They might have a habit for smoke and mirrors in particular, but if you want to call Bruce and the whole E-Street Band, over this, liars who have released an extended documentary (and wider album promotion) to make an elaborate lie about how they recorded an album then I'd disagree. Yeah a couple of the songs were recorded before then. The regret is Bruce hasn't recorded this way before and has ended up with over produced material, particularly from Human Touch onwards.
I loved Western Stars, both the record and the film. It's actally one of my favorite Bruce Springsteen albums. How many other artists into their seventh decade are putting out music this vital, this relevant? Not many. Based on what I've heard so far, I am absolutely jazzed up for this album. I can't wait!
Rainmaker vocals sound like mid 2000s. I can't quite place Janey Needs A Shooter. It may be recent, but like you I wouldn't be surprised if it's really old. If not, then he's doing a really good impression of a 40 year old Bruce.
In one of the recent interviews with Springsteen, he said that "Rainmaker" is a holdover from an earlier project so you may be right. It could be an outtake from Magic, as it's at least thematically of apiece with that album.
I never would have guessed in a million years that “Janey Needs A Shooter” would have been included on a Springsteen album of new music. Never.
Power Of Prayer/House of 1000 Guitars were the last songs to click for me. They're WOADish with better lyrics. They're still the weakest things here but they've escaped the skip button. I wasn't crazy about LTY, liked Ghost well enough, but this is a great post-TOL Springsteen record.
I think "Song for Orphans" is one of his great songs. I've gone back and listened to the various versions from the 70s and live '05, and it seems like he couldn't ever quite settle on a chord progression/arrangement. I think the new version adheres most closely to the early solo studio demo, but there are elements from all the different versions. Personally, I think that's a good call. All sounds great with the full ESB too. What a track.
Things from The Promise would fit so much better in this type of album. The Brokenhearted, Breakaway, Spanish Eyes. Just record them live.
Thanks to a friend of mine here, I got to listen to the album today. On first listen, I can say it’s the best sounding Springsteen/ESB record from start to finish since Born In The USA. To me the 3 1970s era songs are the best tracks on the album. Those 3 performances are ferocious, inspired, and indeed reminiscent of 1965 Bob Dylan. Janey sounds like it was plucked right off Darkness, and the other 2 sound like they could be Highway 61 outtakes. I was initially unsure when I heard of their inclusion, but they are brilliant. But I also like a lot of the newer stuff as well, Rainmaker in particular. The only thing I’m not sure of is the 1000 Guitars song. But the performances are inspired, and the album is free of most of the annoying production tricks that he’s used in recent years. No twang. No bullet mic. Hardly any Patti. Blessedly little sax. No booms, thuds or choirs. It sounds very organic and natural, and the guitars sound fantastic. It’s a full bore rock record. We’ll see if and how it grows on me, but I think this is the one I was hoping he still had in him.
To me the three oldest songs ("Janey," "Orphans" and "Priest") music-wise all sound relatively new to me based on the production (not quite as clear and warm-sounding as an older track would sound). Bruce's vocals sound more recent, as well, and considering this he sounds great on those tracks. Only on "Priest" did I question if his vocals came from an older recording when I compared them to the newer songs, or even the other two older ones.
I suspect Janey Needs A Shooter may have some 1970's era elements. It could be a scenario where they took the foundation of the recording from a past outtake and built it up with mostly contemporary instrumentation and all new vocals. Easily one of the standouts from this new project, and a reminder of the stark difference between most of his contemporary writing and the greatness from decades past.
They clearly listened to the 1979 Telegraph Hill rehearsal track for guidance. But that track was recorded to a boom box, and I’m 99% sure this one is a modern performance. Very faithful to the 1979 version.
Ps nice to hear the return of the rock harmonica. Which was becoming an endangered species on Springsteen records.
I love the music and Bruce’s vocals, but the lyrics really start to grate by the 3rd or 4th listen. Very dated - who writes letters to their lover anymore? And like you say, he’s telling the lover about this letter that he’s written, apparently before it has been received. Maybe it was never even sent. Odd.
