Bruce Springsteen - Working on a Dream (Deluxe Version with bonus DVD)
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Free Music Notes for Working on a Dream (Deluxe Version with bonus DVD)
Free Music Review: Another Home Run for Bruce
Hit: 5 Stars
Working on a Dream is an album that cannot be completely savored and absorbed within one listen. The sound of this album is epic in its production and the mix is pretty close to perfect. (unlike the equally great Magic that preceded Working). Anyone expecting the same Springsteen that rocked through the 70's and mid 80's will be disappointed. Bruce is an artist that can always be trusted to evolve and he has never let us down in that respect. From the sprawling opening of Outlaw Pete to the beautiful and quaint closing with The Wrestler, the songs featured in this album vary in style and sound. While the song My Lucky Day is the closest to traditional Bruce that you'll get on this album, that doesn't mean that everything else lacks in quality. Queen of the Supermarket is a beautiful song that captures the feel of sudden love, a theme that runs throughout the album. What Love can Do is a catchy song that will have you bobbing your head and tapping your feet. Life Itself is another amazing addition to the album that has incredible lyrics. Tomorrow Never Knows is a brief but rich song that has its roots in folk (the inspiration from Pete Seeger is evident in this one). The title track is a nice "Springsteenian" pop song that will surely bring a good mood. Surprise, Surprise is the most pop sounding song on the album (and in my opinion the weakest, but at the same time not a bad song by any means). The Last Carnival is an incredible song that captures the image of the carnival taking downs its tents for the last time. Good Eye is a quick little track that is all blues (much like Bruce's Halloween track Night with the Jersey Devil). This Life is another good addition to the album, but will most likely not be the first song you think of when Working on a Dream (album) comes to mind. Overall this is a solid album from Springsteen. While the sound is different, it is perfectly capable of being compared with any of Bruce's classic albums. As long as you don't pop in the disc expecting to hear tracks that could be found on Born to Run or Darkness of the Edge of Town than you are surely going to enjoy this new album thoroughly. Bruce Springsteen is an unstoppable force in the world of music, and he proves his everlasting talent on this whirlwind of a great album.Free Music Review: Ignore the cynical nostalgia buffs. This album is brilliant.
Hit: 5 Stars
Ignore the cynical nostalgia buffs. This album is brilliant., January 31, 2009
By Jason C. Brayshaw (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia) - See all my reviews
Working on a Dream is not a flat out, Jersey bar rocker. Nor is it Nebraska or Ghost of Tom Joad Part II. And it is not an album about small town hoodlums drinking beer on the New Jersey shore. Instead this is an album of sweeping and majestic songs about love, hope, faith, and mercy - and the belief in staying positive against the changing times that affect us all. That said, the album's lyrical themes are perhaps more in line with the Beach Boys 'Pet Sounds' album than any other Springsteen album in the past.
Yes, the same characters that we've come to know and become familier with, from albums like Born in the USA, Tunnel of Love etc, surface again here on this album. Sure, the restlessness of Springsteen's characters are still expressed here, but rather this album is about the acceptence of the passing of time - when it moves too fast or grinds down so slow that it drives you spare. But it's not all malencholia either. Despite the bittersweetness of the album's melodies and arrangements, there is a sense of celebration here and a feeling of gratitude toward all that one has good in their life - however small.
I can understand the sentiment many had regarding the mix and sonic layout of Magic. A great album, yes, but at times the mix was very murky indeed. However, there is nothing to worry about here. The production and mix is so gorgeous and clear.
Key tracks: Working on a Dream (the opening bars are so Brian Wilson, it's stunning), My Lucky Day (vintage Bruce; this one), This Life (another breath taking Brian style intro), and Kingdom of Days (this song alone is what this album is all about: taking stock in yourself, and being true to your friends and loved ones).
So, if you're one of those Bruce fans who still thinks he lost it after 1975 you probably won't like this album, which I think is pretty sad. Is it his best album? Perhaps not. But then again which Springsteen album is? Sit down, don't talk, and play this album again. Listen . . . listen.
Free Music Review: Oh the Humanity!
Hit: 5 Stars
I think I'll make my first observation: This is a "win some and lose some" album. That means that it will both attract fans and repel them.
Springsteen fans tend to be very territorial over the style of music Bruce records. Some like the Asbury Park period, some like the Born in the USA period, others like the in between period (1986-1998), others like the Rising period, etc. Any deviation from their particular favorite period brings a backlash of criticism.
Now as for myself, I actually enjoy it all. I enjoy listening to a bunch of random Springsteen songs in chronological order just to hear the changes in songwriting and arranging. That is why I enjoy this album so much. If I want to listen to back catalogue, I can go to the back albums themselves. If an artist comes out with a new album, I want to see how they've grown.
This album is a very fun but thought provoking exercise in hearing the whole group of musicians have fun doing what they do. A polar opposite of 2007's "Magic", this album has a much more upbeat and positive collection of songs. Even in the positive atmosphere, there is a marked sadness in "The Last Carnival", a song remembering recently deceased organist Danny Federici. All in all, the album shows great creativity in exploring new sounds and seeing what this group of musicians can accomplish.
Some fans may not like this approach, and to them I off the advice spoken by guitarist/vocalist Little Steven Van Zandt: "Just listen to the album and have fun!"
On to the DVD. The DVD offers a great video of "Night with the Jersey Devil", as well as a very intimate taping of the recording sessions. What I love about this DVD is that it can make you appreciate the music even more because you can see the songs being developed. It shows the raw reaction to the news of Danny Federici's death, shows the gang laughing it up, and even shows them making mistakes. After all, they are human beings, too!
Free Music Review: Grammy Quality Album
Hit: 5 Stars
This is a great album, a true artistic stretch once again. I was shocked to see so many bad reviews, but something tells me a few John Mcain lovers felt a little left out. As always, the harshest critics are those who never dare to create or take risks themselves. I have read the bad reviews and clearly many have not been able to reach beyond high school and grow into maturity with Bruce. I think this album should win 2-5 grammys. Every song is great, many harken back to an older, 70's feel lyrically, a few take me back to the Born In The USA era. I think this decade has brought his best work. When I first listened to the rising I didn't like it that much, now it is one of my favorites, and I suspect some of the lower reviews may have this same issue. Bruce changes and grows so much between albums, that it can be hard to digest at first, then a few months later it just sounds like another Springsteen album. I find the tunes here to be very melodic, and I keep hearing them in my head all day long. The video has an awesome, mind blowing song on it that all Halloween lovers will love. I really thank Bruce for this treat, and think maybe he should try to do a movie if he can act that good. If you're a Bruce fan, you'll love this. I loved this one on the first play. It ain't Born to run, but we already have that album. Quality wise, I consider this just as good, just different. Bruce does speak to working man on this more than he has in 24 years, and yes that's an authentic voice, he is a working man, and he got rich through hard work and his own creativity, not stealing people's 401k money, or taking a huge salary to run a comapany he didn't even start. There is no shame in making a fortune from your own creativity and hard work. Bruce doesn't hire a Chinese guy to go out on stage for him, he does the work, and the sound and production put into this album had to be a lot of work. Great Job Bruce.Free Music Review: Working On My Dreams
Hit: 5 Stars
For the past 10 years or so, I've been a very avid fan of Springsteen's work. That may not sound like much, considering when he began recording, but consider the fact that that 10 years is half my life, and it's a huge deal. I'm very familiar with his work, including B-sides and other little bonuses, and this album ("Working On A Dream") struck me, at first, as a B-side album to "Magic." My opinion has since changed very much. From the opening 8-minute journey through the life of Outlaw Pete to the musings of a wrestler past his prime, Bruce has once again done what he does best - he's taken the life of an individual person in society, taken their story, and turned it into something fantastic and new, all the while maintaining the accuracy and intricacy of all the little details of that person's story. Yes, he's done it before, but each time it's something new, and each time, it's fantastic. This album is no exception. I've come to love it very much.
The bonus DVD is a nice feature; it gives a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the album, and in one or two cases it shows the music video for a song as well. The music video to "A Night With The Jersey Devil" can be found online, but here you have a copy to watch whenever you want, whether you are connected to the internet or not.
The packaging is very nice, though you can't take the lyric booklet out of it. It's attached to the inside of the front flap of the album cover, while the CD is in a sleeve in the middle section and the DVD is in the right-hand section.
The only negative I have is that the CD case was bent slightly and wrinkled in the corners during shipping. It's not a huge deal, but it was mildly annoying.