Born
to Run is the album that broke Bruce through to the mainstream. Everything
had been improving since the first album and the result is near perfection.
lyrics don't get any better and the album production and band are better
than ever.
Born
to Run came out in 1975, Darkness didn't come out until 1978. During the
3 years in between Bruce was tangled up in a legal mess with his former
manager and was not permitted to record a new record. When the mess finally
cleared 3 years later, the result was "Darkness". This record is an angry
record, and it shows alot of the frustrations Bruce was having. This is
probably the hardest rocking album Bruce released with "Adam Raised A Cain"
and the title song. All in all the songs and album are excellant, my only
complaint is that by this time, some of the innocence or opptomism of the
early albums is gone and replaced with anger. It is less fun, but that's
reality. "Thunder Road" isn't reality.
The
River was released in 1980, it is a 2 record set and is without a doubt
my favorite. This is the record were Bruce got the mix right. Without being
too serious as on Darkness, or too care free, the album walks a fine line
with serious moving songs like "The River", "Wreck On The Highway", "Jackson
Cage", and then it also has Fun rock like "Sherry Darlin (My Favorite)"
or the pop hit "Hungry Heart". There are alot of songs that fall somewhere
in the middle-serious but still fun to listen to. I love this album.
In
1982 Bruce was working on material for the followup to the river in his
home and recorded the songs himself with just him and his guitar. These
were supposed to be demos that the band would here and work on into full
band songs. However, somwhere along the way Bruce decided that the Demo's
he recorded by himself serve the material better than the whole band versions
of the songs. As a result the demo tape that Bruce recorded at home was
released as his new album!! Nebraska is not a rock record! it is quiet
acoustic story songs dealing with serial killer Charlie Stark Weather (sp?)
and other not so cheery topics. The album is stark, moving, and interestin
as hell because the story songs that Bruce writes kinda just suck you in.
This is a moody album and because of that I probably play it least. That
doesent take anything away from the material on the album. The album is
awesome. It's just not a drivim in your car rock album.
Bruce
returned to the world of pop songs and charts in 1984 with Born in the
USA This is Bruce's biggest album. Anyone over the age of 3 in 1984 surley
remembers it. This album was wildley misunderstood. The title song "Born
in the USA" was not a patriotic I love America song. it deals with a Vietnam
veterans struggle in the mid 80's, ten years after the war. I blame Bruce
for the album being misunderstood and way over commercialized. The album
cover for one is his ass in front of the american flag, and the songs are
awesome but a song like Born in the USA performed the way it was on the
album. If you don't really listen to the lyrics, it is real easy to get
the wrong impretion from the song. The album as a whole is his tightest.
There isn't a weak song on the album and it is a classic.
The
marathon live box set released in 1986 is a great live set. Somtimes it
comes off as redundant to me because the studio albums sound better. There
are jems on here though that blow away studio versions. the version of
"Thunder Road" on this album is one of my all time favorites.
This
is a really mature album released in 1987. There is no fuckin around on
this album. It's an in depth look at the process of love. The first attraction,
the willingness to fall in love, and the real issues that surface when
the newness is gone. A teenager probably couldn't get into or relate to
this album and what it says, but after you've lived a little and played
the love game, this album fully connects.
4
song live EP relesed in 1988 to go along with the Amnesty International
tour that Bruce and the band were on. Critics like to slag this one, but
I love it. The title song is a Bob Dylan cover.
Abandon
hope all ye who enter here! This album is Bruce's weakest. It was released
in 1992 along with the "Luckytown" album. This is Bruce's first record
without the E Street Band and they are soreley missed. The songs are week
and the production is way too slick. There is no edge to this album. I
have tried to like this album, but I can't. Sometimes you gotta call it
like you see it and this album is shmaltz
released
at the same time as "Human Touch", "Luckytown" was recorded at a differant
session and is the better of the 2 albums. It's not a great album, but
it is a good one. I can listen to this one and enjoy it. "Human Touch"
makes my ass itch!!!
>This
one came out in 1992 to go along with the HT/LT tour. Alot of people give
this album alot of crap, but I like it. The Human touch songs sound alot
better in this live setting. it's good. Not great, but good.
I am
kind of partial to this greatest hits album released in 1995. This is the
album that introduced me to Bruce's music. I was 22 years old when I bought
this and since then I have bought everything. The version of "This Hard
Land" and this album is my all time favorite.
I
have a hard time rating this one because this really isn't somthing you
listen to for the music. Released in 1995, these are slow moody story songs
that sort of create an atmosphere or mood. It is not an easy listen, but
after a couple of listens this one will get in your head. It is very similar
to "Nebraska" This is Bruce at his most lyrical and moodiest.
This
is a must for people like me who have all of the studio albums. Released
in 1998 this Box set contains 4 disks of rare or unreleased studio and
live cuts from Bruce's entire career. I was in heaven when I got his one.
This album really jerks my chain. It is basically a Tracks Box Set Sampler
cd. It pulls a few songs from each of the box sets four cd's. In my opinion
they are hardly the best songs from the set. To add insult to injury 3
"new" unreleased tracks were added to this cd that are not on the box set.
So Basically after buying the box set, I had to turn around and pay another
20 bucks for a cd with 3 songs that I don't already have.
I can't wait to get this one on dvd. It's the 2000 hbo concert special
plus added tracks that were not included in the show. A great live album
that I play often.
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