Working on a Dream (Deluxe Version)

Working on a Dream (Deluxe Version)

Limited CD/DVD edition includes a bonus DVD that contains 30 minutes of behind-the-scenes footage on the making of the album. 2009 album by one of the finest American songwriters of his generation. Working on a Dream was recorded with the E Street Band and features 12 new Springsteen compositions plus a bonus track: 'The Wrestler'. . It is the fourth collaboration between Springsteen and Brendan O'Brien, who produced and mixed the album. Springsteen also wrote an eponymous song for Darren Aronofsky's 2008 film The Wrestler. The song, also titled 'The Wrestler' won the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song. SBME. 2009.

Review:
I liked about half of The Rising, but I never play it any more. Same for Magic. WOAD, after 4 full LOUD listens in the car this week, seems to be the best Bruce rock disc since Tunnel of Love.

If nothing else, it makes me think of what TOL might have sounded like as an E-Street album. By the way, I think if WOAD was EXACTLY the same but sung by Johnny Cash and produced by Rick Rubin it would be hailed as an all-time great album. But so many Bruce fans are haters (that's a whole mental study waiting to be done) it even gets bashed on home turf.

I know there are a lot of folks who wish for 1970's retreads, and that's cool, but I like the fact that Bruce has changed his sound a lot lately and still has not produced duds of the magnitude Dylan and the Stones have. That's pretty remarkable.

Anway, haters click out. Open minders, read on for quick thoughts on a few tracks.

Outlaw Pete - This has been called an attempt at a murder ballad, and also has been ripped for the baby lyrics. If you follow American music pre-1960 you'll see the kind of bragging that leads to legends of diaper wearing baby thieves. It is not a murder ballad in the traditional sense, but it is a pretty iconic outlaw story. And I love how each time "Can you hear me" comes around it has a different meaning, from the young Pete seeking attention to the "ghost" Pete calling out for his daughter.

Queen - The same melancholy stalking that made "I Wanna Marry You" creepy fun is back. What guy hasn't seen a checkout girl he thought about taking home? It's just that most of us never turned the idea into art. By the time the high pitched backing vocals come in, this song is in a sonic swirl worthy of anything Bruce has done.

WOAD - It is a folk song. I bet it is the one from this album that people are covering 20 years from now.

Good Eye - I keep hitting replay to hear when Max and Garry come in. Damn that grooves!

Tomorrow Never Knows - Again, if it were Johnny Cash, we'd be bowing down.

The Byrds Set
Life Itself - Kingdom Of Days - Surprise, Surprise

This is one of the best three-in-a-row stretches he has ever had. Life Itself, with its twisting backtracked guitars has the burbling drone from verse 2 on that is classic late-era Byrds. Kingdom of Days continues the feel mixed with a little Beatles - is that Yoko signing?, while the incredibly catchy Surprise, Surprise sounds like McGuinn and Lennon replaced Lofgren and VanZandt.

I favor folksy Bruce, so Last Carnival and The Wrestler are comfy places for me.

But unlike Magic where i skipped tracks at almost every listen, this is a straight-through disc for me.

I cannot believe how much I love it.

Rob

PS: One of the neat things about Bruce's career is that he can change his sound. Greetings through The River dic 1 are relatively similar. From The River disc 2 you start a more folk-styled blend that streaks through his work up to The Rising. But then, BITUSA, TOL and WOAD make a great trio of pop records.

And thing is, even on the panned pair of LT and HT, there are just great freaking songs. With Every Wish and I Wish I Were Blind are enough to warrant HT. And LT, I dare say most artists would be happy to write If I Should Fall Behind and My Beautiful Reward in their CAREERS, lest have them both on a lesser album.

The man has never released an album without great songs. That is unreal.

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