HISTORY BOOKS

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Sputnikmusic gave History Books a 3.8 out 5, criticizing album opener "Spider Bites" as a "clunky song" with "bland verse structure" and a "repetitive chorus", [35] a criticism echoed by Brian Stout in his 7 out of 10 review for PopMatters, stating that the song could "only muster up one memorable line." [34] In spite of their initial criticisms however, Sputnikmusic ultimately concluded that "this isn’t an album to convert the naysayers, but for the already initiated, prepare yourself to once more sing with your heroes, 33 rounds per minute", [35] a sentiment once again shared by Stout: "Longtime fans will probably find plenty to like, even love, about History Books. The Gaslight Anthem are in fine form; Fallon’s still a charismatic singer, and he still shows flashes of brilliance in his lyrics." [34] In the tradition of their seminal sophomore album The ’59 Sound, The Gaslight Anthem’s sixth full-length ultimately achieves the tremendous feat of hitting every raw nerve while endlessly inspiring wildly triumphant singing-along. “A lot of this record is questioning all the bad stuff we see in the world and the difficult things we go through in life, and asking how to deal with it,” says vocalist / guitarist Brian Fallon, whose bandmates include drummer Benny Horowitz, bassist Alex Levine, and lead guitarist Alex Rosamilia. “I think the answer is that we’re all in this together and that somehow makes it okay, even when it’s anything but easy. The main message of the album is empathy. Cohen, Jonathan. "The Gaslight Anthem Reveal 2022 Reunion Tour Dates". Spin . Retrieved July 21, 2023.

I don’t know if you’re gonna get both as far as a record. If there was anything I wanted to do solo, really I could just do it with the band – I don’t think they’d be against it. But as far as the shows, I still like doing the theatre thing. A lot of these places I’m playing in the States, they’re theatres where plays are, and that’s a whole different vibe. I just like it when people are seated and I can tell them stupid stories all the time ( laughs). And I can play whatever I want. So that’s just for me, it’s just for fun which is good. So there may be more solo shows, but I couldn’t do double records – that would be crazy!” Some three years on—with the band having properly reformed in the spring of 2022— History Books takes influence from both before and after the split, though never in a predictable or obvious fashion. Indeed, History Books is the sound of a band who truly feel comfortable and happy in their own skin again. That’s more of an accomplishment for this band than for many others, given that it was a persistent deluge of lazy comparisons to Bruce Springsteen that ultimately contributed to their demise in the first place. They weren’t totally unfounded—2008’s breakthrough second album The ’59 Sound references The Boss musically and lyrically on a number of songs, something that led to Springsteen proclaiming himself a fan and taking the band, and Fallon in particular, under his wing. On the subject of Spider Bites: the line ‘ We struggle for each other’ is absolutely beautiful. Where did that come from? a b c d Brodsky, Rachel (July 21, 2023). "The Gaslight Anthem Share New Song "History Books" Featuring Bruce Springsteen". Stereogum . Retrieved July 21, 2023.Fallon's experiences with therapy and medication influenced the album's direction and themes. He highlighted "Positive Charge", the first song he wrote for the record, as "a message of joy to ourselves and to our audience" about "looking at the things you've come through and feeling like you want to go ahead with an open heart toward the future, believing that the best years are not behind any of us and the good we have is worth something." [14] The Gaslight Anthem's 2023 LP History Books serves as their first since 2014, and the band brings such ferocity to their return, it sounds as if they're trying to wipe away a near-decade's worth of cobwebs in a single riff, cymbal crash, and lyric. Somber but not sad, History Books recalls the urgency and triumph of the band's sophomore effort and

What’s evident in every inch of Brian Fallon’s voice is that ‘History Books’ represents not the belated closing of a chapter in the Gaslight Anthem story, but instead the opening of a new one altogether. Walton, Ed (October 25, 2023). "Album Review: History Books – The Gaslight Anthem". Distorted Sound . Retrieved October 28, 2023.Shutler, Ali (April 29, 2023). "The Gaslight Anthem return with first new song in nine years, announce US tour". NME . Retrieved August 16, 2023. What about ‘ I’ll love you forever till the day that I don’t’? It’s sort of similar to ‘ I’ll love you forever if I ever love at all’ from Blue Jeans & White T-Shirts – is that a little Easter egg? In an interview with Kerrang, lead singer, songwriter and guitarist Brian Fallon described the themes behind “History Books”:

Walton, Ed (October 25, 2023). "ALBUM REVIEW: History Books – The Gaslight Anthem". Distorted Sound . Retrieved October 28, 2023.The ones in Autumn are some of my most proud moments. And Spider Bites, too. Just the simplicity of, ‘ And so we struggle for each other,’ I would have never said that before – I would have made it into much more of a complex statement, and I wouldn’t have had the confidence to just say the simplest thing. And I think a lot of the lyrics to Positive Charge are some of my favourites, too; they capture what I was saying so well. And Michigan, 1975 – that’s like my little baby. I wanted that song so bad, and I really just love it.” Lugen, Mikala (March 28, 2022). "The Gaslight Anthem Announce First Headlining World Tour in Four Years". Volume Utah . Retrieved October 18, 2022. After that you’ve got A Lifetime Of Preludes closing the record, which is another heartbreaker and has a similar feel to Open All Night and See You On The Other Side from your first two solo albums. Do you put a lot of pressure on yourself with those kinds of songs?

a b Howieson, Craig (October 27, 2023). "The Gaslight Anthem – History Books". Clash . Retrieved October 28, 2023.

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The Gaslight Anthem Concert Setlist at House of Blues, Houston, TX, USA". setlist.fm . Retrieved July 21, 2023. Offiziellecharts.de – The Gaslight Anthem – History Books" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved November 3, 2023. I Live In The Room Above Her’ explodes with powerful guitar riffs, staging a grand introduction, tempering off a little for the verses while still holding a bite to the tones. The dramatic swinging of the main hook culminates in the biggest chorus on History Books. The distorted guitar tones ring out and a softer final verse fades out. Album closer ‘A Lifetime of Preludes’ mirrors the solemn album introduction of ‘Spider Bites’, sending History Books home on a soft and somber note filled with regretful nostalgia and holding a bittersweet finality to itself.