Leaves you wanting much more. (Senor And The Queen - Gaslight Anthem)

Member Name: il_libero

Product:	Senor And The Queen - Gaslight Anthem
Date:	24/06/09 (9 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: The lyrics, the variety, the utter brilliance

Disadvantages: The length - 4 songs.

I will make a bold guarantee to start this review off: You will NEVER hear a better EP. Senor & The Queen picks up where Sink or Swim left off and doesn't allow the (incredibly high) quality to fall.

One of the greatest things about this EP is the variety. It starts with the title track, a good old-fashioned rock song to get you jumping and then goes into the wonderfully titled 'Wherefore Art Thou, Elvis?', a song in which the influence of the blues on the Gaslight Anthem is shown clearly. More clear than the blues in this song however, is the incredible song-writing talent of Brian Fallon. The lyrics are a poignant journey through the heart and mind of Fallon.

After this comes a large shift in focus with 'Say I Won't (Recognize)':
"We're havin' a party,
Everybody's swingin'.
Tonight won't you come down out of your tower,
Don't make me dance all night alone."

'Wherefore Art Thou, Elvis?' seems about as far as you could get from such a sentiment but it is beaten by the final track - 'Blue Jeans and White T-Shirts'.

"And we sing with our heroes thirty-three rounds per minute
We're never going home until the sun says we're finished
And I'll love you forever if I ever love at all
Wild hearts, blue jeans, & white t-shirts"

The reference to 33RPM is of course a reference to vinyl records and shows again the importance Gaslight Anthem ascribe to their influences.

In summation, this record, in its 4 songs, has heavy, blues, upbeat and calm moments. It does more in its 11 minutes than most LPs manage and, if you're like me, the length is the only thing you'll hold against it. 5 stars.

Summary: Does more in 11 minutes than most bands could manage in a week.