For weeks now—or at least as far back as a month or so ago when the first single, "Radio Nowhere" was "leaked" to the internet—the advance word on Magic, Bruce Springsteen's first album in five years with the E Street Band, has been that it's the most rocking thing the Boss has done in something thing like two decades.
Well consider the news official.
On Magic, the joyous "big noise" of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band is front and center pretty much from start to finish. The big, brash drums of Max Weinberg, the ringing guitars, the carnival keyboards, the unmistakable big sax sound of Clarence "Big Man" Clemons—even the chiming glockenspiels of past hits like "Hungry Heart" and "Bobby Jean," are all back in glorious abundance on Magic.
Not that there was ever really any doubt of course, at least not for those who have seen any of Springsteen's live shows with the E Street Band since they reunited back in 1999. There are still few bands out there who can match the raw power and intensity of the E Street Band in a concert setting.
But on his last several albums, Springsteen has chosen to take his music in directions other than the "big noise" which first made him famous. This has been most true on the largely acoustic Devils & Dust, and of course on last year's folk experiment The Seeger Sessions. But even on The Rising, 2002's "comeback" with the E Street Band, a much more somber tone dominated the album. This was perhaps due in part to the subject matter related to the 9/11 tragedy, but the fact was it seemed to bleed into the music as well.
Magic on the other hand finds Springsteen and the E Street Band rocking harder than they have on any album since Born In The USA, at least on the surface. Because on this album, as was the case on Born In The USA, beneath all of the jubilation felt in the songs are characters like the guy "searching for my own piece of the cross" in "I'll Work For Your Love." On this album, we are introduced to the one who says "my faith's been torn asunder" on "Livin In The Future," and to those who "don't measure the blood we've drawn anymore, we just stack the bodies outside the door," on "Last To Die."
In fact, the common thread among the characters who populate the songs of Magic seems to be the search for a way home. On the first line heard on this album, from "Radio Nowhere," we meet a traveler who "was trying to find my home, but all I heard was a drone." On another song that is appropriately titled "Long Walk Home," the narrator finds his hometown empty, right down to the "the veteran's hall high up on the hill," where he finds it "stood silent and alone, with a sign that just said gone."
Article comments
1 - JC Mosquito
Yes indeed, Glen - it's a good'un. And I'm going to recast my vote for best song from Gypsy Biker to Girls in Their Summer Clothes. Great gawda'mighty, if it was the only good song on the album, it'd still be worth it.
But there's something very wistful about this album - it reminds me of Caroline, No by the Beach Boys of all things. It feels like a revisit and a wrap up. Is it possible this is the last great classic r'n'roll album of Bruce's career? Or maybe even the last great classic rock album of all?
2 - Glen Boyd
It is indeed a good un' Skeet.
As to your thoughts on the best songs, I too started at "Gypsy Biker," along with "Long Walk Home" and your current choice "Girls In Their Summer Clothes" which does have some striking parallels to Brian Wilson. Right now, I kind of like "Livin In The Future" though because of the contrast between its bouncy sound and the darker images portrayed in the lyrics.
I imagine every single one of these songs will spend at least some time as my favorite though. The album is just that good.
-Glen
3 - Jeffrey J. Hardy
Bruce should spend less time ginning up false controversy and more time actually playing music (in my opinion).
Related article.
Be well, Jeff
4 - Mark Saleski
i don't think Springsteen is ginning up anything.
and if you are unaware of him receiving any criticism, then you used the correct word: unaware.
5 - Glen Boyd
Hmmm...
I'm not quite sure where this is coming from, but i'm assuming it's from the 60 minutes piece on Sunday. I thought Bruce was quite eloquent on the program -- a co-worker even remarked to me today that "Bruce is a very smart man."
Bruce gets plenty of criticism from the righties and what not, but all he is doing is exercising his right -- his responsibility even -- to speak out on things that he sees happening this country that he cares very deeply about.
What could be more patriotic than that?
-Glen
6 - PEG
I think Bruce's material is hot stuff on this one- great writing that's for sure. My only complaint about the album is the mix. I felt there was an overuse of reverb to the point of it ruining the intensity of great tones like Big Man's sax. It sounds a bi† on †he mucky side and too tunnel like sounding throughout the album. Reminded me of eighties type mixes however Born in the USA was a much better sounding album. Born in the USA captured that "stadium sound" production without overkill of effects. Hey Boss, if you ever read this I think you should mix your own stuff xo
7 - JC Mosquito
Hmm... lots of issues with the mix - not from my corner. I think it's a thoroughly modern mix that pays tribute to the entire spectrum of rock n roll production techniques. Sure, it isn't pristine - that's one of the problems I had with Born in the USA - rcok and roll is supposed to be messy, isn't it?
8 - Mark Saleski
i have problems with the mix myself, and it's exactly the "modernness" of it...specifically, there's just not enough air in it. everything can get smooshed together.
still, the music itself is so great that i just don't care.
9 - JC Mosquito
Yes indeed, there's a fair amount of clutter in spots - just like an old mono mix from the mid 60s. But that's not necessarily bad, is it?
Muscle. Noise. Ambience. Rock and roll.
10 - PEG
I don't think it sounds like anything from the sixties at all. O'brien's mix on this album reminds me of Chris Thomas'style of production on Elton John's albums. I am particularly thinking of the song "The One". When you compare the impact of EJ's music with Gus Dudgeon producing and mixing rather than Thomas, you'll come to this conclusion= one is timeless the other is fashionable and becomes dated.
The E-Street band sounds big enough on their own without all the sauce. I do appreciate O'brien's mixes just not all that much on this project. It won't bring a downer to this new release-cause it truly rocks
11 - Glen Boyd
Interesting conversation thats opened up here. I think my only complaint is that the vocals sound a little buried at times. One of the great joys of Springsteen albums is being able to song along to them at the top of your lungs while stuck in traffic. After living with this album for over a week now, I still don't know all the words cause at times they are a little tough to make out in the mix without a lyric sheet.
Other than that though, the big noise approach suits me just fine. And remember, when Born To Run first came out, it was often criticized as being "muddy".
-Glen
12 - PEG
somehow I think a live recording of the magic tour would be a more satisfying listen than this studio effort. it's more than a muddy sounding issue here, it's simply a case of overproduction. i'll tell you one thing, i must hear these songs live, cause the material is just too good and the players are just too good to have been masked with a sea of reverb. you shouldn't have to hear a sax solo and wonder if maybe that's a guitar with some weird effect on it. i don't want to make comparisons with other albums, because each album becomes it's own entity. let's face it, a few listens to get used to things is what it takes sometimes when it comes to liking new albums. i just wish i could move this curtain of effects from in front of the speaker so i can hear the music!
13 - JC Mosquito
Interesting observation, Peg - I wouldn't have said it was overproduced at all. To me, it sounds like all the stuff I like, which would be certainly not be characterized as extreme hi-fi.
14 - PEG
you know this was really interesting †alking to you guys about bruce. i just bought the release about 3 days ago and it was fun to see other peoples' perspective on this. i've gone to other sites and people are saying that bruce doesn't know how to rock and roll anymore. the best comment i heard was that while other bands that have been around the 30-40 years mark are busy trying to cover themselves or become a parody of themselves, bruce continues to re-invent himself. i don't think he necessarily re-invented himself on magic, but he certainly is aging gracefully. his style of music allowed him to do that. a guy can't be in a bitch band when he has all that hair at the time and continue on in his fifties, ya know.
15 - JC Mosquito
Nice talking atcha too, Peg - if you hang out here long enough, I think you might get a gold watch or something - ah, maybe not, but bc/music's still a pretty good read most days.
16 - Belle 2
Well, this conversation has moved Magic up to the top of my list of cd's to buy. I wouldn't have survived college without him but maybe I shouldn't only see him in that light. Maybe, Bruce and I can age gracefully together.