Sparks fly on E Street

[Kensterberg]

JAC -- are we gonna write-up the live box or go straight to Tunnel of Love next?

[JACkory]

I'll have to read your Born In The USA review tomorrow, as I've checked in here too late to properly take it in.
I'm probably going to write up the Live box, but I have to take it in increments and that's slowing me down. It'll probably be short and sweet, in contrast to the broad scope of the album. Truth be told, I'm just not all that crazy about live albums these days. But there are surely aspects of Bruce's first live release that I find enjoyable. The stories are cool. The band is tight as hell. The sound quality on "Two Hearts" is so much better than the dismal sound on The River that it almost has the power to elevate the song in my estimation.
Other stuff I may or may not get to.
But I am definately looking forward to doing Tunnel of Love. I fear I will make a fool of myself, though, as I have done periodically in my other pieces.

[Kensterberg]

Sounds good to me, JAC. When we get there, I may just treat Human Touch/Lucky Town/MTV 'Plugged as one unit. Or I may write-up the two studio records and do the live one separately. But there are things I want to say about that live release, so I'm definitely going to give it a full treatment.

I'll do a short review of the big live box tomorrow, maybe.

Looking forward to exchanging views on Tunnel of Love. I know what both of our overall ratings are going to be, though. At least I know what mine is already.

[JACkory]

I guess it's becoming a bit repetitious, me saying how well-written and thoroughly enjoyable your Springsteen reviews are. So just assume that such is my opinion and save me the trouble of typing it.

I think I probably like "Darlington County", "I'm Going Down", and "Working on the Highway" more than you do, but yeah, there's no way anyone could say they are among his very best. All three are very enjoyable, though, and I very much like the stories that the first and last tell. Really funny stuff.
And I am in total agreement as to the songs that connected with you. I'd almost put "I'm on Fire" on that list.
It's already been established that I don't like "Glory Days", but I must say, a couple of weeks ago my band (which I no longer play with) was at this club (ie. bar) and during a break someone stuck some money in the jukebox and played "Hungry Heart" and "Glory Days". To my surprise I found that "Glory Days" didn't sound half bad in that setting. Who knows but that Bruce didn't foresee it being blared from jukeboxs in smoky dark pubs and geared it towards that situation?
Can't say I was all that impressed with the clientelle of this establishment's taste in music they played on that jukebox, but at least one person knew what they were doing when he/she played those songs!

Have patience, but it may be a little bit of time before I can assimilate Live 1975-1985.

[Ayinger]

"Glory Days" used to always get under my skin a bit too but it had its moment for me at this suprise performance on the final Letterman show for NBC:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=cB35yLkZEmQ

...bit tinny of a recording but seeing it originally happen live was a high.

[upinkzeppelin2]

Just got Nebraska in the mail today and DAMN I'm loving it.

[Galactus]

When I first listened to the Seeger Sessions disc I really liked it's fun and has alot of energy but by about the third all that turned into cheeze. Yes, Cheeze with a "z". That's not good cheese. So I was a bit cautious with this live offering in fear he'd turned a few old favorites into clunky folkish singalongs. I was pleasantly surprised to find that while has in fact done that it'snot as bad as I feared. I think it's better then the studio disc, the audience energy makes a big difference. The show kicks off with the third rearrangement of Atlantic City and the E-street bad version changed the toned to dirty more determined rocker, this one is almost tragically hopeful. The following traditional tunes sound pretty close to the studio versions, with the energy still intact but the cheeze toned down. Eyes On The Prize is a song that could actually remain in Bruce's cannon after this tour ends. The reworking of Further On Up The Road, like Atantic City, doesn't really work but isn't bad either. The waltz take of If I Should Fall Behind is interesting but does nothing to add to the song. Patti Scalfa should really let Soozy Tyrell handle more of backing but we all know what happens when you're married to the man who's name's on the marquee. Highway Patrolman is the first of Bruce's older songs that this band really does justice too. Not quite as stark as the Nebraska original but how could it be? It's never going to replace the solo readings in anyone's mind but it works. Open All Night becomes a boogie singalong that is better then it should be and would be much better without the "Sessionettes" dooten dooting...as would the entire set for that matter, luckily the majority of Open's eight minutes is used for soloing. Growin' Up gets the standard Session band treatment and is pleasant enough, it certainly fairs better then Atlantic City or Further On. Bruce then does the opposite with Whe The Saints Go Marching In he slows it down and different members take the lead vocal, it's actually quite nice. I had imagined it being obnoxious but it isn't thankfully. Blinded By The Light might be the best recasting here, taking almost a ska bounce and slowed down just enough that Bruce doesn't get winded half way through each verse.

The biggest problem is the same with the studio album, it's based on a gimmick and almost none of this works outside of this context. The singalong sections are too long, Pay Me My Money Down's six minutes feel like sixteen. Marc Anthony Thompson's soulful bluesy vocals compliment Springsteens, he takes a couple leads and is a welcome addition. The ladies are a different story, I've never been a fan of this style of backing vocals anyway so let's just say I don't like this either and not mention Patti's epileptic seizure inducing vibrato. Overall the traditional songs stand up better in the live setting. I think this would be a lot of fun if you were there and it's still fun if you weren't. Now, please make another e-street band album.

Rating: 7 out of 10 for execution, 5 out of10 when you realize this a slight period that doesn't add in anyway to Springsteen's future music, it's a sidebar, a break from from real goings on and in some ways a waste of time.

Best Tracks - Eyes On The Prize, How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times And Live, When The Saints Go Marching In, Love Of The Common People

Worst tracks - Pay Me My Money Down, Jesse James

[Kensterberg]

Excellent review, DED. I've been avoiding listening to this ... and haven't even checked out any other reviews yet, but you've both raised my interest in this project, and left me wondering when (if?) Bruce will get back to the real meat of his career. Like you, I enjoyed my first few times through the Seeger Sessions, but find it wore thin awfully quick.

Is this only available in another of those gawdawful DualDisc formats like Bruce's last two studio records? If it is, then I may boycott the official release of this one, as I hate that format. If I can buy it on a regular CD, then I'll wait until I can buy it (after the fifteenth) to get it.

[KooL]

Springsteen's currently working on a new album. What's wrong with DualDiscs? I've never actually bought one, just wondering...

[Kensterberg]

DualDiscs are thicker than a standard CD or DVD, and so computers (or car stereos) with slot loading drives don't tend to like them. So I have to go to a computer w/a tray loading drive in order to rip it to mp3/AAC, which is a pain in the ass. Also, I have a really nice Sony CD/DVD player from back when Sony's position was "we're supporting discs which accord with the official CD standard, and that's it" which won't read the CD side of the DualDisc, which means I can only play the DVD side there, which is a pain in the ass as well (can't put it on shuffle w/other discs, have to turn on the TV to cue up the LP, etc.).

And basically, I just don't like 'em. I'd much rather just buy a CD that will play in my computers with no problem, and in my car or anywhere else. If I want the extras from the DVD side, sell me a separate DVD.

I don't know if it's just a coincidence, but Bruce's last two albums have both been available only on DualDisc, and they are easily the least listened to new releases of his I've ever bought. Hell, I practically wore out Tom Joad in comparison.

[KooL]

Yeah, I think I've heard the thickness complaints before. I'm sure they'll stop making them once they see it costs them record sales. Just like they've stopped producing copy protected CDs because of similar complaints. It really should be the consumer's right to do whatever he wants with the CDs he paid for [rip, copy etc].

[Galactus]

It's not a dual disc, you can buy just the CDs, the CDs+DVD or just the DVD. I got just the CDs.

[Kensterberg]

Cool. Then I guess I'm going to buy it next week(ish).

[Galactus]

Also I'm pretty sure the "American Land Edition" of the Seeger Sessions isn't a dualdisc, it's a standard CD and DVD...if you already bought the other though I'm not sure it's worth buying twice.

[Kensterberg]

I bought the Seeger Sessions right away, and I'm not gonna shell out for it again. I'll d/l'd the extra tracks if I ever feel the need to hear them. As it sits, I'm gonna be buying the new one largely out of a sense of obligation -- it is the new Springsteen, and I said that if Bruce would just release things as CDs rather than DualDiscs, I'd keep buying 'em.