Finally the twelve track Elsie has arrived, and whilst it may not take Fallon in the new direction he promised, the band have created a captivating record, pairing strikingly powerful drumbeats and guitar sections with a gothic, haunting beauty.

Whilst Fallon maintains the creepy, dark edge that taints all Gaslight Anthem offerings (Blood Loss and first single,  Behold the Hurricane particularly paying homage to Fallon’s older band), the Horrible Crowes incorporate a delicate and sombre feel throughout their debut that is certain to bring Fallon to a wider audience.  Acknowledged by the The Boss himself at Glastonbury in 2009, Fallon’s distinctive, Springsteen-esque vocals maintain a soft, yet moody quality that remains utterly absorbing throughout the record.  Most effectively captured in Last Rites, the 90 second opener mesmerizes the listener, plunging them into what promises to be a beauty of a record.  Similarly the closing track, I believe Jesus Brought Us Together, is a shimmering track resounding with atmospheric vocals and chiming piano that finishes the album with a sense of fragile delicacy that contrasts distinctively with the harsher rockier tones that resonate regularly throughout the album as a whole.

The trembling guitars and haunting vocal of Sugar reverberate, remaining consistently on the point of breaking into an uninhabited wildness that, ultimately, never comes.  Yet rather than disappoint, the track is a thoughtful, considered product, the confinement of the usually powerful vocal and instrumental proving to be captivating, rather than frustrating.    Meanwhile Cherry Blossoms is a morose, melodic track which gently eases us through just over four minutes.  Yet underneath this tenderness, there again lies a tension which promises to explode any moment.  Yet this time the promise is met as Fallon launches into the heartfelt climax of the song, a moment tinged with a desperate nostalgia that nods to the mournful sounds of Tom Waits. I Witnessed a Crime, meanwhile, takes a very different direction.   Drawing on reggae influences, the lilting summery instrumental contrasts with Fallon’s trademark gravelly dark tones and haunting vocals, creating an unnerving, paradoxical record that is somehow both sinister and jubilant.

Unfailing powerful and thoughtful throughout, Elsie suffers only one major weak point throughout.  Whilst the debut’s lyrics are of a consistently personal and poetic nature, in Crush, Fallon stumbles, his repeated, I’ve got a crush on you, sounding more suited to the diary of a schoolgirl rather than a track on the album of a rock band.  Yet even here the song is rescued from failure by a euphoric instrumental that the listener will inevitably be caught up in.

Throughout Elsie, Horrible Crowes have managed to stay true to the classic rock, Americana roots upon which Gaslight Anthem are founded.  Yet Fallon and Perkins introduce a more soulful and personal response to issues of love, life and death into their tracks.  There is seemingly a previously unexplored lightness in the approach to creating these twelve songs, which has allowed the pair to lay their hearts on the line, whilst maintaining a secure link to the older band.

Our Rating
8/10