Despite the fact that a potential new 'full band' album from Bruce Springsteen was being talked about even before the release of last year's sparse, but excellent, Western Stars (which I reviewed here), I did not think that one was very likely. For one, artists very rarely release new albums of original material two years in a row these days, particularly veteran acts, but also I just did not see Springsteen in that headspace. While his legendary E Street Band are still the staple backing band for his live shows, in the studio the E Street Band as a collective whole has somewhat been side-lined over the past decade or so. The last album that was purely a collaboration between Springsteen and the E Street Band was 2009's Working on a Dream; with the Boss spreading his wings somewhat in regards to backing talent in the meantime. This is not to say that the E Street Band were abandoned completely in that time, as various of its members have appeared in more limited capacities on the albums released in 2010s. It could be argued that 2014's odds and sods collection High Hopes (which I reviewed here) was a true E Street Band collaboration, as many of its members past and present were featured on most of the album's songs, but there were still a lot of other people brought in to add their talents to what was ultimately one of the best odds and sods collections of all time. Even the more acoustic and reflective Western Stars, one of Springsteen's handful of true 'solo' albums, featured former E Streeter David Sancious on a couple of songs; but the point still stands that it has been 11 years since Springsteen went into the studio with the E Street Band and rattled through a collection of heartfelt rock tracks in the way that only they know how - which, to me at least, was a shame. You will appreciate my excitement then when Letter To You was announced a couple of months ago - the full band album that had been rumoured. Reading the press release got me even more excited, as it was revealed that the album was solely recorded by Springsteen and the current incarnation of the E Street Band - and that most of it was captured live in the studio, with only a few overdubs added after the fact. This got me thinking of those classic Springsteen albums of the 1970s and early 1980s, and now that I have had the album in my possession for a few weeks I can say that Letter To You is a very impressive release - and packed with all of the Springsteen and E Street Band goodness that any fan could wish for. While I am not sure that he will ever top albums like 1975's Born to Run or 1980's The River; those albums are classics for a reason after all; Letter To You is up there with the best of his more recent works. There are hints of albums like 2002's The Rising and 2007's Magic here, although with perhaps a greater sense of melancholy - which makes this something of a perfect companion piece to Western Stars.
Such is the link between Western Stars and Letter To You that the album actually starts off in a way very similar to how the previous album left off - so much so that I wondered if the press releases I had read had been exaggerating the overall sound of Springsteen's latest! One Minute You're Here sounds like a song leftover from the Western Stars sessions, with Springsteen's melancholy vocal delivery and sombre acoustic guitar chords filling the speakers - with only a smattering of other instrumentation, such as Roy Bittan's occasional piano, backing up the song's core. The album never sounds like this again, but the gentle introduction works well. It links Western Stars perfectly to this new release, and it acts as a bridge between Springsteen's last album and the wall-of-sound E Street Band approach that characterises the next 11 songs. It is fitting then the album's next port of call is the title track, the first song here that was released - and the first true E Street Band song for a number of years. Max Weinberg's drums open things up, before the three-guitar attack of Springsteen, Stevie Van Zandt, and Nils Lofgren lay down an organic but full-bodied opening barrage. It is a song that showcases the best of the E Street Band over the years - with nearly everyone shining. The verses feature lots of that great Bittan piano, possibly the E Street Band's defining sound, while Charlie Giordano, on his first full outing with the band in the studio despite a number of guest spots, lays into his Hammond organ throughout. The chorus is classic Springsteen too, with hooky melodies that pour out of the speakers - cutting through the dense mix in the rallying way that only he can truly master. It is a great rocker, and when paired with One Minute You're Here the combination of the two makes for a powerful and heartfelt album opening moment. Burnin' Train takes things to the next level however, and it is a driving rocker that recalls some of the higher-energy moments on Springsteen's other recent releases. The E Street Band backing makes it all that more powerful however, with Van Zandt's garage rock guitar rhythms and nasally backing vocals giving things a real kick - while an anthemic chorus is made all the better by the tight groove laid down by Weinberg and bassist Garry Tallent. There are lots of classic E Street Band hallmarks here too, such as a pair of deliberately sloppy guitar solos, presumably from Springsteen himself, and the epic sound that comes from the piano and organ weaving together perfectly. It is a powerful song, and one that recalls the rocking moments of albums like Magic and The Rising - and it is one that I hope to hear live someday. Three of the songs here were written a number of years ago, but were finally recorded properly by Springsteen and the band here. Janey Needs a Shooter is one, although Warren Zevon recorded a version of it on his 1980 album Bad Luck Streak in Dancing School. This recording is based off of an old demo however, and is brought to life by the current E Street Band in classic fashion. It is one of Springsteen's more plodding rockers, harking back to songs like Backstreets and Adam Raised a Cain, but the raw production and the tightness of the band really brings it to life. While Bittan's piano is perhaps the song's most dominant instrument, it is Giordano's organ that is the most impressive element of the song. In fact, it would not be a stretch to say that Giordano is Letter To You's MVP - as his playing is all over nearly every song here. He has really managed to evoke the spirit of the late Danny Federici throughout the album, and the dancing organ melodies throughout Janey Needs a Shooter really showcases what he brings to the modern E Street Band.
After the excellent opening four numbers, Last Man Standing showcases a little bit of a drop in quality. It is probably the only song here that does not really resonate with me as much as it should, but repeated listens to the album has heightened my appreciation for it. It is a bit of old-fashioned Americana, and contains many classic Springsteen hallmarks, but for me the melodies are not as memorable as those in many of the other songs here. It is notable however for being the first song here to prominently feature Jake Clemons' saxophone. Clemons was featured on a couple of tracks on High Hopes, but Letter To You is his first full outing with the E Street Band in the studio. His bluesy saxophone style is a perfect fit for the band, and his solos here recall the many that his late uncle laid down for the Boss over the years. They help to elevate the song, but it is probably the weakest cut here for me. The Power of Prayer instantly gets the album back on track however. Bittan's piano opens the song up slowly, but it soon morphs into an upbeat rocker with beautiful melodies and some excellent lyrics. This is the sort of song that I feel Jon Bon Jovi was trying to write for his latest album 2020 (which I reviewed here), but the difference in quality between the two is stark. Songs like this come naturally to Springsteen, and it helps that the E Street Band contains some of the best musicians for this genre of all time. Bittan's piano throughout is just so heartfelt and uplifting, while Clemons again gets some time in the spotlight with some aching saxophone melodies. The song is a perfect mix of reflective and joyful - something which Springsteen has mastered so well over the years - and it is a standout for that reason. House of a Thousand Guitars is similar, and in fact builds on the sound established on The Power of Prayer - taking it to the next level. It opens with Bittan's piano and Springsteen's vocals (including a little lyrical call-back to Jungleland), but the other members of the band slowly join in to widen the sound as things progress. Giordano's organ subtly joins in to weave his magic in with the piano melodies; and when the drums kick in the joyful nature of The Power of Prayer returns in a big way with the same driving grooves and bouncy vibe. This song is a bit deeper musically however, with subtle slide guitar licks, presumably from Lofgren, adding some bluesy touches; while Giordano and Clemons link up for some joint melodies that fill in all of the song's gaps - particularly towards the end. It is another great track that showcases the depth of the E Street sound, and one that brings out the best in everyone. Rainmaker initially sounds like it could be another Western Stars hangover, with its rootsy acoustic intro, but it soon morphs into a bit of a raw rocker with garage rock guitar tones and punchy, hollow-sounding drums. It again recalls the old Backstreets vibe at times, but with the talents of Van Zandt pushed to the fore - his guitar style driving the track and his vocals prominent in the mix. This is another song that has grown on me a lot over repeated listens to the album, and I like the old-school sound that has been achieved here - and it sounds like a real throwback to Springsteen's first couple of albums.
If I Was The Priest is another of the three older songs recorded here, but a version recorded by the original Hollies frontman Allan Clarke was released in the 1970s. The song is another that starts slowly, with chugging acoustic guitar and ringing piano chords; but it soon builds up around a hard-hitting drum groove and more of Giordano's enveloping Hammond. Unsurprisingly, the song is quite similar in style and pace to Janey Needs a Shooter - and it really showcases the songwriting style that Springsteen adopted during the early 1970s. It also goes to show just how many great Springsteen songs are probably yet to be heard. Despite all of the various collections of then-unreleased material that he has put out over the years, there are still other nuggets to be heard. If I Was The Priest is a great addition to the album, and I am glad that Springsteen decided re-record a couple of old demos here as they really add to album, and crucially they slip in seamlessly with the new material - which shows how timeless Springsteen's style is. If I were to pick a favourite cut here however, it would be Ghosts. As much as I like all of Springsteen's moods, my favourite songs, unsurprisingly, are usually his driving rockers. This album could have benefitted from a couple more of those in my opinion, but Ghosts is the best example of that style here - and it is packed with soaring melodies and classic E Street tropes. The verses are filled with brash guitar rhythms to perfectly compliment Springsteen's lyrics and tough vocal delivery, while the choruses feature huge harmony vocals from the whole band that allows the song to really kick into the higher gears. Anyone who has heard a classic Springsteen album will instantly be familiar with the overall vibe of Ghosts, but it is a style that never gets old. This is a song that is made to be heard live, and the closing moments that feature Clemons' heroic saxophone lines and the wordless vocals of the whole band showcases why Springsteen works best when backed by the E Street Band. Song for Orphans is the final of the three older numbers, and the only one that was not previously released by someone else. It is similar to both Janey Needs a Shooter and If I Was The Priest, but with perhaps bit more of a rootsy sound that incorporates Springsteen's harmonica throughout. The arrangement here pushes Springsteen's lyrics to the fore, and as a result the band is a little more restrained this time around. They are mostly here to back up Springsteen's Dylan-esque performance - but there are still hooky moments such as a heroic chorus that prominently features the vocal harmonies of Patti Scialfa and some more bluesy slide guitar. It is another track that takes a few listens to fully appreciate, but it is one that eventually does take hold to become a powerful number. It is left to the snappy and hooky I'll See You In My Dreams to bring the album to a close. It might not be as expansive as some of the songs here, but as a simple classic Springsteen rocker it works really well. Bittan's piano is all over the song, while the soaring chorus is one final melody to stick in the brain as the album comes to a reflective end. It is probably the sort of song that Springsteen can writing in his sleep at this point, but the magic of the band really brings it to life; and the gentle piano coda at the end is a perfect closing moment - as it echoes the way the album began almost an hour ago, bringing things full circle. This full circle moments helps the listener to reflect on the wider qualities of the album - which is certainly one of Springsteen's best in recent years. It helps that the E Street Band members all turned in fantastic performances here to help him bring his songs to life, but the quality and variety of the songwriting also shines. It is an album that long time Springsteen fans will no doubt love, and it is something that I will certainly be listening to a lot more over the coming months.
The album was released on 23rd October 2020 via Columbia Records. Below is his promotional video for Letter To You.
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