In their early days a lot of people lazily compared The Gaslight Anthem to Against Me! If I remember it correctly, the guy who runs XoXo records, the label that released The Gaslight Anthem’s debut, Sink or Swim, was also Against Me!’s tour manager. Or something along those lines. This lead to a couple of The Gaslight Anthem’s first bigger tours (with AM!) and it’s entirely possible that this lead to that comparison.
Personally, I never really heard the connection. Early on each band had developed unique (if not entirely original) sounds that proudly displayed their influences (both musically and geographically) on their sleeves. Against Me!’s political rough cut punk rock was routed in folk and tinged with a swampy Florida swing. Meanwhile, The Gaslight Anthem’s anthemic, working class pop punk screamed New Jersey. Bruce Springsteen was the obvious (and overused) comparison, but if you didn’t hear the Bouncing Souls in their music then you weren’t paying enough attention.
Now – upon the much anticipated upcoming releases for both bands, they are starting to sound a lot more like each other. Gone are Against Me!’s swampy rhythms and The Gaslight Anthem’s basement jams. Each band has stepped into their own with a fuller sound and more professional recordings. Granted – this could be a good thing or a bad thing. Only time (or actually hearing each album) will tell. For right now we’ve got a teaser track from each band to help us get excited. And they do just that. I can’t wait to hear what’s in store from both of them.
Click below to hear some new music.
If you read this blog, then you know that I 
Salsa And Chips 