Bruce Springsteen, 'Working on a Dream' (Columbia)
The Boss finally gets what he wants, but what about us?
By David Marchese 01.22.09 6:59 PM
What's good for our heroes isn't always good for us. Dylan found God and lost the lyrical plot. Prince scrubbed "slave" from his face and followed his purple muse down the rabbit hole. Bruce Springsteen? At 59, after 35 years of grappling with the dark side of the American Dream, Jersey's favorite son has reached a promised land of sorts -- he's got his man in the White House, happiness at home, and a gig headlining the Super Bowl. Does it get any better than that? If we're talking Working on a Dream, the answer, unfortunately, is yes.
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Mostly upbeat and major key, Springsteen's fifth studio album in six years plays like the sunlit counterpart to 2007's bleakly portentous Magic. But bliss isn't the Boss' bag. Without anything to push against, one of rock's most eloquent lyricists is in the awkward position of having little of interest to say.
At least he says his nothings sweetly. The classic pop- and folk-derived melodies of "Life Itself" and the title track sound almost sacred when borne aloft by the E Street Band's majestic thrust. Brendan O'Brien's heavily layered yet clearly defined production further amps up the arena roar -- his wall of sound is audible from outer space. The album-opening "Outlaw Pete" is a thrilling eight-minute epic, its stock "Whiskey in the Jar" story line redeemed by a booming vocal, seesawing guitar line, and galloping strings. And don't be surprised if you let out a "Big Man!" when Clarence Clemons rips a sax solo on "My Lucky Day." Elsewhere, touches of backwards guitar, distorted harmonica, and subtle vocal loops show that these ol'-time rock'n'rollers aren't afraid to experiment.
If only all the carefully crafted music weren't continually undercut by clunky, banal lyrics. The leadoff verse of "Thunder Road" forever earned Springsteen the benefit of the doubt, but this album's glut of platitudes ("When the sun comes out tomorrow / It'll be the start of a brand new day" from "Surprise, Surprise," for instance) seems more uninspired than everyman. Likewise, the hokey "The Last Carnival" proves for the umpteenth time that a song built on big-top metaphors is doomed to failure. But the lyrical nadir is undoubtedly "Queen of the Supermarket," a widescreen melodrama about a cashier crush that for sheer overkill rivals Adam Sandler's Broooce parody "Lunchlady Land." "A dream awaits in aisle number two?" Somebody get a mop.
As anyone who's ever seen him in concert can attest, Bruce Springsteen doesn't shy from hard work. But people work hardest when they're hungry; and the man's 12 new musically sturdy, lyrically iffy love songs and tall tales suggest that America's most beloved rock icon sags when he's satisfied. For the majority of people, that's to be expected. For a hero like Springsteen, it's a disappointment.
Watch: Bruce Springsteen, "My Lucky Day"
FACT: The best art comes from the worst times. Now that Obama's here to eradicate every crisis ever, things are going to get boring. I've loved Bruce's studio/live run this decade, but I think he's about to hit his second dry period, with "Working on a Dream" being his new "Tunnel of Love." Dude needs to take another break to recharge.
TRUE: if nothing else Bush was to thank for the best Springsteen material in decades (MAGIC is love), as well as the rise of TV on the Radio, Flobots, the Coup, RATM reforming (:D), Jack Johnson, Bright Eyes....
Bruce LIVES for his tours, but he can't go on tour without a new album to promote, which leads him to write when he doesn't have much to say. Though he can't have KNOWN he was gonna get his guy elected back when he was writing the album, so that complaint is the reviewer projecting.
I do agree though, the supermarket thing? Uh....sorry. No.
First of all, the lyrical topics of "The Last Carnival" are a reference to Danny Federici, organ player of the E Street Band. It's not an overblown metaphor, it's a direct sequel to those original songs like "Billy's Circus Story" from the first few albums. They're a tribute to one of his best friends, who died from melanoma last year. So you should know your background before you make statements like that. Also, the musical depth and variety of the album make up for the occasional whimsical lyric, and it is one of his lushest albums ever.
I am not a fan of even Springsteen's most famous work but his no frills/no pretense approach to music is one I have always admired.
Quite frankly this latest offering sounds tired and lacks the subtlety for which the Boss at times mastered.
So he's 59 now? Was this guy EVER young?
Jason Daniel Baker
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