Brian Fallon
Painkillers

THE REVIEW

It is time for the frontman of the American band The Gaslight Anthem, Brian Fallon, to debut as a solo artist.

Released through Island Records, the album, named "Painkillers," arrives two years after the last (sufficient) studio effort of the mother band, "Get Hurt," and includes both new pieces written before the release of the just-mentioned album, and some songs created for Fallon’s other band, Molly And The Zombies. Realizing that the direction taken with the compositions was not consistent with the new course set by the band with "Get Hurt," Brian opted for the solo route.

The coordinates along which the new work moves are heavily influenced by classic American rock, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers above all, as the major source of inspiration. In the splendid lead single "A Wonderful Life," everything is enriched with the charming pop touches that often emerge in the production of Gaslight, while in other songs like the title track, "Red Lights," and "Steve Mcqueen," the frontman ventures more towards heartland rock territories. "Nobody Wins," probably the best track of the work, seems to have sprung straight out of Bruce Springsteen's "Magic," while even the more lighthearted and radio-friendly episodes, like the delightful "Rosemary," work, do not bore, and actually add a greater sense of completeness to the entire work.

Fallon's vocals are perfect for the genre in question, and ultimately prove to be an extra arrow in the songwriter’s quiver. Even in the most classic of closing ballads, "Open All Night," everything is pleasant and perfectly coherent. The production by Butch Walker (also a studio guitarist for the occasion) is perfectly calibrated and achieves exactly the desired result.

A good start, this, for Brian Fallon. When, despite an almost total change of style, the author's touch remains recognizable, one cannot help but appreciate his personality and skill in being recognizable. We'll see if it will also serve as a refresh for the ambitions of the "frozen" Gaslight Anthem, stranded in a "Get Hurt" that two years ago felt much like an exercise in style and left an unpleasant aftertaste of music on autopilot.

Best track: "Nobody Wins"