The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle
by Bruce Springsteen

People need to stop associating Springsteen with Born In the U.S.A. and Glory Days and give New York City Serenade a deep listen. It's a song that develops and builds so powerfully before having one of the best payoffs in music history.

I listen to this album when I wish Born to Run was more musically romantic, instead of lyrically.

Bruce Springsteen's second album is a much more jazzier and soul sounding affair, and the songs have begun to take on a more epic stance. Unlike it's predecessor, the wild and the innocent, feels much more like a band album rather than a solo record. It contains at least two Springsteen classics in the beautiful, Sandy, and the thrilling, rosalita, both brilliant. Other standouts are the funky title track, and the jazzy, kitty's back, which could be extended to around 20 minutes in it's live incarnation. Wild Billy's circus story, is about as close as the record gets to the Asbury park album. Incident on 57th street, is another strong track, and the LP closes with the often underrated and overlooked epic, New York serenade. It's a fantastic album and probably the closest Bruce got to bringing the new Jersey atmosphere and all it's character's to life. Wonderful.

From zags7000 06/11/2015 22:16 | #143603 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

This was released between his iconic debut and Born to Run so it's easy to see why this album doesn't get its proper due. Still this is a classic in its own way. He has so many classics it's easy to overlook some but this is great as well.

From Bork TOP 100 COMMENTER 03/31/2010 23:30 | #10203 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

Bruce Springsteen is one of the biggest names in rock n' roll through all time no matter from which angle you look at it, but to a large part of the music audience this remains a bit of a hidden gem. Bruce and the band never got better than this, in large part because it seems they are doing what they want to do without a thought of chart positions, radio airplay or record sales on their mind. The arrangements are more elaborate, the lyrics are cleverer, and the general sound is more honest than anything that followed. Every track on this album is great, but do play The E Street Shuffle, Kitty's Back and Rosalita first.

This is a hugely underrated and overlooked album in Springsteen's catalogue. The album has a feel good vibe the whole way through and it is difficult not to love what your hearing. Also, when you realise how early in his career this album was made it is astounding to see how much musical maturity and just overall quality is on display. Definitely a record worth hearing.