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Bruce Springsteen : Working On A Dream :: Review

January 17, 2009 by greg


working on a dream‘Working On A Dream’ finds Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band together again after the ‘Magic’ album. The production on this album was completed by Brendan O’Brien and is very similar to the ‘Magic’ album. On a handful of tracks Bruce’s vocals were brought to the forefront however, some of the tracks sound like sonic sludge because everything blends together which is extremely evident in choruses. The album mixing on several tracks is terrible, it sounds like different instruments were recorded at the same volume settings. I can only imagine that this will not sit well with the Springsteen fans. With that being said, the next question to examine is how does ‘Working On A Dream’ fit into the Springsteen canon?

The album begins with “Outlaw Pete,” Springsteen’s spaghetti western epic about an evil bandit born in the Appalachian Mountains. Odd territory for a Springsteen album, but he manages to pull it off amiably. The driving strings heighten the drama in the song as the story unfolds amongst the narrator’s repeated requests for the infamous Outlaw to acknowledge him. “My Lucky Day” is more of a typical Springsteen song but is mired by the lousy production. The keys on this track seem to overpower the vocals and the rhythm guitars sound like they are being brushed instead of strummed. It’s a shame the song sounds like this, as there is no sound separation coming from any of the speakers.

I’ve previously written about the title track as workman like, as if Springsteen were sleepwalking through the performance. The production on this track is decent which throws the album off because the album continually switches between murky production and clear. The altering production techniques make for an aggravating listen. “Queen Of The Supermarket” and “What Love Can Do” are stronger tracks that recall Springsteen’s earlier material. By the time the album reaches the dirt floor blues of “Good Eye” the production becomes overbearing. I understand that this song is supposed to sound murky, but the production is too dense making this reminiscent of a My Bloody Valentine track.

As the album closes, the party ends and Springsteen focuses on darker and more introspective songs. The production also clears up, and “Life Itself” is a pitch-black track that seems to shine because of the better production. The guitar work in this track is top notch, and if I could choose a follow up single to “Working On A Dream” this would be it. “Kingdom of Days” is a solemn rocker that leads into the gospel sounds of “The Last Carnival.” Bonus track, “The Wrestler” is a great track in its simplicity and spare accompaniment as it examines issues of loss and redemption.

“Working On A Dream” fits well into the Springsteen canon of solid albums that could have benefited from a more consistent production. With production issues out of the way, these songs should translate well to a live audience when Bruce goes on the road.

und wer übersetzt

Ich wüßte da jemanden.