Reviews (page 11 of 12)
sure
Boring.
Not bad, just very generic to me.
sounds like Bruce, not my sound tho, 2/5
This one absolutely did not work for me, which kind of shocks me because I consider Born to Run, just a few years earlier, to be an all-timer
++: Adam Raised a Cain, Streets of Fire, Darkness on the Edge of Town +: Badlands, Racing in the Street, The Promised Land, Prove It All Night +-: Something in the Night, Candy's Room, Factory 6,0/10
I’m sorry, not memorable. I had to skip a couple snoozefests.
Usual dull drivel from the "Boss". The River Detectives version of Factory is much better as well.
I just find it difficult to get into mostly because of the singing
Hard to understand him
J - 2/5 Best Track - "Badlands" F - 1/5
Eh
Honestly, this is a very boring album. Like i get the appeal but it's just not my thing.
Who likes this trash? Every song tries so hard to be a ballad and they all fall flat.
hoje eu to meio azedo e escutei muito álbum ruim esse não facilitou. VEREDITO: É RUIM, ASSIM COMO TODA A DISCOGRAFIA DO SPRINGSTEEN
I think this is one of those “you just had to be there” albums. I don’t recognize this country as a place with stable factory jobs and where hard honest work is rewarded with a living wage and a pension. Idk why he’s so angry that sounds pretty nice to me
I tried I’m just not a fan
After being told about how great Springsteen is my whole life my expectations were high this missed the mark pretty forgettable album nothing particularly special about this
2/5
not really my thing
Springsteen sounds like he wants to be hard rock and jangly piano tune Bob Dylan at the same time. I personally don’t really think it works.
Not a Springsteen guy
I didn’t love this
Right off the bat, I can say this project is way better than the last Bruce Springsteen album that this list gave me (The Rising). Plus, musically I enjoyed it but once again I come to the same problem with Bruce. This is an entirely personal and subjective opinion, but I don’t care for his voice at all and I find the man to be incredibly preachy. The good news for this album is that it’s not quite as preachy as his other work. And as always I appreciate that his point of view on a lot of these songs are not what they appear to be. Much like how dumb republicans think “Born in the USA” glorifies America, I could easily see those same people listening to “Factory” and thinking to themselves “yah factory jobs! That’s what we need, bring those back!” So I can appreciate the album for that, but honestly it’s just not for me. Politically, Bruce seems like an intelligent and compassionate person, but I just don’t really like his music. To be fair I tried.
Never really felt Springsteen. IDK something about him has never really connected with me. Maybe I live too far away from New Jersey or something. 4/10
I really just don't get Bruce. This album was an order of magnitude better than Born in the USA as the music had some more dynamics to it this time. Largely, however, the slow rock ballads are all pretty boring to me. I was clicking through the album a second time to pick a song for my list and each time one started, I was intrigued, just to want to move on by the end of the first chorus. Something in the night comes to mind, such a beautiful opening that fades away to me. It's a shame because this is probably the first mainstream artist on this list I just can't really appreciate. If I'm picking a favorite, it's probably Factory because thematically it's very strong as a blue collar anthem.
Some decent tunes but a little rambling and intensely USA for my taste
I preferred this Springsteen album to Both to Run but I am still very much not a fan, so giving it a 2. Adam Raised A Cain was the best track of the lot
It's Bruce. Bruce isn't good.
Great production value. Not my favorite voice on an artist, but I can see where he became an American sensation. "Heartland Rock" as a genre makes sense. Really not for me, but not a bad artist. I can respect the quality, and the appeal, but this is a personal 2.
5/1001 I never understood the appeal of “The Boss.” Nothing about any of his music is special to me. His voice is remarkably awkward. The band is solid but nothing stands out as great. The lyrics are simple and basic. 45 minute album seemed like one long draw out song - each song sounds borderline indistinguishable from the last. There’s nothing terrible about this album, but there’s also nothing good.
Aaaaand back to Boring Bruce. Remember what I said earlier? The interesting thing with 1001albums is that there are artists that are way too represented in the selection, so you can stop bothering about reviews and just copy/paste what you wrote previously. I still don't like this kind of generic, very American pop-rock.
Saai
Ethel Cain outdid. There's not really any relation between her and this guy, I just wanted to mention.
really struggled to get through. I tried, honestly, but after numerous corny ballads I just couldn't do it anymore
Ga meg ingenting
This is the worst Bruce Springsteen album I've heard. There are redeeming qualities, but it lacks the charm of his other work. How does he sound 70 years old in his 20s? Best Songs: Racing in the Street Worst Songs: Badlands, Something in the Night, Prove It All Night
Boss
I didn't like it
Ah ouais mais Springsteen c'est nul en fait.
Weird melodramatic singing. Pretty generic rock generally. Not Bruce's best.
Sleepytime 70's rock being sung by your drunk uncle at karaoke. He'll drive home later in his and Rob Collins himself and your last memory will be how his voice was completely identical as the drunken rambling of Springsteen on Badlands or Something in the Night. This cunt cannot sing for his fucking life. Is English Bruce Springsteen's second language or does he have a cleft palate or something? I genuinely couldn't understand a fucking word this rat looking motherfucker had to say. The only songs on this record I could make out what he was singing (which was far and few) were okay, but they felt so meticulously generic of 70's radio rock that I wouldn't even know it was Springsteen, let along come back for a second listen. The only song where he was coherent was Streets of Fire (which I will touch on in a moment) - the only solidly good song on this album. Leaving aside Springsteen's tenuous grasp on communicating in English, the musicianship isn't half bad. The pianos play well, there's some mean guitar solos, and the drums have a nice reverb to them. Genuinely, the guitar solos on this go so hard it probably saves my review from a 1. Somehow the best guitar solo on the album, Streets of Fire, has the lowest stream ratings on Spotify - also despite being probably the best song on the album. Still better than his 9/11 album, whatever the fuck that was called, (it's somewhere in my Lowest Rated Albums list) but that's like saying stepping in dogshit is better than stepping in horseshit. At least the dogshit (Darkness OTET in this case) is dry & stinky versus wet, offensively bad, and day ruining.
Boring
Meh, dosadno, ali nije mi najgore što sam čula tu. Imam malo nostalgični vajb uvijek od njega, ali ovaj album mi je stvarno dosadnjikav. 2/5, 3/10.
I think I was expecting more from the boss. His vocals on this are awful, so I assume we will get better albums later on.
Dull. Next…
Jeg har alltid hatet "Dancing In the Dark" og "Born In the USA" når de har spilt på radioen. Samtidig kjedelig og travle, med så streite rytmer som overhodet mulig. Ingenting på denne platen er i nærheten av like pinende. Det er ikke nødvendigvis noe galt med denne musikken. Men en smørsanger som synger at Chevyen hans venter på han utenfor seven-eleven treffer meg ikke, for å være helt ærlig. Springsteens musikk blir så komisk amerikansk som det går an. Jeg ser appellen, det blir bare helt midt på treet for min del.
Meh.
Kinda boring. I don’t get Springsteen
Boooriiiing
Easily forgettable
I prefer Bruce on the Tacky Souvenirs of Post Revolutionary America and I argue that record should be on 1001 Albums Before you Die over this album which is token Boss. Tacky Souvenirs of Post Revolutionary America takes Born in the USA; I am certain that turd is also on this list, and uses the music with terrible singling and keyboard effects over the actual recording and it is infinitely superior to anything Bruce has done outside of Nebraska. Bruce is T Top rock to its core, you need a Camaro or a Trans-Am to really enjoy this cheesy commercial trash. The sad reality is Bruce has one good record, Nebraska; the rest of the catalog is grossly overrated to include this overrated record. I could have died without this one. The man who sang about rich and poor felt he was too much of a king for a DUI in a National Park, The Boss is the The Butthole at this point. I knew he would make it, he is a commercial music god, but this record is not essential. Not even close to essential, its kinda poop. Here are some much better albums that are not considered 1001 Before you Die from 1978: - Blondie Parallel Lines 4.5 out of 5 - The Cars - Self Titled - The Rolling Stones - Some Girls - Wire - Chairs Missing - Bob Seger - Stranger in Town - Patti Smith - Easter The reality is simple, this is a commercially successful from '78 and in '85 was on the charts for 15 weeks. Its commercial pop music, nothing too special honestly and its on the list because you just cant leave out The Butthole Bruce Springsteen.
This album stated and after 10 tracks it was over without really noticing. Yes, I was doing other things in the same time but still this didn't catch my attention basically at all.
Never been a big fan of Bruce's, his singing is a bit mumbling and music is very dependant on lyrics, which are another thing I don't really emphasize too much. I don't really get why this is so revered and held in high regard. I find it quite a boring of an album.
sorry but I kind of hate this? I don't know why. his voice is bad and the songs are lifeless. it got a little better. I liked "Factory" and "Prove It All Night"
Never got this dude, his music does nothing for me.
Not for me
I have such mixed feelings about the Boss. Listening to Badlands right now and I'm annoyed. But I also see Adam Raised a Cain and Candy's Room are on this album, which are such great songs. This album so very much wasn't for me. I reached my daily recommended value of bombast midway through the first song. I ended up skipping around the second half and didn't find any reason to stop. I didn't even like Candy's Room as much as I remember.
I liked this one, not my favorite jazz album but I will probably add this into my jazz rotation (such as it is).
Heartland Rock eller Rust Belt Country. Kartoffel - Kartoffel. Selv om man ikke blive slået i hovedet af en saxofon på det her album, så er det bare alt for meget E Street Band lyd. Særligt keyboarded er ulideligt
To be honest I only got halfway through this one. Good but not for me.
It's pretty good. Probably nothing I'd come back to, but I don't think it's a bad album. I don't think it's his best work, but still. They did all begin to blend together in the end though...
i’m gonna lie, this is fire
Pre-listening thoughts: you know that version of Santa Claus is Coming to Town that Bruce Springsteen sang and there’s only a crappy live recording of it where he sounds like he’s just kind of bumbling through it musically in a gravely register of his voice? That is how all of Bruce Springsteen’s songs sound to me. Sorry. He ain’t my boss Post/during listening thoughts: can he PLEASE enunciate???? I cannot understand like 50% of his lyrics (which are supposed to be his strong suit) bc of his singing style. He sounds like when theater kids do impersonations of drunk people despite them never having been drunk before. Like just slurring his words sloppily but his flow and tune remain intact. The instrumentation is decent. Every song is like “i grew up poor working for my daddy and I fell in love with a southern beauty and we grew old and were happy even though we were poor. Hell yeah America!”. I just don’t think Bruce Springsteen will ever be for me. 4/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: no Fav tracks: Badlands Least fav tracks: Candy’s Room
2nd song was good 2.5
Not my boss.
I'm just not a Springsteen fan. This feels like your parents' love jams. I haven't found a song that wasn't Philadelphia that I liked. 2* He's extra talkey/mumbley in this one.
I've long struggled to articulate my issues with Springsteen. There's something decent there but I've never got on with the constipated vocals and sax. But I've just realised the biggest issue is the character. Just like Arthur Miller, his tragic hero is the downtrodden American working man who is flawed. I can't look past the flaws so I can't empathise with the character. Also, rock music that doesn't rock.
I'm bored out of my mind.
Boring. I don't mind Springsteen's voice or his songwriting, but overall this does nothing for me. Boring.
The boss just ain't for me. 2/5
Eh
I wanted so badly to love this. I like the idea of Springsteen. I love "Born to Run." I love the fact that he has Max Weinberg as his drummer and for the longest time had Clarence Clemons as his saxophonist. I love the fact that there's a sax in his band at all. I love so much about the idea of Springsteen. But this was boring, and that sucks because it didn't need to be. There are bright spots, to be sure. But one cardinal sin for me has always been that if you're going to put out a song longer than four minutes, it had better not be a slow ballad. Because that gets so boring and feels so much longer than it actually is. And Bruce does this multiple times on this album and I just can't get there with him. I might've been able to had he been a little more intelligible. People complain about mumble rap today. they complain about singers who are impossible to understand. I've never heard anyone level that accusation at Springsteen before, but they should. There are so many songs on this album that I just can't understand a word he's saying. They're pretty, they're interesting in their own way, but I just cannot understand him for the life of me. It was funny at first, but after a while I just found it annoying. It's a shame this didn't hit harder for me. The Boss is such an icon, and his musicianship and showmanship are unquestionable. But I just didn't really find myself caring about this album. Bummer. I loved the more upbeat, rock stuff (see below), but on the whole, this was a snooze. Two stars. Standout Tracks: Adam Raised a Cain, Candy's Room, The Promised Land, Prove it All Night
Bruce is a great song writer that’s about it.
Look, if I wanted a "tough" guy from New Jersey to sing about Cain, it's gonna be Danzig NOT Springsteen. Can't handle this mediocre "i'm just a hard workin' guy" shtick. Favorite song: Prove It All Night - kinda has a power pop sound to it Least favorite: the rest, but especially Something in the Night
Meh
Forgettable
Sorry but I don't really get it. The bombastic 80s Springsteen somewhat ok, patriotic and singalongable but this too-cool-for-school, drawling unremarkable Springsteen with odd saxophone interludes, I just got nothing from it in two listens and couldn't hack a third.
Springsteen is one of those guys that I get why people like but I can't relate at all. I grew up very America-adjacent and this type of music never really meshed with me because I never experienced any of the kind of stuff he talks about either directly or through my parents. And that's before you get to his voice and singing which I don't like in the first place. The execution of all these songs is fine; the only thing really performed badly is the ending of "Something In The Night" and it's entirely Bruce being unable to hit the right notes. I could do without the saloon style piano and sustained off key notes overall. Musically Springsteen has his own style that includes those things and still has countless imitators, I just don't really enjoy it or find it that interesting. As far as "pretend working class dude that is insanely from Jersey" goes I'll take Bon Jovi over this.
I would rather listen to white light
i just cant get into the specific brand of groove that seems to have been popular in this era of music. its slow and trudging (qualities that work really well with heavy music), but it is ultimately uninteresting when utilised for almost every track on a rock album. something in the night is really good however, and i will certainly be coming back to that song in the future.
It was alright. I see why people like him, just not a huge fan of his voice.
It was fine, I've never really got into The Boss and this hasn't made any difference.
MIDDDD
Didn't realise it was possible to simultaneously mumble and be flat. Springsteen has proved me wrong.
Not for me
Meh, OK. I don't 'get' Bruce Springsteen. Did someone check on Bruce during Something In The Night? I think he stubbed his toe.
Two stars
Not a fan
Too generic. I never found anything interesting about Bruce Springsteen. It's just too "american" for me I guess.
meh
No es el disco que más me ha interesado de Bruce Springsteen, está Badlands y ninguna de las otras canciones me ha parecido destacable, supongo que no es para mí.
Perhaps I was too harsh on Born in the USA...
heard the 1st song and was like yeah finally something abit more upbeat. pretty much took a direct train to shite town after that.
Perhaps I just wasn't in the mood at the time of listening, or perhaps some may feel I'm just not giving this album much of a chance. But I have never particularly understood the musical appeal of Bruce Springsteen. I mean I do to some degree, but I don't understand how he has transcended to the legacy level he is at today. I thought this album might turn my opinions around when I was forced to actually listen to a full LP, but it didn't. Almost nothing clicked with me here. The lyrics were... fine? They flow well enough and are fairly uplifting. But the instrumentation is still that quintessential heartland rock Bruce Springsteen sound that just doesn't interest me whatsoever. Sure - it's got nice melodies, efficient musicianship, and slick production. But 'Darkness On The Edge Of Town' is very much a product of that late 70's/early 80's radio rotation. Hell, you can even say it's very much a product of every rock radio station today - as the hosts rev up a Springsteen track for the drive home from the office. Thank god we can load up streaming services in our cars nowadays. Springsteen was influential for his lyrics and how he was able to relate to the "everyman" and their struggles, which I can totally respect; and it's all over this LP. But musically I always found him and his band to be very bog standard, bringing nothing truly unique to the table. I thought about giving this album a 1/5. However, I'll admit it isn't egregiously bad or anything; so it gets bumped to a 2/5. I'm just simply not a fan of the sound the "Boss" goes for. Heartland rock just isn't my jam.
the instrumental is nice, but nothing transcendent, i'm a little bit bored. not my style, everything sounded the same to me and no lyrics really resonated with me
Had never listened to Springsteen, nor did I know who he was, so it was nice to have the chance to listen to someone/thing I truly didn't know anything about. The vocals aren't to my tastes though, and the album, as a whole, is a bit boring. I liked the slower songs best: Something in the Night, Racing in the Street, Streets of Fire. 2/5
Must be pre-the boss. Miserable.
This felt like one long song
Sounds like Ben Folds.
Not my thing - pretty boring. I accidentally left my phone connected to the car bluetooth in the bottom of my bag, and nearly had to listen to this album again - I chose silence and being with my own thoughts over listening to another round with Bruce.
Bruce is an icon and obviously a class guy. He captured the zeitgeist in the way only a very few people ever do. He is his own genre and I've loved reading other people's reviews talking about what Bruce means to them and New Jersey. His classic songs are American standards and familiar across the world. But I listened to the album and it didn't really grab me. The storytelling is fine, but I'm not in the American rust belt and it doesn't resonate. The voice isn't really very good and the music is pretty average with chugging guitars and a lack of hooks. I'm sure other people think I'm mad and wrong but it's not really great.
The boss’ voice started to annoy me a fair amount after a whole album.
It never gets better. :|
Nunca vou entender o apelo desse cara
Badlands and The Promised Land are decent, catchy songs. I don’t really care about the rest. Kind of boring
Rather generic 70s American popish rockish album? Some variation in song feeling with a couple interesting moments. I like Candy's Room for the guitar riff, and Darkness on the Edge of Town has interesting ideas in the story. Not particularly suited to my tastes.
We all work in a factory
not my style
borrrrriiiiiinnnnnggggg
I expected more from you Bruce.
Why does this album sound like Springsteen doing an impression of himself? The songwriting is strong, if you like this style, but it’s a bit much for me (it does come close to selling me, though). The vocals just take it over the edge here and turn me off. One day I’ll grow up and enjoy Springsteen. Not today.
This wasn't as awesome as I'd hoped, I expected a lot more energy but found myself pretty bored.
He really wants to come off epic but I'm sorry he just comes off as bland and lacking an edge
Each artist has their formula for success, but Bruce’s is so depressing. Hometown, work, car, girl, repeat. And on this album has to be the worlds slowest song about a car race.
this is probably blasphemous and un-American to say but I think Bruce is mediocre. some good songs but most of them are meh.
Can't get that excited by this
Its Bruce being Bruce
I can’t do Bruce. Bruce. Stop.
4.5/10
-Idk his voice annoys me in some of these songs -It definitely felt easy for me to separate the good songs from the bad ones but overall not really my thing -Favorites are Badlands and The Promised Land
Never been a Springsteen fan, but I thought maybe an older album could convert me. But as soon as I heard “ I got a 69 Chevy…” I was out.
Bruce Springsteen rock. Not his most well known, but acceptable filler of his portfolio.
Not my thing
Rach says I listen to Bruce Springsteen wrong. She says that the beauty is in the lyrics rather than the composition, but I’ve generally always had a hard time honing in on the words rather than the music itself. I say that to explain why I felt this album was quite dull, whereas if you’re a lyric lover then you might feel quite different about this. For me, I just didn’t find anything particularly interesting.
This suffers from the fact that I’ve heard his material from his peak. This takes a backseat to his later material.
Bruce just doesn't do it for me.
I've never listened to a Bruce Springsteen album before, so I was excited to finally give him a real chance. I can see why people love him, but I don't find anything in this album very memorable.
This is a weird record. My first time listening to a Springsteen record in its entirety and I don’t like it. The drums and guitars are unimaginative and bland. The singing is a precursor to mumble rap. I bought tickets to see this guy live at my baseball stadium later this year, thinking it’d be cool to see a music icon at one of his [likely] last shows, and I think I’m going to try and sell them now.
Sam: 6.1 Alex: 5.3 Total: 5.7/10
Very American dad rock Last song was cool
I am not the target audience for this album. The style actually reminded me of a grittier Meatloaf, which I didn’t expect! Rating: 2
Não consigo gostar desse tipo de rock americanão. Ainda mais quando as guitarras não são muito marcantes. Entendo a importância mas não ouviria nunca.
I just feel like I’m being yelled at the whole time.
Decent and ok
I've never been a big Bruce Springsteen fan. I take nothing away from him as an artist, but few things he ever did connected with me. I pushed my record money in other directions. That said, this is a Bruce Springsteen album...and it sounds just like him...and most of his other stuff.
Incredibly boring
This was just okay
The cover photo with that thousand yard stare always reminded me of the Boss bossing it with too much coke. When I listen to some of his vocals on this he sounds stoned out of his face too. Is it just me? My dad loved this, I can see why, well played blues/ folky rock music, crystal clear production - I mean those drums! The drummer must have had mics placed everywhere, it's amazing you don't hear the sound of one accidentally being mistaken for a random percussion thing. That would never have been allowed past the quality control (I bet his coke was uncut too). The Boss would have pierced the scared drummer with those cold dead eyes, pulled the tape out of the recorder and had that take burned in front of him I'd like to imagine. However, this is a pretty solid album from BS, but I just don't like the style of music. It gets a high 2 for its merits.
He might be legendary story teller, but the music itself just nothing for me. 🤷
Ashamed to be an NJ native that doesn't like Bruce
I'm really not a Bruce fan. I tried twice on this one to see if it resonated. Her just doesn't do it for me. Not bad. Just not good enough to get me to focus.
I’m sorry it’s just really not my vibe lol
Not my favorite
dosadno, sry
BORING
Overall I wasn't as impressed with this compared to Born in the USA. Some solid melodies and instrumental work but I didn't enjoy the harsher vocal style, felt more forced and unnatural. Top tracks: Racing in thr Street, Prove It All Night
I like Bruce Springsteen, but not his music.
Not a fan personally
Wel boring eigenlijk
Low key Springsteen
For what it's worth, this album wasn't too bad, but it was a really weird pic for an artist as accomplished with a catalog as broad as Bruce Springsteen. Not sure I'm going to continue this list.
Mumbles
bruuuuce badlands. er singt scho speziell aber de song isch mega fest bruce. sochli trurig-nostalgisch aber mit power und chli vager romantik. Adam raised a cain. oh sorry bisch du so wichtig bruce. vlt checki de text au nöd. oke isch no geil. chli sehr simpel und oooh ooh aber no cool. something in the night het e mega schös intro mit glöggli und dem bitz gitarre zum klavier dezue. jaaa luute refrain use belte jaa. racing in the street bitz pathetisch? aber scho cute. the promised land isch chli meh rockig aber immerno ehner langsam und sochli nochdenklich streets of fire isch immerno langsam aber s gitarre solo isch seeehr geil. prove it all night isch au son song woni nostalgisch defür wär wenni ide 70er en chevrolet gha het und so. aber irgendwie nöd.
Good ol’ rock and roll
Not for me!
wasnt particularly into this. thought the lyrics were fairly uninteresting and the music wasnt much better
Didn’t enjoy this much. The vocals on the first song were atrocious, and while they did get better, it was hard to get past that. The songs and music were fine. I know he’s apparently revolutionary, but not for me.
A somewhat meh album all the way through with no standouts.
I really struggled to listen though this album. droning vocals basic music. great lyrics but it feels very dated as a non American in 2024.
Best Songs: Streets of Fire Listen Again: No
I was immediately turned of by the chord progression and sound of his voice on “Badlands” but I kinda dig “Adam Raised a Cain”. Everything after that I didn’t care for.
Not a big Springsteen fan, these songs were OK for me.
This one wasn't for me. I found it quite drab and boring, its good background music. If i had the choice of this or Moby, I'd pick this so thats something I guess.
Son 4ème album. Rien de fou. Note sévère.
Ah, “The Boss” - as misnamed a musician as there is. Springsteen has got one of those unique voices, but an extremely limited range, and you either like him or you don’t. I give him his die for his energy on stage but I’m firmly in the don’t like camp. This album is no exception. It has a few good tracks on it but for every Badlands there are 3 or 4 Adam Raised a Cain which suck. I’d like to give it 3 stars but I’m going to deduct one because he’s such a douche bag.
Western
Lite småtrist.
I haven't even listened yet and will say I straight up don't like bruce springsteen. He music strikes me as boring and try-hard to be dramatic. I like some of his songs but generally I don't like his deep cuts. That said, I will give this album a shot anyways. "Badlands" is a strong opener. "Adam Raised A Cain" is a cool bluesy number. "Something In The Night" is kinda a snooze. Now at "Racing in the Street"... snoozefest. I think Springsteen is kinda like Bob Dylan. Often he comes off to me as more of a folk artist. His songs are about the lyrics more often than the sound in my opinion. Yeah my opinion hasn't changed, some good songs, a lot of boring folk-esque music.
With all due respect, and I mean this most sincerely, this is yet another example of how Critical Acclaim® is a poor determining factor for whether I will like something. In fact Critical Acclaim® appears to be something that puts me off more often than not and unfortunately this very list is just a list of Critically Acclaimed® albums. Critics™ want you to know they have better taste than you, possibly. Maybe you meet the artist, that's very special, so now you give an excessively positive review otherwise that artist (and their record company mates) won't be as willing to give you any attention in the future. Bit of a racket when you really sit down and think about it. Especially back in the 60s through the 90s when Major Labels™ and The Radio® were the primary form of music delivery. Critics at places like Rolling Stone and the NY Times could influence opinion for the unwashed masses who had neither the time nor the taste to decide for themselves what was good and what wasn't, after the Labels and The Radio told them what they should be hawking. It was a good system for those inside it. Everybody made a dollar (except the artists, of course!) I'm not trying to be one of those trolling contrarians (everybody knows one - check out yfbspod.com for an amusing example of the contrarian taken to an extreme for comedic effect), but for reasons I am still trying to understand, if all the critics love something then I am immediately biased against the disc right out of the gate. Don't tell me what to think, I guess. Which is why, after a mere 83 albums, I must remind myself NOT TO READ ABOUT THE ALBUM BEFORE I LISTEN to it so that I don't otherwise taint my own review. For some of the older albums I am already aware of the Critically Acclaimed® label (CA from here on out) and my own bias about that. You gotta ask yourself: maybe there's a reason why every mainstream rock journalist can't keep themselves from being the first to fawn over certain albums (this, and all Bruce Springsteen albums, or anything by Tom Waits, for instance), put them on the best of the year lists, and so forth? Maybe this work is real world changing music unlike anything ever known, which will upend your existing worldview and alter the very course of the culture of humanity. It is possible, and I do myself a disservice by not allowing it. Anyway, this is one of the most CA albums ever made. It's okay, a little dirgy, takes no risks to speak of, the instrumentation and technical quality is generally middle of the road. Springsteen isn't hurting anybody, and that's fine. There's some catchy songs here and some thought-provoking lyrics. The band is good, Clarence Clemmons (sp?)has a recognizable style and Springsteen's iconic voice is familiar and welcoming, but he can bring the heat when needed (not too much, though, we're not here to upset people). All due respect. Springsteen is an icon. That doesn't make it great. I'm going against the critics on this one.
Allright, but not may thing
I respect the Boss, but this just seemed kind of slow and wasn't really my vibe.
Critics may have liked this, but I didn't. Guess I was done with Bruce after Born to Run.
Straight-faced ballads about cars. Nah thanks. For the last year I’ve been convinced I was turning into a Bruce-fan. Reconnecting with my childhood affinity. I even saw him live last summer. But I am starting to realize my distance wasn’t some youthful music snobbery, but a genuine distaste for a lot of his music. Springsteen has made more than a handful genuinely great tracks, but for the most part I don’t connect with it. I don’t need Springsteen in album form.
This album did absolutely nothing for me. I’ve never been a big Bruce Springsteen fan but I can see the appeal for some people. If the album had more of a faster pace I feel like it would be better.
Did not capture me.
Ok as background music but didn't do enough of anything to capture my interest.
Okay as background but all tracks a bit samey but I am not a Springsteen fan so this is middle of the road for me, 2.5/5
america, good, kinda annoying
I like a bit of The Boss. I like what he stood for and what his songs have become. I’m not a big fan of this album. I understand the behind the scene politics of it…however this one isn’t for me. Badlands is a great song but I can’t get into the other songs.
I’ve never understood the allure of Springsteen, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard a full song other than Born in the USA, either. So I was incredibly surprised at the music on this album. Many of the songs were surprising, the hard rock, versus the “working class“ pop rock that I’ve always associated with Springsteen. Now, for the not so good. Springsteen‘s voice is absolutely horrific. I do not understand how anyone would willingly subject themselves through any amount of time, listening to him, mumble shriek, unable to hit anything close to approximating a high note. I’m torn on how to rank this album, because I don’t think it was bad, because the music was good. But I don’t think it was good, because I never wanna listen to anything that comes out of Springsteen‘s mouth for the rest of my days. I would give it a 2.5 star rating if I could, because two stars does seem a bit harsh. However, I think giving it three stars is an incredible injustice to some of the good music that I’ve listened to over the course of this project.
This reminds me of elevator music—not offensive, but completely unmemorable. A few times I wanted to yell through the speakers to him, “Enunciate better, like Tom Waits!” This album does nothing for me, and I don't think I'll listen to it again.
Bruce Springsteen simply isnt my style :(
Pas vrmt mon style, rock américain très cowboy même si un ou deux morceaux sont sympa
Another bleak one. What is it with these miserable albums?
The music is really good. Bruce's voice just doesn't do it for me, especially on this album.
Better than the last Springsteen I had, but still not feeling Bruce. Sorry, NJ.
I expect to be poppy and very very het 2 or 3. Some catchy music and hes definitely a heart throb, but man is it forgettable.
Wanted to write "Ok Boomer music", but it's not ok. It's boring Boomer music. The annoying kind of boring, not just the easily forgettable kind.
Friends tell me that Springsteen's music is very "Jersey shore." Since I've never been to the "Jersey shore," I guess I'll have to take their word for it. I just never understood the whole Springsteen idolization.
Not a bad album but a slow rocker for sure.
Not my music. To mutch sax and piano, nice melodies and harmonies tho.
A seven minute long ballad about a fuckin car. CHECK. Lots of groaning. CHECK. Glockenspiel. CHECK. A song about going to work. CHECK. Yep... it's another Springsteen album.
Not worth listening to again. I’ve never understood any of the hype behind Bruce Springsteen and this just solidifies that.
this was certainly something I experienced
First listen Saved 2/10 Top track: Adam Raised A Cain
Baffling how you can have a song as good as Adam raised a Cain on the same album with some absolute rubbish
It just feels like every song is the same and Bruce is straining his vocal chords on every one of them. Not a fan
I just don't get Bruce Springsteen. I feel like must be missing something. Maybe I'll have a damascene moment at some point and love his work.
I like: Badlands Racing In The Street
Typical Springsteen album
I never really liked this Bruce album or even the popular songs on it. Although it's good songwriting from Bruce, the album just doesn't sound good, especially compared to a lot of his other albums. Not a fan
Ugh. Not the worst but not something I would actively seek out.
This album feels bang average - I've heard Bruce Springsteen's most famous songs, which sounded the same, but just not as good. I'm not sure if it's controversial, but I don't understand how he is so popular. I won't be listening again.
Never liked him
Why didn't I like this? I couldn't really concentrate on it. There were some good songs on it, but overall pretty forgettable for me. I like his other albums more. + Something In The Night + Candy's Room
Never really been into springers, this album was ok
Sagde mig ikke det helt store. Skal nok gennemlyttes mere fokuseret. Hørte det også pp arbejde hvilket nok ikke var helt optimalt .
Not my thing but nicely mixed.
2.5, it was okay, it was really cheesy feeling though
springsteen wailing into the microphone on "something in the night" is more enjoyable than it feels it should be. the guitar on "the promised land" goes pretty hard but otherwise i had hoped for better.
Não ouvi algo muito diferente do que já escutei desse estilo de música. Vale um 2 porque algumas são bacanas.
Great band, I don’t like the singer.
meh
Not the worst
Pure 70s. I think I'd have to be in the right mood to really enjoy this. Mellow and sad?
I cannot understand half the things he's saying. It's the kinda music you'd listen to with wind at the your face, American hardships.
I will admit that before even listening to this album that I am not super fond of Bruce Springsteen. The instrumental to his songs are nice but his voice, idk there’s something about it. “bruce springsteen can’t even sing good fr he’s just a good musician” - alex smith is the realest statement ever about this man. Ok “Candy’s Room” isn’t that bad. Like she’s tolerable. His voice and the song vibe are matching unlike a lot of his other songs. He’s giving country singer went rock and bad. “Prove It All Night” is fun, I like. “Darkness on the Edge of Town” is nice, a very good closer. Hoping and praying this is the only Bruce Springsteen album on this list please and thank you.
Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Not really, feels a bit weaker than what I love about him Favourite song: didn’t have one
I do not like Bruce
# 27 : Bruce Springsteen's one of those guys I don't see what all the hype is about. Some nice epic and emotional stuff, but I found it a little boring.
The vocals are almost unintelligible, his voice is really not that great. That really would not be MUCH of an issue if the songs were not so unbearably tiresome. It isn't bad, it's boring, which is worse. Favorite: Adam Raised a Cain
not a fan, but alright tracks
I just don’t like Springsteen. I respect him and his music, but I don’t like it.
Не прошло проверку временем
I think I don’t like Springsteen
Listening to his voice gets tiring after half an hour. Didn't enjoy most of the slow songs, but that's the case with many singer-songwriter albums for me. Would give it a 2.5/5 Highlights: Badlands, Streets Of Fire, Prove It All Night
The Rumor Come Out: Does Bruce Springsteen is Overrated? I like a good ballad, but an entire album of ballads about Americana is boring and out-played. Maybe I'll enjoy the other Springsteen album(s) on this list more. It started strong with "Badlands" but nothing really caught my ear otherwise. I'm also not a huge fan of Springsteen's voice-- an opinion which might get my crucified in certain circles. All in all, this is about as mid as mid gets.
I do like some Bruce Springsteen stuff, but he moans to much and too loudly on this and his dialogue is purposefully slurry and I don't get it. Bit shit.
Never been a huge fan
Not slay
I just don’t like it
meh
This is now the fourth Bruce Springsteen album I've heard, but if you pointed a gun at me and told me to sing any song by this guy I'd tell you to shoot me in the head. Not being from the Anglosphere comes with the perk of never being forced to listen to Bruce Springsteen. Boring white boy noodling with a bunch of thingamajigs. Get outta my face.
не понимаю для кого эта музыка) простая как полено
I really tried to keep an open ming. His singing is just so mumbly. I would like to hear someone else sing Badlands.
Meh. Jersey guy mumbles over slowed-down yakity sax music.
It's good but it just sounds very generic to be. I guess that's a testament to his success. Not something i would revisit.
Too slow for me
Man, I hate Bruce Springsteen. I wish I could understand a word he was saying. Still more listenable than at least one album on here that I've heard
Relatively uninteresting, unmemorable and overdrawn - voice is also a bit inarticulate and makes it a bit more annoying to get through. Couldn't get through all of it if I'm being honest
Bruce is a good songwriter. I don't like his voice or the way the songs are composed. You can barely hear him and all the instruments are trying to do too much. Blah.
Uhg...having this album, that I wouldn't enjoy on a good day, as the soundtrack of a dreadful day of grading almost made me ill. I did let it play twice to see if there was anything that I might find valuable in my life or enjoyable to my ears. I did not. Bruce, you are not for me...
*gruff voiced* Bobby works in the steel mill but his boss don't pay him right. On the weekends he races his 67 hardblock 486. It's the only time he feels alive.
Eh. You can hear the potential. Lacked polish and intensity.
Not a huge fan of Springsteen, but it was alright.
it's meh
Overall, not particularly offensive or particularly enjoyable. Top song: None.
Starts off strong, but too much nasally whining throughout. I wouldn't choose to put it on but would be happy enough if it came on in a bar
2 stelle
Dreary mumblecana. He chooses to mainly list obscure brands of car lost to history than craft a song with any narrative. At point point he talks about working in his pa's garage as if he wasn't clearly 40 years old by this point. The boss is toss
too rock for me but some of the piano-driven songs are nice. i kept forgetting that it wasn't a 2010s springsteen wannabe album and was in fact a 1970s springsteen springsteen album
Two bangers, the rest snoozers. Pretty typical of the Boss.
No mola molt!
It's a Bruce Springsteen album. It wasn't great. It wasn't totally awful. I have no desire to listen to it again.
Old people music but not the good kind 4/10
Ik kan niet naar die stem luisteren. Dat helpt natuurlijk al niet. Maar buiten dat klinkt het ook allemaal zo nep. Vanuit mijn regisseursstoel: "Ik geloof je gewoon niet". Deze muziek moet toch een gevoel overbrengen. Dat lukt bij mij niet. Ergens tussen zender en ontvanger gaat er iets mis met het signaal.
this one is great for when you are feeling nostalgic for some classic Springsteen. I've never really been in that mood, but I'm sure it's good for that. would listen to Nebraska before this one.
Pretty classic rock n roll, definitely an iconic sound but not hugely exciting. I really dislike the American dream lyrics but I guess there aren’t that many big artists who obsess over America so much so it’s not like it’s overdone it’s just annoying Favourite: something in the night but liked the drums on candy’s room
not interested
I so want to like the Boss...but the Boss rarely does it for me. 2/5
Not really my thing. i really tried to like it though.
I never got Bruce. His records just don't grab me (exception: Nebraska). I know this resonates for a lot of people, but doesn't for me. I understand that it is meaningful and moving etc, but it leaves me a little cold. I think it is, for me, a bit overworked. I listened through, but, honestly, it washes over me every time and I am unmoved. This record strikes me as faux-working-class mumbling over bombastic production, punctuated with unnecessary saxophone solos.
Better than the other one this week but still, no.
Not my vibe, but it’s not bad. Springteen’s music does have a mix between angst and hope that is kinda uplifiting even though a lot of it just isn’t my thing. His vocals aren’t always enjoyable to me (they work on Badlands, I hate them on Darkness on the Edge of Town and Racing in the Street), I’m disconnected enough from the time period that the lyrics don’t always really connect with me. I can see why he was a megastar at the time, but not for me.
Just kind of fine
Listening to this makes me realize that Meatloaf is just Springsteen that got REALLLLLY into musical theatre
This one didn't catch my heart at all. First couple of songs are okay-ish but sitting through Racing in the Street was just painful and the rest of album could not get back on the road for me. Needs way more guitar riffs and less piano and sax.
Not the Bruce I am familiar with... dark
There is a semblance of an album that I like within this album, but all of the songs get close to doing something I like and then don't do it. I can understand why someone may not like his voice, but that isn't what bothers me, there's just something I can't fully grasp as to why I don't entirely enjoy this album, but I must be missing something, it's obviously considered a masterpiece of somesort. Perhaps I'll return to this on my own time and see if anything changes.
Not sure if I’m into Springsteen. Good but I wasn’t thrilled
Boring and mundane.
Shite
The thought of listening to this record fills me with dread. I can't tell whether I'm going to stratch my ass until it bleeds or get such a rock hard boner that it feels like my carrying a rocket launcher between my thighs. With that in mind, I've chosen not to listen to it and instead sing lullabies to the homeless.
The Boss not being very boss-like. Didn't enjoy.
I don’t get what is so good about this artist
I think Sylvester Stallone would love this.
Pretty sure Bruce Springsteen is not my cup of tea...
dull, really couldn't get into this one
Mal disco. Me gustaron 5 canciones.
Well this is a lot better than I was expecting, but there is absolutely zero chance of me listening to it again. Sad rock, talking of situations and characters I cannot relate to. Springsteen's voice is gravelly to the point of railway ballast, and I'm not going to pretend that I enjoy that. The music is evocative and melancholic - but it evokes images I do not understand, and it makes no attempt at explanation. Take, say, Tori Amos. I have zero frame of reference, but her music and lyrics set a scene so completely and compellingly that you don't need to have experience to understand and empathise. Springsteen literally explains in one his songs what the cubic capacity of his car engine is - and that needs reference and understanding of allegory that is not provided by the song itself, or set up anywhere else in the album, leaving you uninterested and othered by it. I mean sure, you can look up what the American street racing scene wss, and how it might have fed into what's going on in the song, but it's assumed knowledge for Springsteen and that's alienating. I suspect that this sort of thing is why Springsteen is loved so much by the people who love him. If you "get" the yarns he spins, it probably clicks into place for you. It makes you feel heard and understood, and damn anyone who doesn't get it. If you don't, you're really left with a voice that you can't call refined and a competent but overtly sad set of rock tracks.
1978, sandwiched between disco and punk, and Bruce is staying firm on his working man doing his darn best to keep it real in this tough old world. Can't fault the mans' heart, but this is just a bit ....tame? I've put this an about 3 times and completely forgot it was playing - at least until that horrible guitar in Streets of Fire jolts me out of my trance.
It sounds like he downed a fifth of vodka in between each take. Best track: Racing in the Street
I like Bruce Springsteen from Born in the USA (album) alone, but this album wasn't much for me. His slower ballad stuff doesn't hold much interest for me, or at least this album didn't. It was alright.
Pretty ordinary all over. Very basic drum track. The hardest part to listen to- Bruce’s voice- she’s known a forgotten deed of the past by the sounds of it. Particularly the walrus in the throes of dying at the intro & outro of track 3.
Outside of Adam Raised a Cain, this album does NOT match the tone of the title at all. There's a deeply cheesy, saccharine sound to Springsteen's music that the guy just cannot escape.
It was not offensively bad, but it was offensively boring, juste like everything else I've heard from this guy so far.
Okay..
Not my type of music at all. I can hear that merits of the music, but I'm not a fan of the saxophone or his voice in this context.
I've never been a fan of Bruce. Sure he's got some great songs and Born In The USA is an all time classic album. But this album is what I don't like about his music. I'm just not jersey blue collar enough to relate.
Emmä kyllä jotenkin vaan nauttinu tästä. Ehkä lyriikoita ois pitäny kuunnella enemmän mutta balladimeininki ei uponnu yhtään.
Darkness on the Edge of Town represents Springsteen maturity as a composer and its defining in the formation of the heartland rock subgenre. It created several classics of his live performances, like "The Promised Land" and "Badlands", but his voice doesn't sound great in most of the tracks. It's a good album, but also one that is incredibly overated and almost make no sense (like most of Springsteen records) for an audience that is not american.
High 2, I do love bruce but i think this wasn't anything special
I appreciated the lyrical content and themes, just not into Bruce's style.
It's okay. It's no born in the USA though.
Almost certainly better if you were working class and brought up in the USA. I have worked at many factories but his stories still don't appeal. I have listened to many voices but his still doesn't appeal. He reminds me of a less interesting Meatloaf.
Dreary
americana must be stopped
Pretty boring
Nigdy nie byłem fanem takiej muzyki ale ten album mnie zaskoczył. Ocena 5/10 Najlepsza: Prove it all night Najgorsza: Adam raised a cain