Grandes esperanzas

Quiero oír algo de ritmo,
Quiero mil guitarras,
Quiero golpear las baterías,
Quiero un millón de voces distintas,
hablando en lenguas extrañas,
Esto es "Radio de ninguna parte"
¿Hay alguien vivo ahí fuera?

Bruce Springsteen 'Radio Nowhere' (2007)

Tengo una corazonada con The Gaslight Anthem. Ya era hora. Hacía tiempo que no me sentía así de ilusionado con un nuevo grupo de rock. Ya pensaba que me tenía que aferrar a las viejas glorias de la música o a esos grupos ya inexistentes que marcaron época en cortos periodos de tiempo. Desde el "grunge" de los años 90 en el que surgieron grupos como Nirvana, Rage Against the Machine, o Pearl Jam pocas cosas me han llamado la atención. En los últimos años han surgido pocas formaciones que hayan conseguido perdurar artísticamente a gran nivel.

Actualmente la industria de la música crea ídolos efímeros con la misma rapidez que los destruye. No son tiempos para el rock & roll; Estoy harto de ver como tanto televisiones y emisoras de radio promocionan estilos de música sin personalidad y fáciles de copiar. Las discográficas no quieren depender de las bandas, como solía ser cuando todo el mundo esperaba con ganas el nuevo disco de los Beatles, Led Zeppelin, o AC/DC. Por este motivo The Gaslight Anthems llegan como una bocanada de aire fresco. Los ritmos frenéticos de sus canciones nos hacen sentir que estamos vivos ahí afuera, su cantante Brian Fallon canta de lujo unas letras decentes, y sus guitarras suenan magistralmente ruidosas.

La calidad de sus hasta ahora dos discos de estudio "Sink or Swin" (2007) y "The 59 Sound" (2009) augura un futuro esperanzador. Este 2009 The Gaslight Anthems ha tenido la oportunidad de darse a conocer en varios festivales europeos. El pasado 27 de junio en el festival de "Glastonbury" de Inglaterra, Bruce Springsteen se unió a este cuarteto en el escenario durante su actuación de "The Sound 59”. The Gaslight Anthem contribuyeron más tarde a establecer como cabeza de cartel de Springsteen, interpretando la canción 'No Surrender'. Al día siguiente en Londres la banda se volvió a unir al Boss en el Festival "Hard Rock Calling" y de nuevo interpretaron "The '59 Sound" y 'No Surrender'. A raíz de estas actuaciones en ambos festivales las ventas de su disco "The Sound '59" aumentaron un 200%.

De momento The Gaslight Anthem no son una banda de masas y mucho menos de escuchar en las emisoras de radio españolas. De hecho ni tan siquiera he podido comprar sus discos en las tiendas españolas porque todavía son de difícil distribución. ¿Quiénes son esos? – me pregunta el chico de la tienda de discos. Ya los conocerás – le contesté yo. Al menos eso espero. Tiempo al tiempo.

The Gaslight Anthem es un grupo de rock americano de Nueva Jersey formado por:

• Brian Fallon - Voz principal, guitarra
• Alex Rosamilia - guitarra y coros
• Alex Levine - bajo y coros
• Benny Horowitz - batería y percusión


'Great Expectations' - "The '59 Sound" (2008)

The Gaslight Anthem & Bruce Springsteen - 'The '59 Sound', Hyde Park, Londres (2009)

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Letras de THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM

'Great Expectations' - "The '59 Sound" (2008)

Mary, this station is playing every sad song.

I remember like we were alive.

I heard it Sunday morn' from inside of these walls.

In a prison cell, where we spent those nights.

And they burnt up the diner where I always used to find her.

Licking young boys blood from her claws.

And I learned about the blues from this kitten I knew.

Her hair was raven and her heart was like a tomb.

My heart's like a wound.

I saw tail lights last night in a dream about my first wife.

Everybody leaves and I'd expect as much from you.

I saw tail lights last night in a dream about my old life.

Everybody leaves, so why, why wouldn't you?

Mary, I worried and stalled every night of my life.

Better safe than making the party.

And I never had a good time, I sat by my bedside, with papers and poetry about Estella.

Great expectations, we had the greatest expectations.

I saw tail lights last night in a dream about my first wife.

Everybody leaves and I'd expect as much from you.

I saw tail lights last night in a dream about my old life.

Everybody leaves, so why, why wouldn't you?

It's funny how the night moves.

Humming a song from 1962.

We were always waiting... always waiting.

We were always waiting for something to happen.

I saw tail lights last night In a dream about my first wife.

Everybody leaves and I'd expect as much from you.

I saw tail lights last night in a dream about my whole life.

Everybody leaves, so why, why wouldn't you?

'The '59 Sound' - "The '59 Sound" (2008)

Well, I wonder which song they're gonna play when we go.
I hope it's something quiet and minor and peaceful and slow.
When we float out into the ether, into the Everlasting Arms,
I hope we don't hear Marley's chains we forged in life.

Cause the chains I been hearing now for most of my life.
Cause the chains I been hearing now for most of my life.

Did you hear the '59 Sound coming through on Grandmama's radio?
Did you hear the rattling chains in the hospital walls?
Did you hear the old gospel choir? when they came to carry you over?
Did you hear your favorite song one last time?

And I wonder were you scared when the metal hit the glass?
See, I was playing a show down the road
When your spirit left your body.
And they told me on the front lawn.
I'm sorry I couldn't go,
But I still know the song and the words and her name and the reasons.

And I know 'cause we were kids and we used to hang.
And I know 'cause we were kids and we used to hang

Did you hear the '59 Sound coming through on Grandmama's radio?
Did you hear the rattling chains in the hospital walls?
Did you hear the old gospel choir? when they came to carry you over?
Did you hear your favorite song one last time?

Young boys, young girls,
Young boys, young girls,

ain't supposed to die on a Saturday night.
ain't supposed to die on a Saturday night.
ain't supposed to die on a Saturday night.
ain't supposed to die on a Saturday night.

Did you hear the '59 Sound coming through on Grandmama's radio?
Did you hear the rattling chains in the hospital walls?
Did you hear the old gospel choir? when they came to carry you over?
Did you hear your favorite song one last time?
Young boys, young girls
Young boys, young girls