I approached this one with caution. I didn't know which Springsteen I was going to get. The Born To Run/Badlands Sprinsteen has been gone for years. Was this going to be the Nebraska Springsteen? The Rising/Tunnel of Love Springsteen (the one I like the most now)? Or, the Woody Guthrie Springsteen?The reviews said he was mad about the financial crisis and was once again on the side of the common man. He was working with the musicians from the Seeger sessions, so maybe it would be acoustic?
Let me start with a quick caveat, I don't pay a great attention to lyrics. I love Pet Sounds though the lyrics from that album are terrible. I just don't listen closely. As always, it's beat and melody for me.
This is a very enjoyable Springsteen album. He's electrified the Seeger sessions band to the point it's a little like listening to the Pogues. The quiet songs are the standard Springsteen ruminations on when things go wrong. The upbeat songs are either angry, railing songs or uplifting songs extolling the virtues of the common American.
If you have to categorize this album, it's really a folk album. This is a collection of protest and inspirational songs. As always, he is very earnest about everything he sings.
If you are the type of person who cares what the lyrics are and look deeply into their meaning, walk away now. This is the preachy Springsteen. Overwrought, railing against the powers that be, even though he is easily a member of the 1%. I understand he feels bad about it and wants to change things, but, he can get a little heavy handed at times.
I enjoy listening to it. Good music, maybe a little too much message. I'll probably buy it at a discount. I'm not going to get the cd.
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