[ad_1]
It still feels a bit strange that Bruce Springsteen’s previous album, “Western Stars,” was accused in some places of being a kind of metanostalgia, where Springsteen would, according to detractors, pastiche himself. Okay, it was mostly Expressen Kultur, always the safest place to go if you want to read pop music newspaper “reviews” on pop music that raise blood pressure and express opinion, but it was weird anyway.
Because “Western stars” was in fact an album that, in the context that you obviously can or shouldn’t ignore, challenged both its author and the usual fans. Applied to the orchestrated, slightly country, melodic ’60s pop that lurked in the background at times during his career, but never before so clearly highlighted, he more or less forced more than 70 super-established years away from the safe embrace of old rock. , instead of doing it.
Such thing like what the new framing did to his voice. The light poppy melodies made him sing in a new way, almost unknown to him. Wicker, softer, more gently romantic.
“Letter to you,” the new single that Bruce Springsteen released today, however, is just that cheeky flirtation with die-hard fans and that grotesque fantasy fetus of the cliche-devout rock journalist that really only exists in the minds of publishers. cultural. E Street Band is back and with it so are the hoarse exclamations, Roy Bittan’s piano drive and superb dramatic direction (“Things I discovered in good times and hard / I wrote them all in ink and blood / I dug deep into my soul and I signed my real name / And sent it to you in my letter. ”) There are only a few chestnuts left that quickly emerge and cool here and there like a remnant of” western stars. “
Everything is so well known and it is well known that one imagines several times that Danny Federici from the other side of the grave plays that characteristic organ that seems to flow throughout the song.
It’s certainly very comfortable and enjoyable, but after “western stars” it also feels like a step back. Maybe to take two steps forward, the next album may well show it, but it’s not sure.
Read more about music and more lyrics by Mattias Dahlström
