Bruce Springsteen - Classic or Dud ?

Wondering if he was actively channeling Glen Campbell what with his recent passing and long illness leading up to it.

Okay, I see this upthread, sorry.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjc79mlluKA

https://variety.com/2018/music/news/bruce-springsteen-talks-trump-new-album-and-hints-at-an-upcoming-tour-1203078221/

“Really, that record is influenced by Southern California pop music of the ’70s,” he said, referring to orchestrated-pop music of that era by “Glen Campbell, Jimmy Webb, Burt Bacharach, those kinds of records. I don’t know if people will hear those influences, but that was what I had in my mind.

WE HEAR IT BRUCE <3

Ha!

Jimmy Webb FB page gave a nod to this

Best vocal on an "Everybody's Talkin'" (even if it's the worst arrangement):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjw0yE8mQVc

Wow

You know I always liked my walking shoes
But you can get a little too fond of the blues
You walk too far, you walk away

Songs where it's fun to say HOOS in place of the actual lyrics

I kind of think Lana Del Rey took the same SoCal influences, went in a different direction and ended up with Mariners Apt Complex

not so sure about "there goes my miracle." on first listen, it's exactly what i feared this album would be. not sure he has the voice for these arrangements. i'd kinda like to hear scott walker singing this, though.

(also, i'm secretly hoping it's about miracle the horse from mel brooks' "history of the world part 1.")

(and still completely enthralled by "hello sunshine.")

This new one is kind of a misfire, though it's interesting to hear him try something so different. Docked several points for super-generic drum machine cameo and distracting production poo, which undoes whatever good the strings do.

Sounds like a Morrissey song.

Lol, indeed it does. The high notes on the chorus sound a little auto tuned maybe

Another new one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsH4URIWNRE

Kinda ... "Lucky Town" (the album) vibes? It's not bad, pretty slight, but the video implies he may tour with a different band again. Also ... no Tele! I think he's playing a Gretsch Country Gentleman? Maybe that will be this cycle's bolo tie.

Speaking of Springsteen, I'm a little surprised there's been no word of a BitUSA boxed set. It's the 35th anniversary this year, and fans have been speculating on a dual BitUSA/Nebraska box, though I think it would make more sense to split them up. Nebraska could easily be a 2-disc set, esp. if they unearth the legendary electric sessions. But BitUSA ... there's a ton of leftover stuff, some of it already released on other comps and collections, but I think Springsteen would rather keep things simple and collect any leftovers into collections that flow like albums (like he did with Darkness and the River) rather than just dump a bunch of stuff out there.

One of the my faves:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ewhMge_MXM

I forgot that the second volume of remasters came out. I'm listening to the cleaned up Tunnel of Love right now, and no joke, it sounds great, I'm hearing things I've never heard before!

I wonder if the BitUSA stuff will happen next year. I saw somewhere that there's be an E-Street tour in 2020, so maybe that'll tie-in to the reissue.

This album doesn't really sound like anything else he's ever done. While I don't like some of the choices he made - production (as usual), arrangements (a little gloppy) - I respect the effort to do something different.

Would have been both apt and very funny if it ended with Happy Trails, like Diver Down.

I'm enjoying this but it remains to be seen if I'll come back to it. And yeah, I appreciate hes trying something different. "Hello Sunshine" is his best single since "Radio Nowhere" (even if reminds me a bit too much of "Everybodys Talkin'")

if theres not an old town road cover on this im not interested

the other night i watched the video for "Dancing in the Dark" and i had forgotten how fucking handsome he was back in the day. i would have done anything he wanted me to.

Fp

xp otm he was a smokeshow back then no question.

i still heart him with all my heart

https://www.brucespringsteen.it/DB/mn.aspx?yr=1968&mt=09

Lol I got pushed a very Onion-y Slate headline, 'Rolling Stone SLAMS Bruce Springsteen with rare four star review."

Haha

The album is... pleasant? And the production isn’t as jarringly plastic as his recent records. But nothing’s grabbing me. It’s sort of Devils & Dust pt. 2, of all things. He’s still in great voice, but the nothingness of the material makes that bittersweet.

On the one hand, I appreciate the economy of the songs and songwriting. On the other hand, his full embrace of lyrical cliches to an extent he never quite has before really undercuts his character portraits. On the third hand, sometimes those cliches work in his favor, like when he veers from a cliche into something fresher and it makes the distinction that much more apparent and effective.

I wish it had more of the Hello Sunshine feel/sound esp his singing voice but it is pleasant “lazing on an afternoon” music

I’m inclined to look this sort of thing but am also not sure if much of it is going to stick.

Anthony Scaramucci tried to pick a Twitter fight with Nils Lofgren. Guess who it didn’t go well for?

I’m not the one still trying to get a job on a sinking ship. And that word scramble on #huckabee was something to behold. @MSNBC really must have been scraping the bottom of the barrel. Self esteem, right now about 100. Thanks mooch https://t.co/uAtfNLrIv7

— Nils Lofgren (@nilslofgren) June 15, 2019

<3 u nils

this album is very very glen campbell. and sometimes that sort of mellow good vibe friendliness is exactly what i need. would be even better with a few songs equivalent to the weirdo vibe that Jimmy Webb gave to Glen, but there you go.

lol I was just reading that htread:

I can hardly believe I’m responding to this but Jesus, what a world where this talentless piece of shit even summons the balls to talk smack about anyone Neil Young picked to play on “Tonight’s the Night.”

— Roy Edroso (@edroso) June 16, 2019

I'm liking this a whole lot so far, though I fear Trump may have ruined "Sleepy Joe's Cafe" because when I heard it all I could think of was Biden.

the new record is excellent. best since magic but also probably way better than magic

Hmm. I think Wrecking Ball was pretty strong. But other than that tbf, two albums since Magic - Working on a Dream and High Hopes - are down there with the worst of his records (so ... Human Touch?). Anyway, I'm a huge fan, and the album seemed fine, but I can't see putting this on that often.

songwriting-wise it feels very close to devils and dust and the arrangements are awesome

It’s sort of Devils & Dust pt. 2, of all things

yeah! huge plus for me, i love that record, "long time comin'" is my favorite springsteen song

yeah it feels better than Magic - more even & more of a consistent mood

I fear Trump may have ruined "Sleepy Joe's Cafe"

i fear the arrangement might have ruined that one. it sounds like it's on the wrong album. the river, maybe? the eddie & the cruisers soundtrack?

man I love this album, to my ears his best full album since Born in the USA.

That's crazy to me, but I'm glad you're enjoying it.

He sat in with Southside Johnny this weekend and played or played on maybe 6 songs, like "Talk to Me," "Kitty's Back" and "The Fever," which is the most he's played live in some time, let alone in electric mode. Implies he's gearing up for maybe a band tour.

He said something recently about him and the E-Street Band going out next year.