Mountain Views News          Saturday, August 11, 2012

12

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

 Mountain Views-News Saturday August 11, 2012 


SEAN’S SHAMELESS 

REVIEWS: 

Review By Sean Kayden

THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM 

 Handwritten is the fourth studio album from New Jersey rockers The 
Gaslight Anthem. This is their first album in over two years, but lead singer Brian Fallon did release 
the debut album from The Horrible Crowes last October. However, his side project seemed to be 
conceived under the circumstances of boredom and slight apathy reflecting his current position 
at the time. Stricken with a sudden energy resurgence and a mindset to shake things up again, 
Fallon and company set out to work on their next record. Taking notes from previous records 
and examining the good, the bad and everything in between, The Gaslight Anthem decided on 
constructing a record that was not only acutely personal, but also devotedly universal. Handwritten 
is the epitome of 21st century living. It’s a record that touches on the despair, difficulties, and 
tribulations of survival, keeping hope alive, and the desertion of your dreams of tomorrow. 

 The band has always demonstrated a deep 
affinity for strong storytelling and arena type 
anthems. One of their biggest influences is 
Bruce Springsteen. Anyone can easily deem 
the group from Jersey as the second coming of 
Springsteen (even if Springsteen is still kicking 
around harder than anyone half his age). 
Bandleader Brian Fallon is the quintessential 
poster boy for this country, who has his own 
story to tell—a tale as deep as the flowing rivers and vast as the dark streets of America. Spanning 
from alternative to heartland rock and folk to punk, the New Brunswick natives bring traditional, 
guitar-driven rock back to center stage in a world that has unfortunately forgotten about the glory 
days of rock n’ roll. The Gaslight Anthem may be hung up on heroics, blindsided heartbreak, and 
the perpetually reflective frame of mind, but they do it ever so majestically and exceedingly well. 
Make no mistake, these guys do more than just rock.

 Handwritten kicks off with “45” a finger-snapping, high-energy rock tune with all the requisites 
in making it the obvious choice for their first radio single. It’s the perfect summer rock song inside 
and out. Keeping the momentum alive with the subsequent track, “Handwritten,” the tightly 
arranged track consists of the obligatory “ohs” and continual buildups found in many motivated 
anthems. “And we waited for the sirens that never come/And we only write by the moon/Every 
word handwritten/And to ease the loss of youth/And the many, many years I’ve missed you/Pages 
plead forgiveness/Every word handwritten,” may appear to be yet another song of vanished love 
but it doesn’t feel rudimentary, only progressively more heartfelt. 

 The Gaslight Anthem even goes further in the terrain of romance with “Here Comes My Man” 
and it’s one for the ladies to get behind. One of the final songs is “Mae,” a dark horse for best track 
off the album, is beautifully written, sung and arranged. It’s an all-embracing tune that reminds us 
tonight the possibilities are boundless, even if times have never been so dark. The Gaslight Anthem 
caters to every living soul, but only those that let them in will discover the many wonders the band 
has to offer. With Handwritten, the listener will ultimately come across a new beginning to their 
old, tiresome routine. After that, it’s up to you to follow through.

Grade: 9 out of 10

Key Tracks: “Handwritten”, “Here Comes My Man”, “Desire”, “Mae”, “Teenage Rebellion (Deluxe 
Edition Only)”

Artist: The Gaslight Anthem 

Album: Handwritten

Label: Mercury Records

Release

Date: July 24th, 2012 

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ene
Yoga can cool you down. Not only are there yoga poses that cool 
you, there are also breath practices that can cool you, in case you 
can’t get into class Many animals use mouth breathing to lower 
their temperatures. They cannot sweat like we can and so they pant. 
Panting increases saliva and as the air passes over the moisture it is 
cooled ( like an air-conditioner). The blood can then cool before 
reaching the brain.

We do not want to be ‘hot heads’ either. We need to cool the core 
temperature especially as the weather heats up. The heat can mess 
with our digestion and our thoughts as well as making us very uncomfortable. . Sitali is the 
pranayama to cool you down. It is done in a comfortable seated position. Begin by curling 
your tongue into a tube and collecting moisture inside the tube. Stick your curled tongue 
out and inhale through the tube, gently lifting your chin as you breathe in. Exhale normally 
through the nose and lower your chin back to level. As you exhale each time, gather more 
saliva on your tongue. To truly experience the benefit of sitali breath you must practice for 
3-4 minutes at a time. You should never strain or feel uncomfortable. If you cannot curl 
your tongue, not to worry, just gather the saliva in your mouth and grin, showing your teeth. 
Inhale through your teeth and continue to moisten your mouth. Exhale through the nose.

Sitali breath can be used to calm your fast paced work environment. It can be used to control 
hot flashes. It will cool down your composure and your thoughts. As it cools the mind it 
stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which is key to tranquility and relaxation. 
Give it a try. Although you may need it while out running errands, sitali is best done at home 
in a quiet place. But maybe you’ll need it when you are out and about. Next time you see 
someone practicing sitali, you’ll know exactly what they are doing, cooling down.

Stay cool, namasté, René 


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