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Product Description
Review
At Reading Festival last year, Gaslight Anthem frontman Brian Fallon introduced to the crowd to a guy who had joined them on guitar for a few songs. "This gentleman right here is named Ian Perkins," he told the thousands of people in the crowd. "People always ask, 'Is that your roadie?' No. He's more than that. He's our inspiration. He's our wings beneath our wings." It wasn't a point that needed proving, but by teaming up with Perkins to form The Horrible Crowes, Fallon has done just that, cementing the strength of their personal and professional relationship with these 12 stirring, searching, soulful songs.
What Elsie isn't is a Brian Fallon solo album. Neither is it a Gaslight Anthem record. Certainly, Fallon's distinctive vocals - heartfelt and bruised, ragged and raspy - will recall the band that, in the last couple of years, has made his name. But really, these songs define themselves as the product of two fertile, fabulous minds.
Opener Last Rites is a soft, sad and short introduction to the album. Underpinned by an elegiac piano line similar to that on the beautiful Eels song Spunky, it sets the sombre mood of what's to follow. An album for dark, stormy nights when you want to shut yourself away from the world, Sugar, Cherry Blossoms and Ladykiller are similarly sultry and wistful, full of poignant regret and what ifs - contemplations and bittersweet celebrations of all the people you've loved and lost.
It's not all mournful ruminations, though. Mary Ann is a rough, gruff, bluesy stomp that channels (and references) Tom Waits; Behold the Hurricane a chugging bundle of trembling nerves perpetually on the verge of exploding; and Go Tell Everyone is a raucous, visceral growl of a song with a majestic, exuberant chorus, equalled only by the finger-clicking soulful riff of I Witnessed a Crime.
But then, for the last three songs, the desolation and desperation returns, Black Betty & The Moon and Blood Loss cranking up the poetic romanticism and sense of despair before the devastating pathos of final song I Believe Jesus Brought Us Together. A lilting, atmospheric ode to love, life and death, it drops to its knees with wounded grace as it tries to makes sense of a world gone wrong through the hope that things can and will get better. It's a beautiful end to a touching, tragic album.
--Mischa Pearlman
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
In a recent interview for Uncut magazine Brian Fallon (lead singer of Springsteen-acolytes The Gaslight Anthem and leader of this new project) described how his goal with forming The Horrible Crowes was to update blues & soul music for this new generation. A generation which, ironically enough, has certainly had it's fair share of 'traditional' blues singers such as the late Amy Winehouse or the recent output of welsh songstress Duffy (not in the Muddy Waters sense of blues tradition admttedly, but lets not be too pedantic shall we?). If this was his goal then he is to certainly be applauded for ambition, even if sometimes he does fall a little short of anything approaching a 'revolution' in modern blues.
The 'modern' blues that I speak is of The Afghan Whigs & The National variety. So expect lots of slow-building numbers punctuated with chest-rousing finales & moments of reflection, all delivered with a level of pin-point precision that would make an X-Factor song-writer blush. Tracks such as 'Behold The Hurricane' and 'Go Tell Everybody' take this precision to excess levels and become a little too predictable & fall back onto the same 'one trick pony' sound that has sometimes plagued The Gaslight Anthem in the past. But when Fallon hits a high note, he can certainly hit hard & true. 'I Witnessed A Crime', 'Cherry Blossoms' and 'Ladykiller' are exlempary examples of the type of lounge-lizard blues that Greg Dulli & co where pedalling in their mid-ninety's heyday. Fallon perfectly captures that sleazy zeal that made so many Afghan Whigs & Mark Lanegan so irresistible.
Overall this is a mighty fine album and promises a lot from any future work Fallon and Ian Perkins (the other driving force behind this project) decide to create in the future.
The 'modern' blues that I speak is of The Afghan Whigs & The National variety. So expect lots of slow-building numbers punctuated with chest-rousing finales & moments of reflection, all delivered with a level of pin-point precision that would make an X-Factor song-writer blush. Tracks such as 'Behold The Hurricane' and 'Go Tell Everybody' take this precision to excess levels and become a little too predictable & fall back onto the same 'one trick pony' sound that has sometimes plagued The Gaslight Anthem in the past. But when Fallon hits a high note, he can certainly hit hard & true. 'I Witnessed A Crime', 'Cherry Blossoms' and 'Ladykiller' are exlempary examples of the type of lounge-lizard blues that Greg Dulli & co where pedalling in their mid-ninety's heyday. Fallon perfectly captures that sleazy zeal that made so many Afghan Whigs & Mark Lanegan so irresistible.
Overall this is a mighty fine album and promises a lot from any future work Fallon and Ian Perkins (the other driving force behind this project) decide to create in the future.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Gaslight Anthem's Brian Fallon takes a side road with big buddy Ian Perkins and
proves to himself and us that life doesn't have to always follow the fast lane.
The Horrible Crowes album 'Elsie' is a largely reflective affair full of well-
crafted songs where Mr Fallon's fine voice gets plenty of room to breathe and
prosper. There are twelve numbers in the set and even when things build up a
head of steam, as they do on the soulful loose-limbed rocker 'Go Tell Everybody',
we sense a band taking care to ensure that the pot never quite boils over.
There are some truly lovely compositions to savour. Among them : the jangling
'Behold The Hurricane', with its delightful vocal punctuation marks, which seems
to have been touched by the spirit of Bruce Springsteen; 'Cherry Blossoms', a
gorgeously laconic country-tinged ballad, which shows off the softer side of
Mr Fallon's musical nature (from a whisper to a roar his gravely voice has rarely
sounded better) and the staccato shuffle of 'Black Betty & The Moon', which allows
ample space for both melody and words to bloom. Final track 'I Believe Jesus Brought
Us Together' rounds off the project in a deeply moving testament to one man's faith.
Messrs Fallon and Perkins can well afford to be proud of their labours.
'Elsie' is as fine an album as we are likely to hear this side of Christmas.
Highly Recommended.
proves to himself and us that life doesn't have to always follow the fast lane.
The Horrible Crowes album 'Elsie' is a largely reflective affair full of well-
crafted songs where Mr Fallon's fine voice gets plenty of room to breathe and
prosper. There are twelve numbers in the set and even when things build up a
head of steam, as they do on the soulful loose-limbed rocker 'Go Tell Everybody',
we sense a band taking care to ensure that the pot never quite boils over.
There are some truly lovely compositions to savour. Among them : the jangling
'Behold The Hurricane', with its delightful vocal punctuation marks, which seems
to have been touched by the spirit of Bruce Springsteen; 'Cherry Blossoms', a
gorgeously laconic country-tinged ballad, which shows off the softer side of
Mr Fallon's musical nature (from a whisper to a roar his gravely voice has rarely
sounded better) and the staccato shuffle of 'Black Betty & The Moon', which allows
ample space for both melody and words to bloom. Final track 'I Believe Jesus Brought
Us Together' rounds off the project in a deeply moving testament to one man's faith.
Messrs Fallon and Perkins can well afford to be proud of their labours.
'Elsie' is as fine an album as we are likely to hear this side of Christmas.
Highly Recommended.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Vinyl
Apologies to those wanting to buy the CD but I suspect Amazon will list this with the release in general (i.e. MP3 and CD too). I was tempted by the CD for ages but being something of a vinyl fan eventually decided to go for the vinyl record release. I'm pleased I did. Side One Dummy have opted for the increasingly popular trend of including a free download card with every record purchased, something which I wasn't expecting and isn't mentioned in the listing. Type in the web address and you can play your purchase in the car, on your Ipod, on your laptop etc. If only other vinyl releases would catch on. Of course it all sounds absolutely awesome blasting out my stereo at home too!
I won't make any comment on the album, you can get that information from some of the other excellent reviews contained on this page. I merely wanted to mention the free download that isn't covered elsewhere
I won't make any comment on the album, you can get that information from some of the other excellent reviews contained on this page. I merely wanted to mention the free download that isn't covered elsewhere
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
great for a mellow mood
I love Gaslight Anthem albums 'Sink or Swim', '59 Sound' and American Slang - all great! I suppose I have warmed to The Horrible Crowes 'Elsie' so much as I really enjoy how this... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Hawt
the horrible crows.
great fast service. came as described. well packed. great that records are coming back again.will look out for more . what else can i say
Published 5 months ago by M. Daniels
In my top 5 if yhe year!
Brilliant! just buy....you can not fault this album just get it!
He's becoming one of the best songwriters of his time......
He's becoming one of the best songwriters of his time......
Published 6 months ago by MANUEL!
Brilliant
The whole album is great from start to finish but particular mention should go to "Sugar" and "Behold The Hurricane" which are probably the best songs on the album.
Published 6 months ago by JMYC
Mmmmmmm....
I was looking forward to this album, I like the Gaslight Anthem and I was interested to hear the Nick Cave and Tom Waits influences that I'd read about. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Andy7561
Another step in the wrong direction by Fallon
I'm a huge fan of Fallon and the Gaslight Anthem, but American Slang was distinctly average and this unfortunately follows suit. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Tim, Lewisham
Album of the year??
I don't often write a review however I have made the exception for what can only be described as an exceptional and remarkable record. Read more
Published 7 months ago by darkenedhalls
why Elsie
I`ve got a few albums in my time none betters this it`s wonderful i can`t stop playing it.
I must admit i love gaslight i don`t think they`ve made a bad record but this... Read more
I must admit i love gaslight i don`t think they`ve made a bad record but this... Read more
Published 7 months ago by billy the fish
Fallon's done it again!
As a massive fan of anything that Brian Fallon puts his mind to, I had high hopes and knew this was going to an absolutely amazing album. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Hannahhhhh
Different but wonderful :)
BRILLIANT!!
Im a big fan of the gaslight anthem, but this is nothing like them.
This is a seperate project tht brian fallon wanted to do and it suits his voice... Read more
Im a big fan of the gaslight anthem, but this is nothing like them.
This is a seperate project tht brian fallon wanted to do and it suits his voice... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Mrs. R. A. Forrow
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