PHOTOGRAPHY BY PAT GILRANE
BRIAN FALLON
The Simpler Side of
BRIAN FALLON INTERVIEW BY BEN SAILER
B
rian Fallon’s third solo al- mitment to continued creative excelbum Local Honey (out now lence and drive to avoid repeating on Lesser Known Records) his own past. Rather than flexing his might best be defined by chops, formal education taught him its focus. It’s a stripped-down ef- to do more with less. fort that sees the former Gaslight Anthem frontman paring back the “I was able to express myself in a new soulful rock ’n’ roll sound found on way where it didn't feel like it was the his previous records (2016’s Painkill- same old thing,� Fallon says. “Not ers and 2018’s Sleepwalkers), in favor that I felt that the other stuff I did of sparse arrangements that under- was the same old thing, but I think pin his most personal storytelling that continuing to do that would be to date. Now free from major label the same old thing.� influence, it’s a pure expression of where the New Jersey-based song- Fallon found an ideal studio partwriter is at in his life right now, writ- ner with Grammy Award-winning ten and released on his own terms. producer Peter Katis (The National, Interpol, Frightened Rabbit) to bring What longtime listeners might not this more minimalist approach to life. expect is what it took for Fallon to Fallon credits him for pushing the achieve this sound. For starters, the record in directions it wouldn’t have prolific songwriter took guitar and gone otherwise, bringing a knack piano lessons to sharpen his skills, for layering simple sounds in a way which may come as a surprise for that is often deceptively complex. For someone whose collective body example, there are moments where of work includes a gold record. two drum kits might play complemenHowever, it’s emblematic of his com- tary patterns, or where Travis-picking
20 NEW NOISE
allows the guitar to carry the beat and the melody by itself, in order to free up the rhythm section to move into unconventional territory.
penning something fewer folks may find relatable was a twofold risk, yet one that Fallon needed to confront to write the record.
Katis also brought his signature mel- “I took the encouragement that I bet ancholic vibe to the record, which fit you a lot of my audience is probably well with the daring honesty Fallon in the same boat as me,â€? Fallon says. wanted to capture. Rather than “So, maybe it's just for them. Maybe telling the sort of broadly relatable it's just for a small group of us, and stories that make the mundane feel that's cool, but I had to go around fit for the big screen, he instead that little thing in my head.â€? turned towards his own experience as a married parent with two kids. While making music that’s more personal may inherently mean limiting That isn’t to say that Local Honey is its audience, it’s hard not to feel comprised of stereotypical dad rock, that sentiment may be selling the reor for that matter, anything stereo- cord’s appeal short. Even as Fallon’s typical at all. In fact, allowing him- lyrical emphasis turns inward, what self the space to confront his current he hopes listeners can take away reality may have been the biggest from his music hasn’t changed. creative breakthrough Fallon made on the record, digging deep into the “Hopefully they enjoy it for their own challenges and triumphs of father- lives,â€? he says. “And then they can hood while hiding a little bit less be- interject their own stories, and then hind metaphor than before. Being it'll serve ‌ how other records have more open about his own life while made me feel.â€? đ&#x;’Ł
