Whether he knew it or not, Bruce Springsteen ushered in a new era of his career with the release of 2002's The Rising, an era that has continued through 2007's Magic, and an era that has waited in anticipation for this year's Working on a Dream. If Working serves as any milestone in Springsteen's three decade career, it acts as a stamp on a second era, indicating the end of a musical peak initiated with The Rising.
The album's opener, "Outlaw Pete", is an eight minute epic complete with soaring synth-strings and heavy vocal reverb. This ambitious leading track is a contender for the best on the album, dripping with the gruff passion and spot-on songwriting that fans have come to expect from Springsteen. The echoing chorus of "Can you hear me?" is haunting and powerful, the cornerstone of a song that would not have been out of place on We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions or even The Rising.
Unfortunately, the majority of Working on a Dream fails to hit the mark set by "Outlaw Pete". The album's title track is slightly bouncier and more melodic, reminding the listener of some of the more likeable songs on Magic. "Working on a Dream", however, is soaked in lyrical cliche, and over half of the lyrics consist of the line "I'm working on a dream".
The lyrical quality continues to slide downhill in the album's deadweight track "Queen of the Supermarket". This song joins a long list of love songs written to nameless grocery store girls, only to fall short of all others that come to mind. The music's synth soaked 80's feel channels Meatloaf style frills, with Patti Scialfa sealing the comparison by crooning the song's title behind Bruce.
The next track, "What Love Can Do", is an acoustic guitar driven pop tune suitable for Top 40 radio. The song almost acts as a fulcrum, tipping the album into mediocrity by the end of its last organ tinged chorus. The half of the album that follows is largely forgettable, punctuated by a few gems along the way. "Tomorrow Never Knows" sounds like a We Shall Overcome outtake, with Bruce's vocals sounding the most honest since "Outlaw Pete". "Surprise Surprise" tries hard to be more lackluster than "Queen of the Supermarket", and only falls short by inches. Its lyrics act as reminders of why listeners skip half of the tracks on Magic.
"The Last Carnival" is the last proper album track, and is a fitting closer. Bruce growls end-of-the-day-is-coming lyrics over a sparse arrangement, using a powerful tune to seal the deal on a somwhat lacking collection of songs.
The real gem lies in The Boss's contribution to the movie The Wrestler. A somber acoustic tune tacked onto the end as a bonus track, the song is reminiscient of Devils and Dust, which served as a direction changing record for Springsteen.
Bruce Springsteen has built an undeniable legacy, and while Working on a Dream is certainly no Born To Run, it serves as the fourth in a series of albums that act as a document of the second coming of his career. If "The Wrestler" is any indication, another Devils and Dust is just around the corner.
The album's opener, "Outlaw Pete", is an eight minute epic complete with soaring synth-strings and heavy vocal reverb. This ambitious leading track is a contender for the best on the album, dripping with the gruff passion and spot-on songwriting that fans have come to expect from Springsteen. The echoing chorus of "Can you hear me?" is haunting and powerful, the cornerstone of a song that would not have been out of place on We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions or even The Rising.
Unfortunately, the majority of Working on a Dream fails to hit the mark set by "Outlaw Pete". The album's title track is slightly bouncier and more melodic, reminding the listener of some of the more likeable songs on Magic. "Working on a Dream", however, is soaked in lyrical cliche, and over half of the lyrics consist of the line "I'm working on a dream".
The lyrical quality continues to slide downhill in the album's deadweight track "Queen of the Supermarket". This song joins a long list of love songs written to nameless grocery store girls, only to fall short of all others that come to mind. The music's synth soaked 80's feel channels Meatloaf style frills, with Patti Scialfa sealing the comparison by crooning the song's title behind Bruce.
The next track, "What Love Can Do", is an acoustic guitar driven pop tune suitable for Top 40 radio. The song almost acts as a fulcrum, tipping the album into mediocrity by the end of its last organ tinged chorus. The half of the album that follows is largely forgettable, punctuated by a few gems along the way. "Tomorrow Never Knows" sounds like a We Shall Overcome outtake, with Bruce's vocals sounding the most honest since "Outlaw Pete". "Surprise Surprise" tries hard to be more lackluster than "Queen of the Supermarket", and only falls short by inches. Its lyrics act as reminders of why listeners skip half of the tracks on Magic.
"The Last Carnival" is the last proper album track, and is a fitting closer. Bruce growls end-of-the-day-is-coming lyrics over a sparse arrangement, using a powerful tune to seal the deal on a somwhat lacking collection of songs.
The real gem lies in The Boss's contribution to the movie The Wrestler. A somber acoustic tune tacked onto the end as a bonus track, the song is reminiscient of Devils and Dust, which served as a direction changing record for Springsteen.
Bruce Springsteen has built an undeniable legacy, and while Working on a Dream is certainly no Born To Run, it serves as the fourth in a series of albums that act as a document of the second coming of his career. If "The Wrestler" is any indication, another Devils and Dust is just around the corner.
~Justin
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