Western Stars

Yeah you heard it here first. After about 20 listen-throughs, I am still having a very visceral reaction to this album. With those 'voice of my generation' years ('73-'87) so far in the rear-view mirror, I sometimes forget what it felt like. This album does not belong to 2019, or (IMO) 1969 either, it just feels, well, timeless. At times clumsy, shlocky, poetic, perfect, vast, intimate, heartbreaking, so many things, but in the end- human. Right now I wish I could go see Bruce do this live at some theater with all the instrumentation that occurs on it (that's really when you know an album is truly good- when you want to see it performed.) Of course the critics will get it wrong; I did a little browsing of some of the 'professional' reviews, and no-one has even gotten close to the bottom of it yet (what a surprise!) What started with side two of 'The Wild, the Innocent, and the E St. Shuffle' has now come full-circle, and it's a great ride. P.S. On a side note, k.d. Lang should run, not walk, to the nearest studio and cover 'There Goes My Miracle.' Some Further Thoughts (7-29-19) OK, so after letting the album 'settle in' over the past few weeks (yes, I'm still listening to it way too much), I am quite happy with my initial knee-jerk review. Of course, it will take some time to decide if it truly is 'the best ever.' Without even getting into the gorgeously anachronistic soundscape of the thing (though why Bruce chose this particular 'feel' for it does, I think, connect with its message), there is one overarching theme that I haven't heard mentioned, and it is that it's not just about someone in the autumn of their life, but of an aging artist (albeit a hugely successful one) still grappling with the creative process- the self-doubt, the miraculous spark of creation that disappears all too quickly, and now, most importantly, the mortality of one's art ('miles to go are miles away'.) And let's face it, in his chosen field, pop music has the shelf-life of a gnat. It's right there, in the opener- the hitchhiker is a metaphor; it's his music he wants you to give a lift to. And of course in the incredible closing cut ('she was boarded up and gone like an old summer song'.) The stones/lies in his mouth, on his tongue- songs. In 'Somewhere North of Nashville', is he actually thinking about himself, and how long, in the grand scheme of things, 'his song' will last? He wants so much to believe those western stars will shine again, will be immortal (which, in a way, harkens all the way back to Atlantic City- 'everything that dies, some day comes back' ) On this level, it becomes something quite personal, and even more fascinating. It's been interesting, also, to read other people's thoughts about it, though some of the ludicrously negative things written in regard to its authenticity (he's from Jersey!!!) are laughable; my favorite western is 'The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance', and I'm quite sure John Ford was never a cowboy. I read recently that Bruce made a performance film of the album, which I suppose is the next best thing ( it really is a shame he's not going to tour this.) If he does an encore, does anyone have a guess? My choice, especially considering the presence of David Sancious on the album, is 'New York City Serenade' (listen to your junkman- he's still singin'.)

What is remarkable about Bruce Springsteen is not simply that he's one of the finest singer songwriters we've ever been privileged to hear, but the fact that over the course of what is now more than forty-five years his music has remained relevant, staying true to its essential folk-rock core while, incredibly, continuing to break new ground. In 1975, speaking of "Born to Run," he famously remarked that he "wanted to sing like Roy Orbison." All these years later, we at last get to hear the most relaxed and melodious vocals he's ever committed to record, with singing that recalls the golden age of sixties pop music as much as it does Bob Dylan or Woody Guthrie. On the first single, "Hello Sunshine," in particular, I could scarcely believe that the voice was Bruce's, at first. And yet his tonality has lost none of its distinctiveness, and remains instantly recognizable. The songs themselves blend elements of classic pop, folk, and country to produce a laid back and intimate set that seems closer to solo acoustic classics like "Nebraska" and "The Ghost of Tom Joad" than it does to "Born to Run" or "Born in the USA," and yet has a richer feel than any of those records. Springsteen's soaring rock anthems have often been characterized as magnificent--and rightly so--but here, for the first time, both the music and the vocals achieve what can only be called elegance. As always the lyrics, gritty and full of life, yet deft, imagistic and carefully crafted, show him to be a real poet in the truest sense, a writer whose eye for telling detail and innate sense of language has once again produced verses that, stripped of the music, could easily find a life of their own on the printed page. The world depicted on "Western Stars," one of drifters, hitchhikers, stuntmen, and working people searching for love in Sleepy Joe's Cafe, is Springsteen at his best; it is a landscape both vibrantly alive and deeply American, and we are all of us the better for the fact that he allows us to share it. Long live the Boss! This album is a gem, and he is a national treasure.

I have loved Bruce Springsteen's music since I was a child and heard "Born to Run" for the first time. But as much as I love his harder rock sounds, my favorite albums are "Tunnel of Love" and "The Rising". I tend to like more contemplative, melancholy music, I gues. Add "Western Stars" to that list. I've been playing it nonstop for the last two weeks (I never review an album unless I've listened to it enough to absorb the music and decide if it works for me or not), and while it has a few weaker spots, for the most part it is excellent. It borders on folk country at times without ever actually crossing that line, and it features nice melodies and meaningful lyrics. Interestingly enough, I find the back half of the album (the final six songs) to be the strongest of the bunch, but for the most part I like every single song and performance. A very strong album in a discography filled with great albums. I would highly recommend this one to fans of early '70s rock. And Bruce's vocals are easily the best I've heard on any of his albums. He's got a great voice, but on this album he stretches vocally in ways I didn't realize he could, especially on the excellent "There Goes My Miracle", a hybrid of Seventies melancholy and Phil Spector's Sixties triumphs.

It's not as if Bruce Springsteen is cranking out music these days. "Western Stars" is only his third album this decade. It's been five years since his last album. He's not exactly tearing up the charts and radio these days either. His limelight long since having faded. He turns 70 this year, and that's an age most retire. I've read somewhere that "Western Stars" is Springsteen's attempt to capture that SoCal sound of the early 1970's, and he does manage to recreate it in some ways. Yet, for some reason, as I repeatedly listened to "Western Stars" I was reminded of another Springsteen album, 1987's "Tunnel of Love". It has some resemblance to that album, with many of the songs on "Western Stars" dealing with relationships, and even the sound of the album echoes the former album in many ways. You could also say that there are elements of "I'm On Fire" here and there as well. You might even find yourself comparing "Western Stars" to "Nebraska", "The Ghost of Tom Joad" and "Devils & Dust". "Western Stars" has elements of all of those recordings. However, it also finds Springsteen......singing? Yes, singing. Like really trying hard to sing. Case in point, "There Goes My Miracle"--Springsteen's vocals have never sounded so.....creamy, or is it dreamy? Absent here is the gruff and growl, instead replaced with crooning and twang. Generally, I found "Western Stars" to be a pleasant and pleasing Springsteen album, even though it doesn't reinvent the wheel. Instead, it finds Springsteen comfortably settling into a rocking chair on his front porch. The songs have a nice, well-worn feel to them. The lyrics are thoughtful and well-written. It's a good, decent, late-stage Springsteen album. I like it better than some of his other albums of the past 20 years. It's good, but not classic. For me, the key tracks here are: "Hitch Hikin'", "The Wayfarer", "Tucson Train", "Sleepy Joe's Cafe", "Sundown", "There Goes My Miracle" and "Hello Sunshine", with honorable mention to "Stones" and "Chasin' Wild Horses" and "Western Stars". Here's how "Western Stars" compares to Springsteen's other albums: 1973 Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.: Three Stars 1973 The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle: Three and a Half Stars 1975 Born To Run: Four Stars 1978 Darkness on the Edge of Town: Four Stars 1980 The River: Four and a Half Stars 1982 Nebraska: Five Stars 1984 Born in the U.S.A.: Five Stars 1987 Tunnel of Love: Four Stars 1992 Human Touch: Two and a Half Stars 1992 Lucky Town: Two and a Half Stars 1995 The Ghost of Tom Joad: Three Stars 2002 The Rising: Three and a Half Stars 2005 Devils & Dust: Three Stars 2006 We Shall Overcome: Four Stars 2007 Magic: Three and a Half Stars 2009 Working on a Dream: Three Stars 2012 Wrecking Ball: Four Stars 2014 High Hopes: Four Stars 2019 Western Stars: Four Stars

A number of folks have expressed reservation or disappointment about this album, mostly (I suspect) because they were expecting Springsteen the Rocker. This is not rock 'n roll, and while there is a full orchestra backing him, it is not the E Street Band. People who pay attention to Springsteen's work know that he likes to experiment, and to cross into genres where he has not previously established himself. So albums like Nebraska and The Ghost of Tom Joad see him moving in a solo direction that touches on folk music (which he then embraced completely with the Seeger Sessions.) (And by the bye, the primary difference between folk and rock are the amplifiers: witness Seether's "unplugged" concert.) Western Stars is none of the above; and, while there is some very nice steel guitar, neither is it CW. Rather, this is what is known as "Americana", and it is brilliant. Among the differences that Springsteen brings to the party are a couple of songs where he gets to explore the full *mellow* range of his voice ("The Wayfarer" and "There Goes My Miracle" stand out especially in this regard.) So folks expecting more of that "Springsteen edge" might be caught off guard by these new (for Bruce) sounds. At the same time, Springsteen maintains his connection with working people throughout, their dreams but especially their disappointments. My favorite in this regard is "Chasin' Wild Horses." So if you come to this expecting heavy drums and loud guitars, you'll likely be surprised (at least). But even if Springsteen never goes further in exploring the Americana genre, this album will remain a stand out contribution to the field, and a canonical contribution to his own musical development.

Wow. Just Wow. How do you call this disc a masterpiece, from the man who gave us “Born to Run”, “Born in the USA”, “The Rising”, and others? But make no mistake: “Western Stars” IS a masterpiece. It is all at once epic, sweeping, majestic, and captures it’s genre perfectly. I can hear the Jimmy Webb/Glen Campbell influences, yet it’s so much more than that. It’s so sublime it’s beautiful. Back in the 50s and 60s Hollywood developed a wide screen process of movies called CinemaScope that was supposed to give the viewer the feeling of wide open spaces. “Western Stars” does that: the feeling of the west, and those wide open spaces. The orchestration on this record is incredible. Not a single instrument sounds out of place. Rather than go track by track, this album needs to be heard as a whole to appreciate it’s beauty and openness. There have been country artists who’ve crossed over to have pop hits; this album will have Bruce cross over to the country charts. But it’s not really a country album. More of an adult oriented album with country undertones. I wish Bruce would reconsider and tour this incredible new music with an orchestra, or at the very least the musicians that played on the album. It would sell out immediately.

I'm 62 years old. One day as I traveled about town I heard the song (without knowing the singer) Stones. Immediately Thinking wow, now that's a good one. Weeks later I heard it again finding out it was Bruce Springsteen. I opened Amazon and ordered Western Stars. Honestly, it was the very first CD/Album or record I've ever purchased by Bruce. As a teen back in the 70's who didn't like Born to Run, the 80's brought us all Born in the USA Dancin in the Dark etal, but that was pretty much it for me regarding following Bruce. Then I was completely broadsided by Western Stars, to me every single song just takes me out to the deserts, the Great Plains of middle America that I've been lucky in my lifetime to see so many times up close first hand. About a year ago I had XM Radio installed in my old truck. Since discovering Bruce and Western Stars my channel is stuck on 20. Springsteen Nation Rocks and all I can say is thank you Bruce. What can I say that hasn't already been said about the man and his talent. It goes to show you all it's never to late to discover something new that's practically been right before you for the last 45 pluse years. I'm now disable and moving about is a challenge. But like I told my wife, Bruce just turned 70, and should he tour again no matter when or where you can't bet one thing, I'll sure be there. Thank you Bruce, but most of all thank you for Western Stars. Lawrence way down in Columbus Georgia

This album will create a divide among die-hard Springsteen-fans such as myself. For my money, this is the best album he has released since "Tunnel of Love" in 1988. I have been a Springsteen-fan since "Born to Run" came out in 1976, and i have not been pleased with the albums he has put out for the last 10 years or so. I don't think Springsteen is a very good protest-singer in the mould of Bob Dylan or Pete Seeger, but he is a great storyteller, and when he puts his mind to it, he is also a fine composer and a very good arranger - helped by the right people. "Western Stars" is produced by Ron Aiello, and he does for Springsteen what Julian Raymond did for Glen Campbell some years ago - the delicious arrangements breathe life into some of the best character-driven songs Bruce Springsteen has written in many years. With songs like "Sundown", "There Goes My Miracle", "Tucson Train" and "Hello Sunshine" i think Springsteen rediscovers the sense of melody and charm, that has been lacking from his songs the last 10 years. Bruce Springsteen is one of the great american songwriters, but he is more of a storyteller like Jimmy Webb or Fred Neil than he is protest-singer like Dylan or Pete Seeger. And it is pure joy to hear him discover that.