Letter To You (studio album) by Bruce Springsteen

A killer album and a pleasant surprise. The Boss hasn't been this confident on a record since Magic, maybe even Tunnel of Love. Seriously.

The record is strong on melody and has excellent supporting musicianship. The highlight is the earnest and heartfelt vocals, reminiscent of Mickey Newbury particularly. He's really singing his heart out here!

Highly Recommended.

Condensed to a 7" Single:
A-Side: Ghosts
B-Side: If I Was the Priest

From InsanityPrawnBoy 01/22/2021 04:51

Boring American dad rock.

The Boss is back...

The best Boss is back, sound like his classics, excellent album.

From llibnanoon 11/19/2020 16:10

Revised Rating (77.92)

An excellent album for an artist of Bruce Springsteen's stature at this point of his career. There's a handful of instant Springsteen classics on Letter to You. Some songs are new and some are nearly 50 years old and you can tell which is which. Several songs on this album really reminded me of Darkness on the Edge of Town. I wouldn't be shocked if this album is a grower for me, because I've already played it a lot.

Key tracks: Janey Needs a Shooter, If I Was the Priest, Burnin' Train and Letter to You

A very good album that has touch stones of 'that' Springsteen sound; the sound that the casual listener thinks he's been reproducing since Born In The USA but in fact hasn't. The album has a nice familiarity to it because of this and is quite immediate for the listener; at least it was for me. The E Street Band sound excellent on this album.

From llibnanoon 10/28/2020 15:50

Not the best but good enough at this stage of his career. Rating (77.50)

I'M ALIVE!!!! Bruce Springsteen is back on a rocking album full of nostalgia and the celebration and thrill of being alive. Recorded entirely live, a few overdubs aside, it is the sound of the E street band on stage and firing on all cylinders. "One minute you're gone" kicks off the record on a contemplative note but things really get going on the title track and especially the adrenaline rush of "Burnin' train", a storming track. "Janey needs a shooter" is the first of three studio recordings of songs written pre-1973 and it's a belter.
It has a feel of "Backstreets" to it. It's a brilliant song. "Last man standing" refers to Springsteen himself as he contemplates the reality of being the only surving member of his first band, The Castiles. A good track. "The Power of prayer" and "House of a thousand guitars" are also fine, albeit two of the lesser tracks, and "Rainmaker" is excellent. "If I was the priest" is the second of the old tracks and is very good, a bit Dylanish, but that was where Bruce was at in the early seventies. "Ghosts" is a powerhouse of a song, perfect for those big stadiums, if that ever happens again. Then we have "Song for Orphans". If "I was the priest" was a bit Dylanish then this one takes the crown. It honestly could be Bob in his Highway 61/Blonde on Blonde period, and it has a harmonica solo too. I was actually laughing through it because it was so Dylan. It's great by the way. The record closes with the enjoyable "I'll see you in my dreams". And there we are. It's nothing particularly new, nothing we haven't heard before from Bruce, although this one is much more personal and carries more emotional weight, but it's another solid addition to the Springsteen canon and his most rocking since "The Rising". He's still the boss.