"Life Itself" has the same sort of melancholic, almost Middle Eastern-sounding feel to it as those two Rising tracks do. What gives the track a great lift, though, is the Byrdsy sounding twelve string guitars chiming in the background. It's also got this really nifty backwards masked Nils Lofgren guitar solo, that's really quite uncharacteristic of an E Street Band record.
Oh yeah, and this one has some nice lyrics too.
Speaking of lyrics, I really haven't got any idea of what sort of theme Working On A Dream is going to have. With George W. Bush on his way out of office, and Barack Obama — who Springsteen enthusiastically supported — on his way in, I don't expect Working On A Dream will be as political as Magic was. Based on the three tracks I've heard, though, I just can't get a feel for the lyrics here yet.
The bonus track, which also serves as the theme for the Mickey Rourke film, The Wrestler, has to be judged separately from the rest of the record for that reason. I have heard that the track "The Last Carnival" is some sort of tribute to late keyboardist Danny Federici (and that Danny's son plays on it). The eight minute opening track "Outlaw Pete" also sounds intriguing.
The advance buzz on Working on A Dream has described it as being both similar to the live sound of the E Street Band (which "My Lucky Day" confirms), as well being "orchestral" sounding. In his Rolling Stone article, writer David Fricke describes some of the songs as "intricately arranged... combining the dense whirl of E Street stage shows with orchestral and vocal flourishes that recall classic recordings by Roy Orbison and the Byrds." That works for me.
So, it's finally starting to sink in for this Springsteen fanboy. I'm starting to feel the buzz for this new Springsteen album. Incidentally, did you know that this album will mark the first back to back releases of Springsteen albums with the E Street Band in nearly thirty years? The last time Bruce released two consecutive records backed by the E Street Band was with Darkness On The Edge Of Town in 1978 and The River in 1980.
Perhaps it was because of Danny Federici's passing making him aware of just how short life can be, but for whatever reason, Bruce Springsteen appears to have re-dedicated himself to his band in the sort of way that fans like me have prayed he would for decades now.
Article comments
1 - BillSaysThis
Dude, now you've got me excited about this record!
2 - Ellie
My heart is in my throat. Yes, I think Bruce feels the hot breath of mortality on the back of his neck. Praise be if it results in such generosity. I will always be there. He doesn't know how to be anything but sublime. Blessed be, Bruce Springsteen and all your merry friends, blessed be. I'll be there with everything I got.
3 - Mark Saleski
...is mulling nightly mini-sets
with my luck, i'll go on Tunnel Of Love night.
4 - Glen Boyd
I'm thinking Tunnel doesn't get covered. Its just not considered a classic Springsteen album the same way that Born To Run, Darkness, River, and BITUSA are. But I'll tell ya what Mark...if you saw that record done live, I'd bet you get a new appreciation for it.
In the meantime, I'm hoping I get The River...for reasons which anyone who knows me should be obvious..
-Glen
5 - Mark Saleski
f you saw that record done live, I'd bet you get a new appreciation for it.
i've listened to various live versions of it...and hated every single one.
i do hope you get to see The River though..that'd be cool.
6 - Glen Boyd
Now what would be really cool is if he did all of the Nebraska album live with full band arrangements...
-Glen
7 - Mark Saleski
i, of course, would go for Darkness.... oh man, it give me shivers just thinkin' about it.
8 - Glen Boyd
Have you ever heard the Tunnel show from Stockholm? It was a radio broadcast so the quality is excellent and its pretty easy to find on the Net. The versions of Tunnel, Adam Raised A Cain, and Boom Boom that open the show, all with the miami Horns are drop dead amazing. You should look into that show if you've never heard it...
-Glen
9 - Mark Saleski
in my quest to see what i'd missed out on, i obtained a copy of the stockholm show many year ago. it has some cool stuff on it, but the Tunnel songs just leave me flat. sorry, there's no hope for me on that particular record, the songs just don't resonate in any way (except negatively)
10 - Glen Boyd
Those opening three songs just kill me. Bruce screams his lungs out on Adam and Boom Boom. And Tunnel sounds great when fleshed out by the horn section. I'd actually rank right behind Winterland 78 and Nassau 80 as some of the best live Springsteen stuff out there. Different strokes I guess though...
-Glen
11 - Mark Saleski
Different strokes I guess though...
yep, and i've never really figured this one out as it's the only Bruce record that i get a completely negative reaction to.
12 - Glen Boyd
Human Touch and Lucky Town were like that for me when I first heard them. And I still think the best songs from each would've made a much better single record. But both have grown me in the years since.
-Glen
13 - Glen Boyd
It also took me awhile to warm up to Seeger Sessions.
-Glen
14 - Mark Saleski
weirdly, the only one that took me a while was The River. i was pretty young then and wanted very loud guitar instead of the spector/wall of sound kind of thing.
years later (not too many) my reaction was closer to "what the hell was i thinking?!!"
as for Tunnel, it will always remain a mystery. not only has it not grown on me, i actually get annoyed while listening to it.