The Gaslight Anthem

by Corey Apar
The Gaslight Anthem rose out of the fertile punk and hardcore scene of New Brunswick, NJ, in 2005 with influences like Bruce Springsteen, Wilson Pickett, and Motown standing shoulder to shoulder with the rough, emotional grit of bands like Hot Water Music and Jawbreaker. The band -- vocalist and guitarist Brian Fallon, bassist Alex Levine, drummer Benny Horowitz, and guitarist Alex Rosamila -- made quick of things and began establishing a loyal crowd of fans from their hometown, and by the time they released their full-length debut, Sink or Swim, in May 2007 via local imprint XOXO Records, the Gaslight Anthem had fostered a pretty significant buzz around their soulful punk rock melodies. The album was rough around the edges, but altogether singalong-able and energizing, and it garnered a great deal of praise from punk zines, blogs, and fans alike. The increasing attention was enough to score them gigs with similarly minded bands like Against Me!, the Loved Ones, and the Draft, and by the end of 2007, the Gaslight Anthem had played over 200 shows. They recorded the four-song EP Señor and the Queen in Austin between tour dates, and the record surfaced on Sabot Productions in early February 2008. Right around the same time, the Gaslight Anthem announced their brand-new deal with California-based indie SideOneDummy Records.