The Gaslight Anthem
New Jersey folk-punks the Gaslight Anthem boast definite ties to Austin. Their 2008 EP, Señor and the Queen, was recorded here. Despite lead guitarist/keyboardist Alex Rosamilia’s nervous laugh over those sessions “eons ago,” he acknowledges the record contains some of his favorite songs by the band.
“We’ve also played Austin City Limits once before, and been there for South by Southwest,” he counts off. “I love Austin. We’ve definitely played Stubb’s more than once!”
Rosamilia, singer/guitarist Brian Fallon, bassist Alex Levine, and drummer Benny Horowitz ply epic rock, a cinematic sweep of working-class Jersey push and pull. Judging by new LP Get Hurt, the stakes weren’t just higher, they’re heavy.
“That was definitely a conscious effort on our part,” he acknowledges. “We tried to extend ourselves.”
The metamorphosis involves everything from recording environment (Nashville’s Blackbird Studio) to producer Mike Crossey, known for his work with the Arctic Monkeys and Jake Bugg.
“We tried different things that way. He experimented in ways we never worked before.”
Guitars got plugged into Moogs to discover how the oscillators might affect them, and Rosamilia played a Fender Rhodes electric piano on “Underneath the Ground.” Expect to see a minimal keyboard setup onstage as a result.
“Something a little more organic than a bank of samplers,” he laughs.
This article appears in October 3 • 2014.
