At a time when an overwhelming number of radio hits are digital pop sensations projecting high definition visions of a robotic future, the Gaslight Anthem is an unapologetic blast from the past. Compared to the likes of Social Distortion, and citing Bruce Springsteen as an influence, the New Jersey band blends elements of punk snarl and fist pumping heartland rock. American Slang is an ode to growing up, growing old and living the well-worn blue-collar lifestyle.

The Gaslight Anthem is well-known for their focus on the working-class ethos, particularly as it pertains to the inability to achieve the American Dream. This sensibility is apparent in American Slang, where each track is devoted to the reconciliation of failure and ambition. The album’s strength comes from the poignant lyrics that describe the realization that nothing turns out according to plan. In their track “Old Haunts,” Fallon sings:
“And shame, shame, shame, shame on you/You kept your mind and heart and youth/Just like a tomb.”

American Slang is largely similar to the band’s previous album, The ’59 Sound, which also followed the Springsteen playbook, and a focus on the frustration everyday people.

The theme of age and youth does get somewhat repetitive (the title of the final track is “We Did It When We Were Young”), but the Gaslight Anthem should be commended for serving as a reminder, both in musical and lyrical style, of a desire for the innocence of youth and the dignity of a hard day’s struggle.