Written by Chris Osifchin
Despite his band’s hiatus, The Gaslight Anthem’s Brian Fallon just can’t stay out of the headlines for long.
On the heels of four intimate solo shows at Crossroads in Garwood, NJ, “A Wonderful Life,” the first single from Fallon’s upcoming solo album Painkillers dropped last week.
Fallon has gone out on his own before, most notably with The Horrible Crowes, but it is entirely possible that The Gaslight Anthem’s recent hiatus has liberated his creativity. While Gaslight’s 2014 album Get Hurt wasn’t a hit across the board, mostly due to the drastic change in direction for the band’s sound, “A Wonderful Life” sees Fallon return to the type of songs he does best – anthemic, driving rock. Reminiscent of Darkness era Springsteen, with upbeat lyrics about a life on fire, it will be hard for him to shake the Bruce comparisons on this one, something that previously drove a wedge between the frontman and his audiences.
Enlisted for this track are some notable names. Fallon nabbed Butch Walker to produce Painkillers and play guitar, as well as Jack White’s bassist Catherine Popper.