The Gaslight Anthem , as well as fellow Jersey acts The Cryptkeeper Five , The Vansaders , and Bobby Mahoney , created a style more their own . But Morningside Lane are to Springsteen what Springsteen is to Woody Guthrie , fans who aren ’ t going to reinvent the wheel . Try as hard as they may , both are much better off with their own sound , and , in Morningside Lane ’ s case , not some variation of Gaslight ’ s “ The ’ 59 Sound .” Hell , even solo Brian Fallon doesn ’ t sound like Gaslight anymore , and , artistically , he ’ s all the better for it . If you want to sound like Springsteen , great , then rattle my spine like he did the first time I had “ Backstreets ” > “ Sad Eyes ” > “ Backstreets ” on live radio from the Capitol Theatre . That was like a soul bullet that made me want to be Springsteen too or at least write about him , which , thankfully worked out . That ’ s the legacy Bruce deserves , and what Gaslight , Cryptkeeper , Vansaders and Bobby Mahoney have realized in their own way . “ These Are Our Years ” is a decent enough salute to Bon Jovi , which is great . But Morningside Lane claim they were shooting for Springsteen and Gaslight . Hopefully , live and on their next record , they won ’ t miss the mark . Album co-producer and studio owner Jon Leidersdorff , who often played with Springsteen and other Asbury music legends in a ’ 90s band called Outcry , is partly to blame . He should have helped the band craft an album that is true to the Sounds of Asbury Park , while moving them forward .
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Bob Makin is a reporter for MyCentralJersey . com and a former managing editor of The Aquarian Weekly , which launched this column in 1988 . Contact him via email and like Makin Waves on Facebook .