New Springsteen Album "Western Stars" June 14*

I listened to most of it this morning and didn't get that impression at all. Hoping I don't get that impression later, as I am not at all a fan of TOL... it's better than Working on a Dream, but perhaps on par with Human Touch for me.

 

I'm not getting a ToL vibe from this at all, but people hear different things. Western Stars has already been compared to Nebraska, Devil & Dust, Tom Joad, The Rising and Working on a Dream.
I hear a little of The Rising's title track in "Tuscon Train", but that's about it.

Overall, the songs are pretty strong. It's solid so far. The innovation--if there is any--is in the production and the strings. The songs all follow a theme and often share settings. It may be considered a "concept album."

 

I really like this. He uses that cinemascope quality that I hear on Darkness on the Edge of Town, but this time it is more in service of a dying cultural myth.
I teach film studies, examining the idea of the Western Hero and what a defining icon that was for a generation of Americans. It is a lot to bite off and chew, and then to try and keep that grand music specific and personal. I think he does this so well, here.
In the end, unable to conform to narrow demands of domestic commitment or civilized society, the hero always rides off into the sunset, alone. Very Bruce.

 

The characters in a lot of these songs long ago rejected the promise of "the bliss of domesticity" for the fortune of the open road and now, well, though they may not exactly regret that long ago decision--they yearn for "home."

 

Received the colored/splattered vinyl pressing today. Not sure if this is only available in Europe.

Pressing quality seems to be good, my vinyl was flat and well-centered and plays back nicely.

The production is pretty natural sounding, quite nicely recorded. Lots of acoustic guitars, drums played with brushes, etc. Sounds like classic Bruce Springsteen to me. His voice sounds pretty good, I think.

The download didn't work yet. It accepted the code, but it has been on "retrieving your downloads" for a couple of hours, going nowhere.

 

After further listen this morning. Let's talk about his vocals. This is the best Bruce has SUNG in years. I mean Drive Fast sounds like it could be on Darkness. His voice is thick, clear and resonates.

 

yeah, I can hear a Brown-Eyed Handsome Man in the rhythm of the verses, the staccato delivery and break up of the words. I always like to imagine what songs and sounds might have been used for the musical architecture. John lennon once described ELO's Showdown, as 'Heard it through the Grapevine' in the verse, and 'Lightning Strikes' for the chorus. Love playing spot the influences.

 

Of course. Not my point, the other poster said it was his best since Nebraska so some simple math, whatever the worthiness of Tunnel of Love (or Born in the USA).

My initial view is that this could equal or surpass Magic which, in my book is high praise indeed. So could be in his top 10 but way too early to judge that. Ask me again in a year.

 

You need to take more care.

 

My prediction is it will fall somewhere between Born To Run and High Hopes

 

My sentiments exactly. Magic was his last new studio album that I really liked and still listen to with any frequency.

 

On first listen my overriding impression is that the arrangements and use of instruments outside of Bruce’s palette (to date) are more interesting than the songs themselves.

 

It's a more thematic, cohesive album than Magic, I'll say that. All the songs almost reference each other.
But I love Magic.

 

First impression is highly favourable, though Bruce looms so large in my musical taste that it takes time to get over my vast expectations and just absorb what's there, especially when it's a departure from the rock template.
That said, the title track was the immediate standout, just beautiful. I also liked the way the first two tracks complemented each other - as if the character in the second was the carefree youngster in the first, only 30 hard years later. This novel-like approach is one of the best things about him.
Already looking forward to a second listen.

 

Enjoyed your insightful post, and it brought on a bit of sadness for me. I have yet to listen to the record, but I think there is a part of Bruce in all his songs (regardless of what he says about it all being 'magic' or a trick).

 

I have been through the album 1 and 3/4 times. Really impressive.

I love that he has gone so far outside his comfort zone - there is not much in common with Nebraska or Tom Joad or D&D save for the character angle of the lyrics. Musically speaking, really quite unlike anything else in his canon.

I wasn't really worried about the strings/orchestral approach but I was ambivalent about how it would come across - but I am really pleasantly surprised at how comfortable he sounds with the arrangements. And that comfortability seems to have helped the vocals more than a little.

To my ear, this is some of Bruce's best singing ever. Perhaps I am overly enthusiastic here but that's my initial reaction - I think it is the up close, relaxed vocals, rolling out of his lower registers - in a way, it's not too far off from how Tom Petty sounded on Wildflowers - which, as an aside, I wasn't super enthusiastic about at the time but was really impressed with how at home with his own voice Tom sounded - I get the same feeling for a lot of this album. Not all of it, some of the higher register stuff sounds... hmmm maybe a little too smooth - but, whatever, I am not one to try and press felony charges over some details when the whole is good strong.

I disagree with the reviewers that are knocking Sleepy Joe's and There Goes My Miracle as being to peppy, upbeat for the rest of the album.... I think a bit of dynamic shift helps, actually. The album, sonically, is very much of a piece and different shades of very similar colors so the jaunty Joe's is welcome to my ears.

I appreciate Bruce stretching like this - much like the enormous work David Byrne must've done to get his recent stunning tour off the ground and running.... Bruce didn't need to do this at this stage of the game and I am assuming it was no small effort to see Western Stars through from original idea to today.

 

Nice production. The best since 1984 in my mind. It's an enjoying and breezy listen. His vocals are very good.
I'm pleasently surprised. Didn't think he had it in him

 

Can anyone tell me how the CD sounds? Is it horribly compressed?

 

First impression is pretty good. A few clunkers, but I think it works.
Some of these could re-worked into good arrangements for the band.

 

I listened this afternoon on headphones. Absolutely beautiful album to my ears, and some of his best writing in ages. I'm really looking forward to sitting down with it later and reading the lyrics alongside because some of this stuff is positively Steinbeckian. I've always been a great admirer of Bruce's storytelling capabilities and this album puts that aspect of his writing front and center. I'm thrilled that the craft of the stories was not lost in the new and shiny production/arrangement style. But the sound of the thing is wonderful, too. And I concur with everyone praising his voice on here. It is both sonically and emotionally stirring for me.

He should be proud of this one. It doesn't have the workmanlike quality of the last few records. It feels like a fresh perspective for him, which is what other great songwriters have pushed for in the autumns and winters of their careers.

 

I think this one has crept in my top 10 for Bruce.
1. Nebraska
2. The River
3. Born In The USA
4. Tunnel Of Love
5. Lucky Town
6. Ghost Of Tom Joad
7. Western Stars
8. Darkness
9. Human touch
10. Born To Run

 

First few listens: definite top 10, possible top 5. Mind, I’m the sort of person who rates most of the newer stuff (Working On A Dream and Wrecking Ball being exceptions), and would probably consider Reno to be his best song.

 

Tunnel of Love =

 

Some tracks fine, others compressed a la Magic