With American Slang, Gaslight Anthem has assembled its most polished and cohesive album thus far. Having spent the last couple years touring the globe, the record does an outstanding job of spotlighting the band’s musical maturation. It’s also exceedingly listenable from start to finish, even though if from a creative viewpoint, it doesn’t take a lot of risks. Their last album, The ’59 Sound, had several sizable, substantial hits, coupled with a few misfires. American Slang, on the other hand, is comprised of mostly consistent if not pedestrian entries. The title track ushers in the proceedings with abundant confidence, as it evokes the group’s trademark tendencies of working-class nostalgia mixed with a healthy dose of Springsteen and Strummer. It’s a solid song by all accounts, but frankly doesn’t measure up to some of the better songs off The ’59 Sound, like “Great Expectations” or “Here’s Looking at You, Kid”. “The Diamond Church Street Choir” is rather noteworthy and possibly the disc’s most distinct tune, due to an overt jazz influence and the welcomed absence of power chords. On the contrary, “Boxer” is a clear-cut rocker with an unreal guitar lead, affectionately recollecting the group’s punk rock pedigree. Last but not least is “The Spirit of Jazz”, which just might be the album’s number one song, for its impressive symmetry of catchy songwriting and superb lyricism. In summation, American Slang is a mature and reliable record, yet doesn’t contain Gaslight Anthem’s optimum material. It’s unquestionably worth checking out, but far from the breakthrough album that many expected from one of the biggest independent rock bands around. Perhaps in the future American Slang will be remembered as the band’s steppingstone to superstardom, though for now, fans ought to keep spinning The ’59 Sound instead.
This interview was the cover story for the 17th issue of Jaded In Chicago. It was conducted in September of 2004, several weeks prior to the release of American Idiot. It was a fitting end to the fanzine that was named after the band, as “Jaded In Chicago” references Green Day’s 1994 MTV concert special. To come full circle by interviewing the band that inspired the zine’s moniker was somewhat surreal.
With the release of American Idiot, Green Day has transcended punk rock. By crafting the first punk rock opera and fashioning what is likely the first tasteful concept album of the new millennium, they’ve provided pop punk bands everywhere with a blueprint for how to mature gracefully. Additionally, as much as American Idiot is about innovation, it’s also a return to the fundamentals of punk rock. The album sears with dissent, takes aim between the eyes of the Bush administration and contains a dangerous sense of unpredictability. It’s been ten years since Green Day was the most popular band in the world and with any luck American Idiot will allow them to recapture that title in no time. (Interview with drummer Tré Cool).Click here to view…
Just over six years ago, the notion of Riot Fest was little more than a passing thought in the mind of founder Mike Petryshyn. While bored at work, Petryshyn surmised that it might be fun to try and have his favorite bands play a show together. Having previously booked only a few small shows in his hometown of Buffalo, New York, he had no idea that Riot Fest would someday become an annual event, let alone a nationally-recognized festival that attracts thousands of concertgoers per year. Click here to view…
Growing up in a musical family from Rockford, Illinois, Matt Allison began his path to becoming a producer while playing guitar and bass in various high school bands. He later moved to Champaign, Illinois to pursue an English degree, yet his passion for music remained. Allison continued playing in bands, but also took interest in recording demo tapes for his and his friends’ bands alike. “I kind of realized you could really exercise a lot of whatever creative urges you had via recording music, while at the same time making a much better living than you possibly would as a musician,” he said. “In some ways it was like hedging a bet, career-wise, but on the other hand I never have been interested in being a touring musician. Working in a studio is something I really enjoy doing.” Allison and a friend eventually constructed a small studio in the attic of the home where they were living, though it soon became apparent that Champaign was simply overcrowded with studios and under-populated by bands. This revelation is what ultimately led Allison to migrate to Chicago. Click here to view…
Over the past two decades, The Bouncing Souls have evolved to become one of the most prominent bands in American punk rock. By consistently delivering quality music, they’ve established a devoted and sizeable fan base. Perhaps most importantly, they routinely emphasize integrity, both with their songwriting and how they choose to manage the band. This interview was conducted just before their set at Riot Fest 2010 and we spoke with three of the four members, (guitarist Pete Steinkopf, bassist Bryan Kienlen and drummer Michael McDermott).Click here to view…
Reggie’s is a multi-dimensional establishment located on the outskirts of Chicago’s South Loop neighborhood. It houses three different businesses under one roof; a live music venue, a bar/restaurant and a record store. The main stage goes by the name of Reggie’s Rock Club, while Reggie’s Music Joint is the moniker for the smaller stage inside the restaurant. The upstairs record shop is called Record Breakers, but for simplicity’s sake, all of these enterprises can be referred to solely as Reggie’s. After all, Reggie’s best attribute is likely its ability to combine various activities that serve to enhance the overall concert-going experience. Click here to view…
For over 15 years, Deal’s Gone Bad has been a proverbial pillar of Chicago’s underground music scene. To simply label them a ska band would be categorically unfair, for their sound incorporates significant influences of rocksteady, soul, dub, Motown and more. As the band puts the finishing touches on its new record and gears up for an extensive summer tour, we met with guitarist Dave Simon to chat about much of the group’s lengthy history, as well as their various future plans. Click here to view…
The Menzingers are a rare example of a band that lives up to the hype. They’re proficient with both their songwriting and live performances, and despite their youth, they make what they do look easy. In April of this year, they released their breakout album and Red Scare debut, Chamberlain Waits. We caught up with singer/guitarists Greg Barnett and Tom May at the second annual Windy City Sound Clash and discussed the details of their new album, as well as record label dealings, tour stories and more.Click here to view…
Since forming in 2002, The Scissors have continually labored to hone their sound and expand their following. In late March of 2010, they released their third album, You Can Make It Dangerous. Recorded by Matt Allison and produced by Grammy-nominee Tom Higgenson, this record is somewhat of a star-studded affair, but most importantly, it’s got the songwriting chops to back it up. Taking more of a pop direction than their previous efforts, You Can Make It Dangerous finds The Scissors experimenting with new sounds, but also maintaining their longstanding punk undertones. The album is further augmented by the group’s most solidified lineup yet, and with any luck The Scissors will soon be one of the biggest names in Chicago punk rock. Click here to view…
The toast of Chicago punk rock, The Lawrence Arms, recently celebrated their tenth anniversary. They of course did so in style, by playing a commemorative show at the Metro and releasing their first seven-inch. We met up with singer/bassist Brendan Kelly in late December of ’09 and discussed a great deal of the band’s decade-long history. We talked about record label dealings, tour stories, the future of the band and more.
Originally a printed zine from 1998 – 2004, our goal is to provide coverage of Chicago’s expansive independent music community, and to occasionally highlight some of our past work. National and international bands will be featured as well, but above all, we hope to create lasting content for music fans everywhere.
