Brian Fallon – Painkillers

This is Brian Fallon‘s debut solo album, for those of you who’ve not been paying attention for the last decade he is better known for his role as the lead singer of The Gaslight Anthem. As with many release’s made by members of established bands, this is an outlet for songs that didn’t fit with the direction their band was going in, but which they felt to be too good to discard.

It should come as no surprise that there is a passing resemblance to The Gaslight Anthem in some of the compositions. Although I feel it is my duty to warn you that this is no longer the alternative and indie rock he has previously been known for, these elements are now a minor ingredient in his songwriting. The majority of the songs contained on Painkillers are played with a distinct country twang and in places it descends into acoustic balladry. This album indicates that Brian Fallon is moving away from his rock roots and into the kind of impassioned Americana that Bruce Springsteen has made his name from.

The track Rosemary is a brief highlight but overall this collection just doesn’t move me. The songs are all solid and well written, but this heartfelt collection of earnest country tinged rock just doesn’t hit the spot for me, it’s sadly a further move away from the heights that the early recordings by The Gaslight Anthem achieved. This will doubtless be a successful album, but for me this represents a departure from what made us love Brian Fallon in the first place. I can’t help feeling that we’ve lost a band rather than gained a singer.