TK # 7 - The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound (2008)
The ’59 Sound kicks off with the exhilarating 1-2 adrenaline blast of “Great Expectations” (complete with an opening needle drop on an old soul record) and “The 59 Sound” that doesn’t let up until the wistful valentine regrets to old lovers of “Here’s Looking at You, Kid” . The Springsteen comparisons are inevitable and many lyrics are outright homage, but that should induce you to seek this out because these guys masterfully crib Springsteen’s passion and exuberance in a joyful punk soul package. This is a record that seems to have ignored most of the pop culture of the last 40 years, but yet feels so fresh and invigorating, it sounds like a timeless intersection of Sam Cooke and The Clash on the radio.