Bruce Springsteen, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.

Bruce Springsteen, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. (1973-Columbia)

The Boss has made some great music but I have to say this could well be one of his best. As a debut goes it is pretty much solid. Great tunes and a really cool mix of music from all out rock to a more folk/country style. But near half the album was recorded just Bruce and a guitar and rest was the full band. But it all seems to mix in so well and that is where the Boss gets his name.

This album has sold well now but I feel many record collections may have this to complete an artist. I do the same my self, it is more an OCD sort of thing. But it really is an amazing album.

Recorded on a shoestring budget the idea of the acoustic tracks is more from having no choice as their was no budget. Here is when pressure makes someone write better.

Single "Blinded by the Light" was not a hit or even played on radio but I can see why it is a little too loose for the pop market and I mean loose in a fun way. It is a little bit of a mixed song is it country or rock. Some blues and that saxophone is digging it as well. It really is a song for all radios and I bet record shops in 1973 had no clue what section to put it in. Classic live Springsteen and a style he will use forever.

One of my favourite songs by Bruce is "Does This Bus Stop at 82nd Street?" So simple and catchy I think he wrote it more as a kids song at the start but it really does catch your imagination as all children's music should. You are living this song, a bus ride in NY in the early 70s is not much of a subject. But I feel the song is a kind of positive intro to "Lost in the Flood" and again he really can pen a tune. Amazing lyrics and his voice is so clear and concise here giving the picture of the songs contents perfectly. Back in 73 songs of Vietnam war veteran was simply not the sort of thing that would be ok in the mainstream. But he got away with it and again he crafts it into something so much bigger and better than the cheap studio ever provided.

All out rock track "Spirit in the Night" gives the listener a chance to look back at times when they were young as a very loose story of some kids goofing off and enjoying being teenagers. I think finding the right musicians was key in this album. Three of the musicians here went on to be in the E Street Band forever.

The album had a tune for everyone and I mean everyone with the inclusion of a classic ballad song in "The Angel" some old school rockers may not be into a ballad but this one has a nice auto mobile theme to it that I bet would get the presenters on Top Gear sniffing about wondering who it was.

As first albums go for me it is near perfect and I think made his career as failure needs to happen for someone to truly get it. Selling only 25,000 units in a year the record label would have been very much licking their wounds. But as bad as the labels can be they did stick by him. A rare album in my blog a second by one artist but as I say people may well have overlooked this gem and with the reissues and live tour all ongoing it is well worth a listen again.

Twitter: 29xthefun

Bruce Springsteen, Nebraska

Bruce Springsteen, Nebraska (Columbia-19982)

So back to business in classic albums people have missed and another big name. Many (if not all) have heard this mans output before. But have you heard the best stuff?

I rate three albums he has done as his best the River (1980), Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978) and this album. All were done very close to each other. But this album was very different in many ways.

Much of the output Springsteen has done after his first couple of albums were severely agonized over in the studio. Some albums taking six months or more to make but this one was done in a month. Not only in a month but on a home studio device. Very new technology back then here used to lay down his ideas before hitting the studio. The E Street band did get a chance to record this album but it was felt the demos were better. So what this album is at the end of the day is a demo tape that was released on a major label by a major artist. Big risk after the previous multi platinum selling albums.

The gamble did pay off but more for fans of music as many artists have gave this album credit. Based  mostly around a folk style music it tells tales in a first-person narrative style.

Mostly in a very bleak and real tone the music is basic with Bruce only using guitar, harmonica, mandolin, glockenspiel, tambourine and organ. And even then very sparsely. "Nebraska" kicks sets the albums whole pace with a very bleak story of a serial killer that was taken from a true story. Aged only 19 you can be forgiven for feeling a little bit uncomfortable. More stories follow till my highlight.

"Highway Patrolman" rings bells with me as I do have a brother but the story of a patrolman who's brother is on the wrong side of the law. Bruce is fantastic at telling you the story in a way it feels like you will never forget it. Little bits of info portray the life the men have. His voice is very controlled and direct as are all the instruments on the album, the harmonica sounds at times like he did record it as he was playing the song.

"Open All Night" is the only song to move from the folk style and has more of a rockabilly guitar riff to it. Electric guitar makes an appearance here and it does feel fresh to get a track that shows a little positivity.

One thing the Springsteen is one of the best in the world at is taking a song or tune from his head and placing it into the studio. He is one of very few in th world who can do this THAT well.  But this album is everything as far away from that you can get. All these songs could be adapted to a country style and sell millions. But his heart wanted this out as it makes most sense to him and to most others. Give this album a try and get an idea that he is not just a stadium rocker.

This style of album really can't be done by many, listen to many big bands who split and go solo this is what they hope to be able to accomplish. Again this was done on a four track studio at home with a little mixing for a commercial release. He had the balls to do it so you should have the courtesy to give it a go.

Twitter: 29xthefun