Album Review: The Gaslight Anthem - The B-Sides

When the rowdy housemates of the embarrassingly popular MTV series Jersey Shore decided to finally get ready to "rage" at one of the clubs they frequented, they had a ritual. The characters known as "The Situation," "JWOWW," "Snooki," and "Pauly D" would hang out in their undershirts until it was time to leave. When they were ready to leave, they would proclaim that it was "t-shirt time," and they would put on their respected t shirts, and head out for a night of debauchery and God only knows what else. And yes, it's as ridiculous as it sounds:

I bring this up only to give a shout-out to my friends at the Mike and Tom Awesome Show. When we play a band's b-side on the show, we all shout "IT'S B-SIDE TIIIIIIIMMMMMMEEEEEEE" in unison to promote the event. Why do we do this, you ask? Well, other than the fact that we are all ridiculous human beings, it's because everybody loves b-sides. They give a little bit of a peek behind the curtain of what goes on when a band is recording, they give fans something more to collect from their favorite bands, and sometimes they end up being better than some of the songs that actually made the album.

The Gaslight Anthem have always been a band that loves their b-sides, playing a few of them in their headlining sets, and always releasing one or two through each album cycle. These b-sides have come in the form of original tracks that were left in the production room, stripped-down acoustic versions, or covers of songs the band loves. SideOneDummy, the label Gaslight used to call home before making the leap to Mercury, kept track of all these buried treasures, and saw fit to release them this year in the form of The B-Sides, a must-own for any Gaslight Anthem fan.

The B-Sides begins emphatically with the band's best b-side, "She Loves You." After being left off of the band's much-maligned American Slang, the song has become a staple of the band's encores at their headlining sets, proving its power over the band's fanbase. Following "She Loves You" are two covers, one being a live recording of the band performing Pearl Jam's "State of Love and Trust," followed by a studio recording of the Rolling Stones' "Tumbling Dice," which was originally released on a Record Store Day-exclusive 7". The two covers represent slightly less than half of the cover songs appearing on the compilation,  with a stirring version of Fake Problems' "Songs for Teenagers," an acoustic version of Lightning Dust's  "Antonia Jane," and "Once Upon a Time" from Robert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise rounding out the set. "Songs for Teenagers" is the major star of this bunch, as Brian Fallon's solemn croon takes the surf-punk anthem to a much darker place than the band's former SideOneDummy label-mates ever could.

Alongside "She Loves You" and the covers are an assortment of the band's greatest acoustic hits. From The '59 Sound, arguably one of the best albums of the last decade, we hear the albums two lead tracks and singles, the always-overpowering "Great Expectations" and the album's title track, which is just as haunting in its own right. These tracks are likely already ingrained in the listener's psyche, but the treatment they receive in an acoustic environment gives them a new spin and perspective to listen to, with Fallon switching up the melodies in unexpected and rather unnecessary ways. The core of each track that Gaslight fans know and love is still there, it's just a little different.

Despite being the universal pick for the band's worst album, the songs from American Slang end up being the best when given the acoustic treatment. The first dose is the strongest, as Fallon passionately delivers "The Queen of Lower Chelsea," a slow-tempo track that becomes even more impactful when stripped of its atmospheric feel. The band do an excellent job keeping the spirit of the album's title track, never straying too far from the song's arena-ready feel. The acoustic interpretation of "Boxer" is miles better than the original, with Benny Horowitz's playing of various percussion instruments that sound like the pounding of a steel mill that gives a blue-collar feel to the song.

Though this collection of tracks isn't essential listening for everyone, it does do a fantastic job of keeping The Gaslight Anthem's sterling reputation intact. The covers, acoustic renditions, and b-sides they've assembled here are a great snapshot of where they've come from, and will be more than enough to hold fans over while we anxiously await the band's follow-up to Handwritten and whatever other project we see new material from that Brian Fallon can come up with. It won't be the most-played record in your collection, but having The B-Sides in your possession will assure you an excellent listening experience that if nothing else will remind you that The Gaslight Anthem are one of the very best bands making music right now.

Donald's Top 10 Albums of All Time

Greetings, friends. After a brief yet memorable stint over at propertyofzack.com, an opportunity I will forever be grateful for, the prodigal son has returned. In a move I can only see as punishment for leaving, Craig and Madison have doted upon me this dubious task of listing and talking about my favorite 10 albums of all time. This list is essentially impossible and practically pointless to make. What I mean by that is this: music is always evolving and changing. Therefore, if the music itself changes, the way we listen to it changes, the way we interpret it changes. Bands come and go, albums fade in and out of our lives at certain times, and we even forget about how great some of them are at times. That being said, the ten albums that comprise the list you are about to (hopefully) sift through have each provided a spark or emotion in me that few things in life (let alone other albums) ever have. It's a testament to the power of music, and the individuality that we bring in to the listening experience. It's a tough job, but someone's got to do it; here are the 10 best albums of all-time, according to this one person.

10. Coheed & Cambria - Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Vol. 1: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness: Coheed & Cambria are a band that I accidentally fell in love with. After hearing Claudio Sanchez's high-pitched delivery in "A Favor House Atlantic," my middle school self was a little too proud to give the band a fair chance. And then the band released "Welcome Home," the six-minute epic that took the band's career from clubs to arenas, and I realized the mistakes of my past. What makes Good Apollo 1 so great, however, is how consistent the album remains after its monster single. Tracks like "Ten Speed (Of God's Blood and Burial)" and "The Suffering" were excellent choices for follow-up singles, while the deeper cuts like "Crossing the Frame" and "Mother May I" have become gems I keep coming back to after all these years. Throw in the Willing Well series, a four-song set at the end of the album, with every song clocking in over seven minutes long, and it becomes clear by the end of this album that Coheed & Cambria are some of the most intelligent, talented, and forward-thinking bands in rock music.

9. The Dangerous Summer - Reach for the Sun: While the debate can certainly be had that this isn't even The Dangerous Summer's best albums (and it could very well be their worst), Reach for the Sun secures a spot here thanks to AJ Perdomo's youthful energy, mixed with his introspective lyrics and the fabulous drumming by Tyler Minsberg. Leadoff track "Where I Want to Be" and ender "Never Feel Alone" bookend the album perfectly, but it's the gripping, powerful tracks like "Surfaced," "Northern Lights," and "Weathered" that set Reach for the Sun far above so many other albums.

8. Motion City Soundtrack - Commit This to Memory: They were quirky, catchy, unique, and relatable. In other words, Motion City Soundtrack were just too easy to like. With such huge choruses like the ones found on "Everything is Alright," "When 'You're' Around," or "Resolution" mixed in with the dark, self-loathing lyrics on "Time Turned Fragile," "L.G. Fuad," and "Hold Me Down," the band set themselves up for a long and rewarding career, but the highs they reached on Commit This to Memory have yet to be topped.

7. Underoath - Define the Great Line: Screamo music nearly reached the mainstream in the early 2000s, thanks in large part to the melody and sheer force behind Underoath's (They're Only Chasing Safety). But when the band came back with Define the Great Line, they went from the next big thing in the scene to its undisputed champion. Now fully immersed in the songwriting process, Spencer Chamberlain wears his demons on his sleeve, and it pays huge dividends in "You're Ever So Inviting" and "In Regards to Myself." Aaron Gillespie's clean vocals supplement Chamberlain's screams stupendously, especially seen on lead single "Writing on the Walls" and "There Could be Nothing After This." After synths powered many of the Chasing Safety tracks, Chris Dudley opted for a more subtle effect on the tracks, providing atmospheric tones for the evolution of lead guitarist Tim McTague to take the spotlight. This album was the perfect storm for Underoath, catapulting them from the Main Stage of Warped Tour to a top 5 debut and gold-selling album that still is yet to be topped in metalcore (except maybe by Underoath's other albums, of course).

6. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy: In 2010, Kanye West's popularity was still reeling over the whole Taylor Swift "I'mma let you finish..." fiasco. So what did Kanye West do about it? What Kanye West always does about it: use his turmoil with critics, paparazzi, and the American public to fuel his passionate drive towards hip-hop perfection. On Twisted Fantasy, he gave us what may ultimately end up being his most revered masterpiece of his illustrious and controversial career. An album whose lead single is a full 9 minutes long, features a comedy bit from an over-the-hill Chris Rock, and features that include RZA, La Roux, Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, and a rap verse from Fergie (I'm still trying to wrap my head around that), and it all comes together masterfully thanks to the mad scientist behind it. I've always been a fan of hip-hop and headcases, and no one person puts both of those things together as spectacularly as Kanye West.

5. Transit - Listen and Forgive: The pop-punk Renaissance that occurred in 2011 was no small feat: it gave us albums from bands like Fireworks, The Wonder Years, and Into It. Over It. that changed the way everyone saw the genre and shattered any pre-conceived notions about how powerful the songs could be. That buzz swelled into a perfect storm for Transit, who used their early 2000s emo leanings to create Listen & Forgive, an emotional force that created an immense amount of buzz around the band. Paced by catchy single "Long Lost Friends" and cemented in fans' hearts with soul-crushers like "Skipping Stone" and "Over Your Head," Listen and Forgive has cemented itself as an album with lasting impact for years to come.

4. Jimmy Eat World - Futures: Jimmy Eat World had literally just saved their career with Bleed American, thanks to the unexpected success of "The Middle." So what did they do for a follow-up? Make their best album ever, of course! While there is a legitimate argument to be made for Clarity, Futures makes this list for me because it took the energy and emotion from Clarity, and combined it with a stellar piece of production by the acclaimed Gil Norton. Plain and simple: on Futures, Jimmy Eat World sounded like the biggest and best rock band in the world, and they had the talent, drive, and creativity to pull it off. Don't believe me? Take a listen to "23" and try to tell me that song isn't perfect.

3. The Gaslight Anthem - Handwritten: Coming off of a bit of a letdown in terms of how American Slang was received, The Gaslight Anthem recorded with Brendan O' Brien, and ended up at least starting the conversation amongst fans as to which album was better: The '59 Sound or Handwritten. Obviously, you know which side I'm on by now. To me, Handwritten was chosen because of the gigantic, arena-ready feel to the album. With so many anthemic choruses (like the ones on "45," "Handrwitten," "Mulhollan Drive," and "Mae") and just enough allusions to the band's sweaty basement show roots (the dynamic 1-2 punch of "Howl" and "Biloxi Parish"), there's something for every Gaslight Anthem fan here, and maybe even more. On The '59 Sound, we saw how big The Gaslight Anthem had the potential to become, and on Handwritten, they became that band.

2. Circa Survive - Blue Sky Noise: Circa Survive have been my favorite band since I was 16 years old, and this is my favorite album from them. The major-label jump they made on Blue Sky Noise added a certain flair to the songs, and the progressive-minded band benefitted greatly from adding a little more structure to their sound, which allowed frontman Anthony Green to shine while his bandmates created the band's most talented effort to date. Thanks to the chaos of "Get Out" and Glass Arrows," the melodic excellence of "Imaginary Enemy" and "Through the Desert Alone," and the pure unadulterated creativity of "Fever Dreams" and the instrumental track "Compendium," Circa Survive put it all together for an effort that only a band with their unique set of skills could create.

1. Brand New - The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me: From the time we heard about the scrapped Fight Off Your Demons demos, we knew Brand New was onto something big. But somehow, the band found a way to shatter any and all expectations, and exceed them in unimaginable ways. Dark, heavy, and profound, The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me is the rare album that followed up a classic (Deja Entendu) and was so good it makes the classic that came before it seem like a child made it. Jesse Lacey was revered before The Devil and God, but after this album came out, he was officially a cult hero. But when you pen a track like "Sowing Season (Yeah)," that's to be expected. What's more impressive, however, is how the album carries you through its long-ish runtime effortlessly. Tracks like "Degausser," "Jesus," "Luca," and "You Won't Know" all cross the 5-minute threshold, but the songs take such a hold over you that it feels like no time has passed at all. Throw in the 7-minute epic "Limousine" and the fast-paced "Not the Sun" and "Archers," and you have an album the spans a spectrum very few other bands would even dare to attempt, but Brand New were able to perfect. It simply doesn't get any better than The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me, and I have serious doubts anything will ever top it in my lifetime.

And in a flash, my Top 10 Albums of All-Time is complete. This list is so difficult to make, and there are so many albums that could have been here, and I'm sure there are even ones I've forgotten about. What did I leave off? What did I rate too high or too low? Leave your thoughts in the comments, and let's get a conversation going.

2012 Recap: Year-End Awards

When the final bell tolled in 2012, there was much to celebrate. We all survived a surprisingly underwhelming apocalypse, and with everyone anxiously waiting to see if we all woke up on December 22, we were blessed with the work of some musicians' greatest efforts, in hopes to end the world on a good note. 2012 was bountiful in many different ways in music. Hopefully by now, you've seen both year-end album lists by Craig and myself. But to define an entire year by two simple Top 15 album lists seems to be unfair to all of the other great material released this year. Below, you'll find Keep Calm's best effort to bring you as much of the good stuff 2012 had to offer in one post. Don't forget to hit up the comments to let us know what you felt was the best that 2012 gave us!

Song of the Year

The Gaslight Anthem- "45": The first single from the best album of one of the best bands of the new milennium, "45" had a lot riding on it. After Gaslight fans were somehow disappointed by the band's effort on American Slang, there was a hint of doubt in the band's career. To answer any and all criticism, however, Brian Fallon came back roaring (literally) with one of the band's most blistering tracks, and the biggest rock anthem of the year. 

Runners-Up: fun.- "Some Nights"; Anberlin- "Self-Starter"

Non-Music Related Music Story of the Year

Laura Jane Grace: When Tom Gabel of Against Me! Chose to announce his intentions of undergoing a sex change to Rolling Stone magazine, the world was introduced to a rock star in the middle of an identity crisis. Gabel emerged from this media firestorm as Laura Jane Grace, her new female identity. While the news was starting and shocking to most fans of the band, the reception to Grace's decision could not have been any warmer, and the jolt of humanity into the music industry was a breath of fresh air that raised the anticipation for Against Me!'s new album to a fever pitch. Keep Calm continues to wish Laura the best of luck in her journey towards her true identity.

Runner Up: Mitch Lucker's fatal motorcycle accident (Rest in Peace, Mitch.)

Cover Song of the Year

Bayside- "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)", originally recorded by Billy Joel: Caught in-between full-lengths (and labels), Bayside found themselves in a unique situation that allowed them to do something unique and creative, on their own terms. What they came up with was Covers, Vol. 1, a five-song effort that surpasses any of the last five Punk Goes releases. Their rendition of  "Movin' Out" stays true to the original while still maintaining that classic Bayside sound, and leaves fans hoping for a few more volumes of this series.

Runners-Up: Mayday Parade- "Somebody That I Used to Know (feat. Vic Fuentes)", originally recorded by Gotye feat. Kimbra; The Maine- "Girls Just Want to Have Fun (feat. Adam Lazarra)", originally recorded by Cindi Lauper

EP of the Year

Sparks the Rescue- Sparks the Rescue: The result of a Kickstarter campaign, this seven song effort from the boys of Summer from Maine provides an excellent bounce-back that should reignite the career of Sparks the Rescue. From the impeccible guitar work of Mike Naran to Alex Roy's always infectious melodies, Sparks the Rescue helps the band return to the form that made them one of the best up-and-coming pop-rock acts of a few years ago.

Runner-Up: You, Me, and Everyone We Know- A Great Big Hole

Music Video of the Year

Transit- "Skipping Stone": One of the most interesting decisions of the year was made by the Boston, MA emo revivalists to give the heartfelt acoustic standout on Listen and Forgive the electric feel, but after hearing the song, and seeing the creative and nostalgic music video, it's clear to see why Transit decided to create the alternate version of "Skipping Stone."

Runners-Up: The Gaslight Anthem- "Handwritten," "Here Comes My Man"; Title Fight- "Secret Society"

Guilty Pleasure of the Year

Like Moths to Flames: They're not that innovative of a band, but somehow, there's something about this band that I can't help but love. They're angry, angtsy, and aggressive, and Chris Roetter can sing and scream quite well. Whether you were banging your head to any of the songs on their re-release of their debut full-length When We Don't Exist or their cringe-inducing cover of fun.'s "Some Nights," if you let LMTF into your ears in 2012, chances are you wouldn't be able to get them out of your head.

Runner-Up: 2 Chainz

Tour of the Year

Taking Back Sunday's #TAYF10: Celebrating the release of a landmark album of your genre is a difficult task. But if any album deserved the front-to-back tour treatment, it's Taking Back Sunday's Tell All Your Friends. While watching the band play their game-changing album was worth the price of admission alone, it was the opening acts that made #TAYF10 so special. TBS enlisted fellow Long Islanders Bayside to support the entire tour, while keeping a rotating opening act that consisted of young upcomers like Man Overboard and Transit to get some of their spotlight. What's more, the band played an eight-song "greatest hits" set before breaking into the album, and closed out the night with the album's two b-sides. Kudos to TBS for putting themselves into Band of the Year consideration, in a year that they didn't release any new material.

Runner-Up: The Glamour Kills Tour (The Wonder Years, Polar Bear Club, Transit, The Story So Far, A Loss for Words, Into It. Over It.)

Vocalist of the Year

Ace Enders, The Early November: Always known as a man who likes to keep busy, Ace Enders has been perfecting his voice since before some of his fans were even born.Whether you were listening to In Currents this summer or watching The Early November on their tour with Cartel this fall, one thing was very clear: Enders's vocals have never sounded more heartfelt, emotional, or better.

Runner-up: Nate Ruess, fun.

Guitarist(s) of the Year

Alex Rosamilia, The Gaslight Anthem: One of most underrated parts of Handwritten's greatness is the increased and improved role Rosamilia's guitar work took on in The Gaslight Anthem's songwriting. Rosamilia's solos (in "Biloxi Parish" and "Mulholland Drive") and swift riffs (in "45" and "Howl") set the tone for the entire album, and if his talents were overlooked before, they sure won't be again.

Runners-up: Tim Landers/Brad Wiseman, Misser

Drummer of the Year

Nate Young, Anberlin: Young won this award within the first 20 seconds of "Self-Starter," and the rest of his work on that song and the entirety of Vital is essentially just him showing off. While you can't really see him in the picture above, you can certainly hear him loud and clear on Vital, arguably Anberlin's best album, and what you're hearing is the sound of one of the most passionate drummers in modern rock.

Runner-Up: Steve Clifford, Circa Survive

Bassist of the Year

Nick Beard, Circa Survive: With Circa Survive's Violent Waves focusing more on instrumentals than Anthony Green's signature vocals, it was Beard who emerged as the benefactor of the album's more groove-oriented styles. Beard's background vocals also compliment Green's throughout the album, and his powering basslines keep the album moving, as best experienced on the album's epic opener "Birth of the Economic Hit Man"

Runner-up: Ned Russin, Title Fight

Songwriter of the Year

Brian Fallon, The Gaslight Anthem: While it took a monumental effort from The Gaslight Anthem as a band to achieve what they did on Handwritten, everything the band releases will inevitably be examined for Fallon's songwriting. What was discovered when the album was examined this time was Fallon's best work, featuring the same arena-ready choruses with a little more of the punk soul that seemed absent from American Slang, and even more of Fallon's heart on his sleeves.

Runners-up: Greg Barnett and Tom May, The Menzingers

Guest Feature of the Year

Jason Vena, on All Time Low's "Outlines": Providing the vocals that were supposed to be delivered by Patrick Stump are tough shoes to fill (just ask Tay Jardine, who filled in for Stump on Yellowcard's "Here I Am Alive"). But who better to replace one signature voice than a man with a signature voice in his own right? To do this, All Time Low enlisted Jason Vena, formerly of Acceptance (check them out if you haven't yet). The result is the best song on what may be the band's best album, Don't Panic, and another assertion that sometimes it's best to get by with a little help from your friends.

Runner-up: Geoff Rickly, on Circa Survive's "The Lottery"

Performance of the Year (all instruments)

Sean Mackin (Violinist), Yellowcard: To create a great Yellowcard album, you need to have Mackin at the top of his game. On Southern Air, Mackin's never sounded better. The solo provided on "Always Summer" is his best since "Ocean Avenue," and his work to provide summery atmospheres never ceases to amaze. Oh, and on top of all of that, the dude beat cancer, and was still able to bring it onstage while the band headlined Warped Tour and a fall headlining tour with The Wonder Years and We Are the In Crowd this year. Congratulations, Sean, and may your good health continue. 

Band of the Year

fun.: In a year that so many indie artists were able to break into the mainstream, no act made a bigger splash than fun. Propelled by the shocking success of "We Are Young," the band also enjoyed success with "Some Nights" and "Carry On," and Some Nights was declared gold by the RIAA. The band headlined nearly every major festival this summer, scored big-time performances at many different award shows and late-night appearances, and lead all Grammy nominees with 6 nominations. 2012 was an odd year, but it was also the year of fun., and there's nowhere to go but up for the band that just might be the next big thing.

Runner-up: The Gaslight Anthem

2012 Recap: Donald's Top Albums

And, here we are, at the end of another year. 2012 has been a wild ride, for many reasons, but one of biggest reasons were the myriad of albums that stood out, from all over the spectrum of musical genres. From metalcore to piano-pop, punk to post-hardcore, there was something for every music fan to sink their teeth into and enjoy. That being said, there's always a list that needs to be made at the end of each year, and 2012's is the most diverse list I think I've ever compiled. With that, here's the best of 2012, through my eyes. Don't like my picks? You can always leave an anonymous, hate-fueled comment below. Happy reading, and we'll see you in 2013.

15. The Chariot- One Wing

The Story: They've never quite been the "flavor of the week" in metalcore, but The Chariot sure do it better than anybody else. The band are as likely to have a Charlie Chaplin soundbit (the epic album ender "Cheek.") as they are an a capella hymnal ("Your"), and when mashed together with the band's already sterling repertoire for metalcore chaos, One Wing is a chimera that pummeled the ears of those who dared listen to it, but those who were brave enough were treated to an album they've never heard anything like before.

Key Track: "First"

14. Every Time I Die- Ex-Lives

The Story: There's a level of consistency that fans have come to expect from Every Time I Die. Each year the band release a new album, they seem to find the perfect balance between what fans have come to love about them, while still finding new ways to expand their sound. On Ex-Lives, Kieth Buckley's stretch as the vocalist of hair-metal revival band The Damned Things (which featured members of Fall Out Boy and Anthrax) drips into the band's blend of punk, hardcore, and metal, as his clean vocals take on more of the spotlight than on the band's previous releases. Now six albums into their career, Every Time I Die continue to prove that they're doing it better than any band you saw on Warped Tour this year.

Key Track: "Revival Mode"

13. Make Do and Mend- Everything You Ever Loved

The Story: Make Do and Mend began in sweaty basements, blasting their punk anthems through broken sound systems. But this year, on their Rise Records debut, the band showed their potential for rock greatness with Everything You Ever Loved, an album that could easily fit in the discography of bands like Foo Fighters, The Gaslight Anthem, or Jimmy Eat World. There is still a great deal of grit and emotion in James Carroll's voice, and the improvement of the band's musicianship help make this album the possible spark plug to a promising career for Make Do and Mend.
Key Track: "Disassemble"

12. Go Radio- Close the Distance

The Story: Ever since Jason Lancaster left Mayday Parade, every release MP or Lancaster's new band Go Radio put out was compared to the two parties' most beloved effort, A Lesson in Romantics. With Close the Distance, Lancaster beats his former bandmates for the title of "Best Album since A Lesson in Romantics," by a landslide. The pop sensibilities laced throughout the piano-driven rock of Close the Distance are the perfect soundtrack for any stage of your relationship, from the promise of devotion ("I Won't Lie") to the messy break-up (lead-off monster single "Go to Hell"). Lancaster's voice has never sounded better, and Close the Distance could set Go Radio up for a huge mainstream breakthrough.

Key Track: "Go to Hell"

11. Further Seems Forever- Penny Black

The Story: About a decade ago, Chris Carrabba left Further Seems Forever to pursue Dashboard Confessional full-time (and I think we'd all agree that worked out pretty well). This year, the prodigal son returned to create Penny Black, an album that many fans who only know Carrabba for his work with Dashboard won't believe was written by the dude who wrote "Hands Down". Penny Black shows Carrabba's darker lyrical themes, and the singer seems comfortable getting back to his roots, and the album soars because of it. 

Key Track: "Staring Down the Sun"

10. Yellowcard- Southern Air

The Story: Just a year removed from 2011's Comeback Album of the Year When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes, Yellowcard came back roaring with even more songs for you to scream into your steering wheel on your way down to the beach this summer. Southern Air is exactly what you'd expect from a Yellowcard album, just better. Ryan Key's vocals have never sounded better, and each musician gets their fair share of the spotlight, including Sean Mackin, who's victory in his battle over cancer was a lightningrod for the energy Southern Air is laced with.

Key Track: "Awakening"

9. Title Fight- Floral Green

The Story: Building on the momentum created from last year's Shed, Title Fight's new album is as energetic and loud as you'd expect, but it's the raw emotion displayed on Floral Green that set it apart as the band's definitive album. While there aren't any huge singles, the album's cohesion and consistency make it an album you'll want to listen to from front to back, without having to skip any one track. 

Key Track: Have you seen the video for "Secret Society" yet? It's wild. 

8. fun.- Some Nights

The Story: From the Format to Fueled by Ramen to Glee, fun. went from generally unknown to a household name by the end of 2012. Powered by monster single "We are Young," Some Nights was one of the most inescapable albums of the year, and with good reason. Nate Ruess's lyrics are as dark as they get, yet his delivery seems to offer some hope to listeners, and beyond "We are Young," there are so many great tracks, including "Some Nights," "Carry On," and "One Foot," that easily could have been big singles. fun.'s big 2012 was important for so many reasons, but one of the biggest was that it restored some hopes that there's still a place for rock music in popular radio. 

Key Track: "Some Nights"

7. All Time Low- Don't Panic

The Story: About a year ago, Dirty Work torpedoed the success All Time Low had fought so hard for years to achieve, and had the band a step away from irrelevance. However, returning to what got them there in the first place, the band got rid of the co-writes (save for "Outlines," which was co-written by Patrick Stump), and went back to Hopeless Records with Don't Panic in tow. What the band had put together on the album was a much-needed source of redmeption, with tracks like "The Reckless and the Brave," "Somewhere in Neverland," and "Paint You Wings" showing off the band's infectious melodies, soaring choruses, and pop-rock gold that only they know how to deliver.

Key Track: "If These Sheets Were States"

6. Misser- Every Day I Tell Myself I'm Going to be a Better Person

The Story: The fact that bands create side projects with one another is inevitable. But no one ever said they'd be as good as this. Featuring Tim Landers of Transit and Brad Wiseman of now-defunct This Time Next Year, Misser is the result of two men wanting to do things a little differently than they usually do, and the sonic shift couldn't sound any sweeter. Essentially a concept album about juggling a relationship with a busy touring schedule, the emotions are raw, the guitars are wonderfully arranged, and the melodies and back-and-forth between Landers and Wiseman are exactly what dual vocals should sound like on a rock album. 

Key Track: "Time Capsules"

5. The Menzingers- On the Impossible Past

The Story: Despite the internet providing a forum for music to be discovered in an instant, some bands and albums still come from out of nowhere to surprise everyone. Case in point, The Menzingers's On the Impossible Past. Featuring a series of snapshots of what it's like to grow up in America, the album is full of hardship, struggle, cigarrettes, and muscle cars, but the heart and grit of The Menzingers help to set On the Impossible Past apart as one of the definitive albums of 2012.

Key Track: "Good Things"

4. Anberlin- Vital

The Story: Anberlin never seem to disappoint do they? While New Surrender and Dark is the Way, Light is a Place weren't quite up to par with Cities, they still had a couple great tracks each. However, Vital is the return to form some may have been waiting for. Driving tracks like "Self-Starter" and "Someone Anyone" pick up the energy while heartfelt numbers "Modern Age" and "Other Side" feature the band's newfound electronic creativity, and it all melds together perfectly to an album that enters the argument of which Anberlin release is the best.

Key Track: "Little Tyrants"

3. Circa Survive- Violent Waves

The Story: Dear record labels: leave Circa Survive alone; they're fine without you. Self-funded, self-produced, and self-released, Violent Waves may not be the best album from the band, but it may just be their most important. 7-minute opener "Birth of the Economic Hit Man" and the Geoff Rickly feature on "The Lottery" show the band's willingness to take a few creative risks, and they all pay big dividends for the band. What's most interesting about the album, however, is the way Anthony Green's vocals take a backseat at times, allowing his bandmates to show off that while Circa Survive have the best vocalist in the scene, they just might have the best band in the scene, too.

Key Track: "Birth of the Economic Hit Man"

2. The Early November- In Currents

The Story: When The Early November announced their hiatus, fans immediately began clamoring for their return. One listen through In Currents, and one question comes to mind: what took them so long to come back? From start to finish, In Currents enthralls the listener in the ebbs and flows a near-masterpiece of modern rock, with Ace Enders's vocals driving each song to great heights. It was tough to watch terrible bands rise while The Early November was away, but when you can come back with an album as good as In Currents, it just may have been worth the wait.

Key Track: "In Currents"

1. The Gaslight Anthem- Handwritten

The Story: From the first time the world was introduced to "45," there was a silent understanding that Handwritten was going to be something special. Five months since it's release, I'm still floored by it. In simple terms, there wasn't a better album put out in 2012 than The Gaslight Anthem's fourth full-length. But that doesn't say much about just how much better it is than not only any album this year, but any album in recent memory. Handwritten is the culmination of The Gaslight Anthem's climb from New Jersey basement shows to a globally-recognized rock act, and with tracks that soar like "Handwritten," "Biloxi Parish," "Mulholland Drive," and the aforementioned "45," there are very few albums that can stack up with this powerhouse. Many fans thought that the band would never recapture the magic of The '59 Sound, but with Handwritten, the band have shattered any and all expectations, and have cemented themselves as one of the best bands of this generation, if not the very best. 

Key Tracks: Every single song. 

Settle the Score: The '59 Sound vs. Cities

When tracing the career paths of The Gaslight Anthem and Anberlin, the two bands have very little in common. But even though there is a very distinct difference between Anberlin's emo-tinged rock and The Gaslight Anthem's blend of blues-punk, there is one key ingredient to both: the bands are two of the most talented rock bands out there today. Of course, musicianship and songwriting have a great deal to do with both bands' successes, but where The Gaslight Anthem and Anberlin set themselves apart is that they are consistent. No matter what direction they take on a particular album, there is a core set of ideals and visions that drive the bands' music, and that has rightfully earned them a loyal and devoted fanbase, ready to defend their favorite band at the drop of a hat. With so much going well for each band, it still begs the question: which band is better. To try and answer this question, we took a look at each band's consensus selection for "best album,: and tried to Settle the Score.

Which album from one of today's best rock bands is better: The Gaslight Anthem's The '59 Sound or Anberlin's Cities?

Anberlin- Cities

Godspeed (5 stars out of 5)- Anberlin has a way with the bookend tracks of their album. They understand exactly what the role of the opening track is, and they execute that role to perfection. Godspeed is a roaring, high intensity anthem that kicks off Cities with a bang. Exactly the emotional charge that the album needs to get kick-started.

Adelaide (3/5)- In an interview with absolutepunk,net, Stephen Christian once said "if i could go back in time i would take 'adelaide' off cities and put (Lost Songs B-Side) the haunting (on), because it WOULD have rounded out the record better lyrically and sonically." Adelaide just doesn't stack up to the lightning bolt that is Godspeed, and it stands out like a sore thumb here.

A Whisper, A Clamor (4/5)- Aaron Sprinkle's production is apparent on this track, as the fuzzy guitar line and massive chorus crash give way to an elegant sounding acoustic guitar as the song enters its bridge. However, the two opposites meet each other in the middle for the song's final chorus, providing perfect contrast to each other.

Unwinding Cable Car (3.5/5)- A staple of the band's live set and a sure-fire fan favorite, Unwinding Cable Car at first seems like a simple mid-tempo acoustic number. But it morphs into a brilliant refrain, as Christian continuously croons "you're so brilliant don't soon forget, you're so brilliant, grace marks your heart."

There Is No Mathematics Between Love and Loss (2.5/5)- Cities is considered Anberlin's definitive album because it contains almost no filler. If i had to pick one song to consider cutting though, it would probably be There is no Mathematics. Outside of the synth, there's not really a standout element to this song. It's not a bad song by any means, it's just not very remarkable.

Hello Alone (3.5/5)- The crunch of Nate Young's drumming is pretty remarkable on this particular track. Quick, unique rolls and fills pepper the chorus, and through fast paced crunch of the bridge he gives the song a powerful backbone. Very impressive work.

Alexithymia (3.5/5)- Deon Rexroat is the true star of this song. Right from the start, the bassists' fuzzy bassline comes straight to the forefront. The most "epic" moment of this song however comes from the guitar solo, as Christian's ethereal vocals float just above the guitar wails.

Reclusion (3.5/5)- Kicking off with an synthesizer line that Motion City Soundtrack would be jealous of, this song morphs into one of the darkest songs in Anberlin's songs. The lyrics deal with facing inner demons and mental trauma. "There's an art in seclusion. Production in depression / If a stranger turns up missing, this song is my confession," sings Christian.

Inevitable (3.5/5)- This song, a beautiful love song, stands in stark contrast to the song that came right before it in the tracklisting. A (mostly) acoustic number which features a stellar chorus and, in the bridge a rhythmic floor tom beat provided by Nate Young. Stellar background vocals in the song are also provided by Copeland vocalist Aaron Marsh, in one of his many collaborations with Christian.

Dismantle.Repair (5/5)- If Anberlin had stopped after Cities and never released New Surrender and Dark Is The Way, Dismantle. Repair would have been the distinctive Anberlin song. The song features everything that makes Anberlin great. Nate Young's drum beat is relentless, Christain's songwriting and vocal performance reach perfection, and it even features a beautiful bridge with backing vals that emphasize the emotion of the song. If fin didn't exist, this would be the best song on Cities.

fin. (5/5)- The song gives a listener a false sense of security, existing only as an acoustic track for the first 3 minutes, before exploding into a crescendo of Christian's improvised vocals over a full band musical crash. The biggest surprise comes a minute into the full band section however, as a children's choir begins singing the refrain "Patron saint, are we all lost like you?" This is the best all-around song in Anberlin's entire discography. Stephen Christians' vocal performance must be heard to be believed. If i could give this song more than a 5, I would.

Key Lyrics: "Go your own way, even seasons have changed, just burn those new leaves over"; "We're not questioning God, just those he chose to carry on his cause."; "Hands like secrets are the hardest thing to keep from you, lines and phrases like knives, your words can cut me through."

Final Score: 3.5

The Gaslight Anthem- The 59 Sound

Great Expectations (5 stars out of 5)- Starting an album with a song that captures the entire mood of the album in just its brief 3 minute run time is quite a feat. This is the feat that The Gaslight anthem accomplished with “Great Expectations.” 

The ‘59 Sound (5/5)- Some title tracks fall victim to the fact that they cannot speak for the whole album. Others are so good that when you hear them for the first time, you know the album that is named after them cannot possibly be bad. "The '59 Sound” falls into that latter category. The incredible thing: "The '59 Sound" isn’t even the best title track in The Gaslight Anthem’s discography. “Handwritten” now holds that claim.

Old White Lincoln (3/5)-  Opening up with car starting sound effects and a stellar bassline supplied by bassist Alex Levine, the music sounds almost as if a car is plodding along on a busy city road. The song also features one of the most memorable choruses on the album. The rest of the song just can’t live up to the exhilarating chorus, and the song stalls (sorry, awful car pun) as a result.

High Lonesome (4/5)- High energy and chock full of vocal intensity, "High Lonesome" captures that feeling that "Old White Lincoln" just misses. The song features a stellar reference to one of my personal favorite songs, Counting Crows’ “Round Here,” in the line “Maria came from Nashville with a suitcase in her hand, I always kind of sort of wished I looked like Elvis.”

Film Noir (2.5/5)- This is the "Diamond Church Street Choir" of The 59 Sound. A mid-tempo track that is stuck in the middle of the tracklisting to give contrast to the upbeat numbers that came before it. However, it stalls in the fact that it takes till the outro of the song with Fallon repeating “Time time ticking away” for the listener to care about this song in the slightest.

Miles Davis & The Cool (2.5/5)- Miles Davis is one of those songs where The Gaslight Anthem had such lofty expectations for the scope of it that they weren’t able to completely realize them. The song features some great moments, including the climactic rise in the music that occurs after Fallon shouts “Jackson.” This rise sounds like a parallel to a similar rise in Bruce Springsteen’s signature song, Born To Run, and I don’t necessarily think that’s a coincidence. Unfortunately, this song is just in no way as strong as Springsteen’s opus.

The Patient Ferris Wheel (4/5)- We were originally going to give this song a lower score than the 4 it received ( I think we originally had it at a 3.5) but I fought to give it a 4 because I feel this song was something so special that, while maybe objectively it isn’t as good a song as "The 59 Sound" or "Great Expectations," it deserves to be recognized. The song perfectly displays the desperation of the scene the narrator is viewing, which is something that is particularly hard to capture in music.

Casanova, Baby (4/5)- This song does what "Film Noir" failed to do, in creating a mid-tempo song that is still as exhilarating and worthwhile to listen to as the album’s main rockers. “Forget this dead man’s town I’ll take you home,”  Fallon sings, channeling his best Springsteen in this song of escape.

Even Cowgirls Get The Blues (2/5)- As I mentioned in the Cities section, I believe that even great albums can have a dud song and still be considered great. "Cowgirls", although being a pretty strongly emotional blues song, doesn’t sound like a Gaslight Anthem song and the lack of realism is what drags the track down.

Meet Me By the River’s Edge (3.5/5)- This entire song is basically a 3 minute, 19 second long, love song to the work of Bruce Springsteen. The title itself is a reference to the Bruce album The River. The line “no surrender, my Bobby Jean” references not one but two songs from Born in the USA. The opening line “See I’ve been here for 28 years” references the 28 year gap from the release of The River and the release of The 59 Sound. This doesn’t make the song good or bad, but it’s fun to point out.

  

Here’s Looking at You Kid (4.5/5)- This song is a tearjerker if there ever was one. The refrain in the song “Boys will be boys and girls have those eyes, that’ll cut you to ribbons some times,” is beautiful in the simplicity with which it can display an entire relationship. The track, which features bare-minimum instrumentation largely relies on Fallon bearing his sold to the world, and it completely works.

The Backseat (5/5)- While most band’s would’ve been content with ending their album with the somber, retrospective sounding “Here’s Looking at You Kid”, The Gaslight Anthem is not most bands. “The Backseat” ends The 59 Sound with the loudest of bangs.

Key Lyrics: "And in the backseat, we're just trying to find some room for our knees. And in the backseat, we're just trying to find some room to breathe."; "I saw tail lights last night in a dream about my first wife, everybody leaves and I'd expect as much from you."; "Ain't supposed to die on a Saturday night"

Final Score: 3.75

The Verdict:This is why, to me, Settle The Score is so much fun. You can take two albums that are so fundamentally different in style, two albums that seemingly have nothing in common other than the fact that many consider them the band's best work, and decide which one is better. In this case, I think the math was dead on. The 59 Sound should edge out Cities, because although Cities does have some massive highs (among them two of my favorite songs: "fin." and "Dismantle. Repair") the consistency is just not quite there in comparison to The 59 Sound. Just one non-5 song ("A Whisper, A Clamor") got a 4 or higher on Cities. Four songs that weren't 5s got a 4 or higher on The 59 Sound. Because of this, The 59 Sound gets the statistical edge. Still, both albums are great touchstones in the remarkable careers of two of the brightest stars of rock music's current resurgence.

Album Review: The Gaslight Anthem- Handwritten

The Gaslight Anthem have come a long way from the steamy punk shows in people's basements they built their name around. From the gritty Sink or Swim to the timeless The '59 Sound and the polarizing American Slang, the band's rise to the cusp of rock and roll super-stardom (if it still exists) has been well-documented and heralded by fans of any of the genres the band draws its inspiration from. But when American Slang failed to create as much hype and buzz as The '59 Sound did, Brian Fallon found himself at a crossroads. The singer-songwriter felt the weight of the expectations that have defined the band for a while now. Expectations can kill bands, and when people have been calling you "The next Bruce Springsteen" or "The next great rock and roll band," for the last few years, it bears a certain weight and pressure to perform, and that pressure can be crippling.  But it begs the questions: what if The Gaslight Anthem knew exactly what they were doing all along? What if it's all been leading up to this? What if The Gaslight Anthem not only lived up to the colossal expectations they're under, but surpassed them?

Handwritten, the fourth album from The Gaslight Anthem (and their major-label debut, released through Mercury records), begins with "45," the most energetic song anyone's heard from the band to date. Powered by Brian Fallon's raw, emotional vocal delivery and excellent backing drums from Benny Horowitz. The raucous opener leads right into the title track of the album, which would have been just as good a choice to open the album. The title track's soaring chorus is every bit as good as the one fans likely know by heart in "45," with almost the same intense level of emotion. Fallon's voice has gone under a great deal of improvement on Handwritten, most notably on "45" and "Too Much Blood," but that's not to say the rest of The Gaslight Anthem don't put in memorable performances; in fact, Handwritten shows the rest of the men behind Fallon shining brighter than they ever have. 

Lead guitarist Alex Rosamilia's solos have been somewhat absent from much of The Gaslight Anthem's work up to this point, but you can consider Handwritten his coming out party. Rosamilia breaks open tracks like "Mulholland Drive" and "Desire." Bassist Alex Levine powers "Too Much Blood," the main track he dominates, and he sets the mood for the blistering "Howl," a two-minute track that rivals "45" for the most energetic song on the album. The always underrated Benny Horowitz is sterling yet again, as he finds a way to shine even when the band slows things down on "Mae" and "Keepsake," and picks up the pace wonderfully on "Desire." 

However, most will agree that any review of The Gaslight Anthem's work will boil down to what Brian Fallon has up his sleeve this time, and on Handwritten, he's never been better. From tracks that feature his bark, like "45" and "Keepsake," to the inevitable slower song The Gaslight Anthem have perfected, "National Anthem," in which Fallon's croon is accompanied only by an acoustic guitar. "Biloxi Parish" and "Handwritten" are sure-fire crowd favorites, as both feature some of Fallon's best choruses. While many of the songs deal with love lost, Fallon finds a way to tell these stories in a way that only he can, and those stories always come out fresh. One of the stories on Handwritten features Fallon's most ambitious songwriting venture yet. On "Here Comes My Man," Fallon steps out of his own shoes and steps into those of a woman's, telling the story of a woman who is trapped in love by a man who doesn't see her the same way. Fallon's risk pays off in a huge way, as "Here Comes My Man" is one of the most unique and emotional song's you'll hear from The Gaslight Anthem, or any band. 

If you haven't figured it out yet from what you just read, Handwritten sees The Gaslight Anthem put everything that's made them one of the great American rock bands from the last decade into one landmark effort. From the energy of Sink or Swim to the timeless feeling of The '59 Sound, and the creativity that they showed on American Slang, Handwritten puts everything together, and the band have delivered what will become known as their definitive release. And what's most impressive about the album is that every note, every line, every idea for this album was written by hand. In a world that becomes more and more reliant on smartphones, tablets, and laptop computers, the fact that The Gaslight Anthem neglected to use any and every piece of technology at their disposal makes Handwritten not only one of the most unique albums of the new milennium, but one of its most important.

The Bottom Line: If you've been a fan of The Gaslight Anthem since Sink or Swim or are somehow just finding out about them now, one listen through Handwritten will lead you to conclude that this is the exact sound the band wanted to create, and they've never sounded better. Already four albums into a career that looks to be headed for world domination, it's time we stopped calling The Gaslight Anthem "the next______," and it's about time we start hoping to find the next band that has the potential to make songs as good as The Gaslight Anthem.

Recommended if you rock: Brand New's Deja Entendu, Fall Out Boy's Take This to Your Grave, Jimmy Eat World's Futures

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