Best Ever Albums

Re: Bruce Springsteen gets boring...

Charicature — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 13:00:10 GMT

Author: Charicature

Posted: 03/13/2013 17:00

JMan wrote:

Some people compare him to Meat Loaf. As a huge Meat fan, I have to say his most famous song, Born to Run, is nothing like Meat Loaf.

Funny, I was listening to my old mix tapes last night (trying to figure out which ones they were) and came across one of my "recording" tapes (for a couple of years I taped the weekly top 40 and dubbed the songs I liked onto another tape). This one was for Mother's Day weekend in 1994 I think, and the highest debut that week, coming in at number 33, was Objects In the Rearview Mirror May Appear Closer Than They Are.

I'm glad I forgot about that song quickly and completely - my best friend died just 3 1/2 months after that, and the first verse of that song would have been hard to take if I'd remembered it. 😢

Funny notes from that weekend - Ace of Base's The Sign was trying to stay at #1 for a 10th week, and Smashing Pumpkins' Disarm debuted at #38. Still haven't finished listening to it to see what else was there.

Re: Bruce Springsteen gets boring...

Robert Anton Wilson — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 10:57:56 GMT

Author: Robert Anton Wilson

Posted: 03/13/2013 14:57

I think this happens with most artists who have hit songs. That is one of my measure of a good band when you get tired of listening to their hit songs/albums due to overkill you move on to the other songs/albums and realize they can grip you after repeated listen as much as the hits hooked you on first listen.

Born in the USA was his most commercial album and that is what happens to commercial music, when it falls out of disfavor it can fall pretty bad. But less commercial albums often grow on you. Born in the USA is for parties and group listening when you want communal fun but an album like Nebraska is meant to grow.

as for Born to Run, it is a very intense and special album so yes regular listening can make it appear less fresh but shelve it for a while (i.e. years) and see when you take it out if you rekindle with the magic or if it is a gone phase. I know I have done that and what you see on my charts are a lot of albums which after a shelving and forgetting about them have been dusted of and the magic came back. Some albums just did not make it and were reshelved permanently. I was a huge Styx fan back in the days (yeah I know it is shameful to admit nowadays but I never liked Domo Arrigato even when everybody seemed to) but now when I get their albums out I find only a few songs still do it for me (e.g. Suite Madame Blue, crystal Ball) hence not on my list but Born to Run even though I cannot listen to it regularly anymore for the same reasons you mention (maybe less extreme) it still reminds me how great it is every time it gets dusted off.

Re: Bruce Springsteen gets boring...

Anonymous — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 18:43:19 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 03/12/2013 22:43

swedenman wrote:

Couldn't agree more. He has his moments, but I feel like falling asleep about halfway through Born to Run (which isn't a very long album).

Falling asleep is pretty sick

Re: Bruce Springsteen gets boring...

Anonymous — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 17:08:11 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 03/12/2013 21:08

Couldn't agree more. He has his moments, but I feel like falling asleep about halfway through Born to Run (which isn't a very long album).

Re: Bruce Springsteen gets boring...

Anonymous — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 17:00:09 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 03/12/2013 21:00

an_outlaw wrote:

I thought Bruce was forever 😕 Perhaps it wasn't the case...

I've found that over time I drift away from artists or styles but usually come back over time. Even my favorite artists. Maybe it's just a time when you're not into this sound but you'll come back later.

One way to really get into Bruce is to listen to bootlegs. There are a ton of high quality concert recordings out there. The best ones are from the Darkness tour in '78. There are also some good ones of the BITUSA and reunion tours but not quite as high on the sound quality. I went through a period where I didn't listen to albums and only listened to live recordings and that is what cemented Bruce's greatness for me.

Re: Bruce Springsteen gets boring...

revolver94 — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 15:39:33 GMT

Author: revolver94

Posted: 03/12/2013 19:39

I don't listen to him as much as I used to, but I still think he's great. The only albums I really go back to are the two on my chart, though (Born to Run and Darkness)

Re: Bruce Springsteen gets boring...

Necharsian — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 15:22:42 GMT

Author: Necharsian

Posted: 03/12/2013 19:22

Bruce Springsteen and Meatloaf are similar in that they both make music that my dads boss sang drunk karaoke to over the weekend. good freakin times

Also this thread has reminded me that i havent listened to springsteen in like months. must find time to correct this silly mistake

Re: Bruce Springsteen gets boring...

Romanelli — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 15:16:33 GMT

Author: Romanelli

Posted: 03/12/2013 19:16

Played Lonesome Day in my last band. Fun song to play!

JMan...I don't think people are comparing Bruce to Meat Loaf. I think you'll find it's more people comparing Meat Loaf to Bruce. That makes more sense.

And yes, Roy Bittan and Max Weinberg of The E Street Band played on 3 tracks on Bat Out Of Hell: You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth, Paradise By The Dashboard Light, and the title track. Bittan's work on the opening intro was one of the big highlights of the album. You'll also hear Todd Rundgren and Edgar Winter on the album as well.

Re: Bruce Springsteen gets boring...

Anonymous — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 15:03:25 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 03/12/2013 19:03

Thanks for the input. I have neglected Live at Hammersmith Odeon '75 and the New York Live show so I'll give those a go. I have a 3 Disc live album also called Live 75-85.

Nebraska has a very unique quality to it and Darkness On The Edge Of Town and The Rising always have something to go to back to. 'Lonesome Day' is still my favorite songs and one of the only ones I have never stopped listening to.

Re: Bruce Springsteen gets boring...

Anonymous — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 13:49:11 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 03/12/2013 17:49

MrFrogger wrote:

What? Who compares him to Meatloaf? Strange.

I've read about it on music articles from a couple music websites. I think one was Rolling Stone.
Plus, Bruce Springsteen's Meat Loaf comparison is all over Wikipedia pages that even remotely mention either of the two.
And, a couple people from the Born to Run album are also on Bat Out of Hell.

Re: Bruce Springsteen gets boring...

MrFrogger — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 13:46:23 GMT

Author: MrFrogger

Posted: 03/12/2013 17:46

JMan wrote:

Some people compare him to Meat Loaf. As a huge Meat fan, I have to say his most famous song, Born to Run, is nothing like Meat Loaf.

What? Who compares him to Meatloaf? Strange.

Re: Bruce Springsteen gets boring...

Anonymous — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 13:44:49 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 03/12/2013 17:44

JMan wrote:

Some people compare him to Meat Loaf. As a huge Meat fan, I have to say his most famous song, Born to Run, is nothing like Meat Loaf.

I'd have to agree that he is nothing like Meat Loaf.

Re: Bruce Springsteen gets boring...

Anonymous — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 13:41:01 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 03/12/2013 17:41

Some people compare him to Meat Loaf. As a huge Meat fan, I have to say his most famous song, Born to Run, is nothing like Meat Loaf.

Re: Bruce Springsteen gets boring...

Romanelli — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 13:19:05 GMT

Author: Romanelli

Posted: 03/12/2013 17:19

I'd definitely listen to those songs less. If I heard them over and over, I'd be tired of him, too.

Like lethal says...Darkness and Nebraska are the best places to go for his studio work. Born In The USA is one that has always irritated me. But there are other albums to explore, too. Tunnel Of Love is really overlooked, and is a very good album. Lucky Town is pretty good, too. And The Seeger Sessions is a whole other side to him.

The best way to renew your faith in Bruce, though, is through his live work. Hammersmith Odeon is great...but the best is going to be Live In New York City. Get the DVD. The CD is 20 tracks...the DVD is 25, and the setlist (and the performance) is prime Springsteen. The DVD is better because you get more tracks, and you get to see the performance, which is the best part of Bruce. His better later songs like American Skin (41 Shots) andf Land Of Hope And Dreams are also included.

Re: Bruce Springsteen gets boring...

Anonymous — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 13:10:33 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 03/12/2013 17:10

I've had a similar experience. In late 2011 I was very into his music, but it just seems to fade more and more over time. Saw him live last summer, and during the whole concert I felt like it was something I should be more involved in

Re: Bruce Springsteen gets boring...

Anonymous — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 13:04:33 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 03/12/2013 17:04

I must admit that Born In The USA (the album) does little for me anymore, though I still find myself going back to Darkness On The Edge of Town and Nebraska quite a lot, and Born To Run, The River and The Wild, The Innocent... every so often. Live at Hammersmith Odeon '75 is probably the Springsteen release I revisit most these days though, and is definitely worth checking out if you want to rekindle your Springsteen love.

Bruce Springsteen gets boring...

Anonymous — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 13:00:55 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 03/12/2013 17:00

... after repeatedly listening to him for a few years. There is only so much times I can hear 'Born In The USA', 'Dancing In The Dark', 'Cover Me', 'Hungry Heart', 'Radio Nowhere', 'Brilliant Disguise' and I think I had passed all those times.

Especially the first two albums. Apart from 'Growin Up' they just irritate me.

I thought Bruce was forever 😕 Perhaps it wasn't the case...