Darkness on the Edge of Town

Save 4 years of college in Upstate New York, I’ve lived my entire life in New Jersey. Despite what the internet and television will have you believe, it’s an amazing place to live. Here in Central Jersey, I can be in New York City in an hour, Philadelphia in just a little over an hour. I can take a day trip to the beach on short notice or spend the afternoon hiking the Appalachian trail. The food here is amazing and diverse. Within a half hour, I can eat great food from just about every continent on earth. Our pizzerias, delis and diners are easily among the best in the entire country, don’t listen to what New Yorkers say. I’ve travelled all over the country over the last decade for work: California, Chicago, Washington state, Texas, Colorado, the South, the Midwest, the Southwest…all over. I’ve yet to find a place that offers as much as New Jersey does, or, at least, one that offers as much within such a close proximity. Yes, it’s expensive to live in and the traffic sucks, but it’s home. Like a pork roll, egg and cheese on a hard roll (with salt, pepper, ketchup) or Zeppole’s on the boardwalk, Bruce Springsteen is ingrained in my cultural DNA. I remember being a small child, not more than 4 or 5, Born in the USA playing on the radio, singing it out on the back porch while my parents and their friends grilled up burgers and dogs for the 4th of July. This is life in NJ. Even if you don’t listen to Bruce, you fucking know Bruce. It’s inescapable. You go to Asbury Park for shows at the Stony Pony, you travel up and down routes 1 & 9…the places he performed at, the places and people he sings about: they are places and people you are all too familiar with. Honestly, I’ve never considered myself a Springsteen fan at all. In my 41 years, I don’t think I’ve ever sat down and put on a Springsteen record and I definitely don’t own any. Darkness on the Edge of Town, until today, was no exception. Sometimes we take our backgrounds for granted. Traditions have a way of becoming mechanical: you celebrate holidays a certain way because that’s just what your family has always done. You don’t dig into the reasons why you have a certain meal for Christmas Eve, because it’s second nature, it’s just what you do. That’s my relationship with Bruce Springsteen. He looms so large in the place I am from that he’s almost an omnipresence, so I never really looked into the “why”, I just accepted it and honestly didn’t think about it too much…The sky is blue, grass is green, New Jersey is Springsteen Country. (I had no intention in penning a love letter to my state when I put this record on today, but that’s where we’re at. Just roll with me on this one, thanks.) Digging into Darkness on the Edge of Town, I’m instantly comforted. This is like home cooking; comfort food for my disaffected working class soul. Believe me, typing that out is just as corny to me as it is to you, dear reader. I can’t help that it’s the truth. Springsteen is on a tear on this record: aggressive, urgent, introspective, blunt and often flat-out beautiful. I could listen to “Badlands”, “Something in the Night” or “Prove It All Night” a hundred more times today and probably not be sick of them. This record rocks hard. That Bruce is, in many ways, the face of New Jersey makes total sense to me. He is a fitting encapsulation of this state’s underdog spirit. I may not have wanted to admit that for many years, but Darkness on the Edge of Town is resonating with me on such a guttural level that I’m not sure I can accurately describe it in any other way. It just feels so right. Maybe it’s nostalgia, maybe it’s me finally embracing my place as a fully fledged New Jerseyan….I don’t know, but it’s a fucking great record and I should have become familiar with it a long time ago. My bad, Boss.

A mediocre selection of working-class mumbles periodically broken up by unimpressive guitar solos and unnecessary saxophone solos.

Whenever I get asked what is something most people love and you don’t I say Bruce Springsteen. I’m tired of having to say this, please randomly give us something else

Controversial opinion. This is his best work. His best, angriest and most solid batch of songs put together in the perfect order. I don't think hes ever topped this. It’s darker than what came before it and a reminder that life will beat the shit out of you and leave you broken. A story as old as time and no one tells it better than Bruce. 5/5

They don’t call him the boss for nothing

If the music was accompanied by someone who can sing, the album would actually be really good.

Good music but I can really only handle Bruce's voice in small doses.

Excellent, epic and emotional. Better than Born to Run for me and my first 5* review. There's just something about The Boss that just taps into the working man mindset. Melancholy at times, hopeful and uplifting at others, he just gets what it is to be alive.

Where's the option for 7 stars?

Like a drunk uncle singing karaoke. Would not choose to listen to this again

A haiku: Have you heard this one Characters love cars and girls Always hate their town

Snorefest. I really don't get Springsteen.

How many times have the Killers listened to this album weeping enviously

It’s alright. Probably the most Springsteeny album to ever have Sprungsteen.

I work, and work, and trucks, and work. My daddy worked and worked, and I'm tired, baby, trucks.

Now some guys they just give up living And start dying little by little, piece by piece Some guys come home from work and wash up And go racing in the street

Masculinity at its finest.

Raw and gritty. This album produced Bruce's best work, because he was locked in a legal battle for ownership of his work and he couldn't put out any new music until it was settled. This meant he worked. And worked…and worked. This album has my favorite Bruce song - Something in the Night, it's such a beautiful song. Add to it Candy's Room and Racing in the Street as some of the lesser known songs to the biggies like Badlands, The Promised Land, Prove it All Night and Darkness make this a full five-star album.

I had some familiarity with this album already, but gave it a thorough listen (ok several) and really liked it. Darker than his previous albums, but so good. Adam Raised a Cain and Racing in the Streets are two that I hadn’t paid attention to that I especially liked in addition to the already known singles such as Prove it all Night, Badlands and Darkness. 5

The album picks up from where Born to Run left off with the rousing 'Badlands', but listen closer and you will notice that Bruce's lyrics crackle with biblical imagery and religious fervour, this is repeated throughout on the likes of 'Adam raised a Cain' , 'Promised Land' and 'Darkness on the Edge of Town' . Has the Boss found God? Where Dylan was just entering his Fire and Brimstone phase with Slow Train Coming, which acts as a rallying cry for pious action in the material world (and turned off a large proportion of his Liberal base), Springsteen's spiritual focus is an introspective and personal crusade for self actualisation; the song becomes the sacrament, and what magnificent songs. It was also around this time when Van Morrison accused Springsteen (amongst others) of ripping him off and you can certainly hear his influence in the slower piano led numbers like 'Racing in the Street' and 'Something in the Night' which are meditative, hypnotic and transcendent. I told you he had found God.

70s Springsteen is best Springsteen

Blind album, know the artist. Holy crap some songs blew my absolute freaking mind on this album, especially the Promised Land. This album, had so many hits that had so much emotion behind it. I love the instrumentals, I love the harmonies, the chord progressions, the lead ins. It's rudimentary and standard but it hits so hard and packs a punch I never hear anymore.

GET IN MY EARS YOU BEAUTIFUL BASTARD

Sometimes when I hear an album for the first time, I'll absolutely love it. Sometimes I'll absolutely hate it. But it's really rare that I'll feel "comfortable" with it from the word go. I think by about halfway into the first song here, it felt like I was catching up with an old mate. I've never heard this album before, I don't even think I've heard any of the songs from it. But it legit felt like I've heard it countless times. There's something really cool about that. Can't give it any less than full marks. 5/5.

Funny that as I get older I appreciate Bruce more. While the power of his passion cascades from song to song, his music just never seems to capture my imagination. It's good, but just not great to my ears.

Take all the lovely romanticism, hope and freedom of Born to Run, punch it in the gut with a fist of sad reality, then slather it in some of the most anthemic choruses ever recorded, as well as some of the most searing guitar solos shredded, and you end up with this album. This is my favourite album of his, and Badlands is my personal favourite Bruce song so it was never going to get anything less than the full 5 stars, but there's truly not a bad song here in my opinion.

Classic and perfect.

Fucking hell this is awesome

15th June 2021 Have this on vinyl so cracked it out in the morning while working on civil service live. Nothing to say. 10 out of 5.

I like Bruce Springsteen. And this is pretty classic Bruce Springsteen. He springsteens all over the place on this album. My man locked into a springstheme of the challenges of being young in a small town and he just went hard with it. I like the variety of instruments: hell yeah, give me more glockenspiel.

Am I done with him yet? Am I done? What is this now, like 5 albums...? They're all shit. All of them. I do understand why people like him. I'm sure they can tune into his dad-rock, gentle fist-pump slice of Americana. For me, it makes my whole body slump in boredom. I seriously don't like his voice. It sounds like he's smoked way, waaaay too much weed and he's trying to drag himself off the floor and sing at the same time. The music, everything, it's just mediocre across the board. The most consistently 2/5 artist of all time.

I don’t get why Bruce is so celebrated. Mostly sounds like mush mouth drunk karaoke.

"Candy's Room" is fast-paced and fun, not super into the power ballads, but liked "Streets of Fire". Not the most exciting album.

As great as Born to Run is, this is just as good.

One of the best…..especially the title track

Is it possible for a Springsteen album to be underrated? Especially an early one? This album doesn't have any of his biggest early hits (e.g. Born to Run, Thunder Road, etc.) but is a masterful example of storytelling, catchy songs and great production. I'll admit I haven't given this album a lot of listens, but that may have to change.

I don't think we talk about how hard Adam Raised A Cain goes. Goddamn.

Excellent album. Probably more of a 4.5 for me but I’ll round up in honor of all the Bruce heads in this group.

His voice does nothing for me, just don’t enjoy his works. They feel like a slog to get through.

bruce springsteen to begin with always devastates me, but darkness on the edge of town has me on the floor!!! palms bruised!!!! knocking on the earth like it owes me an explanation!!! this is not a record to mee, do you understand that this is my own personal religion bruce springsteen does not comfort you here, he strips you for parts and hands you your soul back piece by piece while you struggle to carry all of yourself while your heart lies PANTING every song feels like it’s been dragged through gravel and yet! they persist! nothing is shining, all of it is grinding its teeth and pulsing and marching because all of your sins, unpaid, are coming due and bruce, this impossible man, is out here singing like if he stops for even a second the whole world caves in i am not okay listening to this i am pacing i am clenching my jaw i am staring at the ceiling adam raised a cain is inheritance as a curse you can’t return, i will accept no other reading of the song factory is barely a song, if you get it, you get it racing in the street… i have to sit down. i actually have to sit down. it empties me out and leaves the shell of my physical being ringing and the promised land??? how DARE he make hope sound like that??? and then the title track arrives like a final verdict, and you have been sentenced to a life forever changed there is no redemption for anyone, no soft landing just a man standing at the edge of everything, choosing to face the dark instead of pretending it isn’t there and i am on the floor again fists, chest, whatever will make a sound loud enough to match what this album is doing to me because this man, this ridiculous man from new jersey, gets it he gets the anger he gets the wanting he gets the way you keep going even when nothing in you believes it will matter anyways, i love springsteen in a way that feels embarrassing and necessary at the same time this album is not here to save you

I hadn't really liked the stuff I'd previously heard from Springsteen, so this album was a pleasant surprise for me. I found it to contain well-written lyrics about love, loss, and American life. Springsteen's vocals aren't as grating as I remembered(the main reason I disliked him), and the E Street Band is very solid musically. The saxophone is mostly gone from the album(another thing I disliked about Springsteen), which is always a boon. The songwriting here is excellent, with great lyrics and musical quality.

I was 13 when this came out and I checked it out repeatedly from the library. I don't think I've listened to it since then... what a masterpiece--flawed, a little overwrought--but still each song a variation on a theme while being, for the most part, a great song.

One of Bruce’s best and part of his prolific run of albums. Some beautifully raw songs on this record with ‘Racing In The Street’ being personal highlight, along with ‘Darkness…’. Epic!

Young Bruce still plays most of these songs live. What a beautiful album again.

my NJ icon favorite song from the album: Streets of Fire

Smiling right now. A 5 star album. One of his best.

I don't like Darkness on the Edge of Town as much as Born to Run, but man it's close. The production always seemed a little harder to me, a bit more in your face, perhaps not surprising given that Springsteen had been stalled for three years due to contractual rows about production and producers. It opens with "Badlands", intense and angry, straight into "Adam Raised A Cain" and the intensity continues. The wall of sound, Spector inspired arrangements from BTR are gone, replaced by a simplified, driving urgency, a heavier, rockier E-Street Band. "Candy's Room" is stunning as is "Racing In the Street", a contender for Springsteen's best song, incredibly moving, the emotions complex, the narrator's possibly self-delusion that he can escape the quiet desperation of his, and particularly, his 'Baby's' lives, she hating herself 'for just being born' - I never tire of listening to it. The underlying anguish, tempered by a stubborn refusal to give up, continues through side two, through "The Promised Land", "Factory", "Streets of Fire" and "Prove It All Night" and the theme of the album is summed up in the closing, title track. "Darkness on the Edge of Town" seems to be a further chapter in the story of the couple from "Racing in the Street" (and perhaps from "Thunder Road" and "Born to Run"). The record has lost none of its power in the forty plus years since its release. It cemented Bruce Springsteen's position as the champion of the blue-collar worker and, looking on from the outside, perhaps those very people should be listening to The Boss rather that to the lies of the would be King...

The BOSS is the best. Full stop. Him, Bob Dylan, and Jason Isbell are the greatest lyricists I think ever existed. No one call tell a story like those three.

I was reading one of the reviews on here and there was a person talking about Jersey. I live a state across in Philly and was reading about how much the state has to offer. I never really thought about it but Jersey is not bad at all. Listening to people like Springsteen make Jersey seem amazing compared to other states that are hyped up around the USA. He always spoke for us Northeastern USA folk and an album like this really shows that as well. It's weird saying that because a lot of the album sounds like it should've been made by an artist from the Midwest but honestly, Jersey is a weird but underrated state that crosses so much when it comes to culture. With it being a stones throw away from NYC, Philly, the shore, the mountains, farmlands, etc, it sort of represents it all. Great album and a classic from the Boss! Favorite Tracks: Badlands, Adam Raised a Cain, Something in the Night, The Promised Land, Prove It All Night, Darkness On the Edge of Town Rating: 5/5

Bruce! 😃 I quote this as one of my favourite albums but there are a few tracks that do the heavy lifting so im gonna try and be objective. Had it playing in my car all day as God intended. Haven't been that far though so im listening in full now. Badlands is THE opening track for when you change cds at the start of your 3.5 minute commute through the boring fucking town you grew up in to a job that you intend not to be doing in 6 months. Okay listening properly and not just skipping to promised land so I can scream it in my car on the way home from work.... all these songs are good. I sometimes think I dont like adam raised a cain very much but like. It's good and its a perfectly placed heavier track and I do actually like it. Candy's Room is so good. Love that driving rhythm. I don't need to tell you about racing in the street. Actually listening to promised land without Yelling along... its so. It's quintessential springsteen actually right. Im a working guy I've gotta get out of this town im driving my car Clarence Clemons Sax Solo harmonica breakdown. Banger. Fundamental. I'm not a guitar solo guy so when I say: the mf guitar solo on Prove It All Night aughsgsgsgs. I love this song. Ahhhh the title track pulls it all together so nicely at the end i love this album I love bruce springsteen. Trying to critique it just made me appreciate the sum of its parts even more.

My all time favourite album

One of the greatest albums of all time! Emphasis on the “Darkness” 😊

One of his top 3 best albums

this rocked

5/5. Dang, Bruce kills it again. Every time I listen to this album, it grows on me more and more and although it is not as good as Born To Run, it is still Bruce at his best. A concept album about the underdogs that don't win, similar to BtR but somehow more depressing. The lyrics are more grounded yet still exist within the fantastical world of his own creation, riding that line perfectly. I didn't think I'd give this a 5 when I first started the album but I can't think of a bad song on here. Another banger from The Boss. Best Song: Adam Raised A Cain, Darkness On The Edge Of Town, Badlands, Racing In The Street

Early Boss is just perfect.

I love this album. Its terrific.

****** BRUCE!!! One of my all time favourites, I like every second of it

Love it, have loved it for a loooong time.

LOVE

Absoluter Banger!

This was wonderful. I listened to it twice. Five stars.

Probably the best BS album

My fav Springsteen album, I revisit it often. Born to Run was about growing up and breaking free. Darkness is about coming face to face with your decisions when your life didn't turn out the way you thought it would and finding peace there or fighting to change it. Adam has extra meaning for me now that I have a son. May his sins be his own. Racing in the street is possibly Bruce's greatest song(besides Thunder Road). "She stares off alone into the night with the eyes of one who hates for just being born" Badlands and darkness always resonate. There isn't a weak track on this album. "And when the promise was broken, I cashed in a few of my dreams"

Fantastic. I have always loved every cut on this album

I'm a big fan of this album, and I think it occupies a unique space in Springsteen's discography. It's notably more stripped down than it's predecessors and Bruce gets a little grittier and rocking here. He was reportedly enamored with the punk scene around this time, and while you're never going to confuse him for the Ramones, some of that angst-fueled energy finds it's way into this set of songs. "The Promised Land", "Badlands", "Racing in the Street", "Adam Raised a Cain", "Streets of Fire", and the title track are all standouts. Heartland rock at it's finest. 5 stars.

Darkness on the Edge of Town I generally prefer either sombre, dusty Bruce a la Nebraska and The Ghost of Tom Joad or bombastic 80s Bruce to his mid 70s period, even though of course there are great songs in that period, including a few on this album. Badlands is up there for me as one of his best songs for me, a great rollicking tune and an excellent opener. Adam Raised a Cain has a nice moody feel, a slight Station to Station feel to the guitar. The Promised Land is great as well, and the final run of Streets of Fire, Prove it All Night and Darkness On the Edge of Town is excellent, hitting that signature strain of strained, anthemic, gritty passion combined with the stories of hardship and perseverance, culminating in the excellent Title Track. Despite the singalong and ebullient nature of some of the music, the themes of the album tend to the small and the sad, everyday people up against the vicitudes of life, with not much chance at escape or happiness. But there are also a couple of songs that I’m not as keen on and, to use an appropriate car metaphor, stall things a little. Something in the Night and Racing in the Street as slowed down piano ballads have a dirge-like quality, the melody being a bit hard work. I like Candy’s Room and Factory, but they probably sit at the level between those two songs and the others. It’s not my favourite of his, and I had been erring between 3 and 4. But there are some great songs on here, and although the air of despondency isn’t initially that appealing it is a very good album, so I’ll go 4. 🌆🌆🌆🌆 Playlist submission: Badlands

30 seconds in and I already loooove it!

This was better than I expected. Varied melodies and tempos plus good lyrics make it easy to listen. Some nice songs I hadn't heard before.

Il est absolument IMPOSSIBLE d'écouter cet album sans avoir un minimum de contexte en main. On est en 1978, soit quatre ans avant l'épisode de la guitare qui va bouleverser la vie de Springsteen. Il enregistre à cette époque Darkness on the Edge of Town dans le but d'expliquer comment il va s'y prendre pour construire son prochain album, Nebraska, qu'il compte sortir en 1982. La stratégie qu'il développe en chanson est la suivante : se faire pousser une coupe mulet pendant quatre ans pour être fin prêt lors des séances studio. Il ne sait pas encore que cette décision sera le point de départ d'un immense traumatisme. Une fois Darkness enregistré, il décide d'organiser une séance photo et fait venir un professionnel. Ce dernier lui demande de s'adosser au mur et d'ouvrir son blouson noir. Bruce est très aimable et courtois, mais vous allez voir que ça ne va pas durer bien longtemps. Le photographe lui annonce qu'il va bientôt appuyer sur le bouton de son appareil quand soudain, au moment de prendre le cliché, un « zwip » se fait entendre. « Qu'est-ce que c'est ? » demande alors le photographe avant d'apercevoir le sexe de Springsteen sortir de sa braguette. « Tu reconnais pas le petit Jésus, ma couillasse ? » répond le chanteur en agitant son bazar. Horrifié, son interlocuteur quittera la séance sans attendre. Bruce Springsteen sélectionnera tout de même la photo en question pour en faire la couverture de l'album mais son équipe et lui-même prendront soin de rendre invisible la partie de l'image située en dessous de la ceinture.

Je vais vous raconter dans ce review l'histoire saugrenue derrière la couverture de cet album. Tout d'abord, il est bon de replacer le contexte, et de rappeler que cet album a été enregistré AVANT l'épisode de la guitare. A cette époque, Bruce n'avait donc pas encore engagé sa tentative de reconversion, et jouissait d'une beaufitude des plus totales. Nous sommes le 12 mars 1978, quand Bruce a rendez-vous avec un photographe réputé, professionnel de la couverture d'album. Ce dernier demande à Bruce de poser devant une fenêtre, volets fermés, afin d'accentuer le noir de la veste portée par Bruce. Il conseille également à Bruce de prendre un regard sérieux, presque séducteur, afin d'ajouter à la gravitude du cliché. Au moment où le doigt du photographe rentre en contact avec la détente de l'appareil photo, l'impensable se produit: Bruce dégrafe son pentalon, laissant apparaître son appareil génital. "Mais qu'est ce que tu fais Bruce ?!" s'exclama le photographe, stupéfait. "Bah c'est mes boules, mes grosses couillasses" rétorqua Bruce, avant de partir dans un rire gras. Le photographe étant choqué, et le cliché malgré tout plutôt réussi, il fut décider de rogner la photo, afin de ne laisser apercevoir que le haut du corps de Bruce en guise de couverture d'album.

This is my second Springsteen in the project, and while this one is better, it's still one Springsteen too much. This one is better because it's earlier, and Springsteen didn't yet fully tune his "working man hit machine" system so you can hear him trying different things out which keeps it from being completely boring. However, it's still the same musician and the same voice that does absolutely nothing for me and I sincerely hope I don't have to listen to another album by him again.

Not a fan of the vocals

I’m not sure if Bruce Springsteen is for me. This is my second Bruce album and I just wasn’t feeling it but I can see why people dig him and his music. I didn’t finish this album because there is something about his vocal quality and pitch that really bothers me. But I would give this album another chance and recommend it to others!

The only boss i really listen to. What a record. Still have no idea what he's singing about. But maybe that's the point?

You can’t do this to me. Oh wait, that’s literally the whole idea of this. I am sitting in an airport, trying to reach the promised land of the maritimes, and my accompanying soundtrack? Bruce fucking Springsteen. The worst “artist” to ever hire somebody to put pen to paper. Let’s see what tripe that the cosplay prophet of the working man has cooked up this week. I’m sure it’ll be a nonstop thrill ride. Badlands - If I wasn’t on the verge of tears, I’d be crying laughing. I can’t even figure out how to make fun of him. This singing is horrible. When I say horrible, I mean truly atrocious. Imagine the worst singer you’ve ever heard, and imagine that everybody else says they’re really good. You get gaslit into the loony bin. This song needs to be institutionalized and kept away from polite society. From the awful vocals, to the disgustingly bad horns, to the 4 minute song length that seemed like 10; this is yet another Springsteen disasterclass. Adam Raised a Cain - Whoa. A decent opening? That can’t be right. Just wait until the vocals come in. There we go. Back down to earth in a pile of smouldering rubble. The guitar tone on the solo is good here. Would be excellent behind anybody else. The riff itself is bad. Shocking. Something in the Night - He got you. He got all of you. You think a competent, serious singer leaves these first notes in the final mix? It’s not bad in a charming way. It literally couldn’t be worse. I am in hell. Candy’s Room - Oh good. This shouldn’t be creepy. UHHH HUH HUH HUH HUH HUH. This is like if Butthead (of Beavis & Butthead fame) wasn’t funny and was also a pedophile. Racing in the Street - BOOOOOOOO. WEEEEEELLLL I’ve got an 08 civic without power locks and I’m sitting in front of Irving. I’ve got a 79 cent polar pop and I’m headed to Pleasant Street. Hey Bruce, if giving up living would’ve prevented you from releasing this song, I’d fund a mission to go back in time and save us all from this. This song is the perfect sound track to listen to while you fill a burlap sack with rotting fruit. Start pelting the Sopranos guy, and Bruce shall fall. My mouth is agape. I can’t believe how bad this song is. Has anybody else heard this? Who is this for? Harley Davidson guys? That earth shattering metronome breakdown at about 5:30 (!!) is really skyrocketing this song to the moon. The Promised Land - More dumbass car lyrics. “Well my car’s got an engine and I think about the exhaust pipe in a sexual fashion.” That rhymes right? “I took my daddy’s car and I pretend to be a rebel, but I’ll have it back by 9, I’m really on the level.” Man. The poet of the streets. Imagine the lyrics I wrote followed by a harmonica riff (emphasis on harm) and a honky took saxophone solo. If that’s what you like, firstly, get a CAT scan, and secondly, this may really be your “promised land.” Factory - Cut right to the point. Oooohhhh I’m pretending to be blue collar so I can sell records to you braindead hicks oooohhhh. I’ve definitely heard of a factory ohohohoho. If he really is blue collar, there is no hint of emotion to tell me that this comes from a real place. This is textbook pandering to the people who defend billionaires online in 2025. Streets of Fire - Purify my ear canals in fire. JESUS CHRIST. What the hell is this caterwauling? Over what? Where was this passion in the “oh my daddy walks to work in the rain… just like you! And you can be a working class hero too if you buy my LP, in stores this June!” Prove It All Night - Two songs to go. I can do this. We’re working hard with dirty hands and driving dusty roads. Driving Dusty Rhodes would be cooler. It’s the American dream baby talking to ya from the backseat of my limo. You wanna talk about hard times, daddy, hard times is when you listen to U2 and Bruce Springsteen in the same week. Hard times, is when you’re sitting in an airport terminal and the desk agent says “sorry you missed your flight” because you couldn’t hear last call over the strains of the worst singer to ever exist. THAT’S hard times. Now take me to the super dome baby. I’ve got a show to main event. Darkness On the Edge of Town - Man. Between the streets of fire and the darkness on the edge of town, where will Bruce drive his Dad’s ‘74 Pinto or whatever? This is an album that perfectly encapsulates failure. Every attempt to be relatable was dead on arrival. Every car reference was as see through and dimwitted as the next. Every desperate grasp to paint himself as a cool, adult high schooler, failed. The only thing this album does successfully in my eyes, is capture what “cool” is to the most average, nothing happening people on planet earth and distill it into a nauseating slab of garbage that is for sale to every car company and convenience store in the world’s worst country. I hate this. I hate Bruce Springsteen. Music for people with sub 90 IQs who smell like gasoline. 0 HIGHLIGHTS: Hatred

Not a fan of this at all.

can't stand his voice. 1.

hate springstein

Whiny, boring 'working-class' ballads

i just don't get bruce or why he has such a devoted following. always banging on about grafting and how hard life is, he's such a man of the people. he really gets the daily struggles of the working man cos he was one about 50 years ago. i hope the next song from 'the boss' is about whether he is picking heating or food. i found this unbearable listening.

Not for us. Will come back in 20 years.

This list really doesn't need this much Springsteen!

Boring generic pop rock stuff. I will certainly not return to this album, no Sir.

Why is Bruce Springsteen screaming all the time? He pushes his voice, but I don't feel many more emotions. It's pop rock, but it's not uplifting or catchy. How could it have been a phenomenal success? No idea. Maybe the lyrics appeal to the average citizen of America and that does not do it for me. But above all, it's sooooooo generic.

Possible explanations for Springsteen's vocal technique: 1 He was having some dentistry work completed literally at the same time as recording the vocals 2 He had a vindaloo curry the night before and was really suffering the after effects of said spicy curry 3 He was doing some charity work and was heavily influenced by patrons of said charity 4 It was a private joke on us 5 A bet 6 The 'Boss' has had permanent laryngitis since 1974 7 Too many drugs 8 Springsteen is actually an alien 👽 from the planet gogajoojoo The truth is out there somewhere!! P.s. Please don't make me listen to any more Springsteen albums. I promise I'll be good!

Right ideas I suppose but all a bit too earnest and well, Springsteen-y. Hard no from me.

I have nothing good to say about this project. Everything was insufferably cheesy and uninspired. 1/10.

Eurgh. Dad music... if my dad was a wannabe cowboy gun-totin' sonovabitch. Just not my cup of tea, I'm afraid. Fav new track: Candy's Room

Worse than born to run

Horrible.

It's never gonna be for me.

I can't Springsteen

5/5, no notes

Holy shit. Mr. Springsteen I apologize I was not familiar with your game. I'd heard a few of your songs but got DAMN

Excellent album if you put aside his politics

Masterclass

Ótimo, rock bem equilibrado entre pesado e emocional, definitivamente vou ouvir de novo. Épico.

“I believe in the Promise Land” I think these words are the antithesis of what Bruce Springsteen is all about. Some people, when they think of him, think of “Born in USA” And think it’s some sort of “USA” rah rah song. And it is but not the way they think think it is. This album is filled with what America really is. The good and the bad. What it is right now is and what it is capable of. Beautiful and sad.

The Boss!