Magic

Bruce Springsteen - Magic
DUE: OCTOBER

Wow. I have mixed emotions about this one. Message boards around the net have been hopping since this press release came out a couple weeks back. A new album from Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band. The publicity machine is now off and running. The typical statements with crap you can smell a mile away like "...it is his best work since The River..." will be flying left and right. But what do you expect?

I am a huge Springsteen fan. I don't listen to him as much as I once did. When I was 22, his music saved me. I was in a living hell in many ways and I finally heard lyrics and a voice that I could relate to. His music spoke to me. It gave me hope, understanding and was therapeutic. It was that important at the time. At that point, his most recent project had been "The Ghost Of Tom Joad" and being a new fan, I had a lot of catching up to do with one of Rock's most amazing catalogues. Each album purchased was better than the last. Bruce could do no wrong, and in all seriousness, there were few questionable official tracks on the market. Yeah, the Human Touch and Lucky Town lps got some grief, but I will always defend those albums (probably a different discussion for a different time). But from "Greetings From Asbury Park NJ" through "Tunnel Of Love", you are looking at a catalogue of albums that can be given 5 stars across the board. The music is that brilliant, inspiring and powerful.

But since 1995, Bruce's official releases have not been at the once brilliant level they once were. "Tracks" was a lost opportunity due to questionable overdubbing, mixing and a much shorter track listing than was expected (Bruce you still have a couple of discs of amazing tunes in the vaults!) and then fans had to shell out additional money with "18 Tracks" just to obtain "The Fever" which should have been on "Tracks" in the first place along with an early 90's outtake and a re-recording of "The Promise" (which is beautiful by the way). The "Live In NYC" disc from the E Street Band HBO Special was bizarre -- why not release a more accurate document of one of the 99/00 shows with a complete set-list?

Then, the first full-length rock album since "Lucky Town" was issued in 02, entitled "The Rising." Now this is one overrated album. After the excitement wore off of finally having a new Rock album with The E Street Band, reality set in. There is some filler on this one. Tracks like "Waitin' On A Sunny Day" and "Let's Be Friends" are fluff that I never would have thought would have been on a Springsteen album. Of course there are some very strong tracks like "Lonesome Day" and "Further On (Up The Road)", but it is almost painful to hear Bruce perform a parody of himself with "Mary's Place." The worst thing about "The Rising" is the production. Brenden O'Brien brings nothing to this album. His production sucks the life right out of it. Suddenly Bruce has a sleek, tidy and mechanical sounding album versus the natural, organic and authentic ambience found on previous E Street Band efforts. There are some hardcore fans that feel Bruce can do no wrong and that this album can stand alongside masterpieces like "Darkness On The Edge Of Town," but that view is completely misguided. I admire Bruce's work as much as the next guy, but I also don't think his s**t smells like roses either.

The Springsteen/O'Brien team then released the mediocre "Devils & Dust" project next. This one was confusing. Again, the production gave the album a bland feel. The material was spotty. I have to admit, after repeated listening, I sold this album and I have recently considered purchasing it once again to give it another shot because I still cannot believe it was so lackluster.

During this time, fans also got an anniversary edition of the epic "Born To Run" album. Like "Tracks" before it, another huge lost opportunity. No outtakes/alternate mixes? They exist! Thanks for the remaster. How many times can one watch the "Wings For Wheels" documentary? Well at least the consumer gets to hear some alternate mixes while watching the DVD. The live Hammersmith show from 75 is the real gem, arguably the finest music Bruce has issued in the last decade. Of course, fans who did not rip the audio from the DVD that wanted a CD version of it in the first place, had to shell out the money months later when The Boss finally made the audio available as a separate package. That was one expensive anniversary Bruce!

Then of course, the intolerable Seeger Sessions album was released. Hey, I'm glad Bruce was having some fun and put out this little side project, but thankfully it has run its course. The recent live CD/DVD from the accompanying tour is well done and more interesting than the studio album, but how many times can one really dive into the Seeger Sessions material???

So now we have arrived at the upcoming "Magic" album. Jon Landau said in a recent press release"...Magic is a high energy rock CD. It's light on its feet, incredibly well played by Bruce and the members of the E Street Band, and, as always, has plenty to say." A light rocker with Brenden O'Brien as producer - excuse me if I am a little skeptical of its potential. But, hey, it is a new Bruce Springsteen record and that being the case, it is worth checking out. Time will tell if it adds any real value to the Springsteen catalogue.