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Topic ClosedBruce Springsteen - The Seeger Sessions

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Direct Link To This Post Topic: Bruce Springsteen - The Seeger Sessions
    Posted: May 02 2006 at 15:33
Just picked up a copy of this album.
 
For me, it is the best thing the Boss has done in years, perhaps ever. None of the depressive Tom Joad mutterings here, this has real energy.
 
Anyone familiar with Johnny Cash's great version of "John Henry" should make sure and hear Bruces's interpretation. He turns it into a giant knees up, a veritable celebration of the story. The Negro spirituals "O Mary don't you weep" and "Jacob's ladder" have a gospel feel, and New Orleans jazz supports "My Oklahoma home" and "Eyes on the prize". On "Eyes on the prize", Springsteen does a wonderful (if not deliberate) impersonation of Leonard Cohen.
 
The songs may have their roots in American folk, but Springsteen has personalised them, and given each a fresh new lick of paint.
 
Springsteen met the supporting band at a fiesta he attended in a field near his New York farm, giving the album a home grown feel. The recording is effectively live, Bruce shouting out to the required instrumentalist when they are to come in.
 
The version I have, which seems to be the standard release, is a dual disc, with the entire album in PCM stereo on the DVD side, together with a 30 minute film about the making of the album, and filmed performances of of the songs.
 
I don't often feel inspired to recommend a non-prog album in these parts, but this is simply wonderful!
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 06 2006 at 00:13
Wow. I'm a moderately big Springsteen fan (love his earlier works and his lyrics) and was a little skeptical about picking this one up. I did pick up "Devils and Dust" and it is "ok." A good acoustic album with a lot of folkish tunes. I think this review of it might have urged me to pick it up this weekend.
One likes to believe
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 06 2006 at 04:26
Thanks for the response FragileDT, I was beginning to think I was talking to myself!Embarrassed
 
Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 06 2006 at 16:59
I'd be interested to hear it - though I remember hearing high praise for The Ghost Of Tom Joad and being disappointed.
'Like so many of you
I've got my doubts about how much to contribute
to the already rich among us...'

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 03 2006 at 19:13
I don't get it, to be honest...Tom Joad is one of his best albums, in my opinion. Geez, not every song has to be an upbeat anthem!
 
I have the new Seeger sessions and, although I have not really listened to it enough, it doesn't work for me, and I am a huge Springsteen fan. Although he has done some great covers (War and Jersey Girl, for example), I think he is at his best doing his own stuff.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 07 2006 at 14:20
I'm still on the fence about the new cd.  I LOVED Tom Joad because the lyrics were so infreakingcredible and went straight to the heart.  Devils and Dust was in that same mode but was not as consistent from song to song.  I guess I just need to hear more of this album of covers before shelling out the bucks for it.  Usually his new releases go right to the top of my wish list but there are some others ahead of it this time.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 08 2006 at 12:45
I saw Bruce Springsteen in concert on (I think) BBC4 a couple of weeks back with the Seeger Sessions band; I've never been a major fan of the man myself, so I went in with a completely open mind - it was an astonishingly good gig; full of energy, high spirits, humour & BS looking better than I've seen him for a long time - I defy anyone to see that lineup live and not dance like a maniac.

Jon Lord 1941 - 2012
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 18 2006 at 09:00
I am a great fan of the boss, the new album is not bad, but I really prefer  the old ones (darkness on the edge of town above all)...
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 18 2006 at 11:04
Originally posted by Kord Kord wrote:

I am a great fan of the boss.
Figures. :P
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 24 2006 at 06:41
Another masterpiece! He really is the Boss.
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