Working On A Dream (studio album) by Bruce Springsteen

Working on a Dream, Springsteen's 16th studio album is another pleasant surprise and delight. It's a band effort that repeats everything on Magic that makes for another strong Springsteen record. Springsteen is particularly sentimental on this one. This, along with Magic, is his best from the 2000s. Highly Recommended

Condensed to a 7" Single:
A-Side: Working on a Dream
B-Side: Kingdom of Days

Where "The Rising" was - at least in part - a response to one of the darkest days in American history, but largely brushed over the political climate to instead address the ordinary American, "Working on a Dream" was ostensibly heralding the start of the Obama era and a call to love and optimism, which should have been a breath of fresh air following the stark condemnation of Bush/Cheney on "Magic". The problem with "Dream" is that its' message is frequently supplanted by songs that have nothing to do with the broader thematic ideas. For the first time in his career - say what you will about the songs or production of "Human Touch" - Bruce Springsteen's lyrics had lost the plot on an album-sized scale. Songs like the title track, "What Love Can Do", and "Life Itself" fit fine into the lyrical ideas Bruce tried to express here; hell if I can tell you what "Outlaw Pete" or an ode to the girl at your supermarket's checkout counter have to do with it, though.

The next biggest problem with "Working on a Dream" is the production. Bruce Springsteen is my favourite musical artist for his lyrics but also his brazen courage in sending his music in whatever direction he pleases. 32 years on and with the amount of copycats it spawned, it's easy to disregard how ballsy "Tunnel of Love" was at the time it came out. I respect Bruce for trying out lush pop arrangements and production here; but I do not like it. The worst-sounding songs (the first three tracks for example) sound like he took the weakest tracks on "Magic" and learned all the wrong lessons from them; even some of the better songs just sound like pop-lite ("This Life" charms at first with its' Beach Boys-esque intro, but by the end of it I just end up wanting to put "The Smile Sessions" on instead). There's also a warbling distortion on the guitars throughout that has just aged horribly in the past decade.

We also have to address "Outlaw Pete" and "Queen of the Supermarket" once more. Springsteen albums can more or less be judged based on how many clunkers they have (e.g. his best eight or nine records have NONE); "Working on a Dream" has two songs that sit close to the bottom of the barrel. "Pete" has okay lyrics and a decent melodic concept that end up just repeating to no effect for 8 minutes. "Queen", on the other hand, is absolutely atrocious. It deserves the universal savaging that it gets. The lyrics, waxing poetic about a grocery store like it's the halls of a museum, and the checkout girl as if she's the new generation's Wendy from "Born to Run", are embarassing. The entire track, from the production, to the chords, to the melody of the chorus, sounds like someone taking a piss at pop songwriting.

Despite improving markedly from "Life Itself" onwards, including the touching tribute to Derek Federici on "The Last Carnival" and the breathtaking title song for "The Wrestler", the positives are absolutely undermined by the negatives. This album is by no means terrible or unlistenable, but it's doubtlessly Bruce's weakest hour.

Best Songs: "What Love Can Do", "Life Itself", "Surprise, Surprise", "The Last Carnival", "The Wrestler"

AMAY all-time rank: Probably somewhere around #1,200

\r\n\r\nWorking on a dream took a while for me to get into - a few listens were needed to appreciate it\r\n\r\nIt is relatively a very light hearted affair for Mr Springsteen\r\nIt is Bruce\'s most \"easy listening \" album \r\n\r\nIt does not deserve to be his lowest rated studio album on \"Besteveralbums.com\" - that dubious honour I would probably award to \"human touch\"\r\n

underatted and overlooked for sure

diverse and strangely moreish

read garycottier's review below..........

The presidential election of Barak Obama was meant to have heralded in a new era for America, and Bruce Springsteen was ready to celebrate with his new album. Working on a dream, came in lightning quick time, just 15 months after springsteen's last record, magic. Working, is lyrically everything that, magic, wasn't, it was without doubt the lightest album he had ever made. Outlaw Pete, opens the record, it's good fun, it almost sounds like Bruce is parodying himself. Elsewhere on the album, the sounds of the beach boys and The Byrds spring up. My lucky day, is a typical Bruce anthem, the title track is enjoyable, and Bruce even has a crush on a checkout girl on, queen of the supermarket. Standouts include, the celebratory, this life, the bluesy drone of, good eye, and the acoustic shuffle, tomorrow never knows. Sure, they're lightweight, but not as light as, surprise, surprise, which is just that, the most throwaway track Bruce had ever done, still, it's good fun. Kingdom of days, is a beautiful celebration of his and Patti's relationship. The last carnival, is a moving tribute to the late Danny Federici, who sadly lost his battle with cancer before the album was made. Federici's son, Jason, plays accordion on the track which is a kind of sequel to, wild Billy's circus story, from, the wild and innocent album. Working, closes with, the wrestler, written for the film of the same name, which Bruce deservedly won a golden globe award for. It's the end to a light but thoroughly enjoyable Springsteen album, underrated and overlooked.

From zags7000 06/11/2015 23:21

Not as great as Magic but this has its moments including the title track.

Boss's average album

I like some small details plus the opener and The wrestler. The rest does not feel like real Bruce to me. What is he singing about and why?

From RaineyWins 04/07/2010 18:37

The bonus track "The Wrestler" is one of Bruce's best ever

Bruce does it again! Amazing!