History Books is the sixth studio album by American rock band the Gaslight Anthem, released on October 27, 2023, through Rich Mahogany Records and Thirty Tigers.[5][6] Produced by Peter Katis, it is the band's first studio album in nine years, following their reunion in March 2022 and subsequent world tour throughout the year.[1][2]
Following the conclusion of the touring cycle for their previous album, Get Hurt, at Reading Festival on August 30, 2015,[7] the Gaslight Anthem entered an indefinite hiatus, aside from a short tour in 2018 celebrating the 10th anniversary of their 2008 album The '59 Sound,[8] with the band members pursuing new projects and solo careers.
Over time, the band's lead singer, songwriter, and guitarist Brian Fallon began to soften on the idea of reviving the band, with the initial decision to do so tracing back to shortly after recording concluded for his 2020 solo album Local Honey. The COVID-19 pandemic further influenced his decision to revive the band: "I think time, and getting locked down, and not being able to go out ... and then you see different things happen, like Foo Fighters losing Taylor Hawkins, you consider, 'All of this is temporary, and you've got to enjoy it while you can.'"[9]
This culminated in a 2021 meeting with Bruce Springsteen in which Fallon openly discussed his desire to reunite the band, but also his trepidation about doing so. Springsteen encouraged him, suggesting that he should write a duet for the two of them to sing on a prospective project with the band.[6] Fallon challenged himself to write four songs, reasoning that he would contact his bandmates if they were of "equal quality to something that the Gaslight Anthem has done". After presenting the songs and discussing the possibility of a reunion with his bandmates, he was met with "the energy I knew we needed to make it happen".[10]
On March 25, 2022, after an almost seven-year-long hiatus, the Gaslight Anthem confirmed their reunion. In a statement shared across the band's social media channels, Fallon announced that the band would tour that year and also confirmed that the band was "returning to full time status" and working on a new studio album.[11][12] Following the tour's conclusion, the band entered the studio with Peter Katis to record their as-yet-untitled sixth studio album.[1][2] The band continued recording throughout January 2023, with Fallon indicating the same month that mixing would be commencing from February.[13] Springsteen's vocal feature on the title track was recorded in Dublin while on tour in May.[3]
Themes and composition
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]
He referred to the album overall as the "next phase of the band" and stated that it was about "recognizing what you have".[15] Fallon further outlined the thematic through-line of the album, calling the title track "the other side of the coin" from "Positive Charge". "There were all these people in my life where I had been such a sucker for not putting up boundaries," Fallon elaborated. "I had to be pretty honest about how I felt about both sides, I feel like you can't write a positive song like Positive Charge unless you've really been through it ... I didn't just want it to be positive throughout the whole record, because that's not how you feel."[15]
Of the album's Bruce Springsteen feature, Fallon said, "There's a definitely a little wink in there," alluding to the longstanding comparisons made between the band's sound and Springsteen's. "It's like 'Now write this off,' we've got the approval of the guy! What are you going to say? You can't say anything!"[6]
Release and promotion
Following the reunion announcement, on March 28 the band announced a world tour, with dates across Europe, the United Kingdom, and the United States.[16] The tour began at the Columbiahalle in Berlin, Germany, on August 9, 2022, and concluded on October 8, 2022, at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey,[17] with another round of tour dates across North America throughout May 2023 announced in February 2023. [18]
On April 28, 2023, the band released "Positive Charge", their first new music in nine years, accompanied by the addition of more tour dates to their North American tour between September and October 2023.[19][20] The song received its live debut three days later on May 1, 2023, at the House of Blues in Houston, Texas and was played at every subsequent show on the tour.[21][22] On July 21, 2023, the band announced that their new album History Books would be released on October 27, 2023 and released a second single from the record, the title track, featuring a guest vocal appearance from Bruce Springsteen.[6] The album's third single, "Little Fires", followed on September 5, 2023.[23]
The band premiered "Michigan, 1975" at a show in Michigan on September 16, playing the studio version over the PA system in lieu of a traditional encore break, with Fallon stating that fans were free to share any recordings of it after the fact.[24] On September 19, the band announced two homecoming shows celebrating the release of History Books at the White Eagle Hall in New Jersey on October 27 and 28.[25] An additional two dates were added on September 20,[26] scheduled for 29 and 30, with all four shows selling out by September 22. The record’s fourth single, "Autumn" was released on October 3, accompanied by the announcement of EU/UK tour dates throughout 2024, including a headline slot at 2000 Trees Festival.[27] On March 18, 2024, the band announced a new round of tour dates across the USA, taking place between July and September 2024.[28]
History Books was released on October 27, 2023, accompanied by the music video for the record's opening track, "Spider Bites."[29] Following an Instagram post teasing "some extra stuff" on February 10, 2024,[30] the band released a four track companion EP titled History Books - Short Stories on March 22, 2024.[31] Produced by Butch Walker, the EP features acoustic versions of both the title track and lead single "Positive Charge", a re-recorded version of "Blue Jeans & White T-shirts" (originally from their 2008 EP Señor and the Queen) featuring Emily Wolfe, and a cover of Billie Eilish's 2016 track "Ocean Eyes" featuring Karina Rykman, which received its live debut at the Manchester Apollo on the same day as its release.[32]
On July 12, 2024 the band released an “Expanded Edition” of History Books, featuring an updated mix of the main tracklist, as well as the four tracks included on the Short Stories EP, and a new version of “Little Fires” featuring guest vocals from Alicia Bognanno of Bully.
The band gave their reasoning for the new mix on social media, stating that while they were initially enthused about “how incredible [the original mix] sounded on the vinyl test presses”, they felt that the mix on digital and streaming releases “didn’t quite hit the mark.” The Expanded Edition was made available on streaming, with a free download for those who had purchased MP3 and CD copies of History Books.[33]
Upon release, History Books received generally positive reviews from critics, with Metacritic assigning the album an aggregated score of 76 out of 100 based on 11 critic reviews, of which 10 were positive.[5]
Praise for the album was largely directed towards its thematic and emotive qualities, the performances of the band members, and the perceived maturation of the band's sound and Fallon's lyricism. Craig Howieson of Clash scored the record 8 out of 10, highlighting "a renewed nuance" in Fallon's songwriting. He also praised the album's "big guitars, anthemic singalongs and bruised and bloodied ballads", and the band's ability to "capture a feeling that’s almost impossible to describe."[34] Ryan Dillon of Glide Magazine concurred, describing the album as a "layered outing ... that is as familiar as it is refreshing."[44] Ed Walton of Distorted Sound was similarly enthusiastic, awarding the album a 9 out of 10 and concluding that the album was "a welcome return, full of heart, soul, emotion and maturity,"[45] while Jesse Yarbrough of XS Noize was even more complimentary in his 5 star review, calling it a "fantastic album" with "a great mix of singalong anthems and quieter, more thoughtful tracks."[46]
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",[40] 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."[39] 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",[40] 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."[39]
Paste's Eric R. Danton was also more reserved in his review, stating it was "less frenetic and more reflective" than their previous works, but ultimately praising it as "the work of a band that has arguably outgrown the fiery intensity of youth without losing the passion that made [the band] so compelling in the first place."[38] James McNair of Mojo compared the record's sound to that of a "gnarlier early R.E.M., The Hold Steady, and, yes, Springsteen", and, while he felt that some of the songs "occasionally [suffered] from over-telegraphed choruses", praised the album's lyricism, highlighting Fallon's "fervour and gift for an apposite metaphor."[5]
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen is an American rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Nicknamed "the Boss", he has released 21 studio albums during a career spanning six decades, most of which feature his backing band, the E Street Band. Springsteen is a pioneer of heartland rock, a genre combining mainstream rock music with poetic and socially conscious lyrics that feature narratives primarily concerning working class American life. He is known for his descriptive lyrics and energetic concerts, which sometimes last over four hours.
"Born to Run" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen and the title track of his third studio album, Born to Run (1975). It was Springsteen's first worldwide single release, although it achieved little initial success outside of the United States. Within the U.S., however, it received extensive airplay on progressive or album-oriented rock radio stations. The single was also Springsteen's first Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #23.
"Born in the U.S.A." is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen and released in 1984 on the album of the same name as its opening track. One of Springsteen's best-known songs, it was ranked 275th on Rolling Stone's list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time", and in 2001, the RIAA's Songs of the Century placed the song 59th, remaining a favorite in classic rock. The song addresses the economic hardships of Vietnam veterans upon their return home, juxtaposed ironically against patriotic glorification of the nation's fighting forces.
"The Ghost of Tom Joad" is a folk rock song written by Bruce Springsteen. It is the title track to his eleventh studio album, released in 1995. The character Tom Joad, from John Steinbeck's classic 1939 novel The Grapes of Wrath, is mentioned in the title and narrative.
"Cover Me" is a song written and performed by American rock singer Bruce Springsteen. It was the second single released from his 1984 album Born in the U.S.A.. Springsteen wrote the song for Donna Summer. However, his manager, Jon Landau, decided the song had hit potential, and so he kept it for the upcoming Springsteen album. It has been certified Gold in the US.
Sink or Swim is the debut studio album by the Gaslight Anthem, released May 29, 2007, through XOXO Records.
The Gaslight Anthem is an American rock band from New Brunswick, New Jersey, formed in 2006. The band consists of Brian Fallon, Alex Rosamilia, Alex Levine, and Benny Horowitz.
Señor and the Queen is an EP by the Gaslight Anthem. It consists of 4 songs and was released in early 2008 by Sabot Productions. It was released simultaneously on vinyl, with the double-7" white and double-7" red editions being the most sought-after.
The '59 Sound is the second studio album by American punk rock band the Gaslight Anthem, released on August 19, 2008, by record label SideOneDummy.
Jay Bradley Weinberg is an American musician who is best known as a former drummer of the heavy metal band Slipknot. He is the son of longtime Bruce Springsteen drummer Max Weinberg. He played with the punk rock band the Reveling and toured in 2009 as a drummer with Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, substituting for his father. During 2010, he was briefly the drummer for Madball. During 2011 and 2012, Weinberg played with Against Me!. In 2014, Weinberg replaced Joey Jordison as the drummer for Slipknot, and stayed with the band until his firing in November 2023. In 2024, Weinberg was announced as the new drummer for Infectious Grooves, replacing Brooks Wackerman, and is also currently in Suicidal Tendencies.
"The '59 Sound" is the debut single by American rock band the Gaslight Anthem. Written by the band and produced by Ted Hutt, it is the title track of the band's second full-length album. The song is an elegy to a friend who died in a car accident. The song reached the U.S. Alternative Airplay chart in early 2009, and was performed live by the band with Bruce Springsteen at the Glastonbury and Hard Rock Calling festivals in June 2009.
American Slang is the third studio album by New Jersey–based rock group the Gaslight Anthem. It was released on June 15, 2010, on SideOneDummy Records, which released their previous album, The '59 Sound. The album was produced by 'The '59 Sound producer Ted Hutt.
Dave Hause is an American singer-songwriter. He currently performs both solo and with his band The Mermaid. His music draws from heartland rock, folk rock and punk rock. He has also played in multiple Philadelphia-area punk and hardcore bands, including The Loved Ones and The Falcon.
Brian Fallon is an American musician, singer and songwriter. He is best known as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and main lyricist of the rock band the Gaslight Anthem, with whom he has recorded six studio albums. He was also a member of the duo the Horrible Crowes, alongside the Gaslight Anthem's guitar technician and touring guitarist Ian Perkins. Since 2016, Fallon has released four solo albums and one EP.
American rock band the Gaslight Anthem has released six studio albums, two extended plays, and eighteen singles. The members are Brian Fallon, Alex Rosamilia (guitar), Alex Levine (bass), and Benny Horowitz (drums/percussion).
The Horrible Crowes was a musical duo consisting of vocalist and guitarist Brian Fallon and guitarist Ian Perkins. Fallon is also the front man in The Gaslight Anthem, a band he formed in 2006, with Perkins serving as the band's touring tech and an auxiliary live guitarist. Their debut album and only full-length studio release, Elsie, was released on September 6, 2011, through SideOneDummy Records.
Handwritten is the fourth studio album and major label debut by American rock band the Gaslight Anthem, released on July 20, 2012, through Mercury Records. Produced by Brendan O'Brien, the album was preceded by its lead single, "45", and features liner notes by Nick Hornby.
Get Hurt is the fifth studio album by American rock band the Gaslight Anthem. It was released on August 8, 2014, by Island Records. It marks their first album on Island Records, which absorbed the band and its previous label, Mercury Records.
Painkillers is the debut studio album by Brian Fallon, singer/guitarist of American rock band The Gaslight Anthem, released on March 11, 2016, through Island Records.
Sleepwalkers is the second studio album by Brian Fallon, singer/guitarist of American rock band The Gaslight Anthem, released on February 9, 2018, through Island Records. The album peaked at #42 on the Billboard 200 chart and received "generally favorable reviews" from critics.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
