The Gaslight Anthem

It would be impossible for a band to telegraph its intentions more clearly than the Gaslight Anthem did by naming its new album The '59 Sound. On paper, anthemic Springsteen-influenced pop strained through a twin filter of modern punk and '50s rock sounds horribly contrived — and the Gaslight Anthem, which indulges in its share of the straightahead rhythms, dry production and gang-vocal hooks that make today's punk so frustrating, might not seem like the right band for the job. But the New Jersey punk outfit approaches the music with just enough perspective and balance to pull it off. The elements fall into place naturally, and the band's lack of pretense goes a long way. Many would fall flat with lines such as "Like Miles Davis, I been swayed by the cool/There's just something about the summertime," but the Gaslight Anthem admirably averts disaster.