Nebraska

I always found this album to be kind of boring

Much like Nebraska, that was boring with spots of brilliance. Goes well with a melancholy mood.

Melancholy Bruce

Mr. State Trooper, please don't stop me. Please don't stop me. Good album. Good songs. Boss going all acoustic.

Folk lore sprongspoon

Shades of early Dylan with the harmonica action

I my first reaction to getting this was "okay, this is Springsteen album #3, and can we please be done with him, then?". Now. That was a bit unkind towards this album, which, to me, is way more bearable than any of is other stuff. It isn't so overly 80s adult-contemporary produced, and basically a collection of songs and stories not dissimilar to Bob Dylan, harmonica and all. I actually found that the original Born in the USA Demo was on the tapes that were the foundation for this album. Lo and behold - in that shape, it's actually a very listenable track. I'll never be a fan of Springsteen's, but this album actually takes some of the edge of my overall dislike for his music.

Bit country like for me 5/10

Bruce sings "wee wee" on a track here. That's all you need to know. Very important to tell the story of forgotten parts of America. There's a lot to enjoy here if you like being sad about our country's rich history of the wealthy exploiting the working class. The music is fine. The mixing was odd for me. Bruce's voice on some songs was so quiet it was barely a whisper, while the harmonica was so effin' loud it hurt my ears. In short, okay music about an important topic.

I can't decide whether this is genius or terrible, so my rating is entirely a compromise. Simple, noodling, yet strangely comforting tunes involving only an acoustic guitar and Springsteen's vocals. The singing is kind of bad, especially compared to his more bombastic works, but it somewhat works in this context. The guitar-playing is pretty good – again, incredibly simple, yet charming and moving. As far as I can tell, the only "upbeat" track is Open All Night, but oddly it doesn't manage to be a standout. Instead, I picked the songs with the most comforting and heartwarming feel to be my key tracks. To those people giving this 1 star: fair enough. To those giving the album 5 stars, you're clearly not paying attention to how unengaging and uncreative some of these tracks are. Or maybe you're one of those people who pays attention to lyrics. (In this economy?) 3/5 Key tracks: Atlantic City, Johnny 99

It was always a pleasure to bump into Bruce on the circuit. With Houmous & Chutney it was far too common to generate jealousy amongst others. But not Bruce, it was more mutual respect. Take this record, we all knew this wasn’t his best but the thing with Bruce is that it always comes from the heart. It always means something. Which is lovely. And let’s face it, he’s gotta be the most compelling front man this side of Len Houmous! 3.1

favourite song - highway patrolman favourite lyric - well they closed down the auto plant in mahwah late that month / ralph went out lookin' for a job but he couldn't find none / he came home too drunk from mixing tanqueray and wine / he got a gun, shot a night clerk, now they call him johnny 99 cover - 8/10 overall rating - 3/5

Although I’ve never listened to him personally, I’m not going to sit here and try to undo history. Bruce Springsteen has probably done more to legitimize and popularize country-affiliated rock music in the mainstream than any other artist ever. He’s called “The Boss” for a reason, and he’s easily one of the most successful and celebrated rock musicians of all time. So my opinion of him or his music isn’t going to change anything for anyone. Although I wouldn’t say I really had any concrete thoughts, because I don’t know if I’ve ever put on a song from him on my own volition. Although I’m not going to allow my thoughts on this record decide how I feel about him as a whole. Because I know this is very different from his typical style. You know, generally something like this is inspired by tragedy and sorrow. But I don’t think any personal event led to the creation of this album. It’s more so based on individual fictional stories about the sufferings of others. It’s so interesting seeing such a record like this come before what would end up being his biggest and most commercially renowned success. If the contrast between the red and the black and white wasn’t enough, Nebraska is incredibly dark and solemn. Almost exhaustingly so. It’s strange to hear someone who is almost always backed by his band be so stripped back and musically naked. I can almost envision him sitting alone in a completely empty warehouse with just his instruments. He recorded everything you are hearing on this, and there really isn’t even one ounce of a rhythm section to be found. It’s like the 80s Americana equivalent to Pink Moon. As much as this helped me learn to appreciate Bruce as a songwriter and become accustomed to his methods, his voice here is definitely an acquired taste. And it’s such a bare set of recordings that it’s not something I would want to revisit. It’s foreboding melancholic, and doesn’t make for an enjoyable listen, which I doubt was really the purpose in the first place. Rating: 6/10

It’s hard to judge the Boss. On one hand his born in the USA uptempo songs are emblematic of the American experience and can leave you dancing in the dark. His down tempo songs are heartfelt storytelling at its best, yet not something you can’t listen to them at a wedding. This album is mostly the latter. His songwriting is amazing, and I respect that fact that you can see him preforming these in an Obama coffee shop on a Tuesday night. Key songs are State Trooper and Johnny 99, though I liked the ‘50s Buddy Holly feel of Open All Night. Much like Dolly Parton, he’s an American treasure.

I think my Bruce awakening is happening thanks to the Blinded by the Light movie. This is a very stark album and is definitely not gateway Bruce. I really like Atlantic City track. I will revisit this one and read the lyrics and do some real active listening.

It doesn't live up to the hype. I remember the hype for early Bruce Springsteen - Born To Run, Asbury Park etc, and recall the success of Born in the USA. The Nebraska came along, and the music press went doo-lally for it. But me? It always seemed like the "I'm a serious musician, yes I am" project. Worthy, serious, but just not particularly enjoyable. If it didn't have Bruce's name attached, it would have sold 10,000 albums, max.

Ja mooi maar beetje saai

Kut Amerika Kut album Rot op met je mondharmonica Waarom staat dit erin

I am not a huge Springsteen fan and this one did not really change my mind. I think he is better rock than suedo country. It was okay, but a lot of the songs sounded very similar with the same story lines.

Stories are pretty good even if his voice isn’t the best convey decent things

Husker suck but this album is okay. 3 stars

good intimate album

I've always been tepid on Bruce Springsteen. I totally get his place in music history, and I really like some of his songs/albums. But with any major artist, the obsessive fandom really turns me off. This is a collection of decent demos.

This is so interesting, it’s so different than his later full-band things, almost singer-songwriter. Nice, though!

Close to four but not quite. Still, Atlantic City is a goat.

Enjoyed it.

Rennur notalega í gegn (enda sleppi ég að pæla í þessum sorglegu textum) en eftir eina hlustun er þetta allt sama lagið, productionin enda varla til staðar. Held ég hendi samt þristi á þetta, því þetta var ekki leiðinlegt.

I never really “got” this album. So many people think it’s brilliant and Springsteen’s best work, but I’ve always found it to be incredibly mediocre. There are a few decent songs, “Atlantic City” and “Johnny 99,” with “Highway Patrolman” being the standout on the album, but the rest ranges from underwhelming to outright bad (I’m looking at you, “State Trooper”). I can appreciate the stripped down nature of it and the history of its recording, but even with all that, it’s still not that great of an album. If I listen to it with the idea that it’s a concept album, it works a little better for me, but not by much. I really like Springsteen, and I’m probably rating it higher than I would if it were almost any other artist, but this album is just not great.

Surprisingly really good. Not the Springsteen I was expecting. 7/10

Thus album is both beautiful and depressing. Quite melancholy and lovely.

Enjoyable though not his best project

This may well be the Springsteen album I’ve liked most so far, but I still can’t quite definitively say I liked it. It’s almost there, but there’s something here that rings false to me; that may be an incorrect impression, but it’s the sense I get.

более меланхоличный чем я привыкла от Брюса, но и более мимо нот)

Enjoyable

Stripped down, country like set of NON anthem rock. A great storyteller.

Pretty nice

A bit bland, however, it was short and therfore didn't have enough time to be able to get on my nerves.

Have to be in the exact right mood to listen to this, and listening while on the elliptical was definitely not it. Still, I don’t love the combo of spare instrumentation and heavily reverbed vocals. Feels like a clash of aesthetics. Atlantic City is obviously a classic but nothing else really moved the needle for me.

A better Springsteen than normal. Quiet.

I like Springsteen, but this isn't his best album. Not by a long shot.

Bruce Springsteen is one of those musicians who are somewhat overhyped. Some of his music may actually deserve the praise heaped upon it but most of it is mediocre at best. This album is definitely seriously mediocre.

It's ok. A little boring. Many of the songs sound similar.

He’s the boss but just more of the same

FIVE!! Yes 5 Springsteen albums in this chart. Surely they're not all groundbreaking? Well I like the lower key vibe of this one. Sober and dour. Guitar and harmonica. It's a refreshing change to the other rocky loud albums. This is actually quite good on it's own. Not exactly original but good to listen to.

3.5

Before Springsteen's career would switch into overdrive with Born in the USA, there was Nebraska. It's low key, even sombre affair. It shows a very different side to Springsteen. I applaud the effort, but I'm missing memorable songs. 2.5/5

A lot of building up to a chorus but never actually getting there.

It’s alright. Often pretty, but overall meh.

Not special, but Atlantic City is a positive standout.

I bet Blake, but a couple of tracks.

This was honestly fine, maybe better than I thought it would be. It was actually insane to hear the clear influence from Suicide on "State Trooper." That's definitely one of the coolest parts of this experience. Although why he chose to imitate that I'll never know...

70% Best: Atlantic City, Open All Night, Reason to Believe Must-Hear? No

Meh not bad. But not really my thing

schnurregiige schnurregiige

much softer and more singer-songwriter than the other stuff i've heard -r eally good.

No es lo mismo sin la E street band y sin entender las letras. Se queda demasiado espartano y poco variado. No es representativo de bruce

Saw this after watching the Springsteen movie. Loved the movie. Didn't love the album

A much sadder album than Born in the USA which came after. Paired with the album cover, it paints a bleak picture. I prefer his more upbeat numbers so this album doesn’t do it for me.

This is probably one to really absorb over time, but it was a good quick listen. No frills, just straight acoustic singer songwriter. It can get a little same-y after some time, but there are some stand outs. "Reason To Believe" sounds like it could have been a rocker. Bold of him to put out such a sparse album. 3.8

Another artist whose catalog I have been meaning to explore. I expected more upbeat songs like Open All Night, but I think this album would grow on me with more listens.

Well, they blew up the chicken man in Philly last night... (did he just say, chicken man?) Not one I’d listen to all the time, but every once in a while it just hits right. Still curious what it might have sounded like with a full band but that’s what live shows are for.

Bueno

bruce is always a good listen - this album was a little on the boring side though

Liked this much more than I had guessed I would.

i actually had no idea that bruce springsteen could also be this. pleasantly surprised.

I can sense a general aura of critical acclaim and big thoughts about this album, but honestly, it's another "this was fine" from me. I assume it's one more instance of "if I could understand lyrics I bet thsi would be really interesting and perhaps very thoughtful".

Ik vind Nebraska heel moeilijk te raten. De titelsong en Atlantic City zijn erg mooi en laten het beste van Bruce horen. Dat de rest van de plaat zo traag en zacht blijft stoort me. Ik mis de Bruce - energie van platen als Asbury Park en Born to Run. Natuurlijk is het mooi en natuurlijk moeten artiesten niet altijd hetzelfde doen. Ik vind het alleen niet zo super goed. 7/10 Highlights Nebraska Atlantic City

Intimate & Dylan-esque. Beyond Atlantic City nothing in this unplugged thing really resonated with me.

Pretty good

first listen laidback album, it's nice but still doesn't capture my attention

Um album diferente das outras musicas ja conhecidas de BS. Esse tem musicas mais paradas e tristes.

More subdued than the other album. I’m still not a big fan of the whole white Americana dude persona

Mellow, lots of harmonica

2.5 it ok

It’s sparse but the songs are there. I’ve not listened to much Springsteen, never cared for his radio songs. I enjoyed this album though. The songs are well written and I like that they’re all little short stories. I’d only heard one song off this album before and it was the Nitty Gritty Dirt Bands cover of Atlantic City. I prefer their version of the song, but the cover is only good because the bones of the song were good in the first place. I would give this album 4 stars but I’m docking it one for too much harmonica, harmonica almost never benefits a song in my opinion.

Classifying this one as Country Poetry. The entire album is Midwestern sad. Open All Night is a standout gem, but the rest feels heavy. Excellent album for a rainy day or a sad drive across Kansas.

i couldn’t finish - hauntingly sad, i love bruce but my mental health takes precedence 🫡 3/5 for what i did listen to - highway patrolman will stay with me for a very long time, especially bc i thought the man lying on the ground was his brother and he chased and chased a random car bc he hallucinated he saw his brother driving WOW anyway

Better than the other Springsteen album on this list. Chill acoustic vibes. Could be played at a coffee shop.

I see a lot of over reactions on the reviews here! Apparently I’m the only person who thinks this is “ok”. Yes, an interesting side step from his previous catalogue. Yes, sparse and a bit boring. Yes, harrowing subject matter. Yes, some issues with the recording. I tried a few times over the weekend and it never really grabbed me, but I didn’t find it unpleasant or annoying. I probably do have a bit more appreciation for Bruce after this but doubt I’ll ever revisit this album. Down the middle - 3 stars.

Good

Good.

not my favourite sound from him

An acoustic short-story book. Each track tells a compelling story echoing blue collar America.

Best Springsteen album so far. Nothing memorable but a really nice listen. 3.5/5

kinda boring but good storytelling he used to be cute!

I felt like I was listening to personal stories that were sometimes easy to relate to and other times not as much, but still enjoyable. I don’t remember hearing many, if any, songs from this album and it was an easy listen but probably won’t be on repeat for me.

Nr. 165/1001 Nebraska 3/5 Atlantic City 5/5 Mansion On The Hill 3/5 Johnny 99 3/5 Highway Patrolman 3/5 State Trooper 2/5 Used Cars 3/5 Open All Night 3/5 My Father's House 3/5 Reason to Believe 3/5 Average: 3,1 Very somber album from Bruce. Atlantic City is among my favorite songs of all time. Aside I think this album just doesn't offer enough diversity.

Not his best. Too boring for me.

Cool, but I like the E Street Band too much.

Miksi tämä on niin hidas? Siksikö koska teema on Nebraska? (Aito kysymys, en kuunnellut niin tarkkaan). Meni aika tasapaksuksi, kun (tempo)vaihtelua ei ollut. Brucella on kyllä vetoava ääni

Tätä kuunnellessa vajoaa omiin ajatuksiinsa, paitsi ehkä Atlantic Cityn kohdalla, KUNNES ryhtyy huvikseen lukemaan sanoja: kaikkiin tarinoihin jää koukkuun. Tässä mielessä levy on saauvutus, vaikka sen kuluttaminen tuntuukin raskaalta.

Favourite song open all night.

Springsteen is talented but very over-rated.

A classic artist

Country Springsteen. Not bad.

Not so rockin’ Bruce. A little dull for me.

A nice relaxing feel to the album, I liked Atlantic city and Highway Patrolman the most.

Bleak as fuck, and it doesn't sound that great either. Disappointing overall, despite some redeeming moments.

I listened to this on a rainy day in Nebraska, which would seem like the optimal conditions, and... it was just fine.

Ok 3/5

Nice album to listen to on a rainy morning. Don't have too many notes on this one except that it was enjoyable, but nothing special to me. The singer/songwriter style has never been my favorite, so I'm not entirely surprised that I didn't fall in love with this one.

Mellow and enjoyable.

Oy. I get it. 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.

Nice album. Springsteen is always a good listen.

Ok but no great sings

while it was nice to hear a more emotional and plaintive side of bruce, a full album of it was a bit heavy. atlantic city is the only track i knew going into this (and one of my favorite songs by the boss) but after two listens, i picked up a few others i enjoyed. the songwriting is really evocative here but the actual presentation feels lacking. bruce's voice is gravelly and the rest of the E Street Band is nowhere to be found, so it's just you and him. also, lotta songs about cops for some reason? highway patrolman, state trooper, the mention of an off duty cop, etc. favorites: nebraska, atlantic city, johnny 99

Wow, so slow and soulful. This album gives me a deeper respect for Bruce.

Great music, unfortunately I'm not American enough to really appreciate it. Definitely, it went over my head, but I'm not really bothered too much. I don't think I'm main target for Springsteen's music anyway. I'll simply move on, again.

80s Rock album apparently. Haven’t been a massive fan of Bruce Springsteen in previous albums but will see what I think.

Alright. To be honest wasn't really paying attention to the lyrics and apparently that was the main selling point. The music was not particularly standout to me but not bad at all.

I like this album. I did find out that Springsteen can be more depressing than Trent reznor.

If you listen closely you can hear what Springsteen was trying to do with this album. It didn’t really work tbh but it’s decent enough.

Not a big Brucie fan, but I did enjoy the striped back feel of this album.

This started really strong for me, but as it went on I felt like every song really felt the same. Maybe on multiple listens as the lyrics set in, it would improve. But first impressions weren't great for me.

Another Springsteen record. This one a collection of earnest, heartfelt blue collar americana ballads. There’s a definite mood to the record that you can sink into. I prefer it to most of his boisterous arena rock. “State Trooper” is a highlight. It may be even more effective with a bottle of whiskey. But I’d rather listen to Mark Lanegan for that sort of thing.

Good storytellin Didn’t catch all the tales though Musicly didn’t vibe me a heap

A stripped down and somber bruce I’m not used to listening to. I like it!

Raw Expression from Bruce, but I still can't get into his feel.

I loved the concept for this album. A couple of tracks stood out - atlantic city, used cars. But I'm not sure i'd listen to again. Somewhere between 3 and 4 for me.

This album is called Nebraska but the second song is Atlantic City and then he's off singing about the New Jersey turnpike. We don't really know where this album takes place and neither does the E Street Band since they are not on this album. Just Bruce and his guitar and harmonica. A stripped down Springsteen. Johnny 99 is a great song. Love to hear it with a full band.

Nebraska sounds like the state it’s named for: sparse, lonely, can take forever to get through. For context of how shocking of a change this album is in Bruce’s catalog, it sits between 1980’s raucous double album “The River” and 1984’s zeitgeist “Born In The U.S.A.”. This is not my favorite Springsteen album but it does house one of the best songs he ever made in “Atlantic City”. Other highlights are “Johnny 99” and “Highway Patrolman”. It also shows that Bruce is truly a great storyteller who focuses on everyday, unassuming people with remarkable histories.

Incredible songwriting and passion in the delivery every time.

I love Bruce, one of my favourite artists. So far Darkness On The Edge of Town has come up, which I have given a 5. Although I love Bruce, Nebraska wouldn't be one of my favourites Obviously it's his first album without the E Street band, and I kind of put Ghost of Tom Joad & Devils and Dust in the same category, and to be honest, controversial or not, I'd probably put this 3rd on that list as i prefer the other two. I still like this album, i like a lot of the songs, Atlantic City would be one of the top Springsteen songs, and i can't really explain why i dont LOVE this album. When trying to weigh up my favourite Springsteen albums i have this as low as 16th, which is probably harsh, and i do think as time goes on i will like it more and more, it sounds better today than it did when i listened to it a month ago

Dark and moody Bruce. I kinda like it.

Kinda boring but not bad

I like Springsteen, not this album though.

Ok.

I was pretty underwhelmed by this. I’m not the most knowledgeable of Springsteen outside his major hits. This seemed far more down tempo than what I’m used to. And none of the tracks really grabbed me. The production and vocals pulled me through. I’m gong to give another listen soon to see if I’m just having a bad day. Not for now this just seemed like mostly filler. 3/5

Non il suo migliore, probabilmente il primo a cui dò meno di 4. Mi piace molto 'highway patrolman'

Classic album

Some good Springsteen cuts here, but not his favourite work of mine.

It will be good when it’s finished. Halfway through it being on I thought "I should put some music on" then remembered this was playing. It's so light as to be overlooked. Of course, it's not terrible, and I understand why young men might be smitten by it but it's a novelty EP spun out.

3/5

Pretty good, but man, what a downer.

3.4

Sehr langsam und melancholisch.

I bought this album when it first came out and I remember being disappointed and probably didn't listen to it more than a few times. Upon relistening I find that time and age had softened my original opinion. I can appreciate it more and can better see where he was coming from. At the same time while listening I could hear and imagine where the E Street Band would have filled out and expanded on the demos of several of the songs and I'm left wishing I could have heard what those versions might have been. My initial impression would have earned 1 star but I'm moving it up to 3 stars. It's OK.

I never heard this album and I don't know much about Bruce Springsteen. I really liked the overall melancholy vibe. It felt like perfect coffee shop music, something I could have in the background while working. Other folks noted that the lyrics are super dark, but I don't pay that much attention to the lyrics. I didn't find myself humming the tunes even after 2-3 listens, but still, it's something I'd want to listen to again.

Can’t believe he turned down the grand honor of having a turnpike/gsp rest stop named after him

Top 10 albums to fall asleep at the wheel to

First time listeners do NOT let this be your final impression of him, go listen to Born to Run or Darkness on the Edge of Town to get that classic anthemic Bruce sound. He was going through some dark times when he made this album & would immediately turn around to write his “pop album” Born In The USA. Firm 3.5 out of 5. Depressed minimalist Bruce Springsteen still clears many artists in the story telling department

Solid. Is he American?

I liked this but I did feel all the songs were very same-y. "Atlantic City" is a really good one that I'll be happy to have in the rotation.

A really enjoyable album. First I've heard of Springsteen in this vein and I really enjoyed it.

I know this album is kind of the dark horse in Springsteen's discography, a lot of people call it his masterpiece and praise it to the heavens. I've never managed to enjoy it as much as 'Born to Run' or 'Darkness...', I just prefer that bombastic and over-the-top Bruce to this more subtle and darker version. It's still a great album though, songs like Atlantic City, Highway Patrolman, State Trooper, all tell great stories and are captivating. I just think he's much better with some more instruments and energy behind him.

Not bad, just not a fan of this genre.

A little sleepy for my tastes, but pleasant to listen to.

I am a fan of Bruce Springsteen, but I guess I really only knew his “hits”. Listening to this album was a surprise, so stripped down. Just him and his guitar & harmonica. I found it an interesting listen and tried to follow the narrative which seemed bleak. I must admit I did not enjoy the songs individually but the album as a whole was worthy of a listen and I’m glad I did, however would never put the album on again or want to listen to a song off the album again.

Ok. Bit dreary

Classic blues folksy rock. Not really my style though.

Always good for a listen

When does this guy make good music

I prefer the songs like "State Trooper" that have a bit more of a rock n' roll feel to them to the country/folk ballads, which, when stripped down, sound like they could be demos for earlier ballads, like "Racing in the Streets". This is a solid album, but the songs sound familiar and, lacking a band, Bruce can't bounce back and forth from rock to R&B, which was one of the things I liked about his earlier efforts.

Tche é um grande compositor e cantor porém faltou a banda

THE STORYTELLING!!! THE HARMONICA!!! HIGHWAY PATROL MAN REALLY HIT ME HARD!!! Favorites: Nebraska(!!!), Atlantic City, Mansion on the Hill(!!!), Johnny 99, Highway Patrolman(!!!), State Trooper, Used Cars(!!!), Open All Night, My Father’s House, Reason To Believe

More harmonica than I prefer, but not bad

Following the bombastic eclectic pieces of Born to Run, Nebraska strips down the production to nothing more than hollow, solemn vocals, grim lyrics and themes, and simple instruments of nothing more than an acoustic guitar and an occasional overlayed (unusual) instrument. Very consistent, and can be appreciated as well-written dark poetry. Some good and simple folk. Favorites: Atlantic City, State Trooper, Open All Night

Seen enough of his range by now to come down hard on preferring the piano-banging *Born to Run* sound

Bleak, beautiful. A bit like Bruce. The acoustic recording suits the songs. He's a half decent storyteller. Bruce Springsteen is very good at being Bruce Springsteen

HL: "Atlantic City", "State Trooper", "Johnny 99", "Reason to Believe" first Springsteen album in (nearly) 500 days 🎉 Listened to this in the heat of lockdown, and I vibed more with it then rather than driving to this on the highway. Hard to rate, but I did the math & it's basically a 3.5. Some truly moving songs, some that were a lot less interesting to me, and all of them downers. Though it ain't my favourite Springsteen, I do appreciate it for its stark, spooky atmosphere August 4, 2023

Rule number one: no-one can sustain guitar and vocal over a whole album, no matter how good the songs. The songs here are so good - Highway Patrolman, Nebraska, Atlantic City - that I am prepared to overlook this rule, if you listen to it as a vinyl album and take a break between the two sides.

Sorry Bruce: boring

Pretty darn good

Tre stjerner

The album starts off well. The title track is a tranquil opening with both the beautiful guitar parts and Springsteen's poignant lyrics. Atlantic City is an absolute anthem and in both of those songs I thought the harmonica was piercing but it grew on me. Afterwards the album takes a nosedive, plagued with formulaic country and blues songs. The album follows a rigid pattern of a slow song followed by a fast song and tbh feels very disjointed. It picks up slightly with State Trooper's lyricism and Open all Night's jovial groove but for the most part it is an album that drags on for far too long. Luckily Reason to Believe ends the album on a high thanks to an intertwining of Springsteens lyrics and some lovely guitar parts.

It’s a fine, meditative album but not one I rush to revisit much

Didn’t do that much for me.

On t'a déjà vu plus en forme Bruce

oubli instantané (je fais de la place)

He sounds like John Prine in the first song. There is no fun here. This is all miserable. Like the 70’s for people who don’t like disco.

I feel like this an album you need to be in the right mood for. Thankfully I was at the time.

Bruce Springsteen tries his best to bore me to death. 5/10

Very nice

A very heartfelt album with really personal and meaningful songwriting. Every song does tend to sound the same though and by the end everything was running together. It's definitely good and if you're into this genre of music I can't imagine finding much better than this to go for. I can't believe people actually think Bruce is a typical gung ho american boomer lol. Very bad media literacy. Score: 60 Art: 50

the Quiet Boss.

Fine background but I'm just not a Springsteen fan.

Ok as far as Springsteen goes this one is pretty decent. The more stripped down sound works a lot better and comes off a lot less fake-sounding. His voice is more subdued and there's some great guitar work here.

It was good. Bruce Springsteen is great, but I don’t think it’s my favorite of his work. 6.5/10

No one from Nebraska has ever heard this album

ok 6/10

Not amongst the greatest Springsteen albums, but solid decent work.

не знаю, но пойдет, допустим...

He's got better albums

It is so boring that I don't even know what to say.

I listened to it twice through and I just couldn’t hack it. Bruce Springsteen’s efforts and talent are to be commended here however as this was recorded entirely by himself. A dark and haunting album.

Definitely not the best from The Boss.

Very Johnny Cash - Hurt

I’ve already listened to this one and didn’t relisten. I wish I liked it more than I do, I think the music itself is a bit boring, but it is an interesting Springsteen release

Springsteen’s Woody Guthrie album

I have listened to and enjoyed Springsteen before, but this just didn’t scratch that itch for me. It wasn’t bad but I wouldn’t listen to it again. Fav tracks: Atlantic City Least fav tracks: Nebraska, Open All Night

Although I like quite a few of his songs - on his own or with his band - I don't really listen to Bruce Springsteen very much. I hadn't paid a lot of attention to this album, so I'm glad it came up in the rotation. It's quite a nice departure from a lot of his other music, at least his music with which I am more familiar. When I'm in the mood for this (just so happen to be this afternoon as I listened to it), it's a really solid record. I love learning that these songs were originally recorded as demos but he decided to release them as they were. The less-polished versions on this album add so much character and depth to what he composed. Feels approachable and relatable.

Okay

i've only ever listened to Born to run and Born in the USA before. This was a nice surprise. I've added a few of the songs to my alt-country/americana playlist.

I started listening and then it was over, A pure background album, a beautiful time spent not having it grab my attention one bit. Strangers in the night exchanging glances but never thinking of one another again. And what's up with the pantomime accent Bruce you're from Jersey.

A dude and his guitar. First full Springsteen album I've ever listened to. Good stuff. Brings back memories of dwellers listening to live music

Nothing really stood out to me, but it was decent american country rock

Somehow feels dated. It gets a little monotonous, too. Still, some great writing.

Sad, but mega!

Bruce is a wonderful person, but this album is mostly background music.

Again, a classic album that I had never heard before. The songs are obviously great but after three listens no one song stands out which makes it harder for me to connect to the album as a whole - it would take repeated listens to make me fall in love with it, so for now I can't see giving more than 3.5 stars

Actually not upset to have had to listen

Without a doubt the best Springsteen album this last has forced me to listen to.

Some decent tunes on here and a step say from the generic rock of other albums.

Mooi, maar het doet me niet zoveel.

Like the solo acoustic style. No surprise I like the Suicide style and rockabilly/blues style songs. May need to revisit

2/14- Driving to school Springsteen’s push into a more subtle, lyrical form of music hits on all of the strifes and everyday occurrences in a part of america neglected and pushed aside. Emotionally captivating as it is, it also fails to deliver a signature Springsteen punch

Springstein is not my favorite.

Classic album from one of my favorite singer-songwriters. However, it lacked the punch I remember it having (aside from 'State Trooper'). There are better Springsteen albums out there, but this is not a bad one!

Not very keen on the harmonica ngl, but it grew on me and surprised me with some of the songs. Definitely helps that it’s a fairly short album. Saved tracks: Atlantic City, Highway Patrolman, State Trooper

Nebraska is the sixth album by American singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen. This folk rock album is one of his most highly regarded. The album's themes deal with ordinary, blue collar people and the troubles they face, so the feelings given off by the album are solemn and thoughtful. Interestingly the album's tracks were demo tapes that were supposed to be rerecorded with a backing band, but Springsteen thought they were good enough for release, and this added a little charm to the bleak album. I enjoyed the stripped down folksy music - even though it was a little bit of a downer mood-wise. Bruce Springsteen is a talented musician and lyricist, and that really shows on this album.

"Used Cars" was ok, but this music is not my cup of tea.

Tämäkin selvästi huonompi omaan makuun kuin Darkness on the Edge of Town. Ihan hyvä silti, 2.5/5, pyöristyy ylös.

Atlantic City je jako dobra stvar, isto tako i album cover. To mislim da mi je najbolje što se tiče ovog albuma. Inače nisam fan Boss-a, Springsteena općenito - nije mi nešta lik važan.

I try, I really do, but most of Springsteen just doesn't strike a chord with me. He's got a few songs I really dig, but at the end of the day it's all just very simple and the stories he tells don't strike an emotional chord that allows me to overlook the rest. It feels to me like music for people who are trapped in manual labor jobs because that's either all they're capable of or that's all that's available to them. It feels like music that might inspire one to keep on trudging. I don't mean that as an insult because there are people who are simply stuck for reasons beyond their control, I'm just not that person. And I think that's why it doesn't resonate.

This was toooo Americana for me. Bruce has never really been my jam, but I respect his talent.

Pleasant acoustic folk

Pretty decent album overall. On the one hand, it’s lacking the showiness of a full band, on the other hand, the songs are greatly improved with the absence of Springsteen’s signature belting. All in all, worth listening to for the stories.

A pleasant enough listen, nothing amazing but I also never wanted to turn it off. Best songs: Atlantic City, Highway Patrolman, and My Father's House.

A more stripped away Springsteen album that embraces Americana even more than his E-Street efforts. This album fully displays his lyrical prowess, but doesn't have any major mass appeal hits. In their stead, we are left with stories of life, poor choices, and missed opportunities and the lessons they leave behind.

There were individual moments in this album that I liked, but it was SO samey that it was hard for me to pinpoint any one song that I would want to revisit. Highway Patrolman was one that I did save, but this is one that I don't think I would need to listen to again.

Not enough rocking Springsteen

Good album, but springsteen hasn't hooked me yet. 3 stars

Here we go...most overrated singer/songwriter in history. Now that Tyler lives in the NE, he loves the Boss. Somehow he did not succumb to godawful 80s production on this, mostly. Perhaps cause it's just him on a 4 track. This is fine. Sparse. Repetitive. Entire album about future Trump voters...more economic anxiety here than a New York Times interview with peeps in a rural café.

As a casual listener, I mainly follow what's on the radio. So I know the Springsteen hits. This is a darker, more haunting album. Really tough to "get into." The tone is very Dylan-esque.

3.5

Liked it much more than other stuff I've heard from him. Needs more listens to fully appreciate. - 3.5/5

It's alright. Atlantic City was really good but most of the album was a real downer.

Loved highway patrolman. Happy to have heard this album.

Just good ol Bruce

This is enjoyable, low key music. I'm surprised at how low key it is. All of the songs are crooners.

Ça parle aux écorchés. C’est tellement dépressif... Faudrait disperser tout ça sur 4 albums pour que ça passe mieux.

Taylor Swift could have written Nebraska but Bruce Springsteen could have never written All too well (taylor's version) (10 minute version) (from the vault)

Too country for my taste. And I like the e street band stuff. But this is a good record for what it is. Bedroom demos...

Never my type but Atlantic city is universally good

This album is proof of the clout Mr B must have had back in ‘83. ie before Born in the USA. Remarkable. It’s an album that either moves you or not. I’m sort of moved…

ok

Classic Springsteen. Not really any upbeat songs, so kinda boring after a while.

Tem umas músicas boas, mas no geral, nunca vou voltar a escutar ele inteiro. Apenas algumas, como: Atlantic City Nebraska Mansion On The Hill

I enjoyed this stripped-down sound more than the other Springsteen albums on this list

ok, would not listen again

blinded by the light

S Tier = Atlantic City; State Trooper; My Father’s House A Tier = Nebraska B Tier = Highway Patrolman C Tier = Used Cars; Reason to Believe D Tier = Mansion on the Hill; Johnny 99; Open All Night

This is a tough one for me, balancing the weight of Springsteen's legacy, my thoughts about the music, and my as-objective-as-possible approach to these ratings. The conclusion: While I don't find the music to be poor, this album makes me wonder at why Springsteen became as big as he did. Is this perhaps not his best work? Are there other factors contributing to his fame? Whatever the case, I'd have to say that this album was just "good" – with some tracks maybe reaching "great" – especially given that there is, in my opinion, much better music in the areas of folk and folk rock. If I could, I'd maybe give this one a 3.5.

Is was meh

It feels quite ordinary but, really, its just not my bag

Kind of a mellow album from what I knew of The Boss. Good listening American music

Good album

Stripped down. Good not great.

A lot chiller than I expected, more Bob Dylan-y. I was expecting stadium rock to be honest!

Good

Nothing stands out

I don’t love Springsteen but I don’t hate him either… The album opens with it’s title track a very basic all American sounding ballad. It’s okay except the harmonica at the start… yuck. Atlantic city sounds like something a group of musicians will be playing at a street festival loud, folkish and somewhat uninteresting. Things slow down with mansion on the hill but the criticisms are still the same. Springsteen’s echoey vocals don’t work In Johnny 99 but it’s not dreadful just okay. Both highway patrolman and used cars are dull and lack anything to really review them of. State trooper appears in between the last two songs mentioned and well this one is cool to be fair, the album’s rockiest track with a bad arse guitar riff ( for an acoustic) and the screaming at the end somehow works perfectly! Open all night is also a fairly rocky cut using an electric guitar and one of the better songs by far. Then my father’s house is boring yet a solid song. I don’t get reason to believe being the closer over my father’s house but this song is still one of the best songs on the album, not my kinda thing, but still great! This is the most by the book 3 that I could ever give it’s solid there are little actually bad songs but plentiful of boring slow pieces and yeah I’ll give him that he is a good lyricist but not good enough to save him from the mid tier.

Listened to on 7/13/22 3.5/5 Favorite song: Nebraska This wasn’t my favorite of his albums and didn’t have any songs that were particularly memorable but it was still pretty good

I liked the overall moodiness. Bruce is emo as heck

Over the recent years, as more people have become political activists, Bruce Springsteen has still been in the scene for a long time. This album has been considered darker than others, as shown by the themes explored. Springsteen's storytelling influenced by those such as Bob Dylan have shown the most strength here, as songs such as "Highway Patrolman" and "Reason to Believe" prove. Unfortunately, the actual music is just good, which weakens the album a lot. Nebraska shows a more thoughtful side from Bruce, which is ruined by the "average" music.

Was very "one note" for me. Nothing really stood out as being amazing. Maybe it'd be better with more context on his career?

Clima cativante, bom uso de harmônicas e das harmonias das faixas acústicas.

To be fair, this was alright (this coming from someone who thinks Springsteen is one of the most overrated artists of all time). The vocals are tolerable and he creates a moody introspective atmosphere via some Americana influenced songs with a simple acoustic guitar and harmonica backing. Yet somehow it also sounds a bit forced, like he's putting it on. Anyway, I gave it a chance, played it through and didn't hate it like the last Springsteen album I listened to.

An on brand Springsteen offering. Solid and steady as always.

Americana feels hit you right in the patriotism. It’s a decent effort from The Boss. I found it an easy quick listen. Probably won’t go back to it.

Not what I expected from the Boss, kind of surprised

Beautiful

I think ultimately I prefer his stadium rock work, but this is a nice change of pace. Definitely more contemplative and quieter

all ‘merican buzzkill

A moody and brooding atmospheric offering from The Boss that's perfect cool down music on a rainy day when you've been fighting with your spouse before 9am. I dig that harmonica, man. It knows how I and all of Nebraska feel. Bruce is a very talented storyteller and I love his voice. But I have to say, The Band's cover of Atlantic City is far superior. I would have loved for them to cover this whole album to infuse these songs with their carefree country bumpkin Americana enthusiasm.

4/15/2022 Today's Album: "Nebraska" by Bruce Springsteen - Let's get this out of the way. The country genre is plagued with cheap sellouts and generic 4 chord strummers, but there must be a distinction between those artists and Bruce Springsteen, who as far as I can tell, pioneered the genre and did it better than anyone could replicate. Each of his songs have the same sort of guitar and harmonica shtick to them, but they also mostly have this really depressed loner tone to them. I don't know if I would add any of the tracks from this album to my playlist, but I think there is definitely a time and a place for music like this and I can respect that this is not just a shitty country record like I might expect on first impression. I will say that the production of this project makes me sort of sick. His voice has this really weird peaking issue where there'll be a ton of compression when he sings a little louder into the microphone. He is obviously a great performer at both guitar and harmonica, but I just don't think he does a lot to impress me. It's definitely more about the story-teller aspect of his music and trying to get a deeper meaning, but on a first listen it just is sort of distracting how little there is to latch onto musically. I will also say that a lot of the subject matter built into the genre is usually pretty toxically masculine, and this album isn't devoid of that, but it definitely steers away from it more than the average country project. Overall, if you like country music you're probably going to be into this, but I haven't really met many people that like country music and aren't slightly inbred so take that as you will. Score: 5.5/10 A great country record, but a country record nonetheless. Highlights: Atlantic City, Johnny 99, Open All Night

The Boss give a more stripped down album

As far as Springsteen albums go this is not the best. It isn't a bad album just not as good as a lot of his discography. It is also a really depressing album when you read the message behind it. I do have this to thank for one of my favorite albums of 2021, "Pressure Machine" by The Killers.

Folk. Bastante aburrido.

decent, but not very special Bruce album. Some songs sound like ones I heard on more recent albums of him too somehow

favorite songs: Atlantic City; Mansion on the Hill; Johnny 99; Highway Patrolman; State Trooper; My Father's House; Reason to Believe.

Senza dubbio grande artismo eh, però senza testi davanti non è particolarmente appassionante. Così a cazzotto non capisco come faccia ad essere così famoso. Di nuovo, mi viene in mente De Andrè, non solo ha testi della madonna, ma proprio le melodie sono belle e variate, sto qua blatera sempre allo stesso modo. Boh.

When I was a kid, I had joined the Columbia House Record Club. I picked a number of Bruce Springsteen albums because hey, he's from Jersey, right? I still only listen to Born To Run and Born In The USA with any frequency at all. If I had gotten this album then I probably would have need mental help. This is the bleakest album I have ever heard. I mean, it's him trying hard to be Dylan in a lot of ways, but wow. I find it interesting that the sides are so unbalanced on the record and tape. I would have found that confusing as a kid as well. Why put them so unbalanced? I guess there was a point... It's a very stark record, compared to the bombast of a lot of his other stuff, impressive that range. But still, man, Bruce lighten UP. So yeah, it was very well made, a stark record, but it was VERY depressing. Going to have to be in a good mood before I come back to that one.

The boss man has let me down again, sad face.

This is really my shit right now but I did listen to it yesterday and entirely forgot it. Listening again and yeah, still my thing but will I remember tomorrow? Will dock a star from what I feel whilst actually listening for forgetability

Un disco muy melancólico e inclusive doloroso, acerca de la vida en USA lejos de las ciudades, las luces, las grandezas que se ven en la tele. Extrañamente, la mejor rola del disco es Atlantic City que es la que de cierta forma no cuadra con la temática completa.

v somber

Nice songs, but the sound becomes a bit repetitive. Very much underplayed.

Lyrically this was fire....musically was a bit samey

A fairly solid concept album from Bruce about a town on Nebraska, I think. Anyways, good listen, a nice sound, 3.5/5

Buen disco

Very Boss roadtrip

I knew nothing about this album but damn that’s some sense stuff. Very Johnny Cash-esque, and funny to hear that Cash covered some of this album. Worth a listen, but I won’t be re-listening too soon.

Not sure what to make of this. It's very folk and some of the songs work but others drag

Stripped back folk Springsteen isn't my favourite, as I really miss the E Street Band. But this is still a great album, of course, and it really showcases Bruce's writing prowess. My top pick is of course 'Atlantic City' - an excellent song despite starting with the lyric "Well, they blew up the chicken man in Philly last night" which always makes me giggle even though I know the more serious meaning.

This is Bruce distilled into the simplest purest form. Definitely deserves another listen

I think the stripped-down arrangement really helps Bruce here, and the storytelling is great. But there is just something about the Boss that I can't put my finger on, something I find deeply unengaging. I liked this a bit better than some other stuff of his, but not enough for it to make a significant difference overall.

A softer Springsteen is more pleasant, but still does not really pump him up in any significant way.

I should like this a whole lot more than I do. Bare bones instrumentation. Storytelling. Melodically, I wasn't totally captivated, though. Some songs hit me in the chest while others were a bit of a slog to get through. 3.5, but I'll definitely add to my library for future listens.

This is a nice album, gotta be in the right mood or it very easily just blends into the background tho

very chill Americana folk

A lot more relaxed than I'd expected from a Springsteen album. Was a decent enough listen although I wouldn't go back and play again

A pleasant listen

Think I'd learn to enjoy it more after a few plays

The Boss is making a statement: “I can write songs without an E Street Band.” I dunno, and I don’t care. Nebraska is a great time-killer, especially if you’re on a long flight or drive. Put it on; forget it’s there. (6/10) Favourite Tracks: Atlantic City

Early Bruce is not best Bruce but it is still good Bruce.

One of Bruce Springsteen's best. 7/10

Pretty chill and I haven’t listened to much Bruce. I never thought of him as so mellow, even though I know he’s got some pretty chill songs.

3. good songwriting as usual, though the trademark Springsteen voice gets a little much when listening to an entire album.

Wow, this is the real deep americana, not "my dog died" country or "blowin in the wind" dylan but some deep dives into real life without a lot of hopeful moments. Takes a lot to write and pull off songs with this level of credibility and authenticity.