Well you’ve made your mind up, no further comments required from you I guess
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I have fortunately been listening to this album (MP3) the past few weeks and have arrived at the viewpoint that this is neither a great or bad album, somewhere in between.
The artist has acknowledged in interviews recently that he hasn’t got anything new to say (not writing new songs) and wanted to focus on his voice and sing some songs that he has enjoyed over the years…
The positive thing about streaming (thou not positive for the artist) is that you can listen to before deciding whether to spend any hard earned cash.
For me this is an album to play when doing something else also; e.g. driving, walking, odd jobs rather than an album to sit down to listen and dissect…
So I shall enjoy it for what it is 
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I’d like to think so yes. Lifelong Springsteen fan but of course it’s cardinal sin in the eyes of some to remain critical faculties when you declare yourself a fan.
Having said that I posed a question. Granted you know my thoughts but it’s always interesting to hear others defend what you believe to be indefensible.
Played it this morning found it enjoyable and will certainly play it again.
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Mike,
Whilst I have some sympathy for the view expressed here I would ask you to consider an alternative view.
I have been trying, with a notable lack of success, to play guitar for the past 30 years or so. My aim being to play some of my favourite ‘stuff’ note for note & to also gain enough ability to improvise & make up/play ‘stuff’ of my own. I don’t want to learn the solos from Stairway to Heaven & Comfortably Numb only to then try & put my own interpretation on them. The fact I consider them to be amongst the finest rock solos ever is why I wanted to replicate them & sound as much like Page/Gilmour as I possibly can.
In the same way, whilst some here are forever searching for new music/artists, I prefer listening to favourites from the past that I know & love. I am also keen to find new artists & music to listen to & have done so, more so since joining this forum over 3 years ago. Nevertheless my preference would have to be for music I have known for many years.
I am guessing that BS was not attempting to re-interpret any of the old classics he grew up with. He merely desired to celebrate his fondness for them by recording them as close as possible to what he hears when listening to them. The advantage this brings to many of us, as listeners, is modern, top quality recordings of classics that many of us have enjoyed from times past.
I think this is a bit like Claptons ‘Unplugged’ album from the early 90’s, which introduced many people to blues classics which had largely been ignored for a long time. I doubt EC was deliberately attempting to put his slant on them, he was merely playing what he had been hearing in his head from his old memory of them.
Hopefully, just a bit of food for thought.
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That’s very well said, and I haven’t even heard the record yet.
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Good response.
It’s an interesting perspective which I would suggest falls down in a couple of areas.
Recording something as close as possible to the original does kind of reinforce my point about the pointless nature of the enterprise. What you’re describing is not tribute but pastiche.
Springsteen hasn’t produced a top quality recording in an audio sense for many years. His records are over mixed to a kind of over-compressed sonic mush/mulch. They’re not even consistent across the span of a disc. Greatest Hits is a prime example of that. 2/3 awful and 1/3 great. In audio terms the originals of these songs have more rawness and dynamics. A lot were magnificently recorded.
Better stop listening then Mike
Of course this is only your opinion and while you’re fee to express it why do you feel the need to be so forceful and undermine others opinions. You’ve made point, there’s no need to disrespect the views of others, your obviously not a fan move on.
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All artists have hit and miss years/albums. In my view, if the first five or six albums were the only good ones the Boss put out, then Springsteen would still be one of the greatest poets in the English language of the modern age. You can’t really diminish works like Darkness on the Edge of Town or The River, no matter what might follow.
As it happens, I very much like Western Stars. That wasn’t as divergent lyrically as it was musically. It still had that odd mix of goofball happy-go-lucky followed by melancholy introspection that marked all his early albums.
So I still have some expectation he might release magic.
Western Stars is one of my favourite Springsteen albums , it’s great he continues to do something different
One of the greatest artists over the last 50 years
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Don’t mention Western Stars, he hates that as well. 
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I used to listen a fair bit to Springsteen 40 or so years ago, but my musical tastes have moved on over the decades. Having said that, I think this new album is excellent. Soul suits his voice very well indeed and his age lends lyrical credibility. Production, etc, is first rate (& I listen on what many would consider a high end system)
Not a bum track on the album and a couple are really very good indeed.
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Already have thanks. Went back to the Wild, The Innocent to cleanse the palette.
That’s why I mentioned it 
The Boss is on TV (now) being interviewed on the Project on 10
Yep saw it - down to earth decent guy I would think. Saw him second last time he was out here ( I think about 5-7 years ago), , he had this walkway just behind the mosh pit , came charging around about 2 metres from us, the energy of the guy is amazing with a 3 hour show
Well I must admit that is a great album Mike
I’ve seen twice both at the old entertainment centre or as Midnight Oil referred to it as the Maccas Centre. 
Of course the famous one was at the Hammersmith Odeon London in 1975. How I got tickets to that concert I’ll never know
It was special and in my top 5