It's been a long time. How many years? Oh, 23 or so. 1984. That was the year that Born In The U.S.A. came out. That was the year that I got out of school, felt lonely, spent too much money on records and beer, got a job, got married.
It was also the last time that a new Springsteen album came out exclusively on vinyl. Records. You know, those big black circles?
Tonight I got home to relive a big part of my past. Those who are purely from the digital age might not get this, but the unwrapping of the album and the first examination of the package is important. The cellophane comes off and the album unfolds. The artwork, the lyrics, the liner notes, heck, even the smell — all part of the experience. I'm instantly transported back through all of those years of listening to records, growing into adulthood, and trying to figure it all out.
Things are a little different now. Of course, I'm a different person. So is Bruce. And then there's the technology. Not that leaks were impossible in the past, but today, the Internet and the digital transmission of music have made early bootlegging quite common. This goes both ways. Many of us were quite sure that the "leak" of the single "Radio Nowhere" was intentional, an example of the new "viral marketing." The reasons for releasing Magic on vinyl are in question as well: is it an early boost for next week's CD release, or a cynical move that qualifies the record for the 2007 Grammy cycle.
Everything is in question, amplified by the ever-present Internet chatter. Why did Bruce do this? Why did he do that? Why did he not do that? He can't be sincere, he's worth too much money! Patti is the E-Street Yoko. Clarence is too old. Oh, and let's not get started on the political statements. Obviously, Springsteen has forgotten his roots and has become mired in a greasy pool of self-indulgence.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Nikki
On unwrapping the album:
Perfectly put! The nice thing about buying vinyl is that the person is forced to take in all those sensory experiences with a record. I, myself, do not know many people with a turntable hooked up in their car. You can't just pop it in a listen to it on the way home like you could with a CD. Normally the excitement gets the best of you and you unwrap it once you sit down and begin to revel in every bit of information it can give. Or at least I do. I'm glad someone else realizes that as an important part of the vinyl experience.
And the hidden track was a nice surprise the second time I listened to the album. Very touching.
Thanks for the read,
Nikki
2 - Glen Boyd
I've heard just a snippet of "Girls In Their Clothes" and it reminded me of a cross between Born To Run era E Street and Brian Wilson. But that was based on like 30 seconds. And now you tell me theres GLOCK? When was the last time Bruce used glock on a freaking record anyway?
Holy Freaking F**k, I can't wait for this record! How much do I gotta bribe ya for to burn me one Saleski??
Seriously, how much?
(Ooops! There goes my "rep" for objectivity...)
-Glen
3 - The Zug
You're dead on. It's a great, great album, the kind I really didn't expect to hear again.
4 - Josh
Great work, Mark. Your description of the vinyl experience is a great testament to the beauty of the physical artifact. The CD doesn't deliver quite the same experience, but I have many of those same feelings when I buy one -- feelings I don't get from simple downloading. I'm not knocking digital -- as you know I've got a 160GB iPod Classic -- but there are some things digital can't be.
As for the album, I've gone to great lengths to hear nothing but the first single. I cannot wait to hear the rest.
5 - JC Mosquito
Like I said - it's streaming on MSN Sympatico - a great warm up for those of us waiting for the CD.
6 - Gav
Great review...and what a great return to form for the E Street Band.
I struggled to warm to The Rising-the album was overproduced with too many weak songs alongside the couple of great cuts.
This album is different-it's a return to the BIG E-Street Sound. And the songs are of an altogether higher quality.Ironically the opening song and first radio release "Radio Nowhere" is arguably the weakest track on the album.
Wonderful songs follow, with "Girls in Their Summer Clothes" and "Your Own Worst Enemy" ranking as instant classics. "Long Walk Home" and "Devil's Arcade" are epic Springsteen tracks that rate alongside his best work on any album.
There's an 80's feel to this sound, but also a large slice of Phil Spectre, and a measure of 60's Beach Boys at times.
It's a terrific album
7 - Glen Boyd
Not to shill for our advertisers or anything, but if you see an ad on this page saying "hear Bruces album" for a station called I think Q104 or something, that link actually does work.
It takes to a site where you can actually hear the entire album (albeit with occasional irritating "hear it first" type drops placed within the songs).
I listened to it three times last night, and it is easily the most straight ahead rock thing from Bruce/E Street since BITUSA. MUCH more consistently "the big rock noise" than The Rising was.
Fave tracks: Gypsy Biker; Girls In Their Summer Clothes; Long Walk Home; and...oh hell, all of them okay?
Its a great album.
-Glen
8 - Mark Saleski
told ya! ;-)
9 - Glen Boyd
and you were right!
-Glen
10 - JC Mosquito
Gentlemen -
Far be it for me to throw cold water over an album of such import, but let's see if it holds up on repeated listenings. Personally, I think it will: Bruce here does again what he has always done best - take thekey elements of the classic sound and put them into a modern context. That's why the glocks & stuff always work - it's Phil Spector a la 1962 brought kicking and screaming into the twenty first century. And this is why Tunnel of Love, Human Touch, Lucky Town & some of that later 80's /early 90s stuff didn't go over - the wonky synthesizer drones were already outdated and considered passe.
It took 9/11 and the focussing on the creation of The Rising to remind Bruce how timeless he always was, and is - and this new album, though it might end up not being a great one, is pretty darn close anyways. But we'll see on subsequent listenings - who knows? As one magic rat one sang, "There's magic in the night - you ain't a beauty, but hey, you're alright."
Sk.
11 - Mark Saleski
i understand what you're saying...but this just feels different.
and let me tell you what i'm putting myself through at the moment...
i'm sitting on the floor of my listening room with my laptop on the floor. a cable is running to the back of my preamp...i'm converting the analog to digital because i can't bear to be without this stuff until tuesday.
...and it's about ninety degrees in here because i'm not turning on the ac, it'll drown out the music.
i'm sweating my ass off.
it feels good.
12 - JC Mosquito
A cliched yet somehow accurate quote taken from the end of the classic era, by a youth who should have known better:
"Rock and roll lives on in the hearts and minds of those who yet believe."
You're making me jealous - best wishes, peace and noise to you, Mark.
13 - Glen Boyd
Whats that lyric somebody once wrote about "trying to tell a stranger about rock and roll"?
Seems that writer believed in Magic too.
-Glen
14 - Robert Benson
Ahhh...the sweet smell of vinyl. Made better by the "Boss", who not only knows how to rock and roll, he was there when they invented it!
Robert
15 - Connie Phillips
Congrats! This article has been forwarded to the Advance.net websites and Boston.com.
16 - lee
Great review an comments . always good to hear what the other people are feeling about it . What can i say . Bruce is just awesome . DEVILS AN DUST .SEEGAR SESSIONS an MAGIC his last 3 albums an they all have a COMPLETELY different sound . that to an none fan . they would think it was a different artist on each album .. I'd say this album has some very good songs on it an as with all bruce albums theres new songs to add to the ESSENTIAL COLLECTION .. RADIO NOWHERE .. LONG WALK HOME .. ect ect .. i say ect ect .. cos almost all of these songs belong there .. the whole thing plays well from start to finnish .. GIRLS IN THERE SUMMER CLOSE is definetely a track that gets stuck in your head an makes you feel good
17 - tommygun
Springsteen doesnt just make standard albums. He makes classics, & more than any other great artist i can name his new stuff is as important an as good as his old stuff . Only had a temp dip with Human Touch an Lucky Town which coulda had people thinking that the 'Magic' had left, but bow golly he has redeemed himself as one of the most important songwriters/artists ever since then . An them two albums are pretty good anyway . just not in the classic/high standards we expect from Springsteen . He is the best!
18 - JC Mosquito
Y'know, I'd agrree - a weak Bruce album is better than most everybody else's regular albums. But I suppose a Madnnoa fan, or Michael Jackson fan might say the same thing about those artists. The important distinction here is that Bruce makes ROCK and ROLL ALBUMS, which is a much different beast than a pop album.
If nothing else, I hope "Magic" helps distinguish the difference for all those who have forgotten, or maybe even never knew there was a difference.
19 - jerseygirl
Um--I hate to mention this since I really like your review, but Born in the USA did NOT come out exclusively on vinyl. In fact it was the very first record to also be issued as a CD!!
20 - Mark Saleski
hey jerseygirl, that's true. though for most folks at the time it was still strictly vinyl, certainly for me anyway. i do remember looking at the cds that were under the counter (there might have been a dozen of them).
21 - tommygun
CLASSIC BOSS(songs i play)
LONG WALK HOME(essential bruce . this has everything that i would expect from a great bruce composition . great lyrics . awesome music .sentimentality an driving groove . excellent .one of his best songs yet)
RADIO NOWHERE (well well well . hear it comes crashing in opening the new album .great comeback song! . very rocking .very BRUCE. just made to be sang live! ..one of his catchiest songs ever . an the intensity of the performance makes it sound like one of his most urgent - very good song an i would also call this essential bruce)
LIVIN IN THE FUTURE ( can't help but love this song . catchy as hell .awesome playing an performance. just musically rich an joyous like Tenthe Avenue/Hungry Heart ..It just sounds like an E-STEET PARTY from start to finnish an everyones alive an kicking an playing beautifully . great lyrics an very well sang . just cant get enuff of this song an is not the kinda song i expected from bruce these days . but very pleasent suprize even if a little of it is the nostalgia)
I'LL WORK FOR YOUR LOVE (if this is the work .lets get married last week lol .. love the song . love the lyric .really love the vocal . just powers its out in the way only bruce can . yet again great music an extremley nice piano tinkles . everything happens at the right time here . which makes it quite a perfect little song indeed an liberatingly sang)
GIRLS IN THERE SUMMER CLOSE (here we go .beach boys eat your hearts out. very well produced beatutiful little song. this is a kinda song an hit the boss has always been capable of but seldom does . WAITIN ON A SUNNY DAY .did i hear u say? .. yeah i thought that aswell . still awesome an one of them songs u just wanna play again an again ..an again lol .. catching a vibe like this on record isnt easy but he done again . love it!
only complaint would be . maybe just a little less reverb woulda helped the song 4 my ears)
MAGIC (here he goes again with another one of those songs that makes you realise as a lyric writer he just has an edge over everyone else. deeper than it appears .this is a song you will sink into an let the wizard take u on a journey which seems different everytime you play it . Musically quite a unique musical cocktail .an awesome mystical concoption that is a song . that is MAGIC! #)
TERRYS SONG ( the un mentioned bonus track . stripped down an bare unlike the rest of the album . but thats not a bad thing for this song . thats how it works an how its ment to be . very beatufil lyric written for a longtime friend who passed away recently . an written in a way that only one man could write ..he sings 'when they built you brother they broke the mold' .. which is exactly how most people feel about Bruce aswell .. He is just a one off . no-one has what it is this guy has an no-one can copy it effectively . a style all of his own . which is why he will always have devoted fans . you can't get this kinda thing anywhere else an by anyone else .. classic song by a classic artist)
YOUR OWN WORST ENEMY (i wouldnt put this in the top league of Springsteen songs . not even in the top league of this album .. but its a very nice little song .an is bruce doing what he does best . singing about real people an real things . an is really refreshing that it is less deep an more of a straight forward problem he tackles here . great lyric .. pretty good little song .. produced beach boys style .. can't help but like this song . but still aint up there with the big boys)
NO BOSS(SONGS I SKIP)
GYSPY BIKER (ugly song-bad vocal. just not clear enuff . Harmonic similar to EMPTY SKY another poor song lol .. Dissing aside . it is pretty good in its own rite an has something about .just dont have enuff to make me wanna play it too much)
LAST TO DIE (80s staduim rock. he done this kinda thing to death But BON JOVI fans will dig it . i gotta confess if i am in the mood to play this one i will enjoy it. but i aint often in the mood . big pompous power rock which i heard him do before an better . but never really liked it much then either .. i guess other people will)
YOU'LL BE COMMING DOWN(why is this track 2? ..so much reverb on the vocals its almost completely unlistenable .. that is the fault of the song . its just way too much reverb for my ears to hear a big bulk of the lyrics or appreciate the vocal cos its lost in ugly echos ..the song itself aint too bad . but aint great either )
DEVILS ARCADE(classy an pretty nice . but very erie which makes it less appealing to my ears . definetley a good song . just not one i feel i wanna play much .. same as Worlds Apart . just can't get into it an feel like i don't wanna wast 5 mins of my life playing this when i can skip to something better lol)
good album - main complaint would be too much reverb on some of the vocals especially You'll Be Comming Down - Gyspy Biker an Girls In There Summer Close - theres so much veverb that its sometimes hard to hear the lyrics in the echo - its a shame cos bruce sounds like he is singing them well an very clear - for that reason alone they will sound better live - Turn the reverb down on the vocals - It works well on most parts - but some songs suffer badley because of it ...that aside its ONE OF HIS BEST ALBUMS ..an up there with THE RIVER . THE RISING . DARKNESS ect ect
22 - jersey boy
Amazing that a piece of crap album is so "critically acclaimed." Anybody who thinks Springsteen has an ounce of talent needs to have their ears examined. I grew up in Jersey and have hated this poser from day one. How much does he pay for good reviews of crap?
23 - Mark Saleski
yay! the first naysayer. woo! so, you've actually heard the album. ah right, you don't need to.
good for you.
awesome.
24 - Neil Young
Love the reverb on this album!
Long live analog....
25 - Wolvesfan
Hey Jersey Boy, "is there anybody alive out there?". Maybe not.
God Bless you Bruce.