As the drummer for New Jersey’s grit-punkers The Gaslight Anthem, you might suspect that Benny Horowitz might have developed a bit of an ego, considering that The ’59 Sound, the Gaslight Anthem’s second LP has been making the rounds on every critic’s “Best of…” lists. It’s chugging, relentless, fist-in-the-air anthems even garnered the attention of Bruce Springsteen. The ’59 Sound has garnered heaps of comparisons to The Boss’s immortal sound, and he even graced them with his presence during their encore at Glastonbury this year.
Arkells' debut record, Jackson Square, a homage to their blue-collar hometown of Hamilton, Ontario has been garnering raves reviews with college radio and major press alike. Jackson Square is a wash of covertly optimistic lyrics and groovy, punch-drunk hooks.
How Wes Anderson picks the sounds for his films is beyond me. But if he’s reading, he may want to lend an ear to Secret Dakota Ring, a side project driven by OK Go guitarist Andy Ross.
Jason Collett’s latest record, the 2008 release Here’s To Being Here (Arts & Crafts) is a marvelous thing; it’s personal enough to put on when drinking with friends becomes an option. It begs for authenticity through conversation. He pens lyrics like “The perennial fatigue of the times/when you’re long in the tooth/short in the sleeve/there’s nowhere left to hide” which let you into a world you only feel like sharing with your best friend. All this coming from a guy with three children. And when he’s not getting personal, he’s still littering his albums with references to joints and cigarettes.
