Brian Fallon | PainkillersEmpty Bottle Evenings

Mar142016March 14, 2016March 14, 2016No Commentby Bake

Brian Fallon | Painkillers

Posted in Music

Normally I’m behind on reviewing an album when it comes out because I compulsively revisit the band’s back catalog before jumping into the new material. In this case there was really no need with this being Brian Fallon’s first record and The Gaslight Anthem being the only band that I listen to constantly. Now I know this isn’t an GSA album, but come on, have you heard lead off track and first single “A Wonderful Life”? It’s the same damn thing. Fallon is the lead singer, guitarist, primary songwriter…it’s his fucking band. Which kind of pisses me off. If you wanted to do something different, why not just bring the band in that direction like you did all those other times when the band wanted to write punk songs and you felt more inspired by Springsteen or Motown? But I’ve never been in a band, what the hell do I know? Sometimes it’s just the right move to go solo, even if there is no one to reel in your ridiculous indulgences.

Truly that is what I was most worried about. If Fallon went full into full Boss mode or even Tom Petty, Pearl Jam, Sam Cooke, I was going to be on board. His most prominent musical influences are some of my favorite artists of all time. But what if he fell hard for hip hop & theatrical pop and never made anything resembling the Gaslight Anthem sound that I loved above all others? The Format was briefly my favorite band. If you are not familiar with them it’s because Nate Ruess left them in the dust before becoming Glee’s favorite vocalist. FUN. But was it though?! Still, I had more faith in Fallon based on his previous side project The Horrible Crows, whose debut album Eloise was basically Gaslight Anthem-light. And then I heard “A Wonderful Life” and all was right with the universe. Other than I may never hear “Angry Johnny & the Radio” live ever again.

After spending the majority of this past weekend listening to this while faking my way through Spring Cleaning I can solidly back this album even though it’s not quite as Gaslighty as the first single hinted at. There are definitely songs that could easily fit on a GSA album, probably fitting most closely musically to Handwritten. But there is certainly more of a pop rock feel (Thanks Butch Walker) to some of these tracks and a little more country feel to others. And that’s not bad, it’s definitely something that’s always been there even if the rest of the band may have nudged these tracks to b-sides in the past. Of course I’m a sucker for GSA b-sides too: “She Loves You”, “Blue Dahlia”, and “Sweet Morphine”? If you never heard those tracks, what the hell are you waiting for?

If you like The Gaslight Anthem I would be pretty damn surprised if you didn’t enjoy this album. It might not be your favorite Fallon creation but songs like “Smoke”, “Rosemary”, and “Red Lights” are right there with the rest of this work from the past 10 years. And “Among Other Foolish Things” is probably the catchiest thing he’s ever created. It’s oddly reminiscent of Feist’s “1234” and I would be shocked if it’s not made popular by some commercial or TV show within the next 6 months. There are a few tracks that don’t really grab me but only one song that I flat out don’t care for: “Steve McQueen”. Seriously, what is everyone’s obsession with this guy? I watched Bullitt, waste of time. Bad. (Yes. I’ve read too many Trump Tweets) A long ass motorcycle chase that dragged on longer than a Peter Griffin-Chicken fight? What’s the appeal? Anyway, who gives a shit. The point here is that this is probably the best solo album by a Springsteen loving almost-punk troubadour that you will hear this year… so check it out. And if that passionate recommendation doesn’t win you over it’s probably the last pseudo-Gaslight Anthem album ever. You know, until the reunion.