The Horrible Crowes - Elsie

The Horrible Crowes’ debut album, ‘Elsie’ is the musical equivalent of watching a Tim Burton film: oddly moving, nostalgic and darkly romantic. The side project of The Gaslight Anthem’s lead singer Brian Fallon and guitar tech Ian Perkins, together they’ve created an album full of emotional intensity, and songs that firmly stand alongside Gaslight favourites.

Indeed, their debut album does share similarities with previous Gaslight Anthem work (primarily the ability to shape detailed character stories of love, lust and betrayal); however there is something at the core of this album that sets it apart from their ‘other band’. Whilst ‘Elsie’ still has the frantic guitars, and Fallon’s voice is as gravelly as ever, there’s a spark of defiance that shines throughout - a sense of daring, a sense that Fallon wants to prove he can write left-of-centre, murky off-beat songs.

‘Behold The Hurricane’ and ‘Ladykiller’ have the swagger of early Tom Petty, which sits perfectly against Fallon’s soulful vocals. The instrumentation of the album is bold too; organs take centre stage on the irresistibly toe-tapping ‘I Witnessed A Crime’. Sonically, it’s more shambolic in places than expected; closer ‘Mary Ann’ is easily the dirtiest most blues orientated song Fallon has released.

The album has its quieter, more reflective moments too, on songs such as ‘Black Betty & The Moon’, with its slide guitar and country feel. Fallon quietly sings: ‘I hope the money fills the holes in the place I use to stand;’ while sung barely louder than a whisper, it’s a deadly blow. The anger and sadness can certainly be felt.

There’s an emotional intensity that resonates powerfully throughout ‘Elsie’. When Fallon screams ‘I’ll tell you when it’s over, tell you and you can leave’ in ‘Blood Loss’, it’s sung with such emotional intensity that you believe him. Together Fallon and Perkins have created the perfect 2am record.