Retro Reviews: Bruce Springsteen: Born To Run

 

I decided to launch a new series to imagine myself as a critic at the end of the 60s and start of the 70s, and to rectify certain reviews from Rolling Stone magazine and Creem. This not meant to be contrarian, but to offer a more balanced perspective. All the albums reviewed are indeed classic albums. 

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band – Born To Run (1975)

*****

Producers: Bruce Springsteen, Mike Appel, Jon Landau

Musicians: Bruce Springsteen, Roy Bitten, Clerance Clemmons, Garry Tallent, Max Weinberg, Earnest Carter, Danny Federici, David Sancious, Mike Appel, Steven Van Zandt, Randy Brecker, Michael Brecker, David Sanborn, Wayne Andre, Richard Davis, Suki Lahav, Arranger: Charles Calello

Songs: Thunder Road, Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out, Night, Backstreets, Born To Run, She’s The One, Meeting Across The River, Jungleland

Reviewed by Matthew Anthony Allair

    The first two Springsteen and E Street band albums were good, but this feels like a watermark, and a significant step forward. Bruce has reconnected with the sonic wall of sound from Phil Spector, as well as the song craft of Roy Orbison, with guitars that often capture the feeling of Duane Eddy or Link Wray, while also still taking a nod at the legacy of Bob Dylan and Woody Guthery. Yet in spite of all of the above points, he still manages to sound fresh and finding his own voice – he acknowledges the past, while looking at where we are right now. It’s all quite a feat. Regardless of my strong feelings and disagreements with Jon Landau’s critical work, his support of Springsteen intuitively may have been the right choice – Time will tell.

    This album feels like a loose concept album, in theme, about younger couples or others breaking out of life in small backwater towns where the best they can offer is a factory job. “Thunder Road” sets up this nearly optimistic defiance of a young troubadour asking the woman he pines for to break away with him. Bruce’s lyrical imagery is set up from the start, this sets the tone. The phenomenal backing of his band enhances the experience at first listen. “Ten Avenue Freeze-Out” plays along with the camaraderie of band mates or friends, and captures the playful feeling heard on the prior album. “Night” is probably the least memorable and weakest track on the album. Yet, “Backstreets” progression, with it’s strong keyboard work and evocative feeling rounds out side one. Aside from the core of the E Street Band, you have some phenomenal jazz based players on the album whom add extra coloring to the proceedings. This album is also the debut of drummer Max Weinberg, and Pianist Garry Tallent.  

    Now we must contend with the side two opener and title track, “Born To Run”, which feels like a sprawling cinemascope piece that elaborates on the spirit of “Thunder Road”, The protagonist has triumphantly broken away with his lover by the closing moments. Yet, there’s some lingering questions unanswered. Initially, “She’s The One” brings things down after the high points of the prior track, with scaled back guitar and spry keyboards before shifting into a Bo Didley beat. “Meeting Across The River” is the most deceptively intimate track on the album, but also probably the darkest. It’s jazz bar opening with the horn solo and piano is the greatest departure after the bombast of other tracks. We are left with doubts these characters will make it, and like any good novel or film, the resolution “Jungleland” closes the album with some unexpected answers. The closer is sprawling, and meditative, the younger heroes may not make, either through the death of their romantic relationships, or actual physical death. Are these characters running away from something or running towards something? There's a difference. 

    It all very much feels like a question about working class people in America or around the world, will they be allowed to realize their dreams or live the kind of fuller lives their parents had been granted in the forties and fifties? These questions are very relevant to the mid-seventies, and Springsteen has presented a piece of high drama that will leave you exhilarated yet pondering at the same time. Are working class people going to make it? No one knows.