Bruce Day Part 2--The Album
So I left work "to run an errand" at 10 AM and picked up "We Shall Overcome--The Seeger Sessions". I spent a good part of today listening to the CD in my car while driving around, as well as a more serious listen tonight. In addition, the CD is a combination "DualDisc" with a DVD component. The video features a look at the actual recording sessions, including the portion where Bruce urges everyone to have another drink to get the "loose" feel he wants on the background vocals of "Pay Me My Money Down."
I'm not going to attempt a song-by-song exegesis of the album, but I will hazard a couple of comments:
1. For people tired of the earnest Bruce Springsteen of 41 Shots, The Rising and Devils and Dust--this is your album. Even message songs like Mrs. McGrath (an anti-war lament) are offset by the straight-ahead, Irish-reel tune.
2. For people tired of the drier than dust, spare instrumentation of Ghost of Tom Joad and Devils and Dust--this is your album. A 17 piece band including tuba, fiddles, keyboards, trombone, trumpet really let 'er rip!
3. For people tired of musicians afraid to try new musical forms--this is your album. Bluegrass, old-time country, blues, Dixieland, zydeco, celtic--this is folk stew.
My favorite comment about this album was from a critic on Slate.com: "And who knew that Bruce Springsteen would be the one to remind American record buyers they need more tuba in their lives?
I'm not going to attempt a song-by-song exegesis of the album, but I will hazard a couple of comments:
1. For people tired of the earnest Bruce Springsteen of 41 Shots, The Rising and Devils and Dust--this is your album. Even message songs like Mrs. McGrath (an anti-war lament) are offset by the straight-ahead, Irish-reel tune.
2. For people tired of the drier than dust, spare instrumentation of Ghost of Tom Joad and Devils and Dust--this is your album. A 17 piece band including tuba, fiddles, keyboards, trombone, trumpet really let 'er rip!
3. For people tired of musicians afraid to try new musical forms--this is your album. Bluegrass, old-time country, blues, Dixieland, zydeco, celtic--this is folk stew.
My favorite comment about this album was from a critic on Slate.com: "And who knew that Bruce Springsteen would be the one to remind American record buyers they need more tuba in their lives?
