In Defense Of The Boss....

I consider myself to have "hip" musical tastes for my age. I like The White Stripes, Radiohead, The Bloc Party,The Roots, Outkast, and Chili Cold Blood.

But I also appreciate artists that came out in the late 70's and 80's who still make good music. Unfortunately due to radio stations and stores playing only the "hits" of said artists and not rare songs, they are considered homogenized. Case in point, REM. Due to the band releasing their worst songs as singles (Losing my Religion, Stand, Shiny Happy People, Everybody Hurts) people think they are unhip. I hate with my soul, the singles and albums they come from(Green, Out OF time) So it is an uphill battle to defend them. (BTW for any REM haters, listen to their album New Adventures in Hi-Fi, it sounds unlike anything they ever done. Plus it is more of a straight forward Rock album, not the soft stuff their singles lead you to think they're that kind of band.)

Anyway, this same scenario applies to Bruce Springsteen. A lot of people my age and younger thinks he's lame or cheesy. Because the most they know him for is usually Born In The USA which they think is some dumb patriotic song. When in actuality, the song is criticizing the US governments treatment of Vietnam Veterans after the war ended.

Anyway, that song, Glory Days and Dancing In The Dark are what most casual listeners see in videos and hear in stores. And that is off his worst album. The songs on the album are good, but the production is way too dated.
A lot of his best work is before his Born In The USA period and after that. I remember driving home with some co-workers. Favorite artists were brought up, They said The SMiths, Joy Division, and The Cure.

They asked for mine. I immediately said Bruce Springsteen. Their response? "OMG, he's so boring!" I got real quiet. Then popped in a live bootleg cd which had these songs - These links are the actual filmed versions of the songs off my bootleg.

She's The One -
Prove It All Night -
Streets of Fire -
After playing those songs, there was a dead silence in the car for a moment. These same people who had dissed him were now begging for my bootleg and what albums to get. It just goes to shhonest withow, before you judge Bruce, take a deeper listen. I'll give some album recommendations.

Now to be honest the songs off these albums sound better live. Better to get a bootleg if you can of the tours done for those records. But they are still good albums.


Darkness On The Edge Of Town- Some of Bruce's best singing and guitar playing on record. He really gets into white soul territory here.

The River - A double record, filled with ballads (The River one of his most powerful songs) and rockers like Ramrod

Nebraska - An all acoustic album. A lot of people say its his best record. Really shows you how brilliant of a songwriter he is. Hell, the title track is about a serial killer. If that dont hook someone, dont know what will.

Tunnel of Love - An album chronicling relationships and how most never really reach a happy ending. Pretty dark record IMO.

To be current - Magic is a great record. So is Working on A Dream which goes back to his influences in Power Pop, like The Beatles and Byrds.

It is best to see him live though. He is an amazing showman. Plays for almost 4 hours straight. And plays new songs and rearrangements of his older stuff. Hes one of the few older acts like Bob Dylan to have aged gracefully.

And one final thought. If Bruce is so lame, than who else could have written a powerful, emotionally devastating song which sums up 9/11?

Song I'm Talking About -


You're Missing -

You mean Little Steven? AKA Silvio from The Sopranos?

He's a good musician. And a pretty decent producer as well. I think it's really cool he's kept the garage rock flame alive with his radio show. Even if he played The Strokes, ugh. I'll let that slide.

Side note a good friend of mine recently went to see Bruce. He has a 24 year old girlfriend who tends to like the more Pop rock stuff like Jimmy Eat World. She thought Bruce was old and lame. He told her not to come with him since she doesnt like Bruce. But she did anyway, although I suspect it was more for the fact she's the jealous type.

Anyway, after the end of the show, she did a complete 380. And is now a Bruce fan. Funny how concerts can turn people around