born to run (bruce springsteen)
This album grew on me in a hurry. The intense sincerity, Bruce's shout-singing excellence, the recurring themes of young, working class toughs with big dreams to get out of their grimy, oppressive towns, and the heartbreaking collapse of those dreams. Shiny cars, dirty streets, pretty girls. This album makes for a really nice combination of, thematic consistency and musical versatility. There were some tracks where I loved the thick, busy swirl of instruments; other songs where the twangy guitar and all that sax felt like too much, almost annoying a little.
"Thunder Road," for instance, is pretty good, but I fell in love with a slower, more subdued version of this song. I thought the entire sentiment of the song fit beautifully with the tender, acoustic version I heard. So I like this version but I can't love it, it just doesn't feel like the 'real' version for me. "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out" is really fun. Nice, upbeat, relaxed jam. "Backstreets" is a great, dramatic anthem- the organ gives it a very Dylan feel. And of course, some classic shout-singing on display in that one. "Born to Run" is the best Springsteen song- just beautiful, pounding energy, the surge of energy and passion. Classic. "Meeting Across the River," I liked a lot. A slow, melancholy song of a criminal in over his head- it feels almost theatrical, like the slow, sad number from a Broadway show. And "Jungleland" is a masterpiece. An epic. One of the most listenable ten minute songs I've heard, and a beautifully vivid story- almost west side story-esque.
Very relistenable, it grows well. Great stuff across the board.
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