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Great video Diane. I've heard snippets of a few songs and the one to catch me most so far is You've Got It. Only listened to a some of it though as prefer to wait until Friday and I get the actual CD in my hand. Looking forward to it and can't wait for the tour!

Hi all,

A doozy is something very good or special or even outstanding. I was comparing it to The Promise and the other one Working for Dream. I was not planning on getting the new album based on the previous two but after hearing the tracks I do plan on buying it because I like the sound atleast from the initial hearing of it. But I do not want too much of the bully pulpit stuff - a little is OK. It is debatable as to what makes something art. I once read a description of Johnny Clegg as "neither a raging polemicist nor a neutral observer" - I liked that ...a happy medium. In the case of Springsteen he is out front and center with his political views/activities and if he starts putting that in his music too it just gets a bit too much for me.
At the same time I have come to really appreciate his writing on both The Rising and on Magic. They will stand as a testament to the times and he avoids any bully pulpit stuff on both. Atleast not in your face.
Steven - I did not know of that TVZ quote - Marie has some killer lines and is one of a handful of songs from anybody that I find personally depressing even disturbing. There is a video of him introducing it very simply as "This is about the homeless of the land.." before launching into song. It is a masterpiece !
Very nice clip Diane. I agree with you it is crazy how these days reviews of albums come out even before the album is out so I will wait until I hear it for myself.

Hi Kush,

Townes Van Zandt spoke of "Marie," and that he knew in advance of the song
that he wanted to cover the topic of homelessness, on the very excellent CD Townes Van
Zandt Documentary. Track 12 is an interview track wherein Townes speaks of this. Here's
a link to Track 12: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7fs_4mCb6g.
Here's a link to Track 13: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t66_1rJ9 ... re=related.

Thanks for posting the "Marie" link:
viewtopic.php?f=15&t=29277.

Gwen, you'll have it early:-) I always love your enthusiasm.

While I'd like to invite Bruce to come over here, any time he likes, and write a song about, e.g., some of the crazy decisions of our government, I certainly agree that the best art is presented with ambiguity and nuance. Even so, this cd sounds like it could be a doozy.

btw, I ordered my copy on Amazon this morning and noticed that I paid 22% more for 18% more songs, for the "deluxe" edition of an album which is apparently railing against capitalist exploitation!

Thanks Steven I enjoyed that. Will check out all the other parts of the documentary as well.
Diane - I did not intend to convey that I think good art is necessarily nuanced and ambiguous - some of my favorite lyrics are completely unambiguous. it was something different that I was pointing my finger at - that I dont much care for finger pointing lyrics.

Oh OK, Kush. Maybe it was something Steven said about art I was responding to.

Given the full support and personal investment he put into Obama last time, it's not surprising if he's written an angry album. Utopia was never going to arrive. Land of Hope and Dreams is a great song because it is beautiful and idealistic, but it's not overtly political. The job of the artist IMO is to speak the truth/open people's hearts, not to try to directly change the world. But Bruce sees it differently, and if it's got him going and he's written a good album with good music, that's OK with me, but I am not coming back here to discuss politics:-)

well he is not the first celebrity from New Jersey to be involved in trying to make up people's minds for them....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHRTCVwSKMs

as John Hiatt put it in a song - every road up which you rock, your Daddy already did !

Talking of other New Jersiers, I have been listening to The 59 Sound by The Gaslight Anthem.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKL-BYhRJu8, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UErXgvNV3lw&, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INFo3YDz-Ak
Worth a listen, they are a Springsteen for the younger generation, and were at support to him at Hyde Park, where he joined them onstage. Singer/writer Brian Fallon references Springsteen (and others') lyrics and sound throughout the songs.

Only heard Wrecking Ball two-and-a-half times through so far, but taken as a whole I don't find the finger-pointing overdone and long may it continue.

Not that I can read the lyrics or liner notes, will have to look them up elsewhere, which really goes against the grain - whatever happened to a clear font on a neutral background like on Old Ideas. I do however admire the images that are included in the booklet.

Most importantly though, musically this album is alive, rich, diverse, and compelling, and the best thing he's done since Seeger Sessions. I love it! Gwen, the summer shows are going to be stupendous!

The first time I heard Jack of all Trades, the ending lines made me laugh aloud as I was listening in the car, unexpected as they were at the end of the solemn, I'll humbly do whatever it takes, if-it-be-your-will sounding piece:

If I had me a gun, I'd find the
bastards and shoot 'em on sight
I'm a jack of all trades, we'll be alright

(followed by a fine bit of Tom Morello's guitar.)

I'm really pissed off, but, y'know, it's OK he says. Yeah.

Hi Diane,

I too bought the extra tracks CD. Not sure if I agree entirely with your assessment of the CD.
Will have to listen more attentively when circumstances will allow. Certainly agree that the CD is
"alive, rich, diverse, and compelling." All indications are that the summer shows will be
"stupendous." "Jack of All Trades" surprise words about what the character would do,
if he had a gun, to the "bastards," I took to be an expression of subterranean rage,
masked until that point by the demeanor of the song's character. First time I heard the song,
thought the surprise too provocative, probably more out of being startled than anything else.
Not so on a second and third listening.

Hi Steven. Good to hear your thoughts. Will you get to see a stupendous live show this summer?

Blaming bankers for the world's current economic problems is an oversimplification, but, in any case, everyone has their "bastards"; people or circumstances that prevent them from having or keeping what they dearly want. This week I have been working up in the South Wales valleys, in the former coal mining communities. Unprofitable mines were closed here by the government in the 80s and early 90s leaving a huge unemployment problem and tearing the heart out of the valleys. Valleys folk are genuine, salt of the earth people, and great company. I spoke to a couple of former miners in the course of the day couple of days ago, and asked them if they had enjoyed working down the pit. And they SO did, love the work, for the camaraderie in particular, and the sense of a job well done. You could see it in their faces that mining is a part of them. They'd moved on of course. One was semi-retired and had a part time driving job, the other had built his own energy-efficient house while his wife was the wage-earner. I was reflecting on their lives, and in this context I heard Jack of all Trades. It worked, and I think it's a fantastic song, and already one of my all-time favourites of Springsteen's. To me the album is saying, this is how crap things are, but we'll get on with it. Anger can be a great motivator. In fact the entire album has an optimistic sound, in the music (which is prominent, for me), except maybe for This Depression, and We've Been Swallowed Up.

Hi Diane,

It is very unlikely that I'll be at any of the upcoming Springsteen concerts, unfortunately. Will much more
likely be at some other stupendous, or at least good, concerts.

Yes, to what you said about everyone having those kinds of people in his/her life. I like that you posted about
the ex-miners with us. Certainly understand why those people remind you of the song.

I three-quarters expected this to already be here, but since it's not, here you go.
A great review of Bruce's performance at the Apollo Theater ~ "Bruce Springsteen at the Apollo: A Tribute to Clarence Clemons and Soul"
I LOVE Bruce Springsteen and watching him perform live... truly unbelievable raw energy and power [and with power to the people to boot].

http://www.spinner.com/2012/03/10/bruce ... e_facebook

cheers, Steven. Enjoy yours:-)

Thank you for posting that Lizzy!

Initial impression: Meh. He covers mostly familiar ground. Didn't find anything radical in either lyrics or music (maybe only in the hype machine). It took me quite a while to appreciate The Rising and Magic so maybe I will appreciate this one in time. Better production than those two.