The Gaslight Anthem
Hold You Up 10” EP
Mercury Records [2012]
Fire Note Says: The Gaslight Anthem offer up 3 new acoustic tracks on RSD 10″ release.
Album Review: This new 10” EP from The Gaslight Anthem was just released several weeks ago on Record Store Day Black Friday. The EP continues the trend for the band to turn down the amps as all three tracks here are presented acoustically. For fans, this limited release is a worthy pickup but I will admit I still really enjoy when The Gaslight Anthem crank up the guitars.
With that being said both new tracks; “Hold You Up” and “Misery” are descent listens as singer Brian Fallon can put a believable emotion behind any song and he does the same thing here. The second track “Misery” outperforms the title track as it has a building undertone anthem that carries the emotional torch to the right level and hearing the track you can envision it playing live old school as the crowd would be waving their lighters in hand to the sky.
Most people that pick up this release will be waiting for the closing Bon Iver cover of “Skinny Love” – I know I was. Unfortunately the track does not work that well with Fallon’s gruff delivery style. It is a song that needs and benefits from the smoothness of Justin Vernon’s vocals. At times Fallon’s deliberate emotion detracts from the song somewhat because it just is not the right fit. Overall this 10” was still a nice RSD release for Gaslight Anthem fans and is worth picking up for its red vinyl and limited pressing. If you are new to the band this is not the place to start and you should check out The ’59 Sound [2008].
Key Track: “Misery”
Artists With Similar Fire: The Replacements / Murder By Death / Bruce Springsteen
The Gaslight Anthem Website
The Gaslight Anthem Facebook
Mercury Records
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