Bruce Springsteen’s Magic

Thanks to Mike Ollier:

“The new Springsteen album is attracting sobriquets in the press such as "His best for 20 years" and "Best since Nebraska." I never understand this type of writing; what I want to know is "Is it any good, should I buy it?" It's either good or it's not. End of story.

“Bruce has been unusually happy recently with the joie de vivre of "The Seeger Sessions" and then the (pointless) "Live in Dublin" DVD and album. This is all together a different kettle of cod.

“I've lived with the album for three weeks now (it's fought for plays on my CD tray along with Steve Earle and Mick Jagger). The cover shows a sombre, brooding Bruce photographed in sepia tones and the gatefold sleeve shows a similarly sepia-tinted E Street Band. Nils Lofgren looks glum whilst Steve Van Zandt seems to have mistaken the E Street Band for his TV family ~ bottom lip jutting defiantly, hands crossed at waist level. Silvio, you gotta go! The pictures sum up the album, strangely muted and sober and shot through with broken promises and tired optimism.

“We roar off with "Radio Nowhere" muscling through the speakers, but it's curiously joyless. The chorus is evidently built for singing along to and it's sure to be a belter live. That old E Street magic permeates "Livin' In The Future" which harks back to the second album in feel and sound. The words don't match the sonic though, some sour lyrics that hint at political dissatisfaction.

“One of the album’s key tracks is "Girls In Their Summer Clothes" with its Spector-ish shtick; but again it has a downbeat sense to the lyrics that surprise. It's got that typical Springsteen 'someone going nowhere' story-arc, with a tired sounding protagonist out in the streets, noticing all around him but being curiously adrift.

“Once again you are reminded of the cinematic qualities of Springsteen's best songs and it brings to mind "The Last Picture Show." The romantic lyricism of "I'll Work For Your Love" is welcome after this, putting a bit of colour back into the music,

“The rage is palpable in "Last To Die" which is a paraphrase of a John Kerry quote; its imagery of blood and bodies, martyrs and flames makes the subject explicit. The 'hidden' track (don't you just hate that phrase?) is, strangely, perhaps the album’s highlight. The track is untitled but is dedicated to his personal assistant Terry MacGovern who died earlier this year. A lovely piano, organ and harmonica ballad, which shows the love Bruce must have had for his friend.

“The album seems to be a requiem for an America that has gone, that has lost its youthfulness; the America of Bruce's earlier albums. Perhaps it's Bruce who has grown up, realising that he's not 'Born To Run' anymore. As ever, there are political undertones here but he never rams it down your throat, rather leaves it for us to find and decipher, just like in our own lives. The feel and tone is a little like "Darkness On The Edge Of Town" (referenced on "Girls In Their Summer Clothes"), it has a valedictory air and downbeat hue.

“To return to my original question: is it any good? Yes, it's superb. Should you buy it? What do you think?