The '59 Sound is the second studio album by American rock band The Gaslight Anthem, released on August 19, 2008 by record labelSideOneDummy. In December 2008, eMusic named The '59 Soundthe best album of 2008. NME rated it as the 47th best album of the year. The title track was number 62 on Rolling Stones list of the 100 Best Songs of 2008. In July 2009, following Bruce Springsteen's guest appearances with the band at Glastonbury and Hyde Park, sales of the album doubled. In 2018 The Gaslight Anthem released The '59 Sounds Sessions, a companion album to The 59 Sound featuring early versions of songs from the album as well as rarities and b sides.
Recording
Regarding the differences between The '59 Sound and their first full-length album, Sink or Swim, guitarist Alex Rosamilia noted that, "For Sink or Swim, we had a week or so and what we brought to the studio. For last record we had about 5 weeks and quite the arsenal of gear to tear through. Which did lead to a couple ideas I don't think we would've had otherwise."
Release
The album was released on August 19, 2008 and peaked on the Billboard 200 at #70. A 7" vinylsingle was released on July 22, featuring the title track and the song "Even Cowgirls Get the Blues" on the B-side. "Old White Lincoln" was released as the 2nd single on December 1, 2008 in the UK. Opening track "Great Expectations" was released as the 3rd single in the UK on March 23, 2009. In 2014, the bonus track "Once Upon a Time" was featured in the opening sequence and during the end credits of the 20th Century Fox film Devil's Due.
raved about The '59 Sound, writing: "Packed full of vivid imagery and storytelling that resembles "Born to Run"/"Darkness on the Edge of Town"-era Springsteen, "The '59 Sound" is an impeccable work of punk-rock art where each listen offers something new, never taking any hint of imagination or personal effect away from the listener; this is the album The Killers wanted to make with "Sam's Town" but were unsuccessful at." Mark Deming of AllMusic was generally favorable and concluded that "If Fallon often comes off as a youthful Springsteen wannabe on The '59 Sound, he also happens to be pretty good at it."
