Author: Jernej Vene
Artist: Springsteen, Bruce
Label: Columbia Records
Release: 2009
Running time: 51.28
Rating: 3.3/5
Plenty of connoisseurs rank Bruce Springsteen among the greatest artists of our time. With a stellar career behind him, he’s always managed to win over even the biggest doubters. How you can even question the quality of musicians who keep delivering quality and exploring at the same time is, of course, a big question. Time runs out for everyone, the wasted years are gone for good, and Springsteen knows it well. The shock of 9/11 had barely settled when Bruce wrote and recorded the album The Rising, which gave Americans hope that they were right in the fight against terrorism. That was the first time they realized they weren’t untouchable. The Bush years were, of course, a perfect backdrop for calling for rebellion and change. But under Bush Sr., when the US was rescuing Kuwait, Springsteen put out Lucky Town and Human Touch, which are more or less pretty, if not downright polished. So when do we believe him, and when don’t we? Working On A Dream kicks off with an eight-minute rock epic called Outlaw Pete, while the other tracks roll from country to a slightly bluesy boogie. My Lucky Day is typical Springsteen pop rock, in which he sings about the dearest person in his life, the one who makes him happy. He hopes it stays that way to the end. In the mid-tempo title track, he offers hope to his fellow countrymen who grind away every day for their homeland, their family and their future, and forget about themselves because they’re so busy. Tomorrow will be better, he says….
With 2007’s Magic he added a rather angry record to his repertoire, one with a few extremely lyrical songs, while the new Working On A Dream is uplifting, summery and devoted. Bruce Springsteen, aka The Boss, is without a doubt a legend of the American dream. Maybe America’s new president, Obama, is its embodiment too, though for some that term is hugely overblown. “I’m working on a dream, and when it comes true, everything will be different” is the slogan, or catchphrase, that every American who cares about honesty, friendship, cooperation and above all peace clings to. The day isn’t far off when all the injustices, all the neglect and all the lies that marked the last decade of life around the globe will be forgotten. Bruce Springsteen has filled the new record mostly with songs that paint a picture of the past few years. Like a sharp-eyed observer, he serves the listener everything they love to hear. Most often these solutions show up in the lyrics, where Springsteen sketches everyday scenes of the common man, the working stiff, trying to help him and give him new hope. Of course, love keeps turning up through the songs as the answer. Queen of The supermarket and This Life are like that. In Life Itself he weaves in altruism, while the mellow The Wrestler won a Golden Globe, Bruce’s second after Streets Of Philadelphia in 1993. It’s about a fallen hero who’s replaced the very next second by a new fighter hungry for success and fame.
Musically, with the help of the faithful E Street Band, Bruce Springsteen doesn’t serve up anything new on Working On A Dream, though on some tracks he went for a smart choice of instruments that underline the message of the songs. Together with producer Brendan O’Brien he put together a batch of songs for Working On a Dream that reportedly just poured out of Bruce. Brendan told him you can never have enough ideas, since they’re quickly forgotten, so they recorded them on days off during the 2008 tour. With Working On a Dream, Springsteen may well have caught the magic of the moment during the landmark events back home, and either way he keeps his hold on superstar status with it. Some of the songs will surely get a live outing on this year’s tour. He dedicated the record to the E Street Band’s longtime keyboardist Danny Federici, who passed away last year. As has been the custom in recent years, you can also get Working On A Dream in an expanded limited edition with a bonus DVD featuring glimpses of the recording sessions.
Lineup
The E Street Band:
Bruce Springsteen – vocals, guitar, harmonica, keyboards, percussion, glockenspiel
Roy Bittan – piano, organ, accordion
Clarence Clemons – saxophone, vocals
Danny Federici – organ
Nils Lofgren – guitar, vocals
Patti Scialfa – vocals
Garry Tallent – bass
Steven Van Zandt – guitar, vocals
Max Weinberg – drums
Guest musicians
Soozie Tyrell – violin, vocals
Patrick Warren – organ, piano, keyboards
Jason Federici – accordion
Production
Brendan O’Brien
Track list
1.Outlaw Pete 8:00
2. My Lucky Day 4:01
3. Working on a Dream 3:30
4. Queen of the Supermarket 4:40
5. What Love Can Do 2:57
6. This Life 4:30
7. Good Eye 3:01
8. Tomorrow Never Knows 2:14
9. Life Itself 4:00
10. Kingdom of Days 4:02
11. Surprise, Surprise 3:24
12. The Last Carnival 3:11
13. The Wrestler 3:50
