Writing this review without mentioning The Gaslight Anthem – Brian Fallon’s other band – would be hard so I figured I’d get it out of the way right from the start. So… The Horrible Crowes is Brian Fallon’s side-project that he started along with his guitar tech, Ian Perkins. And while first single “Behold The Hurricane” does sound like something off of a Gaslight Anthem album (probably to lure the fans), opener “Last Rites” immediately shows that this is a completely different kind of thing. The songs on “Elsie” are more subdued and darker.

There’s a lot to discover on here… “I Witnessed A Crime” works thanks to that organ that’s in there alongside Fallon’s spoken word delivery. “Sugar” and “Black Betty And The Moon” are just plain beautiful and closer “I Believe Jesus Brought Us Together” will get you choked up with its story about two lost souls finding each other.

“Elsie” is the kind of album that plays well on a dark night, when it’s cold outside and warm inside. I already knew that Fallon was a good songwriter but it’s nice to see that he break out of his ‘formula’ and come up with equally heartbreaking tunes.