Los Angeles – Like all good New Jersey boys, Brian Fallon grew up with a love of Bruce Springsteen. The searing commentary and bittersweet melodies of The Boss have captivated the entire nation, to be sure. But folks from Jersey share a special bond with the rock and roll icon, a more intimate understanding of the locations, principal characters, and unforgettable storylines that populate much of Springsteen’s catalogue. Channeling his hero, Brian Fallon has come pretty close to the apex of punk rock stardom with The Gaslight Anthem. Never quite getting that big radio single that made Rise Against and Against Me! two of the most unlikely modern rock darlings of the 00s, The Gaslight Anthem were nonetheless on the precipice of such achievement – releasing two major label backed studio albums after a stint on indie SideOneDummy – before they took an indefinite hiatus in 2015.
Brian Fallon – a Best New Bands Featured Artist – is gearing up for the release of his solo debut, Painkillers, which will be released by Island Records on March 11. In support of the album’s release, Fallon has begun an international tour, with a sold out performance at the legendary Troubadour. Midway through the set, the friendly and loquacious Fallon enumerated his album-creating process, which always begins with a title and continues from there. He described being asked by someone, “What do songs mean to you?” His answer to that question was “painkillers” – an idea he decided was perfect for his first album. Backed by his band, The Crowes, he then launched into the album’s title track, a mid-tempo number that forgoes any of his punk background and goes straight for the “heartland rock” of his hero.
Speaking of The Crowes, who cut an album with Brian Fallon as The Horrible Crowes, there were a few call-backs to that album during the set, much to the delight of longtime fans of the singer. One of the most memorable moments in the set was when the band launched into “Sugar,” from 2011’s Elsie. The song begins with a brooding verse, but once the chorus of “No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no – that’s not the way it goes” kicked in, the entire crowd was singing along with fingers pointing into the air. As mentioned before, Brian Fallon is a good Jersey boy, so of course his set featured a cover of one of the greatest Bruce Springsteen songs ever, “Atlantic City.”
The main reason the audience were in attendance was to get a taste of the upcoming Painkillers LP, and Brian Fallon delivered with several new songs from the album, including “Nobody Wins,” “Steve McQueen,” “A Wonderful Life,” “Smoke,” and “Honey Magnolia.” At times playing with four guitars (two of which were 12-string), the sound of Brian Fallon and The Crowes was rich and impeccable, able to create rich instrumental textures that were the perfect backdrop for the narrative-style vocals.
Brian Fallon will continue on his tour through April, with stops all across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Europe. Find tickets and more information on Fallon’s Facebook tour page.
Photo Credit: Matt Matasci for Best New Bands
Matt Matasci
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