Brian Fallon’s “Pearls” is the most thoughtful single yet from his upcoming album ‘Not Bad for New Jersey,’ a soft-spoken yet quietly triumphant reflection on privilege, empathy, and the hard-won value of knowing what parts of yourself not to give away.

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Stream: “Pearls” – Brian Fallon

In the most base sense, punk rock is built on an us versus them mentality.

As people get older, it’s easy to see much more nuance in our divides. Someone isn’t inherently bad, because they’re different from us. We can still hope that they can have whatever they want, even if you’re someone who wears a Misfits t-shirt, and they’d rather go see Dave Matthews. The Gaslight Anthem frontman Brian Fallon’s latest solo single “Pearls” is an incredibly mature and insightful take on people born with advantages, with a healthy dose of punk rock conviction.

You know about every song
You know about all the bands
before the blog does
Yeah, you know all the clubs
Where the streets come alive
On the lower east side

And you’re just like the city
You’re just like a ghost
I still want you to have
all the pretty things
Even if we’re not close

Of the three singles that Fallon has released for his forthcoming solo album Not Bad for New Jersey, “Pearls” is the softest and most reflective. Built in a classic singer/songwriter vein, the arrangement is subtle, and even as it expands out to a full band song, it never feels like the focus is taken off Fallon, his guitar playing, and ultimately, the song’s lyrics. Butch Walker’s production makes Fallon’s backing band, the Painkillers, sound like a full orchestra without overshadowing the bare essentials. With each listen, there are small flourishes to discover.

Hope you get all the money you’ll ever need
And get to marry your Johnny, he falls at your feet
I hope you get all the oysters that you can eat
You can have the whole world
But you can’t have me

One of Fallon’s greatest strengths as a songwriter is his ability to create characters, set scenes, and, ultimately, pull at the listener’s heartstrings.

Lifelong fans have been regaled with stories about the Marias, Gails, Janes, Annas, and others, and while these songs have gotten tattooed into many a punk’s heart, I do feel that as time has rolled on Fallon has added more depth and understanding to his characters in each album. “Pearls” has an underlying grit to it, where there’s a little bit of attitude about how someone who grew up extra privileged will not understand certain things about someone who did not have all the same opportunities that they did.

Think you like to keep your secrets
But they sting you in your pride
But you know about the hotels
Broken bones and bombshells
How I fought for my life

And you’re just like your city
And you’re just like a ghost

Even though the refrain “you can’t have me” has some negative connotations, Fallon is probably some of his most understanding throughout the song. He shows an intimate knowledge and appreciation for the person that he’s writing about. There’s some compliments for someone who “know[s] all the bands before the blog does” or knows the clubs. When Fallon reaches the chorus, there is sincerity when he tells the subject that he only wants good things for them.

Hope you get all the money you’ll ever need
You get to marry your Johnny, he falls at your feet
I hope you get all the oysters that you can eat
You can have the whole world
But you can’t have

Even though “Pearls” is sung to someone else, it is ultimately a tribute to the power of self.

In a press release accompanying the single, Fallon explained, “I’ve never been one to resent anybody for having certain advantages in life, and I don’t think there’s anything inherently pure in having to struggle. But I do think there’s real value in overcoming the odds stacked against you, because getting to the point of feeling like you’re actually worth something is one of the toughest mountains to climb.”

Following the title track and “Better Before,” “Pearls” shows promise that Not Bad for New Jersey will have some of Fallon’s most insightful writing yet. As his writing style has grown with albums like Local Honey and History Books, this upcoming record is sure to merge both the poetic songwriting and feelgood nature that some of his catchiest songs have captured.

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Stream: “Pearls” – Brian Fallon

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