Bruce Springsteen - Wrecking Ball Review

Wrecking Ball is the first Springsteen album of original material without the E Street band in over seven years. Debuting at number one on both sides of the Atlantic and most likely on this side of the Pacific there is little doubt that the Springsteen brand and message still resonates as loud as ever.

Released during the heat of an election year, the unmistakable voice of America’s workingman rings louder, truer and more directly that at any other time in Springsteen’s illustrious career. As Springsteen himself says, “My work has always been about judging the distance between American reality and American dream”. It would seem that his judgement has lead to an angry Springsteen that needs to get a lot off his chest.

Despite his “no image” image, Springsteen has always been acutely aware of where he sits in the American cultural landscape. No other major mainstream artist has done more in recent times to shape their own legacy. Never afraid to talk in depth about his current and past works including The Promise a carefully crafted and publicized release of a double CD compilation of previously unreleased songs drawing from the Darkness on the Edge of Town sessions. It is clearly with one eye on his legacy that Springsteen has thrown down the gauntlet with Wrecking Ball, a legacy planted firmly in the tradtion of Guthrie, Seeger and Dylan before him.

Consisting of 13 new tracks, some as in the case of instantly anthemic Land of Hope and Dreams ten years in the making, it is clear that Springsteen believes that there is a wide and deep disparity between the reality and ideal of American life with the fracturing of the dream in the fall out of the GFC and the economic hangover of conducting two unfunded wars continues to widen the gap between wall street and main street.

The absence of the E Street band and the newly formed collaboration with producer Ron Aniello has refreshed his sound and added a subtler multi layered texture to the songs that contrast with the brutally frank lyrics ( see Rocky Ground).

At 62 Springsteen’s gravel worn voice underlines the power and the anger in his unambiguous lyrics. As with all his work, Springsteen’s provides good time music for hard times, whether the subject be a returned a Vietnam veteran, a drifter spending the night underneath an over pass or America itself. Wrecking Ball will appeal to Springsteen fans and provide a much needed voice for the millions that continue to face hard times in an unfair world.

4.5 our of 5

Album highlights: Wrecking Ball, This Depression, We Take Care of Our Own, Rocky Ground and Land of Hope and Dreams

Originally published at www.danieljames.com.au