[Craig Manning]

Originally Posted by Chris92

Yeah "Beth / Rest" would be a bitch for sure. I think "Perth" would be the most difficult though--no way in hell could anyone pull off a cover of that song.

Good lord, no one else could do "Perth." Hahaha, I can't even imagine what that would sound like.

Originally Posted by Chris92

And this is coming from someone who likes a lot of Gaslight's covers--that version of "House of the Rising Sun" might be my favorite version of that song that's been recorded, no joke.

I kind of just wish they would do a EP worth of Tom Petty covers, haha. I'm just surprised they haven't done more Springsteen covers.

[barkjon]

Alright, so I got into the Gaslight Anthem. I grabbed all four LP's.

Now I'm hooked.

[CellarGhosts]

Originally Posted by Craig Manning

I kind of just wish they would do a EP worth of Tom Petty covers, haha. I'm just surprised they haven't done more Springsteen covers.

I get the feeling they're sick to death of the constant Springsteen comparisons so to keep covering him would just reinforce the "Springsteen imitators" comments. Maybe? I dunno. I'd love to see more covers of stuff like "House of the Rising Sun" (love love love their version). Older 50s/60s songs in the blues/soul vein.

Anyway I like this EP a lot and I guess the fact that I do correlates to the fact that I could give a shit about Bon Iver. Shrug.

[Craig Manning]

Originally Posted by CellarGhosts

I get the feeling they're sick to death of the constant Springsteen comparisons so to keep covering him would just reinforce the "Springsteen imitators" comments. Maybe? I dunno. I'd love to see more covers of stuff like "House of the Rising Sun" (love love love their version). Older 50s/60s songs in the blues/soul vein.

Anyway I like this EP a lot and I guess the fact that I do correlates to the fact that I could give a shit about Bon Iver. Shrug.

I'm sure you're right, but I guess I just don't really understand why the Bruce comparison is something they're trying to run from now. They spent an entire album quoting him and they could kill a good number of his songs on these cover EPs they do. Would much rather see that than them trying to do Bon Iver songs.

[AP_Punk]

Originally Posted by prefix-core

Ditto. I'm guessing it may have something to do with how little I care about Bon Iver, though...Liking the cover, though!

little-care-about-bon-iver high five!

[AP_Punk]

they should put out another EP that sounds SOS/Senor/"Howl"-esque. i wouldn't mind just a little more of that.

EDIT: and include a cover of "trusty chords" or "condition oakland" or something.

[prefix-core]

Originally Posted by Craig Manning

I'm sure you're right, but I guess I just don't really understand why the Bruce comparison is something they're trying to run from now. They spent an entire album quoting him and they could kill a good number of his songs on these cover EPs they do. Would much rather see that than them trying to do Bon Iver songs.

Have you interacted with any hardcore Springsteen fans who also like Gaslight Anthem? It's bizarre in some cases. "I don't understand Handwritten. I mean, there's no Springsteen in it! Why would they alienate their core fan base like that?!" That's definitely a generalization, and a bit of an exaggeration but I've heard something along those lines from a few people.

I actually read somebody on a message board who basically dissected the lyrics to "Howl" in such a manner that nearly every line was a reference to a Bruce Springsteen lyric. I'm not a Springsteen guy, so I don't know how directly it all compares but I shrugged at the comparisons and said, "So uh, they both mention sitting on the hood of a car. That seems like a common experience more than a reference to another lyric." I can see why they'd want to avoid those comparisons if that's how exaggerated they've become.

That being said, I don't know that they're "running from" the comparisons so much as just...Moving on? Stretching their wings? Shrug.

Originally Posted by AP_Punk

they should put out another EP that sounds SOS/Senor/"Howl"-esque. i wouldn't mind just a little more of that.

EDIT: and include a cover of "trusty chords" or "condition oakland" or something.

Yes please! Mostly for the "Trusty Cords" and "Condition Oakland" covers. I'd definitely like to hear them take on some Sam Cooke and/or Johnny Rivers, too...

[mike'smannequin]

Originally Posted by barkjon

Alright, so I got into the Gaslight Anthem. I grabbed all four LP's.

Now I'm hooked.

welcome

[Hamburglar]

"Breakdown" would be the perfect Tom Petty/Gaslight cover.

[CellarGhosts]

Songs I want Gaslight to cover:

Tom Waits - Hang Down Your Head
Sam Cooke - Wonderful World
The National - Apartment Story
Creedence Clearwater Revival - Have You Ever Seen the Rain
Band of Horses - Is There a Ghost
Ryan Adams - Oh My Sweet Carolina

[Keele]

I hope they do another iTunes sessions styled recording. I'd still love to have a properly recorded version of Gaslight or Brian doing Springsteen's "I'm on Fire". Love the way he performed it. They usually choose good songs to cover though. Keep the music coming.

[Paulb-182]

I guess I am in the major minority when I wish they'd cover fewer songs and stick to their own stuff. Skinny Love and Everlong covers just in the last few days and neither sound good.

[Chris Collum]

Originally Posted by CellarGhosts

Songs I want Gaslight to cover:

Tom Waits - Hang Down Your Head
Sam Cooke - Wonderful World
The National - Apartment Story
Creedence Clearwater Revival - Have You Ever Seen the Rain
Band of Horses - Is There a Ghost
Ryan Adams - Oh My Sweet Carolina

These would be incredible. That video where Brian sings "Dear Chicago" during the bridge of "Old White Lincoln" is pretty much the best thing ever haha.

[Craig Manning]

Originally Posted by prefix-core

Have you interacted with any hardcore Springsteen fans who also like Gaslight Anthem? It's bizarre in some cases. "I don't understand Handwritten. I mean, there's no Springsteen in it! Why would they alienate their core fan base like that?!" That's definitely a generalization, and a bit of an exaggeration but I've heard something along those lines from a few people.

I actually read somebody on a message board who basically dissected the lyrics to "Howl" in such a manner that nearly every line was a reference to a Bruce Springsteen lyric. I'm not a Springsteen guy, so I don't know how directly it all compares but I shrugged at the comparisons and said, "So uh, they both mention sitting on the hood of a car. That seems like a common experience more than a reference to another lyric." I can see why they'd want to avoid those comparisons if that's how exaggerated they've become.

That being said, I don't know that they're "running from" the comparisons so much as just...Moving on? Stretching their wings? Shrug.

I don't know, my brother and I are huge, huge Springsteen fans, and both of us love Handwritten more than anything else Gaslight has done. There's a ton of Springsteen in there still ("Here Comes My Man," "National Anthem," etc.), but its more subtle influences than overt references this time around.

I think them not covering Bruce, either on tour, on any of these EPs, or in the bonus tracks to Handwritten says something. Maybe they are trying to move on from that influence: it certainly seemed like it on American Slang. But I think they came back to that kind of sound with this record, which is I guess why I'm confused. Not such a bad thing, but given the choice between seeing them going full Springsteen during their concert encore and suffering through their cover of "Sliver," the choice is an easy one.

[Chris Collum]

Haha Craig I think we could round up one or two more people and found a "Hardcore Springsteen Fans Who Also Like Gaslight Anthem Club." But yeah I dig Handwritten a lot, either second or third favorite record they've put out--probably second. And nothing is ever going to touch The '59 Sound for me, that's just how it is haha.