brian is too safe. Before every record he talks up how this one's different and they don't care what people say about it and if you wanna stick with the band you're gonna have to grow with them. And then the album comes out and there's nothing that's different enough to earn that type of talk. Handwritten wasn't like Gaslight 2.0 or something, it was just the same stuff but with a big time producer and more guitar solos. The lyrics were, if anything, dumbed-down Gaslight. The one time Brian actually took a risk and didn't care what people thought, it was the Horrible Crowes record. He should have just had that be the next Gaslight record. Throw out the concept of "this is a Gaslight song, this isn't."

Hoping the talk of this next record being "weird" and "different" isn't off-base.

 this

I know brian says he doesnt read reviews and stuff, but it seems like he lets the pressure get to him, or at least lately it has. I wish he'd relax a bit more, but I get why he gets freaked out.

I'm sure they made some mistakes in their career - just like every other band, artist or human being - but I really don't like the idea of picking on them and I also don't see any sense in doing so. Nobody can turn back time and change what they did.

enola wrote:

I'm sure they made some mistakes in their career - just like every other band, artist or human being - but I really don't like the idea of picking on them and I also don't see any sense in doing so. Nobody can turn back time and change what they did.

this isn't picking on them in a bad way, as this is not about mistakes as such, but about what people THINK of as mistakes, which is quite different and potentially instructive

Are they still playing in standard tune? I think this is the worst mistake.

Nice to see everyones comments on this topic.

* Completely agree with the leaving Blue Dahlia off the LP and Desire ( I skip that track ALWAYS)

* I am also a big fan of the "Put a flat cap back on Fallon's head Campaign"

* I miss the Ferris Wheel's and Maria

* I hope that they do try something different on the next record. I understand why they played it safe (if they did) seeing as this was their first major label release. The energy and passion of 45 was fantastic but no other song besides Blue Dahlia matched it for me.

* I love THC live dvd but where is the Gaslight one!!!!!!! So many times when you think they are filming to do it and they missed their best opportunity. The one off show in KOKO London! That night was magical, who can forget Brian jumping from the balcony

I probably have plenty more but nothing compared to my TGA/THC/BF stuff that rocked list

Harbortown wrote:

1. Brian's vocals
The guy's got a beautiful, beautiful voice but lots of times he doesn't know how to use it, especially during acoustic performances. It's like he doesn't know what to do with his singing so he resorts to singing the highest possible notes that he can.

2. Ted Hutt
He always manages to do something wrong if you ask me. The '59 Sound has the perfect sound because it really envelops the record in this nostalgic shimmer and it sounds all dreamy, but it's like there are no rhythm guitars at all. It could benefit from just a little bit more juice in that department.
As far as American Slang is concerned, I hate that they decided not to use any open chords at all. It makes the songs sound dull and lifeless where they should sound vibrant and full.

3. Handwritten
I get that they want to try and reinvent themselves, but how does sounding more generic help them achieve that? It's not necessarily a bad record, it's got some great songs, but overall I think it sounds less inspired.

4. Blue Dahlia
Everyone talks about this song like it's the bitch tits, and it is definitely a fantastic song, but why the key change for the chorus? It irks me so badly, why'd they have to do that?

5. Wooderson
The chords for the verse are A, E, F#m, D, but Alex L never plays the F#m, instead he plays an A. I guess they figured it would be cool, maybe they just dumbed out in the studio, either way it drives me nuts.

6. Desire
hahahahahahahahahaha

7. Alex L wore a bright red t-shirt once
It was awful.

8. Alex L wore a pink button up shirt once
It wasn't quite as awful but still pretty awful

The Blue Dahlia key change - I recall Brian said something about it in Dublin, with the main point being Brendan O'Brien suggested doing it that way, rather than the way it was originally meant to be.

I think I recall it correctly, but Guinness had been drunk at that point.

Yozzy wrote:

Gaslight is beginning to sound a little generic to me, and I hope to see them to take a step in a different direction.

yeah, IIRC, Brian was talking about them really finding their sound/ something about not being generic, but to me the first two albums were more original, and with the exception of a few songs, i don't listen to anything after 59 Sound too often.

1) Killing the third verse to Biloxi

2) Too Much Blood

After reading some of these I wonder if we're really fans...

zerb012345 wrote:

After reading some of these I wonder if we're really fans...

I'm a huge fan of my sister, but that doesn't mean I don't think she's an annoying little shit every now and then

My point is it's okay to dislike things in people/bands/whatever that we love. None of us would even be here if we weren't fans of the band.

zerb012345 wrote:

After reading some of these I wonder if we're really fans...

You're right... now when I think about it... that's not fair of us to do that, nobody is perfect and I love them for who they are...

Harbortown wrote:

My point is it's okay to dislike things in people/bands/whatever that we love. None of us would even be here if we weren't fans of the band.

I agree.

I don't understand why people are trying to be high and mighty, as if they're a bigger fan than the rest of us.

We all love the Gaslight.

Constructive criticism is good, and that's essentially what this thread is.