It must be both a blessing and a curse to release a truly magnificent record.
Brian Fallon, of course, was partly responsible for The ’59 Sound, one of the finest albums of the last 20 years. The problem is that everything he does will always be compared with it—by me and other idiots like me who are forever looking backwards when we review records.
Fallon’s solo work doesn’t necessarily come from the same ballpark as The Gaslight Anthem, but because of that voice and the way he delivers his songs, it remains unmistakably him.
Not Bad For New Jersey, though, feels like a return to more familiar territory. His last solo album, 2021’s Night Divine, was a collection of Christian hymns and spirituals. The title track here arrives stacked with harmonies, huge choruses and the thought that “I think we did alright.” If we may paraphrase one of his New Jersey brethren, there was a time when he was a singer in a short haired rock ’n’ roll band—and the chunky arena rock suggests he still is.
“Better Before” has the same enormous feel. The break-up at its heart sounds real, but the hook is surely designed for fists in the air. The solo, though. Blimey, it’s an absolute belter.
On “Pearls”, he changes the mood completely. It feels like he’s confessing something, with hesitation in the delivery, a crack in his voice and the weight of another break-up hanging heavily in the air.
There are plenty of guests on the record. Donovan Woods appears on “The Big Sleep”, which has such a classy chug that it almost amounts to perfect rock music. “On Good Terms”, featuring Lori McKenna, is a haunting duet that seems to come from somewhere deep within.
“Nobody Likes You In NYC” provides a burst of energy as Fallon pokes fun at everyone. “Heard all of your boring stories about how the drugs made you clean,” he sneers, possibly after reading every rock ’n’ roll autobiography ever written. There’s a real Jesse Malin feel to this one.
Brandon Flowers appears on “Love At The End Of The World”. He was on Radio 4 the other week explaining that he’d always loved country music, and this has a widescreen, dustbowl feel. “Somewhere You Shouldn’t Be” gets automatic Def Leppard bonus points for featuring Phil Collen, although oddly it is the bass that really anchors it.
“Fading On Me” adds a little soul and groove. “I’ve always been a bit of a lunatic, and maybe that’s part of the charm,” Fallon admits, but there is genuine feeling and passion in the performance. “Walkin’ Through The Garden” represents another left turn, lurking somewhere in the shadows.
The record ends with “Wolf By The River”, featuring Marc Ribot. There’s a crunch to the playing, and Fallon is always at his best when he works himself into a frenzy like this.
At around 40 minutes, Not Bad For New Jersey would have fitted comfortably onto one side of a C90 cassette back in the old days. If you know, you know.
It is Fallon’s first solo record in five years and his first album of any kind since The Gaslight Anthem’s History Books in 2023. More importantly, it contains everything you’ve come to expect, want and love from him. It has the heart and feel of Tom Petty and, inevitably, Bruce Springsteen.
Perhaps it’s because I grew up loving bands from New Jersey—one of which I might have mentioned seeing this week—but the state retains a certain romantic pull.
Not bad? It’s not bad at all.
Rating: 8/10
