I want to mention right off the bat that I’ve never really listened to The Real McKenzies before writing this review, although I’ve been a fan of other celtic punk style bands, mostly Flogging Molly and the Dropkick Murphys for years. That being said, I really enjoyed this record.

Since releasing The ’59 Sound The Gaslight Anthem have had a reputation as a band that wears their inspirations on their sleeves. Comparisons to Bruce Springsteen can be found in nearly every article written about the band in the last two years. American Slang released on June 15th, is the band’s attempt to take the music that inspired them – Punk, Classic Rock, R&B – and make it sound entirely their own.