Reviewed by Ian Phillips.
By Bruce Springsteen, Sony Music 2018.
Bruce Springsteen is one of the most awarded musicians of all time and now he can add a Tony Award to his overflowing trophy cabinet.
This album is a live recording garnered from his historic 236-show run at Jujamcyn’s Walter Kerr Theatre on Broadway.
The album is the full audio from the upcoming Springsteen On Broadway Netflix release which recorded one complete live show by the 20-time Grammy Award winner.
The show itself was based on his best selling autobiography, Born To Run, and it’s an ideal opportunity to hear Springsteen tell his own story while singing the songs that mapped out his phenomenal career.
Each song presents a stage in his musical development and is introduced via story which often continues through the song.
It’s a fantastic technique that I’ve seen work beautifully for a few other artists.
Ray Davies (The Kinks) used a similar method where he read passages from his autobiography interspersed with the appropriate song.
Paul Kelly did something similar on his A to Z tour and just about every one of Colin Hay’s recent concerts have blurred the line between story and song to the point where they are almost inseparable.
The concert runs over a two CD box set totalling 30 tracks, including introductions, and it gives a real insight into where the songs originated from and what makes Springsteen tick.
It’s really nice to hear these songs done in such a simple way.
I’ve always liked his Nebraska album because of its pared back nature.
Indeed I’ve often felt that there has been just too much going on musically in many of his major albums like Born To Run and Born in The USA.
I really like this album and I found listening to it quite an emotional experience, especially his explanation of his evolving relationship with his father.
Springsteen fans will snap up this album, but for all the non-committed listeners, if you’ve ever wondered where all those songs came from then I suggest you give this album a listen.
