Sunday, October 4, 2015

Song Of The Week: 10/4/15







Song: "The Blues, Mary"

Artist: Brian Fallon

Album: Unreleased

Year: 2008/2009?

Place Of Origin: Red Bank, New Jersey

Years Active: 1997-present



WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

"The Blues, Mary" is a hauntingly beautiful song. To me, it appears the song is about two people who are from different worlds so to speak. The vocalist was raised in the streets and had to fight and claw and labor and steal to get by in life. It seems it's "Mary" who has sparked something in him so profound that he dreams of learning to love and to compromise and to be compassionate. It's possible he doesn't think the relationship could work with his "over the rainbow" reference. It seems that he thinks that's just a dream, but he holds on to that dream tight because deep down, i think he wants to change for her because she makes him feel something that he's never felt. This song is unreleased as of now, but may show up on a soon to be released Brian Fallon solo album.

BRIAN FALLON DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

*with No Release:

1997 - "The Coffeehouse Sessions" (Mean Little Man Productions)

*with Surrogate McKenzie:

1998 - "Surrogate McKenzie (?)
1998 - "Songs To Grow Up To (?)
2000 - "The Six Degrees Of Separation (?)

*with Amping Copper:

2000 - "Amping Copper"

*with Brian Fallon/Cincinnati Rail Tie:

2004 - "The American Music EP" (?)

*with This Charming Man:

2005 - "Every Little Secret" (?)

*with The Gaslight Anthem:

2007 - "Sink Or Swim" (XOXO Records)
2008 - "The '59 Sound" (SideOneDummy Records)
2010 - "American Slang" (SideOneDummy Records)
2012 - "Handwritten" (Mercury Records)
2014 - "Get Hurt" (Island Records)

*with The Horrible Crowes:

2011 - "Elsie" (SideOneDummy Records)

*with Molly And The Zombies:

5 songs released and available online.

CURRENT STATUS OF BRIAN FALLON:

Brian Fallon is a talented singer and songwriter that is best known for being the frontman and rhythm guitarist for the New Jersey band The Gaslight Anthem. From 1997 to 2005, Fallon toiled around with several different bands and projects, trying to settle on something that suited his style and where he wanted to go musically. When he formed the band This Charming Man, this was really the spark that led to finding his sound. Out of the ashes of that band came The Gaslight Anthem. Though they got lumped in with punk rock, I don't necessarily see The Gaslight Anthem as a punk rock band. Fallon does have some punk rock influences no doubt from New Jersey's own The Bouncing Souls to Hot Water Music and band's like Brand New as well. He is also heavily influenced by artists such as Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, Tom Petty and The Rolling Stones. So if you mesh all those artists together, you might churn out something that resembles Gaslight's sound. Fallon is adept at writing anything from anthem rockers, haunting ballads and blues driven tracks. For what seems to be a pretty upbeat guy when interviewed or when interacting with audiences, Fallon can write some pretty dark music. His most personal recordings were probably done with his side project band The Horrible Crowes. Fallon is also a fan of Americana music, like Dylan or Johnny Cash. He formed a short lived project called Molly And The Zombies which released 5 songs online that showed off his root-sy side. Currently, as of September of 2015, Fallon has confirmed that he is working on a solo album, no news yet as to when it will be released. As for The Gaslight Anthem, the band is currently on a hiatus. Being that the band is really Fallon's main vehichle for his music, I don't think that they will break up, perhaps they just needed a break from each other to recharge the batteries and work on other projects. Brian Fallon is probably most associated with Bruce Springsteen when it comes to his music. Probably because of his scratchy, passionate vocals, storytelling lyrics and the fact that he's a Jersey boy! I can see why The Boss can see a little of his younger self in Fallon and the two have become friends and even performed with each other at each of their band's shows. Hopefully, Mr. Fallon keeps on cranking out the tunes, no matter what project he decides to do it for because he has a voice and a passion for what he does that shines through with each recording and performance.

TEN BRIAN FALLON SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. The '59 Sound (The Gaslight Anthem)
2. Bring It On (The Gaslight Anthem)
3. Here Comes My Man (The Gaslight Anthem)
4. Great Expectations (The Gaslight Anthem)
5. Behold The Hurrican (The Horrible Crowes)
6. American Slang (The Gaslight Anthem)
7. Tumblin' Dice (The Rolling Stones cover) (The Gaslight Anthem)
8. The Blues, Mary
9. Mae (The Gaslight Anthem)
10. 45 (The Gaslight Anthem)

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