![]() The first three songs on the tape, all urban-set, are comic in nature. Though the LP juggles these styles, the 8-track not only groups them together but sequences the songs from happiest to saddest. The album’s seven songs can be broken into three categories: comic (cheeky characters with happy endings), nostalgic (wistful memories of youth), and tragic (doomed characters meeting their fates). Bruce’s pensive cover shot suggests man at typewriter more than man with guitar. Four of its seven songs are written in fiction’s detached, third-person point of view rather than rock’s ubiquitous me-me-me. Unlike most Springsteen LPs, The Wild, The Innocent and the E Street Shuffle didn’t come with a lyric sheet - a shame, as it’s his first fully realized story collection. ![]() His first seven studio releases are not only rock albums but anthologies of fiction, filled with fascinating, mostly working-class characters having encounters both hilarious and heartbreaking. Springsteen is usually thought of as the all-American rock star - a rugged man with a worn Fender and too many encores - but less often as one of our great storytellers. I should cite David Sancious’ open, jazzy piano work here, since he would leave the lineup by next album Born to Run. (Only two members were available to play on his debut, forcing Bruce to perform all the missing parts.) The band turns out to be magnificent, seemingly able to adopt any existing musical style while helping Bruce craft his unique blend of all of them. ![]() This second Springsteen album is the first to utilize the full lineup of the yet-unnamed E Street Band. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, ‘THE WILD, THE INNOCENT AND THE E STREET SHUFFLE’ (1973)īruce’s second album proves to be a rich anthology of mostly urban American stories and memorable characters.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |