This Charming Man

If you know me then you are well aware of my affinity for everything Mr. Brian Fallon touches. This early project of his is no exception, and I figured it's worth sharing for any fans of early Gaslight that had not heard it. Prior to The Gaslight Anthem, which began in 2006, Mr. Fallon was active in a band called This Charming Man which started in 2004. They had the same four-piece set-up that TGA eventually did, and recorded a single EP in 2005 titled Every Little Secret. Sonically, it sounds like a slightly rougher version of Sink Or Swim, with the chunky punk influence of bands such as Hot Water Music and The Bouncing Souls being very prominent. These songs are catchy, with painstakingly relatable lyrics and a raw energy to them that was slightly pulled back once TGA got started.  Personally, I absolutely love this EP, but that could be slightly biased. Give this man four chords, a radio and romantic thoughts of the past and I will eat that shit up. 

By 2006, the band's line-up had changed to include Benny Horowitz (drummer) and Alex Levine (bassist). With the departure of original This Charming Man guitarist Mike Volpe and the addition of Alex Rosamalia, the band decided to change their name to The Gaslight Anthem, and the rest is history. As this EP was very limited upon release, a reissue was put out in 2011. This included four bonus tracks, one of which was an early demo of the TGA song "1930" under the name "She Could'a Raised The Titanic", as well as a demo of the track "Kiss Me, I'm A Pirate" from this EP. The other two I do not know the names of. Enjoy.

Every Little Secret (2005)

1. Bleeder

2. There Is A Thunder (Out In The Distance)

3. Sometimes You Eat The Bar (Sometimes The Bar Eats You)

4. Cut The Rope (Before It Hangs Us Both)

5. Kiss Me, I'm A Pirate

6. Sweet Delta Blues

7. She Could'a Raised The Titanic (Unreleased Demo)

8. Kiss Me, I'm A Pirate (Unreleased Demo)

9. Untitled (Unreleased Demo)

10. Untitled (Unreleased Demo)