New Springsteen Album "Western Stars" June 14*

I'm not ready to rank Western Stars against his earlier work just yet. It has to be "lived in" for awhile.

That said, this album is certainly among his most listenable albums.
Ever.

 

So I guess I've got my first case of non-fill. Halfway during Stuntman it sounds like velcro ripping.
How the hell do I explain this to the store? Bought it at Mediamarkt with a giftcard, they'll have no clue what I'm yapping about...

 

Received the pale blue vinyl it a import from EU from Amazon.ca

After 2 listen my pressing is perfect no complain at all. Sounds great by the way. Really enjoying this one!

 

Anyone else think Moonlight Motel is a mature revision of The River? Both songs are pure Springsteen!

 

"Sundown" is by far my favorite track off Western Stars. So far, anyway!

 

now I have been listening to this latest work by Bruce for a week.
Well .. what to say? everything has already been said.
The only thing that really surprised me is the sound quality. Not 10 Cum Laude but in short, finally an acceptable thing.

And the music? ... well, I would give it a seven and a half / 8. Not bad, but not even a masterpiece.
anyway ... Thanks, mr. Springsteen!

 

Yes..

 

I love this song as well. I know it's not a "real" Springsteen track, but it's just so uplifting and is placed at exactly the right place on the album.
It's not "deep" at all---"I guess what goes around, baby, comes around....." and plenty of Springsteen fans hate it---or at least hate to admit that they like it--except in the sense that it's an ear worm that burrows deep inside your brain.

 

It's one of the few songs I like on the album

 

Love this song. My favorite detail is the line toward the end, " I pulled in and stopped into my old spot" . . . and he stops. There should be another line there, but it hangs in the air for few beats before he continues and I'm like "YEAH . . DON'T STOP, THEN WHAT HAPPENED??!" every time. Brilliant.

 

I can't figure out whether "Sundown"s about depression or about loneliness in general, but there's an emotional depth there, in the overall atmosphere of the song, that captivates me. The lyrics may not be "deep" per se, especially in light of Springsteen's past glories, but "Sundown" still does something to me.

 

Excuse me if this has been discussed already but I saw speculation that “sundown” might actually be about his mom’s dimentia. Apparently people who suffer from it can be fairly lucid all day but are affected by sundown and the change of light etc and drift away. Could be interpreted as his vision or reconciliation of where her mind goes at those times.

 

I am with both of you gentlemen on the brilliance and sheer splendor of SunDown, and along with Stones, The Wayfarer, Tucson Train, Western Stars (That orchestral interlude break after Bruce sings, "Where are you now?" is just majestic), Wild Horses, There Goes My Everything (How could I not love a song so closely intended as a tribute to a Roy Orbison song?), Hello Sunshine and Moonlight Motel. The two songs that I guess get the smallest amount of love on this thread, Sleepy Joe's Cafe and North Of Nashville, are not in my my top tier of songs from this album, but I still like them well enough. I do not skip any songs when listening to this album, which I have done almost daily since I first got it.

 

It does get better and better with each listen.

 

After loving this album since its release, I came to face the truth that the special vinyl cloud pressing from B&N, although lovely to behold, could sound better. Based on a comment here, I sprang for a European black pressing from Amazon.co.uk. Dead quiet, popless and flat, on all four sides. Problem solved, for about 25 bucks shipped.

 

I agree it gets better with each listen and I have found it helpful to have this and the rolling thunder tour box come out at the same time as I have been bouncing back-and-forth for over a month now I really enjoying both of these releases.

 

Moonlight Motel. Perhaps in the midst of the bills and kids and kids and bills you escape reality by going back in time to the memory of the girl who got away. It’s nice to think about her and imagine what could have been. You enjoy wallowing in those feelings of yearning but you realize that it’s dangerous to stay there too long. You walk too far you walk away. And besides, it’s not real. It’s empty and barren. You have a wife and kids that are very real and need you very much. Still the motel beckons you when you can’t sleep. And you want to make that midnight drive...

 

What's interesting that I feel like there's a lot of these types of phrases on this album that seem overly cliched or could have been written better. And yet it all works. There's something else going on with this album that I can't quite explain, but it goes back to the whole being more than the sum of its parts. Certainly the singing style and the instrumentation are big parts of it. And perhaps having those pedestrian moments actually helps in a "saltiness emphasizes the sweetness" kind of way.

Bruce has talked about how some of his songs are all built around one good lyric, and all the others lines are just a setup for it. I wish I could find that exact quote.

 

Maybe these simple lyrics are examples of Bruce trying to get over his admitted "writer's block" by just going back to the basics.

 

Ha!! I have had the same exact challenge explaining these issues to the store - so I stopped trying. Just tell them there are intermittent pressing issues and literally pieces of the vinyl are missing. Or just tell them it's defective - need a new one.

 

The Boss is coming: Springsteen says he will tour with E Street Band in 2020

 

Definitely curious about that Western Stars documentary mentioned at the end of the article.

 

"western stars' is very good, very very good.

 

Bruce Springsteen announces 'Western Stars' film, thanks fans for growing with him

Bruce Springsteen called into Sirius XM’s E Street Radio on Wednesday, July 10, to drop the news that a “Western Stars” film, directed by Thom Zimny, will be released by the end of the year. The Boss also talked about how his relationship with his fans allows his creative spirit to flourish in the 10-minute chat with Dave Marsh and Jim Rotolo.

 

Bruce also mentioned that the film is them playing the Western Stars album start to finish, and some other things. So, looks like we will hear a version of the songs live.