"Who does it better than we do?"

New Jersey's finest, The Gaslight Anthem, seem to be turning heads with the release of their third studio album. Multiple critics have even gone so far as to call it the "album of the month." I admit I was nervous when lead singer Brian Fallon spoke of a new writing approach the band would be taking this time around. It's true that American Slang boasts a slightly different sound than their previous efforts, but the final product won me over.

Rarely do I come across an album that I love upon first listen, but when it happens, it's magical. American Slang delivered the magic and then some. The album mixes beautiful storytelling with music that makes me want to shake it like I'm at a 1950s high school dance. Unlike on their previous albums (Sink or Swim and The '59 Sound), the lead guitar almost takes on a life of its own as it wails away in the background of the majority of the songs, a separate entity from the rhythm guitar, drums, and bass. It doesn't blend in to form a uniform sound throughout, but rather adds an extra dimension to each song. Brian Fallon's vocals are just as rough and soulful as ever, but at times reach such a high level of awesome that it barely sounds like the same man. His vocals especially shine on "The Diamond Church Street Choir," which proves that he's been holding back just a little.

The album opens with a bang as the powerful title track and first single, "American Slang," sets the stage for what comes next. Everything from the thumping drums to the background vocals chanting, "Give me fever! Oh, give me fever!" during the chorus fit so perfectly together to create an anthem full of raw emotion. The nine songs that follow are pure genius, featuring lyrics that are sometimes filled with pain and sometimes not, sometimes heartbreaking and sometimes uplifting. "Bring It On" even gave me chills when I first listened to it. The last track, "We Did It When We Were Young," feels a bit tacked on and out of place among the rest of the album, but still serves as an acceptable closer.

The Gaslight Anthem's songs always remind me of summertime and this album is no exception. I'm thinking it's no coincidence they released it with perfect timing to become my summer soundtrack.

Verdict: 5/5
Sounds like: Bruce Springsteen's alternative punk cousin, a warm summer night
Favorite tracks: "Bring It On," "The Queen of Lower Chelsea," "Old Haunts"