The Wild, The Innocent, and the E Street Shuffle

Man, am I impressed. I'm a Bruce fan, but not hardcore by any means. I've been itching to get this for a while and found a nice LP today of it for a buck. Blew me away. Perfect from start to finish. This is the best Bruce I've ever heard. This thing puts Born To Run to shame. I can't believe I've been missing out on this for so long!

 

It's an exceptional album and was the bridge between the tentative, contrived ASBURY PARK NJ and the breakthrough BORN TO RUN, although IMO, NEBRASKA and any Springsteen concert are probably his career pinnacles. I don't think it's underrated, but one must remember the first two albums sank commercially until 1975 and BTR, after which both made the charts and finally started selling a bit. The Boss found his voice early--the 2nd album, just as Dylan did--and never looked back. It is filled with evocative, memorable songs all the way, and the vinyl is cheap, a nice listen.

 

I wouldn't say anything puts BTR to shame, but no question that E Street Shuffle is an awesome album. I went to one of Bruce's holiday shows in Asbury Park a couple of years ago and he played Kitty's Back with the Max Weinberg 7. omg. and Incident on 57th Street might be one of the few songs in his catalog where I actually like the recorded version better than the live version.

you bought it at the right time, Dave. what a great summertime album!

 

Hence the cheap, plentiful vinyl being your best bet for this album, a Springsteen landmark.

Evan

 

True, perhaps I did get a tad carried away I do think it beats it though.

I think I'll listen to this for the 3rd time today in a minute.

 

I am a big Bruce fan but it's only recently that this album became one of my favourite Springsteen records. The CD is very good too - in fact I prefer it to the vinyl.

 

I sent this to Dave a few minutes ago, but it's worth sharing here, too. Greil Marcus edited a book a few years ago called Stranded: Rock and Roll for a Desert Island. it was a compilation of essays by various critics of favorite albums.

someone named Ariel Swartley, whom I've never heard of before or since, wrote an absolutely terrific piece on WIESS. it's long as hell so I can't post it here, but here's a link to a google message board where it was posted a while back:

the wild, the innocent and the e street shuffle

 

I think this is the one Springsteen CD that actually sounds pretty good. The LP sounds like a transistor radio in comparison. Great album, one of my favorites!

Steve

 

Dave:
I am glad you "discovered" this fine album but you can't play them repeatedly. Even for a buck you are gonna burn up the grooves. You gotta give it a rest.
C'mon over and listen to mine
BTW: Where didja get it?

Cheers-
Norm

 

Giving it a rest currently...

Got it at Joe's. Was priced at $3.00 and was going to get it for that. Then the lady at the counter took a closer look and said "hmm, 99 cents is more fair for this". I said "thanks!". The cover is kind of beat up, record in VG shape. I cleaned it up to VG+ shape...plays real smoothly.

 

I have the first CD that hit our shores (from Japan) and it does sound excellent. It will be tough to top if they ever get around to remastering his catalogue.

 

Springsteen seems like a nice enough guy, but I always thought his music was much ado about nothing - EXCEPT for this EXCELLENT album! I wore out a few copies of it back in the seventies.

 

The first Springsteen album I ever bought, back in 1974, and still my favorite. Wonderful songs, including my favorite Bruce song ever, Incident On 57th Street. The album has a great, loose, almost jazzy feel that disappeared from Bruce's work thereafter. The lyrics are among the best he's ever written, and side 2 is, IMHO, an absolutely perfect album side. I agree with those above who said that the CD sounds good, probably the best sounding Bruce CD, of his older stuff that is.

Jeff

 

Agreed. Wonder why this particular album turned out so well on CD?

Chris

 

I'm surprised nobody mentioned this LP in the "superior side 2's" thread (or did someone?). I never cared for the way his first two LPs were recorded, but the songs on 'The Wild...' are tremendous.

 

Great album. My favorite Springsteen by a long shot.

 

Agreed.
Great LP and the best sounding Bruce CD to boot.

Joe L.

 

Tim: Next time The Boss plays Beantown I am flying up there and taking you to the show
Then you'll see....

Peace-
Norm
PS: I want to have dinner at Lucias in The North End too!

 

I just recently found this album last summer and have really been enjoying it. This RSD i picked up the new vinyl release of it and the sound quality is just awesome. Side 2 is impeccable, I wish i could find more music like this.

It seems to me that this album doesn't get much attention when pertaining to Bruce Springsteen albums. Why is that?

 

I love this album. I have an original Columbia LP and the newer CD (the one with the red face). I think there is also an older Columbia CD, not sure if the one I have is a remaster. It's one of those albums I can sit down and listen to the whole way through.

 

It's Bruce at his most inspired, as far as I'm concerned. The band is also the best he ever had, particularly David Sancious. Lopez was also a freer, more daring drummer than Max, almost in a Keith Moon sort of way at times.

The songs are great, very atmospheric, and the band goes for broke. My favorite Springsteen album.

 

Same feeling here. I had the CD for years and it never jumped out at me. Then I got what I would rate probably a VG or VG+ original Columbia on vinyl and it blew me away. The new vinyl remaster sounds great too. It has intimacy, atmosphere, and a certain presence on the softer songs, and the rocking songs and bass flat out pop