Bruce Springsteen : Wrecking Ball

<img src="http://www.qromag.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/brucespringsteenwreckingball.jpg" alt="Bruce Springsteen : Wrecking Ball" /><br /> <i>Wrecking Ball </i>signifies a new direction for ‘The Boss’ - both a homage to his rock balladry, yet a distinctly...
Bruce Springsteen : Wrecking Ball
8.0 Columbia
2012 

Bruce Springsteen : Wrecking Ball Wrecking Ball signifies a new direction for ‘The Boss’ – both a homage to his rock balladry, yet a distinctly modern, soulful, gospel-graced, and occasionally R&B-esque record.  An oldie meddling with the new can often be cringe-worthy.  However, Springsteen aptly blends traditional and contemporary styles, evidenced on “Rocky Ground” and “Land of Hope and Dreams”.  His timeless song writing shines through on this record, glistening with infectious enthusiasm, as opposed to the maudlin schmaltz of his last, 2009’s Working On a Dream (QRO review).  The only area that does the album a disservice is the over-elaboration of ideas, extended track-times that frequently diminish the ‘punch’ of songs.  Nevertheless, the diverse cross-section of styles does much to counteract the abovementioned defect. 

Delta Blues meets the American frontier dressed in Pop on “Easy Money”; “Death of My Hometown” achieves cohesion of Celtic melodies, rocky rhythms and guitar hooks; a stirring of Mariachi and Americana is dexterously showcased on “We Are Alive”.  Conversely, “Jack of All Trades” is a moving piano ballad invested in standard cadences and melodic sequences to emphasise simple, poignant and somehow-not-corny lyricism.  A moving sidenote – posthumous saxophone recordings of Clarence Clemons’ appear on the tracks “Wrecking Ball” and “Land of Hope and Dreams”.  As expected, both solos are wonderfully dynamic and vibrant.  His talent will be truly missed; fortunately these final pieces of his have been saved for posterity.        

Springsteen appeared musically aimless on his previous record, Working On a Dream.  Here, the ‘Swamps of Jersey’ (listen to the title-track) rocker has a clarity-of-vision equal to that found on 2005’s Devils & Dust.  While the latter depicted a conceptual collage of destitute, bottom-of-the world characters, Wrecking Ball is a fiery, biblical-referencing and socially conscious album with close thematic ties to Nebraska (1982), despite being musically dissimilar.  There is true anger in his voice, focussing heavily on social and economic injustice.  This is clear from the growl of “They brought death to my hometown boys” juxtaposed with images of war.  ‘The Boss’ is well and truly back with this carousing, purposeful stomp of an album. 

MP3 Stream: “Death To My Hometown

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