I've been on a bit of a Bruce kick recently, and after much deliberation, I have concluded the best Bruce Springsteen Album to be....
Darkness on the Edge of Town
Discuss :)
I have to say, Born to Run is my favorite Springsteen album. It was one of the first albums I got for Christmas when I was like 12. I could say it's all because of Jungleland, but there's some sentimentality with me and that whole record, from start to finish. It's harder for me to judge older records like that, b/c I don't base it solely on the music; that's the thing about music (to me), is it the music or what the music reminds you of? Where you were, what you were going through, who you knew, how that certain record helped to deal with or cope with A,B,C, etc... Born to Run is one such record.
However, there are times, when Nebraska is my favorite.
my other choices, in no particualr order:
The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle
Greetngs from Asbury Park, NJ
Darkness on the Edge of Town
darkness on the edge of town and nebraska
tied.
Darkness on the edge of town.
After several sleepless nights, soul-searching and imagining a "what would I say if someone held a loaded gun to my head and forced me to choose one Bruce-album as the best"-situation, my vote goes to...
Darkness
Although the live-versions soon blew the album ones out of the water.
Born To Run comes in second
Wild, The Innocent is third (with a nomination for best side of vynil ever (Incident On 57th - Rosalita - NY City Serenade anyone??)
All this considering Live 75-85 is out of competion.
This is perfect timing. My wife and I both decided several days ago that we both kinda like some Bruce, but not all Bruce. Most of my idea of The Boss is what I was bombarded with as a child. Mid-80s, Born in the USA Boss. Hence, I've never been all that fond...
But in the last few years, songs like "Born to Run" and "Thunder Road" have caught my attention. AND, it seems like a bunch of folks that I listen to were highly influenced by the Boss (DBT and THS).
Patterson (from DBTs) recently did a set in Athens where he played quite a bit of "Darkness on the Edge of Town". There were several Athens bands performing a bunch of songs by their favorite artists. Also, his solo record, "Killers and Stars" gets compared to "Nebraska" all the time since it's an acoustic album made in his kitchen.
ANYWAY, keep these recommendations coming. I almost grabbed the Live 75-85 album a couple of days ago, but I've been doing some heavy thinking about which I should get. I'm fond of a good live comp, but I'm thinking I may start with a particular album this time.
I like Greetings, Born to Run and Nebraska for very different reasons, with Darkness and The River next up.
I'm seeing him live for the first time this Friday. I may explode with excitement before then, however.
Live 75-85 is unbelievably good.
Nebraska
I'm seeing a lotta love for Darkness here, but my vote goes to The Wild, The Innocent, and the E Street Shuffle.
I really, really love Born to Run too. That was the first Bruce album that really stuck with me at first listen. But overall, musically I feel Darkness is his best overall effort. To me Greetings and The Wild, The Innocent and the E Street Shuffle are very original, fun R&B infused records, Born to Run is a nearly perfect, detailed record, but Darkness is the best overall record of them all. Bruce set out to convey a theme and his own sound, and the overall feel and tone of that record is so powerful it hurts to listen to. Songs like "Badlands" and "The Promised Land" are the kind of fist-pumping anthems that are sort of universally applicable. Everyone has been stuck somewhere or in something holding them down, or trapped by the burdens of life, and those two songs sum up the essence of resilience almost perfectly.
Oh. and "Streets of Fire" :o
and to think what the album would be with "Fire" and "Because the Night" included....
I'll have to go with The Wild, The Innocent. Perhaps overexpsoure has spoiled Born To Run somewhat. Perhaps I'm at the age where I bascially identify less and less with the stories and the characters and more with the trapped claustrophobic desperation of Darkness (shit, that's cheered me up!). The Wild is just such a joyous record and his swansong with his greatest ever band. Vini Lopez especially should be mentioned as a fantastic, idiosyncratic drummer whose style perfeclty accentuated Bruces NJ narratives. Max Weinberg is a plodding and pedestrain 4/4 rock drummer in comparison. Something was lost when Bruce went for the more commercial sound of Max and the E Street Band in general. Lost forever I think. Check out the Live At The Main Point 1975 bootleg and the near 20minute version of New York City Serenade for the stunning proof of what that version of the band could do. Incredible really. And it also has a fantastic rendition of Dylans I Want You. Fuck it, just GET IT.
Like I said, I prefer Darkness to Born To Run today even if the production is a bit sterile. The songs stand up and Racing In The Street will always be something very special to me. Damn, that song spoke to me during a difficult time in my life like few others.
And, as has been noted above, the second side of The Wild is one of the all time greatest ever.
Nebraska. I'm not a huge Bruce fan but I really like this album.
QuoteI'll have to go with The Wild, The Innocent. Perhaps overexpsoure has spoiled Born To Run somewhat. Perhaps I'm at the age where I bascially identify less and less with the stories and the characters and more with the trapped claustrophobic desperation of Darkness (shit, that's cheered me up!). The Wild is just such a joyous record and his swansong with his greatest ever band. Vini Lopez especially should be mentioned as a fantastic, idiosyncratic drummer whose style perfeclty accentuated Bruces NJ narratives. Max Weinberg is a plodding and pedestrain 4/4 rock drummer in comparison. Something was lost when Bruce went for the more commercial sound of Max and the E Street Band in general. Lost forever I think. Check out the Live At The Main Point 1975 bootleg and the near 20minute version of New York City Serenade for the stunning proof of what that version of the band could do. Incredible really. And it also has a fantastic rendition of Dylans I Want You. Fuck it, just GET IT.
Like I said, I prefer Darkness to Born To Run today even if the production is a bit sterile. The songs stand up and Racing In The Street will always be something very special to me. Damn, that song spoke to me during a difficult time in my life like few others.
And, as has been noted above, the second side of The Wild is one of the all time greatest ever.
I agree with everything you said here.
Both Born To Run and Darkness seem to have a somewhat flawed production. BTR a little too glossy, Darkness a little too sterile. It's like they were unable to capture THAT much passion. The Wild, The Innocent on the contrary sounds exactly as it should and Vini Lopez is the perfect drummer for the early (Van Morrisson-esque) Bruce.
Though I do think you're a little to harsh on Max Weinberg. For me, he's the perfect fit for the more direct rocking Bruce.
Anyway, we agree that those who were turned off by Born In The USA should give the Wild, The Innocent a spin. They might be in for a surprise.
Quote
Though I do think you're a little to harsh on Max Weinberg. For me, he's the perfect fit for the more direct rocking Bruce.
Max is alright. He's just a meat and potatoes drummer that's all. It was a calculated move on Springsteen's and Landaus part to get in a simpler tub thumper to go along with the Born To Run songs. Whilst not necessarily a bad thing it is what it is. You can see it on the Hammersmith Odeon 1975 DVD for example. Check him out during Clarence's solo on Jungleland. Now Vini would have taken that to another level but Max can't you know? He just doesn't have it in him. At moments like that they definitely missed Vini I feel. It makes me laugh as well when I hear Max talking about that drum break on Born To Run that he's never been able to replicate. You know that really quick, jazz bit during the instrumental break? Poor Max!
I agree though that he was a better fit for that version of the E Street Band it's just that I happen to think the earlier version of the band was slightly more to my taste. But hey, they were/are still one of the all time great live acts and by 1975 they were colossal.
RIP Phantom Dan
Nebraska and Greetings...
QuoteNebraska and Greetings...
My sentiments exactly. Great minds... ;)
QuoteQuoteNebraska and Greetings...
My sentiments exactly. Great minds... ;)
Nice! 8-)
BTR... i can't help it.
QuoteBTR... i can't help it.
Also BTR for me. It was the first album I got when I was a kid, I still get blown away when I listen to it. But when I heard the early stuff (Greetings and Wild, also Tracks disc 1 much later on) I started to appreciate the original band a lot more. I've also always loved Nebraska, especially "Johnny 99"
Hope he breaks out some rare, early stuff when I see him on 7/27 8-)
Nebraska
Devils and Dust was alright...
Nebraska. Very sparse... I wish he would do more stuff like it.
Try and get hold of some of the live recordings from the Darkness tour in '78. Probably some of the best stuff Springsteen has ever done live.
Winterland Night, San Francisco, CA - 12/15/78
Capital Theater, Passaic, NJ - 09/19/78
Roxy, Los Angeles, CA - 07/07/78
Available here:
www.springsteenliveinconcert.com
Essential for Boss fans
Tie for me--Darkness and Born to Run
1977 maybe?
(http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f296/ycartrob/scan_imagea.jpg)
Darkness is the only Bruce album I own.
What does that mean?
Probably nothing! :-?
i only own Nebraska and LOVE it -
where should i go next?
My God... "Born To Run" without question for me! "Darkness" is most definitely right up there too... but I still get chills everytime I listen to the "Meeting across the River > Jungleland"... wow.
New album in January:
Bruce Springsteen's new album, Working on a Dream, will be released on January 26, 2009.
Recorded with the E Street Band and featuring 12 original Boss songs plus two new bonus tracks, the follow up to last year's Magic was produced and mixed by Brendan O'Brien.
Springsteen: "Towards the end of recording Magic, excited by the return to pop production sounds, I continued writing. When my friend producer Brendan O'Brien heard the new songs, he said, 'Let's keep going. Over the course of the next year, that's just what we did, recording with the E Street Band during the breaks on last year's tour. I hope Working on a Dream has caught the energy of the band fresh off the road from some of the most exciting shows we've ever done. All the songs were written quickly, we usually used one of our first few takes, and we all had a blast making this one from beginning to end."
The tracklisting looks like this:
1. Outlaw Pete
2. My Lucky Day
3. Working on a Dream
4. Queen of the Supermarket
5. What Love Can Do
6. This Life
7. Good Eye
8. Tomorrow Never Knows
9. Life Itself
10. Kingdom of Days
11. Surprise, Surprise
12. The Last Carnival
Bonus tracks:
The Wrestler
A Night with the Jersey Devil
I missed this thread the first time around:
Nebraska.
Although I suggest everyone get their hands on a good bootleg from sometime in the 77-79 era.
Nebraska and Born to Run
QuoteNew album in January:
Bruce Springsteen's new album, Working on a Dream, will be released on January 26, 2009.
Recorded with the E Street Band and featuring 12 original Boss songs plus two new bonus tracks, the follow up to last year's Magic was produced and mixed by Brendan O'Brien.
Springsteen: "Towards the end of recording Magic, excited by the return to pop production sounds, I continued writing. When my friend producer Brendan O'Brien heard the new songs, he said, 'Let's keep going. Over the course of the next year, that's just what we did, recording with the E Street Band during the breaks on last year's tour. I hope Working on a Dream has caught the energy of the band fresh off the road from some of the most exciting shows we've ever done. All the songs were written quickly, we usually used one of our first few takes, and we all had a blast making this one from beginning to end."
The tracklisting looks like this:
1. Outlaw Pete
2. My Lucky Day
3. Working on a Dream
4. Queen of the Supermarket
5. What Love Can Do
6. This Life
7. Good Eye
8. Tomorrow Never Knows
9. Life Itself
10. Kingdom of Days
11. Surprise, Surprise
12. The Last Carnival
Bonus tracks:
The Wrestler
A Night with the Jersey Devil
I wonder if Danny Federici played on any of this before he passed away?
I'd rather talk about Col. Bruce ;)
QuoteNebraska. I'm not a huge Bruce fan but I really like this album.
Since my orginal post I've become a bigger fan of Bruce. Born to Run and Darkness are both amazing Albums. Funny how long it has taken me to get these albums.
The Wrestler (full song!)
[media]http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=4OSvJvSwmd4[/media]
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=4OSvJvSwmd4
Nebraska.
QuoteNew album in January:
Bruce Springsteen's new album, Working on a Dream, will be released on January 26, 2009.
Recorded with the E Street Band and featuring 12 original Boss songs plus two new bonus tracks, the follow up to last year's Magic was produced and mixed by Brendan O'Brien.
Springsteen: "Towards the end of recording Magic, excited by the return to pop production sounds, I continued writing. When my friend producer Brendan O'Brien heard the new songs, he said, 'Let's keep going. Over the course of the next year, that's just what we did, recording with the E Street Band during the breaks on last year's tour. I hope Working on a Dream has caught the energy of the band fresh off the road from some of the most exciting shows we've ever done. All the songs were written quickly, we usually used one of our first few takes, and we all had a blast making this one from beginning to end."
The tracklisting looks like this:
1. Outlaw Pete
2. My Lucky Day
3. Working on a Dream
4. Queen of the Supermarket
5. What Love Can Do
6. This Life
7. Good Eye
8. Tomorrow Never Knows
9. Life Itself
10. Kingdom of Days
11. Surprise, Surprise
12. The Last Carnival
Bonus tracks:
The Wrestler
A Night with the Jersey Devil
some footage from the studio:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFNX64B63Zw
ps - 'born to run' is a timeless classic.