History Book

Following the conclusion of the touring cycle for their previous album, Get Hurt, at Reading Festival on August 30, 2015, the Gaslight Anthem entered an indefinite hiatus, aside from a short tour in 2018 celebrating the 10th anniversary of their 2008 album The '59 Sound, with the band members pursuing new projects and solo careers. Over time, the band's lead singer, songwriter, and guitarist Brian Fallon began to soften on the idea of reviving the band, with the initial decision to do so tracing back to shortly after recording concluded for his 2020 solo album Local Honey. The COVID-19 pandemic further influenced his decision to revive the band: "I think time, and getting locked down, and…

Fallon's experiences with therapy and medication influenced the album's direction and themes. He highlighted "Positive Charge", the first song he wrote for the record, as "a message of joy to ourselves and to our audience" about "looking at the things you've come through and feeling like you want to go ahead with an open heart toward the future, believing that the best years are not behind any of us and the good we have is worth something." He referred to the album overall as the "next phase of the band" and stated that it was about "recognizing what you have". Fallon further outlined the thematic through-line of the album, calling the title track "the other side of the coin" from "Positive…