Reviews (page 4 of 8)
Maybe it's my own mood, but this one didn't land for me nearly as much as Bruce's earlier work. Guess they can't all be bangers.
This what I call morning wood.
I normally expect albums released decades after an artist’s prime to be worse than their older work, but I still greatly enjoyed this one
We zitten in een zogeheten 'rough patch' als je het bonte gezelschap aan albums zo ziet. De tering waar zijn de albums waarvan je toch wel kunt zeggen dat je ze minimaal één keer gehoord moest hebben voordat je de pijp uitgaat? Vond het nogal een obstakel om hier aan te beginnen, en alhoewel The Boss nog enigszins comfortabel terrein is, is een plaat uit 2002 van ruim een uur toch wel een opgave. Maar we hebben hem trouw uitgezeten. Korte conclusie is dat hij tijdens het begin en het einde van de plaat best wel zijn 80s vorm aantikt, maar dat het middenstuk van een minuut of 40 echt een blok aan je been is. Toch was deze revival van Bruce beter dan verwacht. Orkestraties en achtergrondkoor voegt wel een wenselijk vernieuwend element toe aan zijn muziek. 7/10 Highlights: Into the Fire Waitin' On A Sunny Day The Rising
Een plaat van een eindbaas van buiten zijn/haar decennium is altijd een beetje een opgave en risico. Soms vind ik het ook heel pijnlijk om de nieuwe tijdgeest te horen bij een persoon die eerst de tijdgeest bepaalde. Bij the Rising vind ik dat meevallen. De algemene vibe op deze plaat is niet zeroes maar piekt best naar het niveau van de 80-s platen van the Boss. Waiting on a Sunny Day ken ik a langer en is echt wel een Bruce-banger. De rest van de plaat bevat meer hoopgevende tracks na de aftermath van 9-11. Waar een rampje soms al niet goed voor is. Na dit energievolle begin kakt de plaat wel een beetje in. Further On is een halfbakken Grunge-track en de andere nummers ontsnappen ook een beetje aan mijn aandacht. Bij The Rising veer ik weer, dat is echt the E-street band op topniveau, wat een heerlijke energie zit daar in. Daar krijg je spontaan zin van om stampvoetend en met je armen in de lucht door het huis te lopen. Als ik weer zit en een beetje op adem ben gekomen kom ik tot de conclusie dat dit best een lekker album is. Grote waarschijnlijkheid dat ik 'm weer vergeet en nooit vaker aan zet. Maar voor deze 1001-sessie was dit best vermakelijk. 7/10 Highlights Waitin' On A Sunny Day The Rising My City of Ruins
It’s Thanksgiving, and this seems like the right music to listen to on this day - one of my favorite days of the year. It’s the keys and saxophone that does it for me. I’m thankful today. And I’m thankful for Bruce today as well.
No es mi tipo de musica
Even as a response to 9/11, the music and lyrics on this feel overly cheesy and sentimental. On some tracks, Springsteen has the oomph and gravitas to make them anthemic nevertheless. When he can't, the results are flat-out terrible, making this an album of extremes.
Some songs were a bit too somber for my taste, but I really enjoyed Mary’s House.
Not top tier Springsteen but close. Listened many times.
chill
Album No. 0071 on my list. First things first: Bruce Springsteen is my favorite artist in the world. By far. He's just great, I enjoy his music, his lyrics, his stage presence, his personality. At least three of his albums are contestants to be my favorite album of all time (all are on this list as well). So I have a hard time writing a review about this album in an unbiased manner. If I try to do that however, I can't help but say that "The Rising" is certainly the Boss's weakest album on this list (a feeling that has not changed since listening to it again today). It does not compare to his 70s and 80s work. This does not however mean that it's a bad album - not at all! There are some of his best songs on this, namely "The Rising", "Lonesome Day", and "Waitin' On A Sunny Day". I like the more modern, blasting, polished sound on Springsteen's first album with the E Street Band since 1988. The lyrics are highly powerful and reflect the horrors of September 11 in a very graceful manner. Not all tracks on the album are as good as the mentioned ones; I feel that it could have been somewhat shorter. Removing a little baggage may have made the album somewhat better. On the other hand, you also have more modest songs that are still great however, at least due to their lyrical quality: "Into the Fire", and "My City of Ruins" in particular, which even have a nearly spiritual quality. I'll add all 5 mentioned songs to my playlist. In total, I'm conflicted and torn but still arrive at 5 stars. There may be some baggage here, but there are also some big highlights and Springsteen is very much able to transfer is post-911 feelings into a great, powerful lyrics that are graceful and express grief instead of hate and anger. 5/5 stars!
6.9/10
Hello this is Bruce Springsteen, I know you'll get this album based on who I am, I no longer have to make good music. I'm so popular I've been making money with mediocre tunes for over a decade now. Thanks for coming to my TED talk.
I've been reading the reviews of people who are meh on this album and just can't see it. I can see it not being your favorite Springsteen album or not making your top 100, but I can't see not responding with it at all. Even when he's not at the top of his have as a songwriter, Springsteen is very good at tapping into fundamental hopes and desires of the American psyche -- in a way that makes me realize I'm more American than I sometimes want to believe. Here he's wrestling with the questions of national identity, character, and patriotism that strained us as a nation after 9/11, and like so many of his best earlier songs, many of the songs here put us in a place of disappointment, critique, and sadness while still inviting us to hope that we can be better than we have been. If anything, it feels almost quaint in our current context when it doesn't feel like many of our fellow citizens harbor the same dreams anymore, so one wonders if this version of America really ever existed or can exist again. There are few artists able to confront us with these questions in rich ways that speak to as wide a swath of the American spirit as does Springsteen.
I’ve made my peace with Springsteen just not being for me, so I was never going to love this, but this seems like a particularly uninspired album.
I can't.
As expected, theatrical rock, with country elements. Despite its predictability the tracks are still catchy and compelling. Country elements are more pronounced here than other Springsteen albums..? Second half is almost grungey in places. Effect definitely gets old... Best track - Lonesome Day, The Rising 3 stars
I love Bruce, but really? This album?
I almost forgot to listen to this album today. Some nice tracks can be found on "The Rising", like "Mary's Place", the best on the album. There's a song called "Countin' On a Miracle" that begs to be on a Dad Rock CD. Over half of the songs on "The Rising" are uninteresting and forgettable. Man, I'm having a slew of mediocre albums this week. 3 stars for "The Rising".
Not bad but a bit cringe
Very solid Springsteen with a return of the E Street band. A bit over produced for my taste and it's not a stone cold classic like many of the other old albums, but the songs are really good. The singles from this album kind of put me off, so I didn't hear it in full until a couple of years ago. Late to the whole Bruce party honestly. Might be a 3.5 for me, but bumping.
the more I listen to this, the better it gets. First impression was 3/5, second listen was 4/5, but I'll go with a 5/5 now.
some crackers on here but can't give it 5* simply because there are even better albums by the boss man
There's some stuff from BC I really like, most his more intimate stuff. Nebraska is my favourite album. The Rising is very poor to BC standards, for me, and I have no idea why they picked this for the list. There's still good song-writing but oh my, that E-Street sauce makes all songs sound the same (and not very good), they have one recipe for every song and why does every single sax solo on every single BC album sound the same? Need to hear Springsteen before you die? Sure - but not this album. I'll round up to a 3.
I did like the guitar work on Worlds Apart, but other than that, I found this a little tedious.
não me desce de forma alguma :D
ele quis fazer um album porque um random depois do 11 de setembro falou: "precisamos de voce agora". puta merda galera, os eua é uma coisa mesmo né. dad rock para papais que vivem em um país hipócrita em ruínas!!!!! dito isso muito bom pra quem gosta. eu até tentei ser mais de boa nos outros albuns, mas agora acabou a paciência. vai se fuder.
Should Springsteen sound like Springsteen? Absolutely, without a doubt. Do I like Springsteen? No, neither his voice nor his guitar playing. Okay, I obviously don't know every Springsteen album, why would I? What I do know, and this album is one of them, I don't like. But despite my dislike, Springsteen is definitely part of the rock business and an important part of it.
Musically powerful. Profound and sensitive response to tragedy. Both specific and timeless.
Meh. Fine if you like that sort of thing, I guess. Sounded like milquetoast dad rock to me.
One of Bruce's better latter-day efforts
Alt amerikansk musik var country efter 9/11. Den ligger mellem 1 og 2 for mig, havde nok været 2 hvis den var klippet til men vi skulle bare høre alle følelser folk havde dengang
Lidt bizart valg, men klart et mindre bizart valg end den der Elvis Costello plade. Jeg kan godt lide Bruce og der er faktisk nogen kæmpe bangere her, de forsvinder bare i mængden. Aaaalt for lang.
Loads of bangers and very grandoise .. very stadium friendly.
Nah sorry Springsteen but this is not for me - I got bored of it very quickly.
Pretty good.
Na początku w ogóle mnie nie interesowały te utwory, z czasem jednak album zaczyna się rozkręcać, "Empty Sky" i "Worlds Apart" to dla mnie prawdziwy początek tego materiału. Zamykające krążek "Paradise" i "My City of Ruins" też mocne i ciekawe. To dobry materiał, zwłaszcza biorąc pod uwagę kontekst powstawania, jego bezpośrednią inspirację wydarzeniami z 11 września 2001 i przesłanie mówiące o odbudowie i nadziei. Na pewno ważny album dla Ameryki, ale bez tego kontekstu trochę traci na sile rażenia (chociaż piosenki bronią się i bez świadomości tego, do czego się odnoszą). 7/10
Kind of catchy but doesn’t hold a candle to his classic works.
Wouldve rather had the river
it was fine, classics.
Set in the context of a post-9/11 New York, which gives a lot more meaning to the lyrics of the songs. This adds historic depth to the album but there are also plenty of good tunes as well.
Decent album
At least this wasn't a Toby Keith post-9/11 album. Honestly, this isn't bad but it isn't great, either. Just middle-of-the-road, early 2000's rock from a legendary singer/songwriter who is capable of much more and much better. 3 stars.
the boss i dont konw
10/10
pretty good i like this. nice autumn album. songs sound pretty different from one another despite having a similar vibe.
It had some good moments, but it isn't really up my alley. It's just a very odd sound.
Listens: 2 Standout Tracks: Worlds Apart, Lets Be Friends (Skin to Skin) Not gonna lie, every time I think or hear about Bruce Springsteen, I can't help but think of an almost 20 year old YouTube video "commercial" for Power Thirst - specifically Power Thirst 2, where the narrator at one point yells JUICE SPRINGSTEEN. Look it up, it's stupid, but it's also... well, actually, it's really just stupid, nothing else. Definitely look it up. So, yea, forever seared into my mind is not Bruce Springsteen, but JUICE Springsteen. Turn that Everyman into a Beveryman! As for the music.... There were a surprising number of good licks on this album Worlds Apart, for instance, had a world music quality to it. There were also some songs that were wildly repetitive; I think Countin' On A Miracle, for example, the chorus was the same line twice in a row, for like five or six verses, with two choruses. I think I liked this more than what I would consider similar acts: U2, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Aerosmith (stretch), etc.
Solid album. Not lost his skills. 3.5 stars
I just don't get Bruce. I've tried, honestly. I even listened to his top hits after this album and still don't get him.
I knew I didn’t like Bruce Springsteen from the first time I heard Santa Claus is Coming to Town
Okay this is a good album but why is it on this list? Popularity of the album? Guy has made many albums.
Good
Meh. I think Springsteen ran out of ideas after The River and now just runs his mouth about politics.
There's much better Springsteen albums out there, but this isn't bad.
alright album, not his best
Springsteen's comeback album after a 7-year hiatus and it's a pleasant listen. I love The Boss although consulting my copy of the book, I am a little surprised that The Rising makes it in as of his 5 - I'd probably have gone for The River rather than this. Anyway it was an attempt at a feel-good record post 9/11, and the writing and music both do a good job of bringing an uplifting feel. He's a great lyricist albeit maybe this doesn't contain any of his most iconic tracks. I think it starts strong and is a tiny bit MOR at times, maybe sagging in the middle, e.g. Worlds Apart is a track that goes on a bit. The fact that he was working with the E-Street band again is a plus though, especially the sax parts give it the feel of being Bruce as much as any other element. Not quite 5* but it's good
Det er så lite kreativt. Gørr kjedelig. Eneste som løfter dette er en noenlunde kompetent trommis.
Enjoyed-should watch the Jeremy Allen white biopic
Perfectly mediocre, every track sounds like the last. Completely inoffensive but also completely sleep-inducing.
It's Springsteen alright. There's nothing I've seen from him that's terrible. This album is a veritable collection of his usual average work. The Rising is perhaps the best song here, but even that's nothing special. I don't think I'll be adding anything to the playlist from this album.
A fine, middle of the road, typical Springsteen kind of album.
I got to hand it to Bruce that this sounds like an early 2000s record. Sometimes artists never evolve musically. Lyrically there’s some interesting stuff. But just like every Springsteen album I get kinda bored by the halfway mark. 3/5
This is classic Springsteen — an album about loss, redemption, reconciliation, faith and the search for meaning. Without context, it can feel a heavy and uneven, with only a few standout tracks like the title song and My City of Ruins. But once you consider when it was released—in the shadow of 9/11—it takes on a whole new weight. It becomes cathartic, a reflection of the national mood and a testament to resilience. It may not be packed with hits, but it’s an important work, exactly what we needed at the time. I mourn the tragedy that inspired it, but I long for the sense of common humanity and rising above that we experienced then as a nation.
Early 200s dad rock at its finest
Not really my vibe but I didn't hate it.
Te juro no puedo con ésto. Le concedo el último tema, pero hasta ahi Nota: 2.4
The man just keeps winning and delivering decade after decade.
If you were to ask me when this album came out, my memory would tell you it had to be exactly a week after 9/11/01. Color me surprised that it was nearly a year later. I have memories of Bruce debuting My City of Ruins on the television tribute a week after 9/11 with Little Stevie, Patti, and a group of other background singers. Once The Rising did come out, the title song was fairly ubiquitous. I never delved further and I am not going to be deferential just for the sake of being deferential when I don't outright hate an album. The album addresses that day on a number of tracks such as Empty Sky and more effectively on You're Missing. Lonesome Day is a good opener. Let's Be Friends sounds like he raided his soul 45 collection. Mary's Place is a spiritual successor to Meet Me At Mary's Place by Sam Cooke without actually being a direct cover. This goes on for too long and if it were trimmed down I'd be more inclined to give it a 3. It's hovering at a 2.5 for me.
Very good albums Amazing guitar
My favorite Boss album. The last great one before he devolved into a raging liberal.
noo-haw. could not finish.
Eh. Not a big Springsteen guy and this didn’t change that
Wonderful album. Honestly the run time was a little long for me - I think this is cause there was a lot of songs near the end that sounded like they'd be a good end point.
Not a huge Bruce fan but I’m fan enough.
Meh
His voice is awful, and I hate country music.
- 0 nummers toegevoegd aan MMMM - 0 nummers al toegevoegd aan MMMM
I’ve always danced around an appreciation for Bruce. The 80s pastiche and studio sounds always kept me at arm’s length. Growing up in a grunge world, all that saxophone and gloss just sounded awful. But the message and the heart behind his music came through loud and clear. It’s hard not to appreciate a guy who worked his way to the top. I never listened to this when it came out. Enjoying it well enough.
Bruce being Bruce, which isn’t a bad thing. But not necessarily a great thing either. 6/10
in the context of this album being a post 9/11 record. man its great. better than I remember. Paradise is gut wrenching, The Rising gives you hope, My City of ruins lays it all bare. geeze he is a great artist.
Slightly more enjoyable than the other Springsteen albums on here but still does nothing for me.
I like this better than most Springsteen albums. 3.5
I'm sorry I just don't get it Bruce.
Not my favorite Bruce.
Glad that's over. The boss ain't for me. His vocals sound like a parody of himself. I don't find anything inspirational or motivational - which I believe is a large part of the appeal? Bunch of dads jamming with their buddies.
Springsteen 9/11core. Sentimentalist crap from the sentimentalist king.
This has been as high as my fourth favorite Bruce album before. It’s fallen ever so slightly because I think there’s a slight dip in the middle of it. Nothing I dislike, but I think the beginning and end of this record are much stronger. This record is often called Bruce’s answer to the September 11 terrorist attacks, and you certainly hear that in some songs, including two of my favorites that start the album, “Lonesome Day” and “Into the Fire”. Just really, really emotional songs. Also very emotional is the closer - by the way, Bruce almost always opens and closes his records really well, and almost always has incredible title tracks, just something I’ve noticed recently - but the closer here, “My City of Ruins”, loosely based around “People Get Ready”, is also extremely emotional and beautiful. There’s a nice big sound on this record; I think this is the first album that features Stevie Van Zandt and Nils Lofgren, so a lot of nice, big soundscapes, “Mary’s Place” is another one that the band really kicks ass on. But he also brings it down for the unbelievably stark and harrowing “Paradise”, which might be a top 5 song on the record for me. I think “The Fuse” is a really great experimental number, “You’re Missing” is beautiful…there are just so many great performances on this album, Bruce’s passion on this album is very palpable. After the early 90’s albums and Ghost of Tom Joad, I think this is a pretty fantastic comeback. Really strong 4 star record in my book, a little overlong, but very excellent for the most part. 4/5
Solid album. I enjoy the energy that Springsteen generally brings to the table.
Blowhard. Gets worse with age.
There are a few Springsteen albums you must listen to before you die - I'm not sure this is one of them.
Liked this a lot more than I expected, one of the Boss' best. Very post-9/11 but far more interesting than some of the more jingoistic nonsense that came out of that era from others
Favorite Track: The Rising
Murica, hell yeah. I don’t really know about this one tho. I thought it was kinda fun before I listened to more than the first two songs. It’s not terrible , I won’t remember it fondly or at all tho.
Lonesome Day 3.3 Into the Fire 2.8 Waitin' on a Sunny Day 3 Nothing Man 2.9 Countin' on a Miracle 2.7 Empty Sky 2.8 Worlds Apart 3 Let's Be Friends (Skin to Skin) 3 Further On (Up the Road) 3.2 The Fuse 3.3 Mary's Place 3.2 You're Missing 3 The Rising 2.8 Paradise 2.6 My City of Ruins 2.8 Score: 2.96
A surprising inclusion. More middle management than THE BOSS.
I wasn’t very familiar with Bruce Springsteen or his style before listening to The Rising, and as a Brazilian, I thought it might sound too “American” or even country-like. But I was surprised — the album feels emotional, cinematic, and full of meaning. The songs blend rock and folk with gospel energy, creating something both powerful and comforting. Even if you don’t share the same cultural background, the themes of loss, faith, and hope are universal. It’s a heartfelt and inspiring record.
I've liking Springsteen more and more in recent years, pretty much all his albums included here are great. Except, that is, this one. Really did not need to be included here. I doesn't have any enduring Springsteen classic songs, it's not stylistically daring or groundbreaking. It's exactly what you'd expect from a piece of post-9/11 kitsch. I'm sure it sounded poignant in 2002 so close to the attacks, but now in 2025 it just sounds drab.
There are a couple of good songs and a bit of experimentation in the middle, however, the heartland rock cliches are on display throughout the album. 5/10
3.5 stars A little sappy, but good and doesn’t feel overlong despite the fact that it probably is. It’s effective and holds up to his classic stuff.
I've never had any interest in Springsteen and this isn't doing anything to change that opinion. Not that it was bad or anything, it just isn't for me
Dull
Meh
I respect what he was trying to do here. It’s not my favorite Springsteen album, but it’s a thoughtful one. I found myself torn. I’ve always connected more with Bruce’s earlier work, but I didn’t feel that same gut-level connection I get from his older stuff.
2002 Springsteen is just 2025 Bon Jovi. Two New Jersey dudes gettin old and getting more tame. It's very calm listening, good for a morning commute to work and coffee. I can definitely see the post-9/11 vibes here about uniting and coming together. Overall, it's not a bad album. A few skippable tracks. It's tame, but that works for a lot of people.
I love Springsteen, but this is not a great record at all. A few solid Brucey anthems (the Rising, the opening track) and even those are just okay, but a lot of legitimately bad songs, like cringey bad, like embarrassing make it stop bad. Not at all sure this should be a must-listen.
There are some poignant songs here, but how can you compare to his older stuff? The structures seem more basic and the lyrics less specific, like he’s playing it safe.
I'm grateful for every Bruce Springsteen album I can roll but I don't know if this one needed to be here If he doesn't still have a thrillingly fresh sound as he does on Born to Run, if he doesn't still have a slew of memorable, fiery hits as he does on Born in the U.S.A., he'll always have his passion and that special Springsteen spirit I can't give it a higher rating for that alone, but I'm still glad to roll it
geil
A good album. All of his seem to be pretty good. Funny how much I adore some of his songs (like Born to Run) and him generally but his albums don’t blow me away. I would love to throw on a record by The Boss one Sunday afternoon and just lose myself in it but none of his albums during this challenge have provided more than background music for me.
These lyrics are unusually weak for Springsteen. "The sky was falling and streaked with blood / I heard you calling me then you disappeared into the dust / Up the stairs, into the fire". Seems like the 9/11 theme really sold back in '02. But it reads as clumsily as songs written about COVID. The songs feel sort of unwieldy, like normal solid rock songs that were reshaped to fit the patriotism cutout that was suddenly all the rage. And some of them aged badly because of what happened in the following years. "House is on fire, viper's in the grass / A little revenge and this too shall pass". Ouch. That one stings. Dubya would like a word, along with all the people that rightfully hate him for launching the war on terror. That being said, the music's actual sound is pretty darn great. I kept expecting to be disappointed or bored, especially considering the long album runtime, but excluding the song Into the Fire, every song has at least one element worth staying for. Lonesome Day is a bright, hopeful way to start the album, featuring a cheesy but ultimately heartwarming riff on guitar and strings. Waitin' On A Sunny Day is as bright and happy as you might expect. Not a huge fan of the echoed vocals (which Springsteen seems to utilise a lot) but the backing vocals are great here. And another goofy yet fun repeated string tune. Mary's Place has one of the thinnest textures you'll ever hear from Big Bruce, pulling off the kind of summery vibe that was all the rage in the early '00s. And the chorus plus its lead-in are really catchy: "Let it rain, let it rain, let it rain... / Meet me at Mary's Place". Heck yeah! 3/5 Key tracks: Lonesome Day, Waitin' On A Sunny Day, Mary's Place
Pretty boring.
Felt like I was listening to church music, I liked a handful of songs but this album just isn’t my taste
It’s not a bad listen but rather boring all things considered. I’m not trying to be ageist, but when rockers start getting older their edge begins to soften and the music tends to become a little milquetoast. Not 100% of the time, but unfortunately that’s what has happened here. Again, it’s not that anything in here is bad, it’s just why would I listen to this when I can listen to “Nebraska”or “The River.” It did become a little of a slog towards the end. Best tracks “Lonesome Day” “The Rising” 4/10
Surprising. I had only heard a few of these before this.
A hell of a lot better response to a tragic event than "they hate our freedumb." Bruce sounds good here, even if the songs themselves don't quite make it to iconic status like a lot of his work. Well written and arranged, with the pain of 9/11 as a backdrop while maintaining a hopeful tone. Good stuff.
Very Springsteen
Really liked this, probably should listen to his earlier stuff. Felt like a reflective album
I've never been into Springsteen, and basically only know his hits. Somehow I expected something very different from what this album delivered. It's clearly very, very american, but it's also way less energetic than I expected.
This is the Bruce Springsteen that I don’t like. What is this soft rock JCPenney sounding bullshit. Boring and too damn long.
Musically, I loved this. The album was about 30 minutes too long, but I never disliked any part of it. It had almost a showtunes vibe for a rock album. While I might not be as religious as I once was, I can still appreciate some religious themes in music. This isn't my favorite album by any means. It isn't even music I would even normally listen to. That said, it was a nice listen. I knew I wouldn't be able to focus through the whole album, so I used it as background music for a game or two, so I might have rated it slightly higher than I would have if I was giving it my undivided attention.
Sometimes it's almost like he's talking but in a singing tone. Idk what that means, but it's true. It's one of the best albums that is listed under one person's name I've listened to yet. It's the perfect mix of many genres in my opinion. It runs on the longer side and a couple songs early on got boring quick, but most of these songs are some that I'd absolutely come back to. Many great themes are explored in this album that any can relate to. Honestly didnt expect to enjoy this album as much as I did.
Still missing a few songs.. i feel like Bruce Springsteen is kinda country in his vocals, and some of the songs are very stretched out and Long… but there are some bangers, and some skips..
He's the boss
There are a few decent tracks, most of the album is pretty forgettable however. Added to library: Into the Fire Waitin On A Sunny Day You’re Missing
Good music but not my style 3/5 overall
2/5 mid
A Bruce Springsteen album released in 2002 is one that you have to hear before you die? Oh, fuck off.
Solid brúsi. Sum lögin voru frábær og annað ekki eins gott, enda löng plata. Sé ekki vandamálið í textunum sem hipsterarnir á síðunni vilja benda á. Þetta er flott lagasmíði og góðir textar.
Hrikalega þéttur og góður Brúsi, enda fyrsta platan með E Street band í 18 ár. Textarnir og uppgjörið við 9/11 þar sem umburðarlyndi er lykilorðið setja þetta svo á annað level. Verst að Bush hafi ekki hlustað á plötuna.
I liked this more than I thought I would. Some of Springsteen's work just doesn't seem that interesting to me but I do like this album.
It was fine I guess
Boy bisschen arg traurig.
The really good Springsteen was in my opinion from mid 70s to end of the 80s. After that the albums by far not so good. Sometimes it feels like a repetition, sometimes like changing to simple pop mnusic. Not that all songs are bad or boring, but the creativity and inspiration seems to be missing. This album is typical for that. Some nice songs and some lalalalala-songs.
What I expected a cringy, new age, bruce springsteen record.What I got a pretty cringy, you know, fairly, okay, bruce springsteen record
Not sure why this album must be listened and is on this list. It's probably because it is Springsteen's 9/11 album and the author thought it was important to include it. It's standard 00s rock, with no highlights, it's overproduced and it's too long. I heard worse stuff from Springsteen but I won't revisit this album either.
He’s wonderful and I appreciate his contributions to American music. He just isn’t for me.
Honestly forgettable post-9/11 midrange heartstrings music. If we're including Springsteen on this list, this album wasn't the move.
Bruce may be the boss, but this album is about as middle of the road and unremarkable as it gets
boring. seems very budget friendly with the drums
this was soooo cheesy and boring and went for ages
Great artist - great album
1 - not good
It’s easy to brand this as a past-his-prime 00s ‘late era’ album from someone who peaked in the 70s. And while I’m not disputing that such classics as Darkness on the Edge of Town and Born to Run outshine this in most every way, it shouldn’t be written off. From the runtime alone it’s clear that this is a product issued at the height of the CD era, being 7 minutes shy of the usual maximum 80 minute length. This means less of the short and snappy and more of the developed, with some of the highlights here being tracks that are perhaps slightly dragged to over 6 minutes. So if I was reviewing this before, say, 2010, I wouldn’t be making the point of it being dragged out, because it’d be exclusively on CD - a great advantage to me as I own it - and you’d be forced to listen through as one experience. Today though, many people will understandably be apprehensive to approach a seventy minute long late-era Springsteen album. I say they should give it a try. It pays off.
It's nowhere near the level of Springsteen's best works, but it's a solid middle-of-the-road Springsteen record. Could probably benefit from being shortened. Fave track on this listen: Lonesome Day
This would be a 4 for most artists, and it's still a good listen for Bruce, just falls short of expectations. Though there are some pretty good songs here.
An enjoyable listen, if a little too glib for my tastes. The themes and slick production at times made me feel like I was listening to a Christian rock band, which is never a good thing.
Antes do projeto, eu só conhecia o Bruce Springsteen como o cara que pegou COVID do Larry David em um episódio de Curb Your Enthusiasm. The Rising é o segundo disco que pego aqui… Não irei dizer que virei fã do artista, mas foi bom conhecer um pouco mais da sua carreira. Quando li que este álbum tinha como temática os ataques de 11/09 eu me arrepiei um pouco. Uma análise fria de um evento com ramificações que até hoje estão se revelando feitas em pleno 2002 por um artista que, me desculpem o comentário e não me levem a mal, é mais do que nada pastelão e sessão da tarde. Mas felizmente, a temática é bem sútil tanto nas letras quanto na sonoridade. Liricamente, o disco apresenta um otimismo boomeriano quase que cartunesco. “O céu está vazio, eu sou ninguém e o pavio está queimando… Vamos todos ser amigos!”. Uma mentalidade tão ingênua que chega a ser até charmosa. Sonicamente, fico feliz que o disco apresenta temas musicais mais variados do que seu álbum mais famoso, Born in the U.S.A. Mas apesar do disco captar e prender minha atenção até que bem, ele me perde em alguns fatores. Achei ele muito disperso e incoerente. Sua duração de +1h não ajuda no caso. Com uma encurtada de uns 20 minutos na duração poderia ter sido um disco bem melhor. Como é, não passa de Ok. 3/5
Slowly drifted from being tolerable background music into becoming slightly annoying and over-long. 2 stars.
Pretty boring imo
The Boss doing Boss things. If you’re a fan, you’ll like this. 'The Rising’ reunites the E-Street Band for the first time in years. The result feels familiar, but different. The album serves as a meditation on grief and resilience in the wake of 9/11, with Springsteen channelling national trauma into personal, often spiritual, reflections. I’m not a massive Springsteen fan myself, but I respect what he’s aiming for here—and for the most part, he succeeds. Often these types of records can feel earnest, cloying and inauthentic. Not here, this is genuinely a powerful effort with real emotional weight.
I thought this was a Christian album at first. Then I found out its association with 9/11. I'm not saying all the songs are hits and sometimes it does feel close to cheesy. However, I applaud an album dealing with grief and the aftermath of losing people you love. I recently lost my mother and many of these songs really resonated with the feelings I have about it. It doesn't have to be an act of terrorism to still be world shattering. I recommend this album to anyone experiencing grief.
I've been listening to the Boss all week so this is a welcome surprise. I just bought this album at the GW:)
Best Track - "Lonesome Day"
Pretty boring. Nothing stands out or is memorable. I think the album worded because of the timing post-9/11 but in 2025 it juzt isn't anything special and I'm a big fan of the Boss. Fave Tune: Not sure I actually had one!
It's alright, he can sing and can play but it's a bit same-y
"Worlds Apart" is saving this album from 1*. Otherwise, it's probably better understood in its context as a mourning album, and should be removed from this list.
A cathartic album for those living in NYC during 9/11, but also oddly current for our situation in 2025 as well.
I'm not really a fan of the style of country-rock on this album.
Un album de 9/11 qui a été généré le 10 septembre, nice Par contre l’album était moins nice. Ça a commencé en force avec la première chanson, mais le reste était bof
Positive vibes for post-Patriot Act America
it a vibe
It's a Bruce album. A lot like the other ones I've heard, albeit with a bit of World / Folk music and a few other eclectic touches thrown in there. It mostly seems heartfelt and straightforward rock, and somewhat predictable. Pleasant enough for a few tracks but my attention soon drifted.
I never can say no to Bruce. This was a great comeback album. Sure, his late 70's peak was well behind him. But he still had the balls to give it another go with E Street. Not the most challenging of listens, but then it's Bruce. Solid.
It is a decent listen, but I find the history (there is a super cringe story in the Wikipedia background) and context to be a little much. If you needed Bruce Springsteen to come out with an album to deal with your feelings post-9/11, to each their own, but it has a sort of naive "music can save the world" sentiment that I think has been proven (over and over more recently) to be false.
Another Springsteen album? There must be literally millions of great albums out there and this is a list of just 1,001 of them - it feels like 500 are going to be by Springsteen. I like him, but not for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It’s a perfectly good album, all very Springsteeny, but of the millions of albums in existence, is it among the greatest? Probably not, but I’d definitely put it in my top 500,000.
Off the cuff remark: my battle to love Springsteen continues. This is a step in the right direction, good strong lyrics as always but something slightly less anthemic overall, perhaps that's something I prefer? Standout track: Countin' on a Miracle is a lovely slice of pop, as is Waitin' on a Sunny Day Revisit?: yes. One to return to for sure.
2.67
A nice album, but for some reason, some songs felt like christmas songs. i really liked "worlds apart". 4
Not my favorite Bruce.
2.5 stars Some songs instantly transport me to my cafe job in the summer of 2002 - The Rising is one of them. I think it played every hour on whatever satellite radio playlist they used. It’s an okay song I guess, the la-la-la part is rousing and catchy. Some of these songs are quite emotional and they did get me (You’re Missing, for example). But do I need a whole album of mid, soft rock 9/11 songs? Sorry Boss, I do not.
I'm mad that this challenge made me listen to this album. I hate checking out late career albums for artists I like. It's always a disappointing experience. And why does this challenge keep forcing us to listen to lesser Springsteen albums? They are doing the Boss dirty forcing us to listen to this thing. It's an album that I knew existed, but didn't know it existed... if that makes sense. I didn't know that Bruce had an album reacting to 9/11 called The Rising... but it feels like a Bruce thing to do, and somewhere in my subconscious I knew this record must exist and I should avoid it for obvious reasons. I don't want to listen to 53 year old Springsteen sing about 9/11 for 72 minutes. Maybe if 9/11 had happened in 1985, this record would be great. But that's not the world we live in (i can't imagine what that world would be like, but that's a thought experiment for another day). So this is middle aged Bruce doing his best... and it just sucks for the most part. It's so long. It's so Dad rock, boring heartland blah, almost country at times... I dunno. Any of the grit of his music is gone. It's just not for me. And what the fuck is that "Worlds Apart" track? Bruce can't pull off incorporating Eastern rhythms/world music aesthetics... it's just awful. No Bruce. No. Why? Just no. The only song that jumped out at me on my first and only listen (hopefully for the rest of my life) was Mary's Place. It had the vibe of an old 80s Bruce song which was fun and I liked it. Sigh. My rating is probably a 1.5. But because it's Bruce and it's about 9/11... i guess I'll give it a 2 but I'm not happy about it. And i'm pissed I had to listen this thing in the first place. Thanks 1001 challenge. You got me good. Fuck you.
It’s ok but I don’t see why this was a necessary inclusion when he already has 4
know a bit of songs from this album! learning to like him, too! not sure why i was so unfavourable of his music in the past. he's good! edit: i did like the songs i already had saved ('Waitin' On A Sunny Day', 'You're Missing', 'My City of Ruins', to name a few), but not so much the others.
Springsteen always sounds like Springsteen of course. For me the standout track is The Fuse because it isn’t as predictable and is just dripping with a sort of melancholy.
did anyone else think this album was about 9/11
Fine. Another example of something I learned about myself during this list project: Bruce Springsteen just isn’t my thing. If you love Bruce then I’m happy for you. The ‘steen ain’t for me.
Something too polished I think about this Bruce. I like Born to Run but, even though some of these are decent songs they just sound so generic.
It was fine. It had some four-ish songs. It maybe should have been only 30 minutes.
Im sure we've had a previous offering from Mr Springsteen. As I probably said then, he has written some really good songs. But he's written a lot of crap too, as demonstrated by this album. On the plus side they certainly suit his voice, which is just as crap. A 2 because it's not objectionable, it's just not worth the effort.
I’m so hit and miss with Bruce. And this was a hit overall. Song writing absolutely top notch and having read the wiki notes about the album I understand why. Great guitar work and the band flawless. Stand out track for me ‘Nothing Man’. Why not a 5 then? A few songs did grate a bit. ‘Skin in Skin’ and ‘The Fuse’ especially.
I actually thought this was good. There was some really unspringseenlike guitar playing on here which I enjoyed more than I should have. I feel as though my cool level has shrunk with this admission.
Had some good tracks, bitter sweet lyrics, not so much my style so I'm probably not the best to review it
Weak album and far too long. I know he can do better than this.
Probably not the album that is going to get me into the boss. He sounds lonely, the lyrics are unoriginal and compositions a bit boring
Most emotion evoking album on the list, especially if you’ve recently lost someone you love. Possibly his best work that is often overlooked. Big words from someone who isn’t much of a Bruce fan.
First listen
The folks On Here saying that Springsteen was "profiting" from 9/11 have really no idea what they're talking about. I get it, it was 24 years ago. I imagine a lot of these folks were barely 10 or younger when it happened. This album was a salve. We were drowning in shit like Toby Keith "We'lll put a boot in your ass/It's the American way" and plenty of music getting censored. Look up the Dixie Chicks sometime. In any case, Bruce comes out with this very heartfelt piece of music -- hopeful, loving, full of longing and loss -- and it was beautiful. It's not his best work overall, maybe not even top 5. But for a country that felt every bit as crazy as it does today, it was a necessary listen.
8/27/25. Not a huge Springsteen guy, but can't deny that this is a powerful album, a bit soulful as well. Strong songwriting and good arrangement by the band as well.
Meneer Bruce is voor mij het beste bij zijn bekende album born in the USA. Ik vond niks van dit album er echt uit springen en vraag me af waarom we hieraan blootgesteld worden.
Niet al te boeiend
That’s the real deal-love it. Definitely one of his best albums
Bruce’s response to 9/11. That fact puts these songs into context and I suppose justifies picking this later album and not one of his seminal works. The Boss doesn’t miss here, I enjoyed these songs.
Бодрый рокешник с фолком (и даже немного арабским), местами. Взбодрил меня, слушал первый раз и понравилось сразу.
This is, what, something like Springsteen’s 10th best album? It’s pleasant enough, and I’m still drawn to a couple of the non-singles (“Let’s Be Friends (Skin to Skin)” and “Further On (Up the Road)”). But this is far from his best work, and it’s not essential.
I really love the title track, but this album is overall way too "adult contemporary" for my taste. Not helping the fact is how damn long it is.
As a huge Springsteen fan, I loved the vibe of the E Street Band reunion tour era, and this album has some of my favorite songs ("Waiting On A Sunny Day", "Mary's Place", "Worlds Apart", "Lonesome Day", to name a few). However, while I appreciate this album, it doesn't feel like a Springsteen and The E Street Band record. It's not a bad album by any means, but it's not what I reach for when I'm in the mood for a Boss album like, says, Darkness on the Edge of Town or Born To Run. I sometimes think a stripped-down, no-band approach, like Nebraska, or as part of a folk-rock trilogy that runs from Ghost Of Tom Joad through Devils & Dust might have made it resonate more with me. I will say, when it hits, it hits really hard, like the usage of Islamic music and imagery in "Worlds Apart" ('neath Allah's blessed rain") in a time where Islamophobic sentiment was quite possibly at an all time high, but it just feels different, an album that's somehow less than the sum of its parts as its trying to reflect a different world. Like a strange celebration trying to uplift a gloomy world still reeling...
Unnecessary.
Reflective, melancholic Springsteen is a bit of a chore to hear at this time of my life.
kolejny weteran listowy, to chyba piata pozycja od pana springsteena, tym razem nie bede marudzil, bo raczej pozytywne odczucia po poprzednich albumikach od niego mialem, the rising to krazek z 2k02, chyba konczy najdluzszy haitus jaki mial od miedzy krazkami, bo poprzedni mial w 95, wiec rising jest tutaj wielowymiarowe, bo nawiazuje nie tylko do oczywistego z punktu hamerykanskiego sluchacza podnoszenia sie po wtc, ale tez pewien restart muzyczny po przerwie u pana brusa, restart udany, bo albumik ponad 70 minutowy, wiec kazdy znajdzie tam cos dla siebie, a najwiecej smutni i strapieni w duchu, oraz ludzie niepogodzeni ze strata, czy zagubieni, bo album stara sie byc tytulowym podniesieniem na duchu dla sluchajacego, muzycznie jest stary dobry e street band, wiec klasyczne rokowanie bez udziwnien, chociaz wiecej niz zwykle slychac chorkowania, co to dobrze pasuje do pozytywnego wajbu jaki ma plyta, ktory czuc w tym przyjemnym graniu, na plejke wrzucam nothing mana, empty sky, tytulowy the rising oraz zamykajacy my city in ruins, to sie nazywa wrzesniowy pik jak akurat czlowiek na swiezo po memach rocznicowych, ale jesli pomyslec, ze mozna by sobie sluchac tego 23 lata temu w hameryce, to naprawde trzeba przyznac, ze mocny krazek pan springsteen zmontowal
I listened to this once without knowing the context behind the album and then, once after learning what the context was, and then again now. I can say I definitely appreciate the album more with each re listen. It’s absolutely in the Boss’s top ten. The lyrics, while obviously discussing 9/11, can also be attributed to his personal life, as well as the feelings and situations of most people, before and after the attacks. It’s a phantastic concept album and incredibly versatile. Love it. 4/5
From an emotional standpoint, I appreciate Springsteen’s willingness to give voice to the “small” protagonists of the September 11 tragedy. Musically speaking, however, I believe this album is less successful than some of his others, even though I formally admire the desire to experiment beyond his usual spare style—adding orchestrations and choral elements that open the work to a broader expanse. Favorite tracks: Empty Sky, The Fuse, Paradise.
Radio music
Some powerful tracks on here, and it was a great return to recording for Bruce and the E Street band. Not quite in his top tier of work, though.
Fantastic Album, I'm not super into Bruce Springsteen but I very much enjoyed listening even though it wasn't something I'd normally enjoy!
I have never been a Bruce Springsteen fan in this album is a perfect example of why. The music is fantastic. The lyrics and the singing are terrible. Bruce cannot make up his mind whether he is a New Jersey rockstar or a Texas cowboy and keeps alternating between the two, half the time not even pronouncing words intelligently.
There are very few albums by an upwards-of-a-decade past their prime artist that 1000% deserve a spot on this list, but The Rising absolutely qualifies. For anyone too young to remember 9/11 (a group to which I’d imagine 80% of the haters here belong - anybody who refers to this album as ‘patriotic’ probably thinks “Born in the USA” is patriotic, too, and has zero memory of the masturbatory “America, fuck yeah!” crap that had come out around then), it’s hard to state what a crazy time that was. People weren’t sure if they were ever allowed to feel joy again. I was a little young, but had I been the age I am now back then, I’m almost certain I would have lost friends or family members that day. It was a Herculean task for anyone to truly articulate what we were all feeling, but Bruce handled it with aplomb. I haven’t thought about 9/11 much recently, but listening to “You’re Missing” really hit a nerve. On a personal note, my first concert was seeing Springsteen in support of this album. I didn’t expect the nostalgia to get me like this, but it certainly did. I could recite this album almost word for word.
Would you guess that Lonesome Day was a song my 14-year-old self listened to a lot after my first breakup?
Not my favorite. Honestly not sure why this is on this list compared to other Bruce albums which show off more of his range and emotion.
# Playlist Track - Worlds Apart # Notes - Pleasantly surprised by the vocals and vibes in a few tracks. - Album runs too long and gets muddied and a bit repetitive. - Not horrible tracks, but no great ones either
Felt a bit like a book that needed editing. Were there really good parts of this album? Sure was. Could each song have been cut down to 3-3.5 minutes? Sure could. They all start to feel so repetitive at the end.
This list has taught me something about Bruce Springsteen. While he’s undoubtedly a talented musician, I believe he’s overrated as an album maker. He has some great singles, but I can’t stand listening to an entire album of his filled with filler tracks. This album was particularly long, and I found his songs to be a bit clichéd and repetitive.
Bruce Springsteen was always one of those artists that I could listen to in the background but never quite connected with. I'm not even sure I knew that this album existed, though I do remember him playing in the post-9/11 concerts. My review, though: it's not bad. I could see having it on once in a while, I suppose.
Springsteen at less than his best is still very good.
2/5 - I needed to hear this only if I wanted to revisit the post-9/11 feeling. This feels very dated to me, and not a Bruce album I'd want to spend additional time with. Musically, this just doesn't do much at all, and lyrically, it's hard to engage for the first time with something that is so particular to a moment in time.
16h finde ich irgendwie langweilig, nothing Man hört sich okay an, eigentlich konsumiere ich wenig Musik von Männern. Volle Meinung folgt später.
Starts of really strong - second half peters off
Bunch of mediocre, mundane song. “The Rising” is the only noteworthy song. 1001 album worthy: No - 104/194
Bland vanilla patriotic rock. It's more stereotypical than music made by ChatGPT with the prompt "Bland vanilla patriotic rock"
This is the man who gave us classics like Jungleland, 4th of July, Born to Run and the River. He never managed to live up to this after the succes as a stadion-rocker in the mid eighties. His catalogue from the last 40 years has too many forgettable songs, built around a small riff that is constantly repeated. It's a pitty really.
4/5. In a similar to The Suburbs by Arcade Fire, this is a collection of songs that all sound pretty similar with a constant theme. The main difference is that these songs are definitely more universal in feeling, but also much simpler. We have all experienced tragedy, whether it be the direct influence of most of these songs, or for anything really. These songs have simple lyrics mixed with simple instrumentation to really drive home the message without any subtly. I think in some songs it works well but I would have liked a little less on-the-nose vocals at times, especially since I know Bruce can do it. Plus some choruses are very repetitive. Now, it's still a great album and a meaningful one, and I do think a lot of it had to do with Bruce's emotions getting the better of him, so finding subtle ways to express oneself might be a little hard as a Jersey boy. It just hurt the album in the long run from being perfect since it almost sounds like a lot of these songs could be taken ironically. Which could be powerful but it seems he felt he had to match it with other positive songs to make sure his very positive message got across properly. Best Song: My City of Ruins, The Rising, Further On (Up The Road), Mary's Place
A few years ago, I’d never have expected to have heard so many Bruce albums, but having so many in 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die will result in more doofuses like me finding them. He’s been fairly hit and miss for me. Some albums have been pretty banging, but then a handful have been a bit naff. This one, fortunately, had plenty of earworms and seemingly lots of fun. I listened to it while working, so I’ll admire that I wasn’t particularly tuned in to the lyrical content, but it definitely still made for a nice listen.
i love Bruce Springsteen, and no one was immune to the banal, trying so hard to be deep soft rock of the immediacy of 9/11. it genuinely feels like Bruce picks a few words: blood, lips, seed, sky, and then just tries to weave them into every song even if it’s super contrived. lyrically tired, musically uninspired, and i have to agree with another review that said why not pick an artist at their prime in 2002? there certainly were some. i love The Boss SO much, and this is not his finest by a long shot.
This was a decent album, but I don’t think it’s as strong as some of Springsteen’s earlier work. It leans more into modern production aesthetics, and a few tracks even feature electronic, studio-produced beats and percussion. Overall, the album definitely has more of a pop rock edge, and I’d say I prefer his more traditional heartland rock sound over this direction. That said, if I were someone who deeply connected with lyrics, I probably would’ve enjoyed this album much more. While it’s not exactly a concept album, it’s clearly a tribute to the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks. So even though I’m not the biggest fan of the sound or style, I have to give credit where credit is due, it carries deep meaning and purpose.
I love Bruce Springsteen and yes i have this album.
The first Springsteen album I encountered was on day #2 of this project. I gave it a poor rating for being excessively poppy and said it didn't belong on this list just for being commercially successful. 350 albums later, I've come to realize that 80% of the albums on this list don't belong on this list. This album doesn't either, but it's definitely in the top half of that set. I suppose that's worth 3 stars.
It sounds just like every other Bruce Springsteen album, but somehow slightly worse. Dull, pretentious and unoriginal.
Bullshit heartland rock
Another Springsteen album? And zero 'hits'!? Woof. Why? No. I'd go zero if I could - so 1. What a waste of space.
Some of this is kinda hacky.
I do not understand how people enjoy this. His voice is super meh and the music is all the same.
This album makes me wish I was in one of the towers
Important post 9/11 album. Sounds a bit dated and there are a couple skips but still a solid record.
4/5
8/10 pretty good! far from his best work, and the more country-oriented tracks annoyed me a bit, but this was overall fairly good
Not a huge bruce fan, this is fine but doesn't grab me. Solid 3
I mean, it's not for me, is it, but it's listenable enough.
Mary's Place stood out on this album. Overall music was really enjoyable.
Interesting album. Several of the songs were more “poppy” than I would expect from Bruce - Let’s Be Friends and Waitin’ on a Sunny Day. Overall, I enjoyed it.
I like that there’s some kind of story in each song and that the lyrics are really worked on, but I just never choose to listen him.
I feel extremely "meh" about Bruce. There's nothing standout about the music (seems unchanged from his 80's albums) and I'm not really paying attention to the words. This is kind of a low 3 for me.
Three complaints: 1) It's overlong. 2) Too many songs sound too alike... but when he deviates from that well-worn path it somehow feels like a missteps. 3) This is his 4th album we've listened to, and I tend to get grouchy about artists who have more than 3 albums here. That said, this is all largely listenable and competent, if unexciting.
My expectations weren't high given we started with Bruce's masterpiece, Nebraska, eventually got to Born in the USA, and most recently ended up with Darkness on the Edge of Town, the most mediocre of the bunch. But while this is ultimately too long, and 'Worlds Apart' is undeniably world music-wannabe wankery, the rest of the album is largely strong. Added a few songs to playlists and came away thinking, 'This is what Ryan Adams wishes he was.' Might be a high 3, low 4 kind of situation, but grading up for today.
A fine album but not as good as some other Springsteen ones and un-necessary on this list. I feel that Springsteen's lyrics are at their best when he is working with specific characters. The lyrics here, although not bad, have a very generic feel to them. Similarly the music is fairly cut and dried in how the songs are built and delivered. Not enough experimentation to warrant yet another Springsteen album on this list.
3.5
I'm sorry, did I stumble upon the list of 1001 MEDIOCRE albums to listen to before you die?
Mixed bag from a tropical bridge album. Some very similar songs interspersed with some brilliant songs
Lyssnade inte aktivt, men helt ok att ha på i bakgrunden.
I can respect Springsteen and enjoy his music but it's not really for me. This is a solid album and I remember when it was released following 9/11. There's the classic Springsteen sound and message. The Rising was a big hit at the time because of its message and timing. I was kind of surprised that "Waitin' on a Sunny Day" has more plays on Spotify. I can honestly say that I don't think I've ever heard this song before. It's a fine song but kind of unremarkable.
We don't need albums from people 30-40 years after their prime
Totally different from his earlier records, dig it much more
It's BS, can't be lower than a 4.
6.5/10
Kind of boring but I generally find Bruce Springsteen to be boring but this is a touch more dull than normal
Old Springsteen isn’t any better than young Springsteen and in some instances much worse.
The Good: Something’s rising… The Bad: It’s not the what we’d like to see rise… The Ugly: age… For all you youngsters out there who feel the need to refer to this as boomer rock, or dad rock, get a life. This is shit music for one, and for two, though Springsteen might be a boomer himself, those who started listening to his music were Gen X… get your facts straight. Skip this album if you like music… it was painful to listen to. If you want to hear an album by a boomer in his later years, give Blackstar by Bowie a spin… now that’s an album. This was just shit… Couldn’t even get through the whole album as I feared I would start breaking things… I would rather listen to The Chronic… Nuff said… 0*
whew. that was a slog. no offense to bruce but i don't really feel anything strongly about his music on a good day... so to get a loooong + semi-recent album from him? death knell. the production on this is corny as hell. "let's be friends (skin to skin)" was just embarrassing. musically, it's probably a 3, but it irritated me so much i'm docking a star.
finally, the boss weighs in on 9/11. the verdict? he was not a fan. stay tuned for more hard-hitting news at ten! this album is fine. not great, not horrendous. just fine. it's got that facade of early-aughts sound and production that the aging american rock stars loved. like, bon jovi's albums around this time feel exactly the same as this. a few radio-friendly singles with more effort in them, and the rest is just ok. probably not revisiting this but i wouldn't immediately turn it off if i heard it in the background. favorites: lonesome day, waitin on a sunny day, worlds apart, further on (up the road)
Dull
Bruce is pretty much an auto 5 star for me, but this is a fantastic later career offering.
Perfect album!
Here we have Bruce Springsteen trying his hardest to be relevant again. Sonically, it's fine. It sounds just like Bruce, but it's almost like any spark or purported adversity he faced as a child has now faded and he's just pumping out the same music. His stuff from the 70s is cool and still sounds good (coming from someone who isn't exactly a fan), but this album is just a bore. I would give this album a 1 for how "blah" it is, but I reserve the coveted 1 star for albums that are truly horrible. This isn't horrible, it's not good either, it's just nothing.
a little forgettable, but made for decent background noise
Time capsule!
Too long, boring boomer ass shit
Rating (1-5): ✩✩ Not my jam man
Some songs are good, but overall it’s just a collection of boring post-9/11 anthems.
Very generic
Honestly thought I'd like this way more than I did, was expecting more songs like born to run and maybe it's on me for having the wrong expectations going in but idk basically none of the songs on this album grabbed me at all
4/10
Well, its better than I thought it'd be. Kinda midtempo midenergy jailed. But some classic Bruce, perhaps too classic, ie sounds like some other stuff, and some innovation, electronic and foreign drums. Too long though.
Literally fell asleep listening to this. It's not bad, just boring. I like older Boss music. I'm just not that into this newer Bruce music.
🤍❤️🤍❤️🤍💙🤍💙
Bruce‘s songwriting usually strikes me as unimpressive and formulaic, but he has a pleasing sound. I got a little enjoyment from this album, but a lot more of the time I felt tired of it
3.5 2000s adult contemporary Bruce…whew….it’s still Bruce so it’s better than average, but wowza. Not needed on this list!
Plainish rock, no anthems.
Sorry, with the first chords and that voice... I have no time for the musician Springsteen even though the person Springsteen seems to be a decent guy.
It was alright
Had no hopes for this but enjoyed some tracks. Certainly not as bad as I anticipated
If you asked AI to generate a Springsteen album, I imagine it would sound like this. It isn't bad, but it isn't very interesting either.
I get the intention behind The Rising and respect it. The tributes to 9/11 are heartfelt, and Bruce Springsteen clearly poured a lot of emotion into this one. There are some moving moments, and the themes hit the right notes. That said, I couldn't get past the fake Southern accent he puts on in a few tracks. Bruce is Jersey through and through, so hearing him try to twang his way through songs just felt off. As someone from the Deep South, it came across more like a bad impression than authentic. The album has heart, but the delivery didn’t sit right with me.
He's not my boss
I understand why Bruce had to make this album when he did, and why it’s on the list (The Boss’s post 9/11 album is surely something that demands listening to). As far as Springsteen albums go, I find this one to be one of his most sombre releases. Sadly, it’s missing the energy I love from his earlier albums (and even more recent ones like Wrecking Ball). Seems unfair to mark this album down for being quietly hopeful, but it’s not a Springsteen album I return to often.
Publié presque un an après les attentats du 11 septembre 2001, The Rising de Bruce Springsteen n'est pas un album ordinaire. Il est une œuvre-monde, une réponse artistique et humaine à une tragédie nationale, un baume musical posé sur une plaie béante. Attendu comme le messie par une Amérique en deuil, le retour du Boss avec son fidèle E Street Band pour la première fois en près de vingt ans était chargé d'un poids symbolique immense. Et c'est précisément cette ambition, cette volonté de tout dire, de tout embrasser – la peine, la colère, la peur, l'espoir, la résilience – qui fait à la fois la grandeur et la faiblesse de ce disque. Il faut le reconnaître sans détour : la cohérence thématique de The Rising est remarquable. L'album se déroule comme une chronique, un voyage émotionnel à travers les différentes étapes du deuil et de la reconstruction. Springsteen endosse son rôle de conscience de l'Amérique avec une sincérité désarmante. L'ouverture avec "Lonesome Day" donne le ton : un rock puissant, presque un hymne, qui reconnaît la solitude et la perte tout en appelant à se relever. La chanson-titre, "The Rising", est un chef-d'œuvre absolu, une montée en puissance gospel-rock qui évoque l'ascension héroïque d'un pompier dans les tours, se transformant en une métaphore de la résilience collective. C'est un de ces morceaux qui définissent une carrière et une époque. Dans cette exploration des âmes meurtries, plusieurs autres chansons touchent au sublime. "You're Missing", ballade acoustique d'une sobriété déchirante, décrit le vide laissé par l'absent avec une justesse poignante. "My City of Ruins", écrite avant les attentats mais trouvant ici une résonance prophétique, est une prière laïque, un appel à la communion et à l'espoir qui prend aux tripes. Sur ces titres, et quelques autres comme "Into the Fire", Springsteen est au sommet de son art : il est le conteur, le prêcheur, le poète du quotidien magnifié par la tragédie. La production de Brendan O'Brien, ample et puissante, donne au E Street Band une envergure quasi symphonique, parfaite pour porter ces hymnes à bout de bras. Et malgré que l'on frôle la perfection sur certains titres, deux mots résonnent. Longueur et remplissage. Et c'est là que le bât blesse. Car avec ses quinze titres et ses plus de 72 minutes, The Rising est un album éprouvant, non seulement par son sujet, mais aussi par sa durée. Springsteen, dans sa volonté de ne rien omettre, a étiré son propos au-delà du nécessaire. L'impact colossal des chansons maîtresses se retrouve malheureusement dilué par une série de morceaux qui peinent à maintenir le même niveau d'intensité et de pertinence. Des titres comme "Let's Be Friends (Skin to Skin)" ou "The Fuse" semblent presque anecdotiques, cassant le souffle épique de l'ensemble. D'autres, comme "Countin' on a Miracle" ou "Worlds Apart", bien que thématiquement liés, n'ont ni la force mélodique ni l'urgence de leurs voisins. On a l'impression que le Boss a vidé tous ses carnets, refusant de faire le tri nécessaire que tout grand album exige. Ce sentiment de "remplissage" est frustrant, car il empêche The Rising d'accéder au statut d'un chef-d'œuvre absolu qu'il aurait pu/dû être. Un album de dix ou onze titres, recentré sur ses moments les plus forts, aurait été d'une puissance dévastatrice, un classique instantané. En l'état, The Rising est une œuvre paradoxale. C'est un album essentiel, un document historique et un témoignage bouleversant de la capacité de l'art à donner du sens au chaos. Il contient certains des plus grands morceaux de la carrière de Bruce Springsteen. Mais en tant qu'album, écouté d'une traite, il souffre d'un manque de concision qui alourdit l'expérience. On le respecte infiniment pour son intention et pour ses sommets vertigineux, mais on ne peut s'empêcher de penser qu'un éditeur plus sévère aurait transformé cette fresque poignante, mais inégale, en un monument intemporel. Au final ce sera une note de 3 sur 5
I realized listening to this album that I really like later Bruce. He isn’t the young, vocally fortissimo in-your-face idealist, but instead a storyteller who has been around the block a few times. This album is a strong reflection of a man’s self-reflection in the post-9/11 world. I think we all went through the same thing, which would be curious to see if this album resonates with a generation that didn’t directly experience this. Empty Skies and Counting On a Miracle were particularly resonant for me as it brought up memories of seeing Denver in silence on 9/12 and having that feeling of absolute uncertainty. I am going to dig further into this album and this era of the boss.
Random thoughts: * I really enjoyed this one. * this one was better than I anticipated. It brought back memories of 9/11 but I also remember how much this album felt like a big come back for NYC. * This really captured a moment in time and was able to lift up a city and country. * The music still holds up and this was an album I will revisit.
There are times where I can find it hard to take 9/11 seriously. Now, let me nip this in the bud right here: I mean nothing but respect for everyone who suffered on 9/11, from the victims to the first responders, to the families of both. I'm too young and too Canadian to have any kind of understanding of what this did to folks and what it still means to them. When I say I find it hard to take the event seriously, I mean nothing ill towards any of those people. It's more, y'know, a lot of what happened as a result of the tragedy that makes it hard, particularly the "war on terror" and the sharp increase in jingoism. Which, of course, being a too-young Canadian, as just mentioned, I lack the scope and insight to really comment on. So, instead, let's just narrow in on the one aspect I do know a thing or two about: the music. When I think of 9/11 music, besides tributes to the victims, I'm usually thinking of one of three things: the innumerous random songs on Clear Channel's memorandum, the spare few songs that commented negatively on Bush's "war on terror", or — and this the largest thing — country music. Goodness me, post-9/11 country music. If there was any sound to define post-9/11 in my mind, it's not even "Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)"; it's "N' WE'LL PUT A BOOT IN YER ASS; IT'S THE AMERICAN WAY." Jingoism distilled: all these country guys who were just so fuckin' gung ho to invade Iraq and fuck their shit up for DARIN' TO MESS WITH 'MURICA. FUCK YEAH! Not to mention putting the big silence on anyone who **dared** speak out against Bush in any way — hi, Natalie, Emily and Martie. It was a time, I tell yah. So, yeah, that sucks. Not a great sound to associate with an event like this. But, y'know, there's actually one more thing I think about when it comes to 9/11 music. It's kind of tribute-y, so that's maybe why I didn't include it as one of the big three categories, but... Yeah, it's "My City Of Ruins" and, by extension, the album it comes from, Bruce Springsteen's THE RISING. Y'know, this isn't my group's first album from The Boss. Far from it. In fact, we got one from him just at the top of the month with BORN TO RUN. And where before we've gotten his retrospective claims (DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN), his star maker (BORN IN THE U.S.A.), and his breakthrough (BORN TO RUN), now we've arrived at another step in his career: his comeback. This was his first proper studio album in seven years, his first with the E Street Band in two decades, and his first since TUNNEL OF LOVE to top the charts. It was critically acclaimed, enough so to be nominated for Album Of The Year, though it lost to Norah Jones and her soundtrack for hipster coffee shops. Indeed, this is Springsteen's 12th album. Yes, his twelfth, released nearly 30 years into his career. This is a **late**-period album we've got here. So, I suppose the question rises (pardon): should an album this late into someone's career be here? Does it hold up to the acclaim it got 23 years ago? And, of course, most importantly: how does it fare as Springsteen's reflection on 9/11 and its aftermath — and is it being that the only reason why it's here? I'll start with my biggest ding against the album: the length. This thing is 72 minutes, almost double the length of any Springsteen album we've gotten recently. Which, I mean, unlike some other albums where I've had this length complaint, I wasn't getting exhausted by the end of it — it did actually do a good job of holding my attention... But still, you can't tell me **every** song had to be here. I get having a big album in the face of a big event, but there had to have been some stuff that could've been cut. That's my biggest knock on this album. I suppose my smaller one, then, would just be kind of a squint at the sound of it. We are a ways removed from the Heartland rock he was doing on those earlier albums my group heard. It's not totally indistinguishable — Clarence's sax pops up every now and then — but it still strikes me as pretty modernized. Far from bad, though it's just not what I've come to expect from The Boss. Even his singing, which still roots everything in his sound, is way more understandable than usual. I know he's older than he was, but what is a Springsteen album if he's not singing so hard that he's nearly incomprehensible? (That said about the sound, though, I do appreciate that he had a song on here with a Middle Eastern influence. Given the shit that was about to go down, it's nice to hear that on an album so influenced by reflections on 9/11.) So let's get to those reflections, then. Let's talk about the lyrical content. As is typical of me, my darn AuDHD brain kept me from processing a lot of them — just how I be. Though if there's anything I can get out of what I was able to get into my head... It feels a lot more honest. This is far from an angry album; there's no hungry cry to "[light] up [their] world like the Fourth Of July." It's more about... Well, it's about what it's always been about for Springsteen: the people. It's about grief and loss and sadness in the face of the tragedy, but also about resilience and finding the strength in your community to get through it. "With these hands, I pray for the strength, Lord — come on, rise up!" Even with a few lighter songs in here, like "Mary's Place", that's still the vibe of the album. Honestly, it reminds me a bit of The Flaming Lips' THE SOFT BULLETIN, in that sense — an album about the inevitability of death and how heavy that is, but still finding the love and strength to carry on regardless. And if I'm making a comparison to THE SOFT BULLETIN... Ain't nothing but a good thing, that's all I'm saying. And briefly, I wanna address "My City Of Ruin". It is the best song on the album — no contest. If you ask me, the whole album is a build up to this as a climax. It's maybe my favorite song Springsteen has ever made. A beautiful gospel-hymn of communal hope that... Really, can be applied anywhere. Most people would use that to knock it for vagueness, but consider: this song wasn't even written as a response to 9/11. Originally it was an elegy for Asbury Park, New Jersey, but took on a whole new meaning once the attacks. In the years since, it's been applied to the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, Hurricane Katrina... And so on. It can be reapplied for whatever people need it at the moment. If that's not the sign of an amazing song... I hafta tell you, on the whole, it's not my favorite Springsteen album. It's maybe a little longer than it needs to be, and it doesn't quite reach the highs of BORN TO RUN or IN THE U.S.A. — though I don't think it needed to. It's an album made for the times as they were then, and it more than well served its purpose. And even in the years beyond that, well separated from its original context, it holds up dang well. If nothing else, it gave us "My City Of Ruins", and that's the kind of song that would give an album high marks near regardless of how well the rest turned out. Thus, with these hands, I praise this album — a great latter day work from Springsteen. And seriously, how did Norah Jones beat this **and** THE EMINEM SHOW? Honestly, academy, pick the most boring option, why don't you...
Boy, whoever put this list together sure does love The Boss, eh? But in all seriousness, this is some nice rock, even if it can be a bit uninteresting. Solid 4 Stars.
I’m at a 4.5 that I'll bump up to a 5. It’s not Bruce Springsteen’s best production, given how much this thing bites from the rock trends he missed out on between 1995 and 2002. It’s not Bruce Springsteen’s sharpest writing, but with the wounds of 9/11 pretty fresh, I can’t blame him for not digging into them too deeply, even for as much as he touches on it. It’s not Bruce Springsteen’s strongest album on the list. It is, however, the perfect album for the moment, by a guy whose voice & thoughts seemed especially needed. The Wikipedia article for this album says that “Springsteen felt compelled to record The Rising when, in the aftermath of the attacks on September 11, 2001, a stranger in an adjacent vehicle rolled down his window and said: ‘We need you now’.” I can’t say that guy in the car was wrong – these tracks do feel needed. Yes, by 2025’s vision of the world, the sense of hope & perseverance present on a lot of these tracks are a bit washed away by the bitter taste of the U.S. military’s intervention in 2003 and beyond… but for July of 2002, these work, and they work rather well. They’re capturing emotions in broad enough strokes, yet just malleable enough to fit the situations of a lot of people who lost loved ones in the WTC, Pentagon, or Flight 93. Even without the context of the attacks casting a shadow on this album, most of them are written in such a way that they just work, saying the thoughts that some people might’ve been unable to express in light of any grief or tragedy. I obviously have my complaints on the album – I think a number of tracks here are a little too “poppy” for Bruce’s general style & sensibilities (“Waitin’ on a Sunny Day” & “The Rising” come to mind). I think there’s a handful of tracks where going more acoustic would create a better sense of intimacy, pulling more emotions out of them, giving them a better impact (“Countin’ on a Miracle” & “You’re Missing”, in this case). Past that, I do think Bruce’s vocal twangs lean a little too much into the Toby Keith-esque style of country that was dominating the charts at the time, and while his vocals are never once bad, they just leave a weird taste in my mouth, yearning for some of the grittier tones of his 70s/80s stuff. I will say, though, for as much as I’m sort of ragging on the production, I genuinely did enjoy a lot of these tracks. There’s certainly something cheesy to late 90s / early 2000s rock now, but hearing Bruce unabashedly go for it just worked in my brain. Don’t get me wrong, I think I would’ve preferred more of an updated yet familiar sound, ala David Bowie’s “The Next Day”, but going full throttle into the 21st century like this just feels fun. I won’t blame anyone for going for a 3 or lower on this, because it is rather long, and it’s WAY different from anything I’m used to from Bruce Springsteen. However, it just clicked for me, and ultimately, I think it does what any good Bruce Springsteen album is supposed to do: evoke the imagery of the very best aspects of the country. Yes, that’s normally bookended with “whilst acknowledging the criticisms that come with it, and what we should be doing to fix it”, but for 2002, I’m not necessarily sure people needed to hear those criticisms. They just wanted a sense of togetherness, and Bruce provides it here without being overly patriotic. Never once is the flag held up high in the lyrics, nor is America portrayed as a bright shining beacon. It’s all based in a sense of community, like on the back to back tracks of “Worlds Apart” & “Let’s Be Friends (Skin to Skin)”. It’s extremely apparent on “My City of Ruins”, which works as a great closer. I guess I’m at a 5 because this just clicked for me like that. It does feel weird, though, as it’s far from the highest of highs that is “Born to Run”, and while I think I still personally prefer “Born in the U.S.A.” over this, it probably does pass “Darkness on the Edge of Town” for me, for having a more contemporary / familiar sound, like the music I grew up on. It's definitely got a chance to go down in the future, but for now, I'm OK with the bump up to a 5.
The most mediocre of all the Boss' albums. A transitional one, from no music making back to it.
i guess whoever made this list just kept adding springsteen albums until they found one that sucks complete ass
He has better Albums.
Bruce is great man, I really do respect this man but if I’m ever in the mood for Bruce, I’m certainly not turning to his 2002 release for a Bruce kick. Sure, there are some tunes here but there are some absolute trash songs here too. Right away, Into the Fire had me rolling my eyes, “May your faith give us faith. Strength give us strength, love give us love”… barf. Let’s Be Friends (skin to skin) was also hilariously bad. I don’t know man, maybe I’m being unfair but I don’t really think I am. This was a bit bloated and bad. 2 stars
Much better than the first Bruce Springsteen album that I listened to.
This was once voted second catchiest album about 9/11. After Houmous & Chutneys fundraising album ((Watch Out) You Can’t Hide There (Were Coming To (Your Cave To) Get You)) 3.7 13/15 The Rising
I have no idea why, but I grew up associating Bruce Springsteen with country even though he is by no means a country artist. That being said, this album was the exact opposite of what I expected. In a good way. Vocals were great, musicianship was great, and I was pleasantly surprised. I'd definitely listen again.
1001 best albums? Really? Totally unmemorable to me. No real standouts, just bland and boring.
drei plus
I grew up listening to bruce springsteen, but generally his older stuff - I was surprised to see an album so late into his career get enough attention to end up on this list. I shouldn't have doubted him though - this album is full of wistfulness and melancholically hopeful bangers. feels like daydreaming looking out the window - today is a rainy day which just made it fit the vibe even more. I know springsteen isn't for everyone - most of the top reviews for this are 1-3 - but this hit me right today. favorite song: "waitin' on a sunny day" totally a vibe overall: 9/10