Bruce Springsteen - 'Essential' (Columbia)
3/5
By: Toby L
Brucie-boy has been a tough one to pin down across the years. And 'The Essential' doesn't help his case - merely nails shut the coffin of prior suspicion.
Unsure what we're insinuating? Just look at the evidence; one of America's most prolific, acclaimed and best-selling solo-stars of all-time - yet, look at some of the crap that's been produced along the way. Unforgivable. And much of it included herein.
The trouble has been focus. Springsteen enjoys a hugely loyal fanbase of millions, but - musically - whether veering seemingly aimlessly into commercial stadium-rock ('Born To Run'; the gurning euphoria of 'Born In The USA'), tuneful chart-pop ('Spirit In The Night'; '4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)'), or introspective dabblings in woeful acoustic meanderings ('Atlantic City'; 'The Ghost Of Tom Joad'), it's coherence that has critically lacked.
Of his three forms of songwriting, it's the latter that impacts hardest; armed with a mere guitar, empty studio and a crackle in his hearty throat, 'The Boss', as he is so revered, is positively mesmerising - a man with a tale and a heart, and the perfect channel to convey them, free of the gushing corniness that pollutes the sentiment of an otherwise classic single such as 'Dancing In The Dark'.
His return during the early-90s with 'Streets Of Philadelphia' proves that when he ditches the theatrics and assumes a minimalist tact, his personality and warble are enough to story-tell without compromising artistic-cred - moving, earnest, powerful.
Still, for every 'Glory Days', we get a 'Nebraska' - and that's part of the overall charm: just how much one single artist is able to transform in a resolutely stable career and retain such popularity, whilst divide in the process. A compendium advisably consumed with caution, simply remember that for every bump and hole in the road lays a glowing sunset in the distance to make the ride that touch more bearable.
Artists in this article: Bruce Springsteen
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