Search - Bruce Springsteen :: Born to Run (Mlps)

Cool LP Sleeve Design, Not So Great Sound!

Frederick Baptist | Singapore | 03/26/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is probably Bruce's most critically-acclaimed album and the tracks still sound as good as they've always done but now we get them in a cool lp sleeve format. This gatefold sleeve has all the lyrics printed on the inside covers albeit you'll need a good magnifying glass to read them but it's still a nice touch. No need to despair though as both the Japanese and English lyrics are also reproduced on an insert.



Why just 4 stars then? Well, the recording isn't remastered and so the sound is about the same quality as the cheaper U.S. press that you can get you hands on elsewhere and I'm supposing the 30th Anniversary edition that's just been released and is apparently remastered/enhanced (I've not heard it and so I can't confirm the quality)may actually sound a lot better.



As far as unremastered discs go, this is probably quite decent if you don't mind the muddy sound but seeing as how practically everybody and their grannies have had their classic albums remastered and cleaned up, I wonder what's keeping Bruce's people from doing the same.



So unless you are a very big fan of lp sleeves like I am, you may not want to spend the extra bucks on this.



Don't get me wrong, the album is still great with regards the tracks but I guess if you already have this, what's it going to take to make you wanna get another version of the same thing? I'm guessing it's either vastly improved sound quality and/or improved packaging. This disc only fulfils one of these two criteria so you decide what you wanna do.



By the way, it's the same with the other titles in this format like "Born In the U.S.A." and "Darkness...Town" etc. just so you know. As I don't already have copies of these discs, I didn't mind too much but I don't know about you."

Easily one of the all-time greats

finulanu | Here, there, and everywhere | 10/05/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Love it or hate it, you gotta admit one thing about Born to Run: it's unique, merging pomp, poetics, and pure rock `n' roll. If it weren't for the wonderful arrangements; perfect songwriting; emotional singing and spotless playing, this would fall flat on its face. Thankfully, it is filled with wonderful arrangements; perfect songwriting; emotional singing and spotless playing, which makes it a true rock classic deserving of the highest praise I can get it. The love ballad "Thunder Road" almost singularly embodies this album, starting with a lazy harmonica solo and slowly building into a loud but majestic sax solo; "Born to Run" has all the sweep of a Spector production, and the energy of a Chuck Berry track, and almost Dylanesque phrasing; and who can forget that xylophone riff? To me, it's one of the greatest pure pop songs ever made. Contrasting those two are the gargantuan epics: the cathartic "Backstreets" has drawn a lot of comparisons to "Like a Rolling Stone", and while it's not quite as good as that masterpiece the fact is it's another high point. Long, but a deserving fan favorite. I personally get the chills when Bruce starts his howling during the climax, and I positively adore that piano solo that opens it and the huge organ/guitar riffs that replace it. The other epic is "Jungleland", which has inarguably the greatest lyrics of Bruce's entire career and features memorable tenor sax (I can actually play that one on my alto! Go me...); violin; and guitar solos - the last is surprising, as for all his talents as a singer and songwriter, Springsteen ain't no guitar hero mostly. Except there. Damn, I love "Jungleland"! It sure is long, but its genre-bending arrangement keeps it from feeling that way. To me, it untaps the potential shown on the epic songs off of E Street Shuffle - "New York City Serenade" in particular. Anyway, the Bo Diddley-infused "She's the One" is a blast, with the Boss and the Big Man trading off near the end; and the sax-fueled disco romp "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" is even better, favorite of many a Springsteen fan, myself included. The last two cuts don't quite reach these highs, but I can safely say that the pedal-to-the-metal (if you forgive that awful cliché) rocker "Night" and the quiet, jazzy "Meeting Across the River" would've led the back on a weaker album - I can safely say that the Eagles have never came anywhere near the level of either track. When the book closes, this is easily one of rock's very best albums."