The '59 Sound in the '09 Summer

School's out. The sun poked through the "June gloom" yesterday. And most importantly, our 2009 Summer Guide was released this morning. It's official, summer has arrived... and while our guide has an abundance of information for making this summer the best one yet, we couldn't include everything. So without further ado, let me recommend an album that needs to be part of your summer rotation: The '59 Sound by The Gaslight Anthem.

Hailing from New Brunswick, NJ, TGA is made up of frontman Brian Fallon, bassist Alex Levine, drummer Benny Horowitz and guitarist Alex Rosamilia. The band says their unique sound--a combination of classic rock & roll and new age punk--is inspired by rock legends Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty and Otis Redding, and those influences are apparent in The '59 Sound. The album was released in August 2008, but if you have yet to pick up a copy, don't panic, the record is timeless. With numerous references to the glory of youth, summer, and California, the album is bursting with energy, emotion and gripping lyrics. It takes you on a journey back to adolescence and is written with maturity and confidence. You won't find any fluff here.

It starts out with "Great Expectations," a rocker about that period of time in life when you think anything is possible. Next, the album keeps pace with the title track, which I thought was an early Springsteen song the first time I heard it. My favorite track, "Miles Davis and the Cool," is the halfway point of the record, and where the ride really begins. Fallon sings, "There's just something about the summertime, there's just something about the moon." The album ends as strong as it begins with "The Backseat," featuring lyrics like, "We rode a fever out of Boston, dreamed of California lights." And, "You know the summer always brought it...that wild and reckless breeze."

Coming from the east coast myself, I know what it's like to dream of California lights. There's a reason a certain nostalgia is associated with Southern California, and there's a reason bands have been singing about this place forever." The '59 Sound is yet another reminder to stay young, enjoy the simple beauty of summer, and make memories that last forever... because when October rolls around, and the nights get a little bit cooler, those memories will be relived with the songs that carried us through June, July, and August.