Reviews (page 6 of 12)
Atlantic City en State Trooper zijn fantástische nummers! En de rest van dit album vind ik ook echt heel mooi👌
Excelente album, uma pegada mais lenta e melodica do Bruce mas mto bom
Simple but moving. A solemn working class folk hymn.
I haven't listened to much Springsteen at all, and this was more folksy than I thought. I thought he was more rock. I think this is his usual thing subject matter-wise, as it was all struggling blue collar people and their desperation, which is very American, I feel like. These people have really messed up, and it's not completely their fault. I will be listening to this again to hear the lyrics better. Each song is a story, which I like. My favourites were probably "State Trooper" and "My Father's House."
moody and beautiful. 4 stars.
Bit dour
Rating: 7/10 Best songs: State trooper, Reason to believe
Kuuntelin levyn eilen autossa (auto parkissa), samalla kun yritin estää raivoavaa esikoistani vääntämästä sormiani katki. Unohtumatonta.
Brucen henkilökohtainen kriisi ja ero sai muistaakseni tämän hienon teoksen aikaan. Oon viime vuosina kuunnellut Brucen tuotannosta melkeinpä eniten tätä ja sit toista akustista levyä the Ghost of Tom Joadia ysäriltä. Hieno levy. Toi kai aikoinaan esiin uuden puolen Pomosta. 4/5
Loved these 10 songs. Hard topics with a charming delivery.
The Boss is far from dancing in the dark on Nebraska, where he channels his main inspiration Bob Dylan to create a collection of intimate tales of outsiders across the nation. The harmonica is haunting and the instrumentation sparse. Springsteen was always a great lyricist, but unlike 'Born in the USA', Nebraska is an album were the listener is actually forced to listen and consider each and every word. I will never be the biggest Springsteen fan, but where some of his biggest hits are perfect for hitting a 6 lane highway, tracks such as 'Atlantic City', 'State Trooper' and 'My Father's House' are perfect for driving on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere in complete darkness.
Tremendously beautiful and mellow output from the Boss. It’s no secret that I’m not a huge Springsteen fan - even though he has arguably delivered his fair share of great hits. The intimacy created on Nebraska shows a more delicate and extremely personal aspect of Springsteen’s exceptional songwriting skills and I always find myself almost spellbound listening to his storytelling on this. Sometimes it pays off to take it down a notch and let the E Street Band sit back and relax.
Good but have enjoyed other Springsteen albums just as much.
It's one thing to completely change directions after your most commercially successful record, it's another to do that and write some of the best songs of your career. A truly beautiful record.
I liked i because it was really something different from what I'm used to listen.
I watched Terrence Malick's "Badlands" recently so I was excited tto give this record a listen. I enjoyed it, it had a great, bleak atmosphere. I see why people say this is Springsteen's best.
A little slow and really need to be in the right mood to listen. But great song writing from The Boss.
Stumbled onto this one after our last Springsteen album and have been through it a few times. Excellent.
To be honest I was dreading another Bruce Springsteen album. But this is decent; more sombre and stripped-back than his other, more work. I think I like Grumpy Bruce more than Hollerin' Bruce.
Apple described this album as bleak and I completely agree, but what a theme for an album. I listened to this one at night before bed and it really felt like the perfect late night album just due to its slow nature and sheer difference from the other BS albums we’ve gotten. I wouldn’t listen again but I have a lot of respect for this album.
Another from the Boss. Much darker than his usual fare, and I don't really mind it. Some heavy hitting emotional tracks and performances on here. Not a whole lot that stood out to me, but the style was very consistent and enjoyable throughout. I like this one a lot, an excellent change of pace from Bruce. Favorite tracks: Atlantic City, Nebraska, Highway Patrolman. Album art: About as bleak as the music. Black and white is very effective here, and the blood red font and borders elevate this dramatically. I've said it before, it bears repeating: if you add red to a black and white cover, you're putting yourself in "serious business" "great album art" territory. 4/5
I'm not a big fan of the boss, but much prefer this style than the E Street Band.
This is better than I want to admit. A lot better. This is by far the best version of Bruce. Best track: Atlantic City
Not the very best of Springsteen but it's certainly very good.
I think a low 4 for this. It's lyrically very nice, tells some great stories, and is wonderfully haunting, but doesn't do enough musically to elevate it further than this. Not a lot of variety in it, other than the harmonica (which I don't particularly like).
A stripped back Springsteen, playing all of the instruments, recorded on a 4 track. Familiar themes and stories of blue collar struggle, but more downbeat and lacking the overblown musical cheesiness of some of his most popular compositions. It really works and is by far my favourite version of The Boss that I've heard so far. As an aside, after listening to 'Atlantic City' I couldn't get 'I Want It That Way' by Backstreet Boys out of my head. Rating: 4/5 Playlist track: Atlantic City Date listened: 14/11/22
beautiful, nostalgic melancholy
Anyone expecting Born In The USA style Springsteen won't be disappointed. You won't get Born In The USA style Springsteen, but you will not be disappointed. Beautiful, eerie, simple, or made to appear that way, storytelling at its best. 4.5/5
One of the most improbable things that I've learned while listening to albums from this list is that I am apparently a Bruce Springsteen fan. Don't get me wrong, he always seemed like a cool, hardworking guy, but knowing him from his hit songs provided me with a much different perspective on him. This is the fifth album (Darkness on the Edge of Town, Born in the USA, the Rising, Born to Run) of his that I've reviewed, and the only one I didn't really like was Born to Run. The others were fantastic. This album is my favorite so far. It feels so personal and intimate, and I'm glad that he didn't go through with rerecording the songs with the E street band as he originally intended. It's an album so stark in terms of its outlook on the future that it, that it could have been released today. The song State Trooper shows a notable influence from the band Suicide, which was a cool nod (I know that Springsteen has covered their songs live) and also shows just how far-ranging Springsteens influences are 4/5
Like this one a lot.
My favorite Springsteen album but I still don’t love Springsteen.
Powerful lyrics, enjoyed the storytelling and singing in this album
I really like this album. Very stripped down, just great song writing. It's only real flaw: it inspired a lot of inferior albums that wanted to be like this. Of course that's not Bruce's fault. I don't think it's quite a 5 but I will give it a very enthusiastic 4 stars.
Great sense of rawness and emotion, very moving songwriting. I feel like I need to listen to the lyrics more closely to truly get it, but it's really effective at what it is. There aren't many songwriters that can just ditch the band for a bit and pull off this kind of album.
Great album, don't listen to Springsteen often but it's always a pleasure.
Rock oscuro típico de Springsteen. Un 4.
Taste havers with a time machine: Bruce, drop the E Street Band
Not his best but some oh his most solemn work, great album
It’s so interesting to hear how much can be expressed with just three chords. This collection presents a bleak portrait of American life, between the serial killers of Nebraska and the trucker driving through the lonely night hours of Open All Night. There are also conflicts unresolved both internal (Highway Patrolman) and external (My Father’s House.) After all the dark stories and expressions of deep loneliness, all augmented by the production which relies entirely on Bruce’s single voice, his guitar and his harmonica, aided only by some echoey reverb that also serves to enlarge the space around the singer and the listener, it is hard to find real solace in the closing track, Reason to Believe. Bruce is telling us, rather than showing us that reason, and his apparent hope that we take him for his word here doesn’t seem to be enough. I was excited to receive the assignment to listen to Nebraska start to finish, and there are really some great songs on it. But it’s not an easy listen, apart from the fact that Bruce Springsteen happens to have one of the most charismatic and inviting voices in rock and roll. Here we get a real close look at Bruce’s dark side, and while a visit to the dark side can often be both fun and thought-provoking, it’s also a challenge.
I mean, its Springsteen we know what is in this box. Banging harmonica, some good country guitar and that classic vocal. It's good but on occasion.
Some real good tunes on here. First half of the album is soft, then it gets bigger in instrumentation.
I didn’t expect to like Bruce Springsteen but this was a great album.
My favorite Springsteen album by a lot. So beautiful.
Very good
4.2 - An amazingly stripped down showcase of Bruce Springsteen's talents as a songwriter, singer and performer. What a ballsy move to release his 4-track recordings as is, but it's a gamble that works. Having long ago written off Bruce Springsteen as the MOST overrated, this is a record that redeems him as an artist. Standouts: "Johnny 99", "State Trooper."
For some reason, this was my favorite Springsteen album growing up. I loved the hushed emotion and storytelling on the record, and I loved that if I wanted to, I could fall asleep to these near-lullabies. The first two tracks are absolute perfection. Bruce’s singing on “Atlantic City” is desperate and powerful, and the production on “Nebraska” is so wonderfully purposeful. I love it. The second half of the album is a little bit of a let-down (outside of “My Father’s House”), so I unfortunately give this 4 stars, but if we’re really counting I’d say 4.5.
Really really good. You’ve shown me this one before, I absolutely love how tired he sounds. Although it’s not enough to turn me into a full on Springsteen fan, this album is really great.
Sparse, but works really well. Springsteen's lyrics do a wonderful job of painting pictures of various characters, which might be lost with a full band performance. Favorite tracks: "Atlantic City", "Jonny 99", "Open All Night"
Americana.
I guess this is my favorite Springsteen album so far. Not generally a fan, but the stripped back style sounds OK to me.
My Bruce Springsteen experience is limited to Born in the USA and Born to Run with a couple of songs here. When I saw that Nebraska was the album for the day I got pleasantly surprised as I've never listened to it. The opening song to Nebraska which is also called Nebraska starts very slow and much more folk than I'm used to when it comes to Springsteen. The following song Atlantic City picks up the pace but keeps the same folk style. Nebraska continues as a folk album which is very different from what I'm used to. It really required me to stop what I was doing and sit down and listen to the lyrics. As usual Bruce's lyrics are extremely well written and from the perspective of blue-collar characters dealing with serious situations. It's much more solemn than Born in the USA which was released two years later. I liked this album but it won't get many repeat listens as it really requires attention and the correct mindset.
Real folksy and slow. Nice to listen to
Well this felt like a change of tempo for old Brucey B. or as I know him. I really liked it! Reminded me of Leonard Cohen sadness and delivery but a bit of Dylan guitar style... I dunno really what I saying but I liked it
Good
Wasn't always a fan of this era of Bruce, but this time through I mostly enjoyed Nebraska.
Perfect early morning background music
The BOSS has an amazing ability to do emotion. I've never been to America so I can't say it "feels like Nebraska" but it definitely DOES feel like a heap of well-written, really miserable shit. Plus, another album of his I've never heard before but feels instantly familiar. 4/5.
mournful. better than born in the usa which was inadvertently jingoistic.
Bruce Springsteen followed up his highly successful (both commercially and critically) albums, Born To Run and Darkness On The Edge Of Town, with a solo acoustic album, Nebraska. Sparse and raw, Nebraska could have been career suicide for a less talented artist, as his band was at the height of their creativity, both live and on record and Nebraska seemed like a step back. The demo quality of the songs may have put off fans that wanted another rock album, but the depth and honesty of the lyrics and music displayed the incredible talent of Springsteen and I give him credit for having the guts to release this record despite record label pressure for another chart-topping, best selling album. I like this record, more so now than when it was released, but it will be a piece of art that will stand on it's own as a triumph, in his vast discography.
There may be bleaker albums, but probably not from a multi-million record selling major label artist of Springsteen's. Even the nominally "up" songs aren't really.
I really like this version of Springsteen, I do love great story telling, especially done simply. Fave: My Father's House
So sparse, and so powerful. I can’t believe how simply he recorded it.
This...was shocking to me. So good...really expected it to not be my kind of listen. But definitely was, and will be again at some point.
SHACK Well if he had gone dark story telling country, this would be SHACK. SHACK Where's Maddie SHACK?
Very stripped down. Nice!
Not a fan of the boss but i liked this album.
A little less harmonica would have done it for me, but really good relaxing/driving/campfire album.
Four stars An all-time classic, and an album which still holds its own many years after it was released. As is usually the case with those classic albums, I won't write a full-blown review here given that others have already written wonderful stuff about them and there's not much I can add that I feel could be relevant and interesting. Nebraska is just a timeless gem for anyone who has even a remote interest in Bruce Springsteen before he blew everything with that awful, generally cheesy-sounding *Born In The USA* album. Number of records left to review or just listen to: 939 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 28 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 17 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important to me): 17
Listened Before? N Beautiful album. Simple and stripped down, classic Springsteen subject matter. Not a happy one, but a good one. Lots of harmonica, reminds me of Dylan. Added to library? Y Songs added to playlist? Atlantic City
Wonderful folk sound from Bruce Springsteen. Favorites: "Atlantic City", "Johnny 99", "State Trooper"
3.75
Widely acclaimed as Springsteen's best album, I really like it but would probably put it 3rd on my list of his records.
Nebraska Nebraska I love youuu
Yeah listen. Its bruce slringsteen. Its going to be good. I think they might have gone back and rerecorded some of these track and i think im more familiar with those. But yill very good.
4.75
I first listened to this as background music and my initial impression was, eh, it's ok. Give it a 3. Then I paid attention to the lyrics. Damn. What a dark album. Bleak. I went back and forth between a 4 and 5. The music isn't exactly groundbreaking (although certainly good), but the lyrics are like a gut punch about what life is like for the downtrodden and the criminal. Bruce has an almost disturbing affinity for people who feel forced into a life of crime. Is there something you want to tell us, Bruce? By the time I reached My Father's House, a truly devastating tale of estrangement, I decided I had to give this a 4 only because I think I'd be hugely depressed if I listened to this album often. (oh, and then, in case you haven't already been devastated by this album, Bruce quickly gives you 4 more depressing stories in Reason to Believe to end the album. Thanks, Bruce).
Sad and gloomy
Good.
We love the Boss
Definitely a classic. A few of the songs are a bit samey tho.
EVERYTHING DIES BABY THAT'S A FACT but maybe everything that dies someday comes back😭
No era lo que me esperaba. Disco triste y tranquilo. 3.5 que suben a 4. Gran sorpresa.
This is great… it’s 1D, but I suppose that’s the idea. Just feel like it needs some E-street sometimes!
Maybe Springsteen's best?
Not the type of sound i love bruce for but still an all timer
Revolucionari en el seu moment, mostra a Bruce per primer cop despullat de la banda, amb unes balades rurals a guitarra i harmònica que supuren sabor a terra endins, a pobles perduts i perdedors sense futur. Un pont entre 'The River' i 'Born in the USA' que no pot diferir més del seu so bombàstic i espectacular. Un moment de reflexió en plena època de musa inspirada del de New Jersey
I know Bruce's classics, but haven't heard anything on this album before. Not a lot of happy songs. Have to listen to this album a few more times to see if it'll be on the permanent list.
Gritty folk to a hard harmonica and acoustic guitar. Lyrics struggle with morality and tough choices at the margins of blue collar life. Love the drawl of Nebraska intro with an American the beautiful feel and Falsetto open of Johnny 99. Different version of Atlantic City for me sounded a little faster and tinnier but still delivers. Nice storytelling on patrolman and trooper. Nebraska, Atlantic City, mansion on the hill.
I really like the storytelling on this album and the raw presentation style. I think it shows a lot more maturity than what most people assosciate with Springsteen, and reminds me of The Rising in that sense.
As far as an outro to 2021 goes, it couldn't get better than this. I read the back story to the recording of this iconic album and doubled down on the gear. Plugged some hard to drive AKG702 headphones into my phone. This showed the flaws and fancy of the recording process like some kind of magic. The 4 track, the tape dubbing, the carry me in your pocket sound was just something special. My fave Bruce experience without a doubt.
8/10
Not the stuff I know from Springsteen, but good
Great storyteller. Most songs are depressing or slow sounding
Americana at some of its finest. Some blues, solemn harmonicas, overwhelmingly suggestive of the USA in parts where opportunity and dreams were either squandered or just forgotten. There is not much else to say here, this album is neither happy or sad, yet it carries a type of reverence or gentle observance of life in general. Circumstances, injustices, sewn between moments that should be cherished, the album is very down to earth. That makes it great.
A fantastic album. Great storytelling from the heart, a genuine artistic expression from beginning to end. Dylan-esque musically, but Bruce makes it his own as always.
Bruce managed to create a album not full of hits but full of atmosphere, storytelling and great music
Very good, this was his only album I'd listened to before this challenge. A slower pace than most of his other stuff but at least there is no sax.
Atlantic City is one of my all-time favorite songs of his. Great album. Of his acoustic works I might rank The Ghost of Tom Joad a little higher, but I liked this one a lot. Definitely would listen to again.
The first thing you need to know about this album is that these songs are basically DEMOS. And many songs from the same demo session eventually became full fledged E Street Band songs on "Born In The USA" two years later. So there's no Big Man or Silvio Dante here. Just The Boss, his harmonica and acoustic guitar. And it all works in terms of creating what it feels like to be on some back road in desolate, Western Nebraska (as someone who was born in raised in Nebraska, I'm a little too familiar with these trips). State Trooper, Reason To Believe, Mansion On The Hill and Johnny 99 belong on any Best Of The Boss list. This album isn't always my go-to-Springsteen (I prefer the energy and enthusiasm the E Street Band brings out of him). Fun, somewhat related, fact: When I was in college, my roommate and I went to Wyuka Cemetery in Lincoln, Nebraska just to literally take a piss all over Charles Starkweather's grave. It's an experience I recommend highly. I'm sure The Boss would be proud.
Raw, gut wrenching and agonizingly haunting. I think this is truly one if Springsteen's best work.
Much quieter Springsteen than Born in the USA, Nebraska continues on I'm the tradition of Bob Dylan with the singer-songwriter with a harmonica, and the outlaw country of Johnny Cash, with heavy blues influences. Lots of themes of criminality and moral murkiness. Some of the tracks like "Open All Night" could have used the full E-Street Band treatment, but it might have felt jarring on this quieter record.
Desolate Bruce sounds great!
I've listened to this album at least once before, and some of the tracks more than once. "Open All Night" is the one song from Springsteen that I've learned to play on the guitar. "Nebraska" and "Reason to Believe" are tracks that I would definitely come back to for a second listen. I'm not a huge Springsteen fan, but this album fits in well with what I like. I'd listen to the whole album again.
More good than bad, and have decided not to give 3* to anything
One of my favorites from Bruce
In my top 3 for Springsteen. Strongest in the lyrics: a lot of the music and delivery are great too. Some of the story songs get a little dull and plodding though, less songs than monologues, but it’s a minor quibble.
Moody, plaintive, brooding, contemplative Springsteen
Classic, but so dark.
Those who dislike this album will argue it is incomplete and somber. And while I certainly agree that it is though things, I think that’s what makes it beautiful. Springsteen had some unplugged demos ready to go for his next E Street Band album, but decided that this is the way he wanted Nebraska to be put out. And although it is bare on instrumentation, “simple” is the worst word to describe this album. Lyrically, he covers serious topics like death, crime, corruption, familial bonds, and finding hope. Very heavy stuff, all from the perspective of average people who are the product of their environment. He presents it with such naked vulnerability and the tiredness of a blue-collar worker, that you feel a sense of compassion for some of these blemished characters. Springsteen draws you into these stories with beautiful presentation, you get an emotional stake in these stories. To me, it’s a true songwriter album accompanied by beautiful composition that is presenting a story of connection and redemption; even if its full of characters that have little redeeming qualities for the surface. Favorite Song: Nebraska, Reason to Believe Least Favorite: Johnny 99
I am liking the Boss
A great album
Ệie
Jesus it's like 1001 albums but 400 will be Bruce Springsteen. Once you here 1 Springsteen album is hard to separate the rest. The album is named after one of the most boring places on earth. Loved it
Classic. Perfect for sitting around the kitchen table
One of my favourite Springsteen albums. Absolutely love this
The spare sound of Bruce and his guitar fits perfectly with the stories told in these songs.
Gave me chills but one or two songs were a bit lower quality
Real good folk. Not what i expected from bruce springsteen
Very dark, gloomy album. Traditional folk stuff with the mood and aura of Nick Drake
good for pipe smoking on a calm summer evening
Bruce in his rawest form - shame the first album we got wasn't with the mighty E-Street band, but his lyrical genius is on show here. I'd give my left ball to be able to tell stories as well as this guy with just a guitar and a harmonica.
I've tried and failed many times to like Springsteen. However with an open mind I can see this is a classic. Also fair play to having the balls to release an album of home demos at this time of his career.
Okay. A little sad.
I didn’t know Bruce made an album like this, big fan.
I've never listened to this album before, but I've always known that Bruce wasn't afraid to go deep with his lyrics. Wow. I love the rawness, both of the recording and the subject matter.
Muutama vuosi sitten tein kulttuuriteon ja asioikseni kuuntelin Born In the USA -levyn, mutta muihin Bruce Springsteenin levyihin ei ole tullut tutustuttua satunnaisia kappaleita lukuunottamatta. Tämä menee siihen kategoriaan, että vanhemmat ainakin jollain tasolla tykkäsivät, eli itse ei voinut kuunnella yhtään. Ihan ok tarinankerrontaa, enemmän minä tästä tykkään kuin Bob Dylanista. Kiva että tulee syy kuunnella tällaisiakin artisteja tässä listan mukana.
Very soft
I always think about Bruce Springsteen like something like bad country songs (don't know why), but this album is very different from my expectations and it is a very good piece of good songs.
Fins avui no havia escoltat mai un disc sencer de Springsteen. M'ha sorprés el so íntim i proper, i crec que hi ha un grapat de temes força inspirats. També he llegit que van ser grabats en un quatre pistes i que en principi eren només demos, i van acabar covertint-se en les versions oficials. Això diu molt de la qualitat interpretativa de Bruce en aquella època. Mha fet venir ganes d'escoltar més coses seves.
Rock oscuro típico de Springsteen.
Too american
Lofi indie Bruce Springsteen
Solid Bruce.
No conocía el disco. Aunque por momentos me resultó algo monótono, se convirtió en una grata companía.
Loved this album. State Trooper is such a great song!
Álbun de resaca de Bruce, lejos de lo anterior y de los posterior. Probablemente necesario para su discografía.
Really quite liked this
Good to compare this minimalist Springsteen with the maximallist "Born in the USA" which came from the same sessions. Again, I can see why he's been so acclaimed and has the reputation he does. Fave track - "Atlantic City" - great track!
Nebraska is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen, released on September 30, 1982, by Columbia Records. Springsteen recorded the songs as demos on a 4-track recorder, intending to rerecord them with the E Street Band, but decided to release them as they were.[3] Nebraska remains one of the most highly regarded albums in his catalog. The album begins with "Nebraska", a first-person narrative based on the true story of 19-year-old spree killer Charles Starkweather and his 14-year-old girlfriend, Caril Ann Fugate, and ends with "Reason to Believe", a complex narrative that offers a small amount of hope to counterbalance the otherwise dark nature of the album.[5] The remaining songs are largely of the same bleak tone, including the dark "State Trooper", influenced by the vocal stylings of Alan Vega and Suicide's "Frankie Teardrop".[19] Criminal behavior continues as a theme in the song "Highway Patrolman": even though the protagonist works for the law, he lets his brother escape after he has shot someone.[5] "Open All Night", a Chuck Berry-style lone guitar rave-up, does manage a dose of defiant, humming-towards-the-gallows exuberance.[5] Springsteen stated that the stories in this album were partly inspired by historian Howard Zinn's book A People's History of the United States.[20] A music video was produced for the song "Atlantic City"; it features stark, black-and-white images of the city, which had not yet undergone its later economic transformation.[21]
Awesome acoustic Bruce album. Lots of good stuff on here, I like the road theme throughout the album. Highlights: -Atlantic City -Johnny 99 -My Father's House
A bit slow, but very poetic and sad. Classic early Bruce.
So American.
Solid album great folk songs. Up there with Dylan easily. Only 4 stars as there are no mindblowing tracks but definitely something I'd want on vinyl.
Great record. Not super close to the top of my Springsteen album list because the second half lags a tad bit for me. Love the bare bones production, though.
I quite enjoyed this.
4,5/5
Enjoyed this one. Definitely want to listen again in order to listen to the lyrics more intently.
7.5/10
4/12 I’ve never been to Nebraska, but man, there were some moments where he took us there. Standout Tracks: Nebraska, Atlantic City, Highway Patrolman, State Trooper
Some good, dark songwriting. A bit too even in tone? Or is that part of the point?
the vibes are solid, but the lack of diction makes it extremely hard to follow the lyrics on even a very stripped back set of arrangements, and it all sonically blends together to a significant degree
I understand why he kept it this way, but ultimately it doesn’t go higher than 3
alright, not bad
Pretty good
I prefer Bruce with the E Street Band but this is still a good listen.
When I was young I thought this album sucked. Still not the biggest fan. Atlantic City is one of my favorite Bruce songs.
This is not a Bruce that I'm particularly interested in. It was DIY which is fine, but sometimes it honestly sounds like crap (e.g. the title track and "State Trooper"). His voice sounds like it redlined the mic or something. When it doesn't sound like crap, it's just fairly boring acoustic folk rock. Generally inoffensive, but not really for me.
Амээрика
Не думай что я буду давать поблажку в твой день рождения, Спрингстин!! Ок, типа, заглавная композиция задаёт мрачную вайбулю, и в целом, звучит атмосферно и прикольно, гармоника, вот это всё. Ок, на третьем треке я уловил концепцию альбома, понял фишечки и приколы, а чё дальше? Лирикоцентричный альбом и всё такое, я понимаю, но мне все ещё неинтересно, сори. Но это определенно лучше чем The Rising, давайте так.
This was fine? Not my thing but I know he was influential (I say that about a lot of these albums....)
Way better than I expected. Knew Springsteen for Born in the USA (obviously). This was so much softer, and easy to listen to.
Ok eu acho
Favorite Song: Johnny 99 Least Favorite: Highway Patrolman
Pretty good. you have to be in a certain mood for sure.
606/1089 - Pretty different from the Springsteen album's I've listened to on the list. It's pretty decent. Not a fan of his accent and the songs are a bit samey guitar-wise. I think Joni Mitchell and Nick Drake have a lot more variation in texture and harmony which makes them more intriguing to me to listen to. Interesting to get demo-y stuff twice in a row (hope Pink Moon is next to continue this!)
Talented but not a fan
You can check with the State Trooper or even the Highway Patrolman, but they’ll both tell you this album is alright.
Love Bruce but this isn’t near his best work. Saying that, Atlantic City is elite tier Springsteen.
pretty good
A bit too slow and melancholic for me
First Bruce album im not giving a 2?
Mer 3.5, gillar många av låtarna, men kände inte så mycket. Hade inte haft något emot att lyssna igen!
fine
Veits taustamuusika albumi tunne ja mitte ükski lugu ei läinud mul Liked Songs nimekirja. Unustasin ära, et ma isegi kuulasin seda albumit. 2.7/5
Was hesitant because it’s popular. Turns out it’s popular for a reason.
It was fine. Really found it hard to pick out anything unique or truly interesting, but it was fine for a listen. It was the album he wanted to make and I'm always down for artists doing that.
Usually like the boss. Wasn’t feeling this album.
I'm slowly coming to the conclusion that every Springsteen album (at least the ones I've listened to) is more or less the same thing. And to be honest there's nothing wrong with that. His style took a while to grow on me but I actually quite enjoy it now. There's very little that makes this album in particular stand out from the rest of his, but a good heartland rock album is still nothing to complain about.
4th (!) album by Springsteen for me. Went into this with a sigh, as he's my lowest rated artist. My long-standing gripe has been that his performances tend to be bigger than the material calls for. Plainspoken, prose-like lyrics delivered with full-band, arena-scale bombast. Like hiring an orchestra to play "Pop Goes the Weasel". I like the weasel, but the weasel doesn't benefit from an orchestra. But this one's different. Nebraska's stark and minimal production finally matches the scale of the writing. The prose-like lyrics sit well with the tape recorder in bedroom aesthetics. I also just like his singing more here than anywhere else in his catalog, it's restrained in a way that suits him. Springsteen hasn't changed: Still the same plainspoken, prose-over-poetry style he always uses. But the mismatch between material and performance is resolved: I can put this on in the background without the urge to skip, which is new for me with him. Overall: best Springsteen yet, and the first one where I understood the appeal. Still not quite my jam, but my attitude to Springsteen has shifted.
That guy has a incredible voice. I'd have a listen "I born in USA" and lovely so much, but this album is so so came of Bruce. My favorite song in this album is: "Atlantic City" My rating for this album is: 3.20
Gubbarock igen
Bruce has been mostly 3s so far, and we'll see if this is any different. Starts well, but by Johnny 99 gets a little tiring. Samey stories but there is a bit of variety 3.5 rounded down Heard before? Some Owned: No, 104/392 (26%) Will I get: No
This is a great album. I’ve always enjoyed Atlantic City and State Trooper. Unfortunately, it’s a really lethargic album
Not sure that I fully see the appeal of Bruce Springsteen. The stripped down, folk sound of this album was different and had some potential, but felt kind of dull overall.
Could get into this era of Springsteen.
For whatever reason... I just don't love Bruce Springsteen, and I have no idea why. My dad does and it seems like I would too. But... I don't. I've tried to love this record in particular many times... I don't. It's... fine.
Go on Bruce give us nothing!
Folk.
Wel heel voor mondharmonica
Kiinnostavia ja synkkiä lyriikoita mm. rikollisuudesta ja siihen johtavista syistä. Harmikseni melkeinpä joka toinen biisi kuulosti musiikillisesti aika samalta. Atlantic Citystä tykkäsin eniten. Siinä kertsin mandoliinikilkatus loi kivaa tunnelmaa ja tarinan ”avoin” loppu oli hyvä valinta.
I think the movie about this album was much more entertaining than the album itself. Maybe if you're from that part of the world it would resonate more but I just found it a bit dull. I much prefer Bruce with the E Street Band. 3*
Muy piola para tener de fondo, agradable. 6/10
Enjoyed this one again having heard it before. Some good stories on this album as there always is with Springsteen but presenting it in a different way makes it a bit special. None of the hits but good stuff nonetheless.
Folk/Country songs but feel slow and sad.
Acoustic solo, storytelling 3
Bit lame but it was good enough I suppose
Moody sounds. Quite liked this
3.2 out of 5 stars for The Boss. It is very Dylan-esque, and while that is not a terrible thing, it doesn't fully bring Bruce's true talent out, which is with a big band, and driving hooks and hard hitting lyrics. Well, take that back, the hard hitting lyrics are here in Nebraska, but with what he's singing about, I feel like it would be better served with some blues rock backing. I like Bruce, but this album isn't doing it for me on an "I must hear this everyday". Especially when my last album was Prince's 1999.
Solid but not my cuppa tea
Pretty boring. Maybe more interesting for native English speakers, that is not my case.
Loved it
I’m glad I gave this album some extra time and attention. Aware of Springsteen, but not necessarily a “fan”, I appreciated the unconventional approach to this album and its recording as well aa the personal nature and themes of the songs throughout. It definitely gave me more of an appreciation for the artist and an invitation to explore more.
me gusto, mas si se escucha como musica de fondo
Problem I perceive with Bruce Springsteen is that he is all a lot American centric. Now normally that would not bother me as I have visited America in the past and really enjoyed what I experienced and at one time was really keen on returning. The reason why I am rethinking all that is currently sat in the White House. Not sure of BS’s politics but either way when listening to his music and the way it applauds the American way of life, the present state of the Union takes the edge off his music. I look forward to all this changing but in the meantime I would prefer an album title with a good old English name. Something like Grimethorpe for example which gives an indication that all things are not so good this side of the Atlantic either. 3/5 17/7/26
Sad Bruce is interesting but not as good as happy Bruce. The first half of the album is great. The rest is just kinda a blur of bluesy rock stuff that doesn't really stand out to me. Atlantic City was my favorite.
Rating: 7/10 A really interesting companion piece to Born in the USA and a different stripped back sound than ol’ Brucey’s usual. On paper this kinda album is one I would prefer over the anthemic radio rock, but you really have to be in the mood for Nebraska and I think it gets a little weaker as it goes on. Back half don’t have any of my favorites while the front is pretty great. Atlantic City and Mansion on the Hill are my favs
Fand ich etwas langweilig, hätte ich mir mehr erwartet. Schlecht war es auch nicht.
I can sympathize with both the 1-star and 5-star reviews for this album. Ultimately I lean toward the low side due to the audio quality. It was obviously an intentional choice to go for this very lo-fi sound...but you can do an acoustic album that still sounds decent. A more polished version of this album probably gets a 4 from me. 2.8
++: Atlantic City, Johnny 99, State Trooper, Open All Night, Reason to Believe +: Nebraska, Used Cars +-: Mansion on the Hill, Highway Patrolman, My Father's House 7,0/10
America is a grim place. Bruce Sprinsteen seems to have a million stories of guys who take guns and cars out to the middle of America and then shoot and rob people. It sounds really awful. The feel of this album is really stripped back. Just Bruce Springsteen, a guitar, a harmonica and the occasional percussion like the xylophone in "Used Car". It is another album that will appeal to men of a certain age that want to reminisce about their misspent youths. Its melancholy, but not nearly as ennui as some of "Born in the USA" gets. But it is completely bereft of the joyous songs that "Born in the USA" has. So has a much more sombre feeling. (2.750)
A very emotionally charged album I feel, but one that feels not aimed at me at all, besides maybe the second song. I can see why this would be better for others, but it was just a bit boring to me, like something a lot of pople could pull off. Definitely want to try more Spingsteen though.
Ridiculously good story telling Why would anyone want to live in America Bit samey? Highway Patrolman WOAH
All the songs are pretty similar sonically. But its a song I like.
It was a little slow and a little sad but sometimes that’s good. I enjoyed, just enough to not enjoy
A little slower than I expected. I’d only heard Atlantic City before, but it didn’t hate the rest of it. 3.5
As much of a Bruce enthusiast as I am, I almost never put this album on because it is effing bleak. It’s like he started working from “The River” (the song not the album) and “Wreck On the Highway”and said “let’s do 10 of those.” It’s a great album but it’s just not one I reach for. Other than “Atlantic City” because it’s perfect. Also the cover of that song by The Band is PERFECT go listen to it now and come back here. Did you do it? Okay, great it was good right? Cool, keep reading. I don’t think the man would ever deny idolizing Dylan but he leans a bit far into that influence (particularly TTTAAC, another album I rarely listen to in full because it is almost unfathomably depressing) on some of these songs. But the depressing-ness also comes with some of Bruce’s best lyricism. The title track is based on the Charles Starkweather murders, which also inspired the Terence Malick film “Badlands,” which is not to be confused with the Bruce Springsteen song “Badlands” or the Alexander Payne film “Nebraska.” On another note, the film title “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere” is so cumbersome.
Sonically this album is right up my alley. But I just don’t connect with Springsteen. Never have, doubt I ever will. Very American, very masculine.
It’s good!! I definitely don’t MIND acoustic Bruce (a-Bruce-stic?) but i do kinda mind 40+ minutes of it in a row unfortunately. Not bad at all, just far from my favorite.
One of the more listenable Springsteen albums but I'll be honest, five was way too many, I got the picture pretty quickly and he's not an artist I'd have dug much deeper into on my own. I quite liked the raw, acoustic vibe and his voice seems to be still intact at this point. The Boss? The Dross.
I do love his voice and his ballads but I think I need more variety on an album... :/
This album is good, but not really my thing. If it caught me in the right mood, I could see myself loving it. It leans a little too much into country which I just don't connect with, but some of the more rock-focused tracks here ("Atlantic City") I do really enjoy. I am a moron and did not release he also made "Born in the USA", and I am impressed with the range he shows here.
I find it funny that yesterday I was talking up Dylans singing, specifically his emotional palette. When I listen to Dylan I can hear him embodying the song with a huge gamut of emotions. Springsteen does not do that. He is a storyteller telling a story but his voice, here at least, has a single emotional timbre - bleak sorrow. It works... But it also drowns. It becomes oppressive. I started enjoying this, but I ended just feeling heavy. At first I thought I'd listen to this again and give it 4 stars but as it wore on I just read the lyrics and felt that to be a more enjoyable way to consume it. As a single album, it's unfortunately less than the sum of its parts. The individual songs are great, but as an album it's exhausting, so in the end it gets 3.
Lots of generally formless, but undoubtedly inspired songs here. Some stuck the landing for me, while others sauntered to the finish. These songs are best accompanied by a list of lyrics and an attentive ear, but can otherwise feel a bit drab. As a native New Jerseyan, though, hearing Mahwah & Linden & the turnpike in the span of a few tracks made me smile. Three stars. STAND-OUT SONG: “Atlantic City” HONORABLE MENTIONS: “Nebraska”, “Open All Night”
Old Springsteen
Harsh, slow, uncompromising, monotone, depressing, bare. All that but not terrible
the album released before "born in the USA". I am definitely the wrong person to rate a Bruce Springsteen album. i find he's way over-rated. "Nebraska" is a pretty gritty album. "Atlantic City" in particular paints a really bleak picture of the town and it's seediness. it's probably the closet to Bob Dylan he ever got. The recent movie, "Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere" is about his troubles making this album.
Very depressing listen. Although I guess that is the point. It accomplished what it set out to do. I prefer his other work.
Not my favorite of Bruce's but undeniably passionate/powerful
Just mid steen Fave track: Atlantic City
Sad Brucey album. For variety. 2.5/5
Pretty cool
I admire this album more than I really enjoy it. Some excellent tracks. 3.5
3 stars. good, important, not gonna listen to often
Not his best but good
I liked this album better then darkness on the edge of town, however i did find it got a little boring.
Having seen the omission of 'The River' in this list, this album is then the most authentic and cohesive of Bruce's album on the list. It reflects on Springsteen at his peak songwriting form, wherein he takes on a darker sound and draws meaningful parallels with Dylan. 8/10 [KEEP]
Imo not many hits but perfect easy listening
Wow! Really moving.
There’s a version of me that should love Nebraska a lot more than I actually do. On paper, it hits a lot of things I’m naturally drawn to—stripped-down folk storytelling, bleak American imagery, characters drifting through moral fog. And I can absolutely respect what Bruce Springsteen was doing here: stepping away from the E Street Band machine, recording these songs on a four-track cassette, intentionally making something skeletal and unvarnished. That kind of artistic left turn deserves credit on its own. And lyrically, it’s hard to deny how strong it is. These are not “songs” in the traditional sense so much as short stories set to minimal chords. Criminals, workers, drifters, people making ugly choices in ugly moments—it’s all rendered with a kind of plainspoken fatalism that feels closer to Flannery O’Connor than arena rock. Even as someone who doesn’t really consider himself a Springsteen fan, I can see why people hold this record up as some kind of high watermark for American songwriting. But the problem for me is that admiration doesn’t automatically translate into enjoyment. After a while, the record settles into a very narrow emotional and sonic lane. The minimal acoustic backing starts to feel less like “intentional starkness” and more like repetition without enough tonal variation to keep it compelling across the full runtime. There’s a fine line between “hypnotic” and “monotonous,” and for me this album drifts too often into the latter. And then there’s the voice. I get that the rough, throaty delivery is part of the aesthetic—part worn-out narrator, part ghost storyteller—but it becomes fatiguing over the course of the record. Instead of pulling me deeper into the stories, it sometimes flattens them, like every tale is being told through the same exhausted filter regardless of emotional context. A little more vocal contrast, or even just pacing variation, might have made a big difference in how the album breathes. So I end up in this split position: I respect it more than I enjoy it. It feels like an important document, even a brave one, and I can see why it’s so influential in the acoustic and indie-folk lineage. But as a listening experience, it’s not one I reach for often. It’s less an album I return to and more one I acknowledge from a distance—impressive, influential, but a bit too unrelenting in its mood and delivery to really pull me in.
I have no thoughts on this whatsoever. The only way I will judge this album is if Springsteen personally plays for me in front of a campfire.
Yeehaw
Yeehaw
Not terrible. I wish I liked Springsteen's music more.
Never got Bruce Springsteen, this album doesnt really change that opinion
maya’s correct takes 😼 #1 like the harmonica??? yes i would listen to this around a campfire if a grandpa was singing it with his guitar from ‘64 very slow good story though very interesting like okay why are we killing ten people #2 more killing people and jail wow why????? oh wait gambling heck yeah i mean at least its catchy!! #3 aw i liked this one its sweet like yay no murderers i think this is really sweetttt again with the harmonica bruce again this is a grandpa campfire song #4 we back to murdering nice vocals at the start though i like the storytelling in his songs though this is depressing… #5 hi joe roberts oh franky is a badd kid wait no poor franky NOOO WHAT THE HECK WHAT DID HE DO man people are horrible on this album #6 dude this is so depressing theres probably a time and place i have no words honestly probably need to listen a third time to really understand like what did he do lowkey reminding me of edgar allen poe OH WE YELLING #7 aw this is sweeeetttttt wait i don’t get the end… #8 oh its bouncy okay WAIT I NOTICED THIS YESTERDAY ITS LIKE THE OTHER SONG BUT HAPPIER idk this is one of my faves i think its fun #9 his dad diedddd awwwww poor guyyy this is making me sad he didnt get to say goodbye noooo #10 there is SO much death in this my gosh nooooo poor mary lou and poor doggg oh hi kyle WHY DID THE GUY DIE noooo the bride didn’t show up good lesson i guess OVERALL second listen did give me more insight so i can in fact confirm that this album was well written but also very depressing lyricism was fantastic all of the songs did kinda blend together though not my kind of music but i respect and appreciate the effort put into it especially for a demo album i think it was pretty good but not quite there for me at least it would get like a 3.5 so i’ll just give it a 3
Pretty obvious that this list was gonna have albums from ‘The Boss’ on it. Haven’t been looking forward to it, cos I just don’t get it. This album of homemade demos I think (without hearing the others in full yet) might be the most interesting to me - just the man and his songs without a big band. Still, not scoring higher than a 3 for now. Not boring, but not compelled to listen to it particularly.
Very mellow and I like the tone, but it isn't the most exciting Springsteen album. Now really anything I want to listen to again. 3/5
Feels like I should be giving this a four, but I feel like giving it a three.
Really like how stripped down this album is. I'm not the biggest Springsteen fan but he seems authentic in a way that a lot of musicians are not. Breaking this down to guitar, voice, and harmonica really makes it seem more spontaneous.
Like kinda shit tbh, not sure why this guy is one of the greats. Songs are far too repetitive.
Jeg må nok erkende at jeg husker det bedre end jeg oplever det i dag. Stadig ganske fint album, men jeg synes at det musikalsk bliver for ensformigt til at blive en 4'er.
*67 Der er god story telling - som nok må siges at være det bærende element. Musikken er som sådan ikke noget særligt. Jeg synes at det er gjort bedre, og derfor bliver jeg i 3’er territoriet. Det vil nok godt kunne klatre hvis man fik sangerne ind under huden lidt yderligere.
Generelt ret vild med lyden, men blev en anelse kedeligt. 3 store.
This does not sound like the guy who did the infamous superbowl crotch slide.
All but one song sound pretty similar. I usually don’t enjoy slow or acoustic music but this was good for what it is
Melancholic until they very last song which caught me off guard. Enjoyed parts of the album. Enjoyed the harmonica.
We were on a good streak with good metal album then we take a hit in the dad rock.
Very different tonal shift from my last Springsteen record. A much more depressing take on folk rock compared to the more anthemic yet critical take on America take of Born In the USA. And in saying that, I have to say I enjoyed this record a bit less. Still listenable, but not my personal taste. A bit disappointed especially as Born In the USA gave me a new appreciation for Springsteen as someone only familiar with the titular track. Bruce still brings great performances here fitting of the background instrumentals.
I liked it, very melancholic, but not something I will keep listening probably
Influence of the not very good Springsteen biopic not withstanding, this has always been a polarizing album. I am personally a little ambivalent about it. I like a lot of what’s going on here but find that I can never tell the difference between tracks. Ultimately it is not a favorite album from a favorite artist.
Nebraska, state trooper, open all night, reason to believe
Slow and darker Bruce Springsteen
Mellow but ultimately forgettable offering from The Boss
This is pretty far away from Born in the USA sonically for those expecting that. This is the more folksy side of Bruce. I enjoyed it for the storytelling more than anything. Got off to a good start and then kinda dragged through the second half.
Bruce Springsteen: depression edition. Some good songs. Don't think I'd come back
Muy íntimo, muy introspectivo. Más un álbum para entrar en un mood muy relajado, muy en la onda de Springsteen pero sin contar con ritmos up o exitazos como en otros álbumes. Está bueno, pero hay que entrarle esperando algo mucho más relax que lo habitual.
I can practically see the tumbleweed in front of me when listening to this album. I prefer the other more rock-y albums from springsteen.
I don’t see myself listening to this album often but I enjoyed it. I like the narrative lyrics, even if they are a bit gloomy.
Chill, need to be in the right mood for it
I love Bruce. I love Nebraska. I love the coffee I'm sipping out of the Beatles mug I love. I don't think any belong on this list.
Very Bruce but doesn’t make me want to watch the film. Not my fave.
I like Bruce. I can't quite understand why this album is held in such high regard. I am probably really at a 2, but that ain't right.
It was alright. But a lot of the songs are quite the same. After the album, Apple Music started playing 'related music' and it felt like a breath of fresh air. Still not a bad album, but acoustic guitar + harmonica only for 10 songs in a row becomes a bit too much.
Em seu álbum Nebraska, Bruce Springsteen, mais uma vez, dá um show de composição. Foi muito interessante para mim escutar esse álbum logo depois de Darkness On the Edge of Town, no auge do meu interesse pelo artista, pois pude conhecer uma faceta diferente de seu trabalho, e eu posso afirmar que gostei muito. As temáticas do álbum são muito interessantes e a escrita de Springsteen é crua, criativa, descritiva. Nesse disco, o que mais me impressiona é a habilidade do cantor de criar paisagens perfeitas e uma atmosfera compatível com todas as suas letras. Todavia, o fato de ser um álbum não muito melódico e de ambientação pesada, eu não consegui escutá-lo durante o meu dia a dia e tenho quase certeza de que não escutarei essas canções recorrentemente, o que me faz dar uma nota menor do que ele realmente merece.
I have a hard time getting into Bruce Springfield. But Mansion on the Hill is really pretty song. I like the sadness in it. It was alright. 3 stars.
The song feels like a Neil Young album
Okay but a bit boring. I like Atlantic City but prefer the cover by the Band.
I had never heard this album—or even Bruce Springsteen—before, but it really surprised me. It has a very cinematic, expressive, folky sound that creates a strong sense of nostalgia throughout. The lyrics feel desperate and grounded in real-life struggles, touching on the madness of people and offering some pretty profound reflections on everyday lives. Despite that heaviness, it’s a very chill and immersive listening experience. My favorite tracks are “Johnny 99” and “Used Cars,” which stand out for their storytelling and emotional weight.
Musically ‘good’ but too sweaty, racist, violent, deep-south feeling. Not my cuppa T.
I miss the Bruce who was born to Run. Nebraska Bruce has slowed to a trot, and just isn't doing as much for me. Ill be honest, I wasnt paying super close attention to the lyrics, maybe hes onto some deep shit within the weeds here thats going right over my head. But the music itself on this one i think was the weakest from Bruce yet. Guitar followed by harmonica, then some more guitar and harmonica. Ill have to give it another listen to be sure.. but I cant see this one going above a 3 for me. I just prefer his other albums tbh, just a personal preference.
5/10 Reading that Bruce Springsteen recorded this on a four track in 1981-82 intrigued me somewhat, especially as he tried to get it re-recorded with the E-Street Band, but could never get it right, so released it as is. While I can’t admit to being the biggest Springsteen fan, the idea of hearing something with that stripped back, raw DIY aesthetic appealed and there were places on here that it really hooked me in. The Springsteen that I’m turned off by is the shout-singing brash rocker stuff and when he brought a more restrained, subtle control to his delivery, there were times when it became bleak and haunting in a really effective way. Nebraska, Highway Patrolman and Used Cars were highlights in that regard and really benefitted from that slightly grungy DIY sound. Unfortunately, there was also a decent chunk of stuff on here that sounded quite like what it was, demos for songs that were intended to be built out with a full band, developed and further refined down the line, most likely into the kind of typical Bruce Springsteen sound that doesn’t really appeal to my ear. Musically, it’s a fairly generic blend of blues and rock with a folksy twist, and there were a lot of times when I couldn’t really pick out why this stood out from the vast pack of musicians who have been performing this kind of music since the 60s and 70s. Admittedly, Springsteen is known as a storyteller and lyrics typically take a backseat for me, so much of the musical content here felt quite repetitive and samey, so that likely had an impact on my enjoyment of the music. It’s also worth noting that, while the DIY aesthetic worked for the stripped back stuff, there were times when this just sounded really bad. Not in a cool, grungy way, but in a poorly recorded, poorly mixed way, where things were clipping, levels were all over the place and things were bizarrely faded out. All in all, a real mixed bag, that has, despite my variable reaction to the album as a whole, actually pointed out a few Springsteen tracks that I wouldn’t mind revisiting in future, and might even make me seek out any work of his that might be similar in style. Nebraska - New Jersey’s most famous singer, singing in a cod Nebraskan accent. Bit weird. This is pretty good though. Slow and considered, if a touch repetitive, it’s got a cool vibe and the DIY aesthetic to the sound works really well. I definitely prefer Bruce singing in this subtler way and the bleak nature of this song connected with me really well. Atlantic City - This is less interesting and sounds much more like an unfinished demo than the previous track. It’s pretty repetitive, which also leans it more towards that demo sound. There are some nice aspects to it, but the mix is quite confusing, with some elements hard to pick out and others too prominent. It really sounds like a work in progress for. song that could become decent, but isn’t yet. Mansion On The Hill - The vibe of this is quite nice, but musically it feels very generic, with the chord structure and vocal melody following incredibly predictable movements. It’s just a bit bland, really, although the vocal performance is pretty decent. Johnny 99 - Now it’s quite a bluesy folk number. Again, it’s very repetitive. I guess it’s more about the story in the lyrics, but that’s always secondary in what I look for in a song. The demo nature of this one sticks out a bit too. There are some decent touches of guitar playing in there, but it’s just a bit bland for me. Highway Patrolman - The vibe calls back more to the opener here. It’s sparse and quite pretty and, despite having a similar musically predictable nature to the last couple of tracks, the performance and vibe elevate this. I think the combination of DIY recording tone and the bleak, stripped back vibe of this work incredibly well and the withdrawn subtlety of the vocal delivery make it quite captivating, despite it being fairly basic. The quick fade out kills that vibe in a really weird way though. State Trooper - A slow burn of a blues number now. Is it building to something? It feels like it, but half way through it hasn’t actually delivered on that promise yet. The vocal performance is good up until he starts whooping, which the song just doesn’t feel like it’s earned. I was quite getting into the gritty vibe of this until then, but he ruined it. And another super weird quick fade out again. Used Cars - These stripped back ones have great vibe and lean into the gritty DIY sound so well. The sound is sparse and pretty, but that aforementioned bleakness and subtle sense of grief that permeates the song work incredibly well at sucking the listener in. It’s a shame that this album is a bit of a mixed bag, because some parts of it work really well. Open All Night - Now we’re back to something more generically blues-rock, and the subtlety of the albums strongest songs is completely absent. It’s incredibly generic, sounds too much like an unfinished demo and the vocal leans more towards that forced, almost shout singing that I hate from Springsteen. This could be by one of any number of bands playing at the real ale festivals across the UK every weekend and, short of the low murmur of boozy punters, sounds like it could have been recorded at one too. My Father's House - This lacks the subtlety in the vocal performance that I’d enjoyed on other tracks, so I’m not getting as drawn in. It’s very repetitive and the mix puts the vocal so forward that the guitar work gets lost. When the extra instrumentation comes in, it adds a slightly haunting feel to things, but the vocal dominance doesn’t let it do its work particularly effectively. I think there’s something in this, but this recording hasn’t managed to capture it. Reason To Believe - Shouty Bruce is back. It’s got a fairly decent, pulsing groove from the guitar, but it’s pretty repetitive and doesn’t really do much to stand out as anything musically special. The quieter moments are quite nice, but as a whole, it’s just a bit dull.
I’m normally much more of a thunder Road Boss fan than his more folksy stuff. That persists in this album; which while excellent is not quite what I was hoping for. Some good tracks an his vocal remain as strong as ever, but it’s not why I listen to Bruce
i went into this secure in my age old belief that it's impossible to enjoy bruce springsteen whole heartedly unless you are american, but also expecting to hear some good tunes. my expectations were met.
Has grown on me, really builds a mood, cohesive
어우 듣기좋아
80s rock, singer-songwriter. Great, dark story telling. Sad Americana.
The story telling
Meh
I do not like Bruce at all but I acknowledge decent work
would be a 2 but I was actually driving through nebraska listening to this so it was kinda a vibe
This seems like a a record that he improved upon later with Devils and Dust, but still enjoyable.
Has to be pretty uncommon for such a prolific act to put out a stripped down imperfect album when he is known for being uplifting and energetic. I love that you can hear the flubs in recording. The lyrics are dark and evoke a bit of Gothic Americana.
Very depressing album. I dont understand americans that want to make amerikkka great again when clearly by the songwriting you can see its always been shit. Bon Jovi'a gina and tommy were not doing ok Billy Joel's allentown was fucked and there was eeffinitively a lot of pressure they went to cool off at the pianoman bar. Bruce is no exception, atlantic city, nebraska, born in the usa all about the end of industrialisim and the failed capitalistic system that forgot them. Great songwriting but songs maybe too slow to really get a feel and make it a bit less horrible.
It’s fine but nothing stood out
Never heard any of these Springsteen songs before. I appreciate the sentiment of working class struggles but I struggle with the mumbling Bruce!! Sounds like he's singing through gritted teeth to appear more sincere!
This album is best summed up as Bruce trying to do his best Johnny Cash or Neil Young impression. Unfortunately, it's not as good as what they can bring. Not that Bruce is a bad storyteller, he has so many great songs with amazing writing and subject matter. This just didn't hit for me, in part because it felt reasonably homogenous throughout. Beyond this, Bruce is at his best when he is belting out, with his rasp and emotion. He has so much character to his voice, and all of that was muted here. It was like someone neutered him. This isn't awful and there are some cool songs on here. I loved Open All Night, while Atlantic City was good. But there was just not enough for me to think this was a great album. Far from his best.
Bruce's strength is more his lyricism than musicality. He paints pictures with his words and tells stories of working-class people living in the state of Nebraska. To me his message is is getting by and surviving, in spite of the grind of everyday life. Musically, however, there is certain hypnotic quality to this album. His vocals are drenched in reverb as if singing in the middle of an abandoned hall. His melodies are simple, repeating from verse to verse, lulling the listener into a state of meditation. The overall effect of almost hymnal and makes me recognize that there is something here that requires another listen, perhaps accompanied by a cup of coffee on a grey, rainy day.
More like Bruce Harmonica-steen
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There’s definitely some real quality songwriting here. He’s a famous storyteller. And these songs are solid, classic, sincere and really kinda pretty. I never really connected to Springsteen’s style. But I have to admit that there’s something genuinely good here. Unfortunately, I am going to have to smash that damned harmonica. It absolutely ruins everything for me. Omg I hate this fucking harmonica.