Search - Bruce Springsteen :: Working on a Dream

Like Magic, A Fine Collection Of Songs Butchered In The Stud

Samuel Shabrin | Phoenix, AZ United States | 01/28/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Like Magic, Working On A Dream is a good collection of songs, some stronger than others, but great to hear Springsteen's creative juices are still flowing. Also like Magic, it's too bad the recording is so compressed that it hurts to listen to it. Strangled cymbals, organ that sound like it's being played through a toilet paper roll, background singers that are singing... something- can't make out a melody...



Unlike Magic, I am hoping a 5.1 surround mix is released so I can actually hear and distinguish the drums, organ, guitar, strings, bass, instead of hearing "drumsorganguitarstringsbass"."

I didn't think Bruce could sound this bad

K. Casey | Yonkers, NY USA | 01/30/2009

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I am a die-hard Bruce fan and I generally fall in love with anything he writes...but this is quite possibly the worst of all his albums. There are some pretty good tunes on here - "The Wrestler," "Working on a Dream," "Outlaw Pete" - but there are many awkwardly bad ones. I want to like "My Lucky Day" and "Queen of the Supermarket," but the lyrics are irrevocably hokey, something you don't expect from Bruce. "What Love Can Do" and "This Life" are just flat and boring. "Surprise, Surprise" is one of the worst songs he has ever written. He says he worked on this album quickly, and it shows. I'm certainly disappointed.



UPDATE: Here I am months later in May and I still think this is the worst album Bruce has ever put out. I can appreciate everything he's done from Before the Fame right up through Magic (the list of my ten favorite Bruce albums includes an even mix of 70s, 80s, and his modern stuff)...but I can't make it through this album. I'm going to see Bruce in New Jersey this week (my 5th concert) and I'm SO grateful that he only seems to be playing 2-3 songs a night from "Working on a Nightmare!""

Springsteen's 'Dream' Works Well

Lance G. Augustine | The Midwest, USA | 01/27/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"From an objective point of view, Working On A Dream may not entirely please every Bruce Springsteen fan, but I don't think it will alienate many either. From fun, upbeat pop/rock to intimate acoustic balladry, this collection takes off from where 2007's Magic ended, but also includes more than a hint of 'classic' Springsteen sound. This is by no means a 'perfect' record, but it has more than enough substantial material to stand uniquely on its own in The Boss' discography.



Written and recorded quickly beginning immediately upon the conclusion of Magic, there's a 'raw'-ness at the core of many of these songs that no amount of production can cover up. And yes, producer Brendan O'Brien has ordered up quite the majestic arrangement on many of the tracks...almost to the point of overdoing it at times. The string orchestra is back in full force, and there are times where the music comes close to overwhelming Bruce's vocal. For example, on "What Love Can Do" and parts of the second and third verses of "Life Itself", you lose a few words here and there due to guitars and/or background vocals that seem to share the same frequencies as the vocal. But for the most part, you get to hear Bruce's one-of-a-kind vocals loud and clear. On a few songs, we get a very 'up-front' vocal sound...especially on songs where the arrangements aren't as big, like "The Last Carnival" and "The Wrestler". On "Carnival", I love how Bruce's voice cracks and breaks at the end of many of the lines...most tracks were recorded in only a couple of takes, and that adds up to a high 'human' factor...very real and pure, like he's singing live right in front of you.



A few tracks haven't done a lot for me yet in the short time I've been listening to it..."Good Eye" seems to be just another run-of-the-mill blues rocker, and the 'almost-country two-step' "Tomorrow Never Knows" hasn't had me doing any cartwheels either. Then again, I initially wrote off "My Lucky Day" as overly simplistic and repetitious, but it's grown on me a bit now (and it's fun to dance to), so I think its possible to change your tune on some of the songs that don't instantly strike you. Several did have an immediate impact on me however...the bottom of the lineup is especially strong starting from "Life Itself" (I love the different, almost eerie mood) all the way to "The Wrestler", the Golden Globe Award winner and my personal favorite song here...that one's all emotion with a wonderful vocal delivery.



"Outlaw Pete" paints a picture of the American west with guns ablazing with a bottom line message of learning to live with the sins of our past in order to move forward. The absurd 'controversy' over Bruce stealing this from Kiss ("I Was Made For Lovin' You") has me smelling 'publicity stunt'...while the melodies share the same notes, NOTHING else is remotely similar. Several tunes focus on a personal relationship theme...a line from "Kingdom Of Days" tells us "I don't see the summer as it wanes, just the subtle change of light upon your face." "The Last Carnival" remembers keyboardist Danny Federici, who lost his battle with cancer last April. "Queen Of The Supermarket" almost seemed silly at first...grocery shopping is a unique topic...but Bruce has said this song is to remind us we can find beauty where it's often ignored or passed by. No matter how trite the lyrics may seem at times, you know the wheels were turning in Bruce's head when he wrote it...there's always a message or deeper meaning there, even with all of these pop songs he's doing now.



In any case, it appears Bruce really enjoyed making this record...I don't believe he set out to break any new ground musically or to make any grand statement here either, but that doesn't diminish the enjoyment of listening to it...minor flaws aside, Working On A Dream works well.



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