Yeah I guess I must be Nikolai. Gazza doesn't like these either, but I do like them a lot. I think they've held up well over time, and I love I Wish I Were Blind - one of my favorite Bruce songs. But Gloria's Eyes, the title track, Cross My Heart, and even 57 Channels are all great tracks in my mind. Lucky Town I like better but it leaves me wanting more - Better Days, If I Should Fall Behind, The Big Muddy, MY Beautiful Reward, Living Proof.

I'm sure I'm one of the only ones who would rank Tunnel as my favorite album of his too!

Agree about your comments on Human Touch and Lucky Town, Nikolai - allthough that's pretty obvious. I gave those records away, for free.

When it comes to Magic - I must say...that I'm...eh - disappointed.

"If I Should Fall Behind" was played at my wedding. My dad and step-mother liked it so much that my brother-in-law and myself played it at their wedding.

"No Anchovies, Please"

bassplayer617 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> LOGIE Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Thanks for that Beelyboy!
> >
> > For the past four days, I've been listening
> > non-stop to the second rehearsal night and it
> is
> > out of this world!!!!!!
> >
>
> Logie, you d/l that 9/25 show? Isn't it great?
> The new stuff fits in well with the legacy
> material, doesn't it? It is plainly apparent that
> "Magic" was written with performing that material
> live in mind.


Considering that the new album wasn't even officially released at the time of this rehearsal concert, it's amazing to hear the audience already singing along to the choruses! Sounds like they've become anthems already!

It's worth noting too, that while much of the criticism surrounding "Magic" has been based around it's muddy, unclear mix, with little in the form of standout performances from any of the individual band members, the live renditions tend to bring these same songs very much alive, with Gypsy Biker already a surprise contender for the tour's new showstopper, along with Girls in their Summer Clothes and Long Walk Home. Radio Nowhere is just amazing.

I've noted the various criticisms that people have here for not taking to Bruce, and I can fully understand where you guys are coming from. In some cases I would even agree with you. The cheesey all-american punching-the-air personae from the mid-eighties was a huge turn-off for me personaly, and in my opinion, it needed an album as brilliant as Tunnel Of Love to get him back on course. Others would totally disagree; but then by making such a diverse range of music, it is hardly surprising that so many people have their own personal idiosyncratic preferences over others. It's the same with Dylan and Van Morrison.

As for his very best material, I'd recommend the last two disks of his Tracks compilation, hardly any of which sadly have ever been performed live.

Put him on a stage in a live situation however and I'd listen to ANYTHING.

Tracks has so many great songs on it I'm amazed that a lot of em never found their way onto an album

VoodooLounge13 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yeah I guess I must be Nikolai. Gazza doesn't
> like these either, but I do like them a lot. I
> think they've held up well over time, and I love I
> Wish I Were Blind - one of my favorite Bruce
> songs. But Gloria's Eyes, the title track, Cross
> My Heart, and even 57 Channels are all great
> tracks in my mind. Lucky Town I like better but
> it leaves me wanting more - Better Days, If I
> Should Fall Behind, The Big Muddy, MY Beautiful
> Reward, Living Proof.
>
> I'm sure I'm one of the only ones who would rank
> Tunnel as my favorite album of his too!


You know, had he combined the best of Lucky Town with the best of Human Touch and added Sad Eyes, he would have had half a masterpiece. Of course he would have had to have gone off and written six more great songs after that.

Erik_Snow Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Agree about your comments on Human Touch and Lucky
> Town, Nikolai - allthough that's pretty obvious. I
> gave those records away, for free.
>
> When it comes to Magic - I must say...that
> I'm...eh - disappointed.


I concur. Magic's lame. I was tempted to throw Human Touch out of the window when I heard Real Man and Man's Job. Bloody awful. Not quite the stinker that Car Wash is though.

VoodooLounge13 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Tracks has so many great songs on it I'm amazed
> that a lot of em never found their way onto an
> album


Yes, he's like Dylan and Neil Young that way, keeping classics like Sad Eyes, Wages of Sin, Frankie (the BITUSA sessions version), Loose Change, Brothers Under The Bridge in the vaults.

The only sing I like on Magic is Devil's Arcade.

VoodooLounge13 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Tracks has so many great songs on it I'm amazed
> that a lot of em never found their way onto an
> album

Yeh, that's been buggin' me for years in a way. He leaves absolutely uber classic gems off of his albums.
Guess he used to be known for spending several months, sometimes close to a year, just sequencing an album to get everything 'perfect'...and it's not for me to second-guess a major talent like that, but i will, heh, because you are soooo right about a lot of that "Tracks" stuff mr. VooDoo-13.

...it's almost like he has this 'secret' semi-hidden other career of incredible rock singles and ballads that he painstakingly writes and records with the band; and then they sit on a shelf for ten or fifteen years or something, till someone convinces him it's okay to release a 'tracks' kinda thing...which never get the promotion, or the 'sturm and drang' of a new fresh release and stay kinda semi-hidden forever; and it's some of his very best and most natural stuff.
go figger.
!?

even bruce's critic here dug into 'cadillac ranch' a little...
those rockers off of 'the river' album were transcendant, i thought.
but i do admire him for working the new stuff and putting it out there in a featured way with passion and belief; takes a cool work ethic and a lot of balz i think. and a good heart.

Nikolai Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> I concur. Magic's lame. I was tempted to throw
> Human Touch out of the window when I heard Real
> Man and Man's Job. Bloody awful. Not quite the
> stinker that Car Wash is though.


I give all CDs I'm disappointed with to the local library - they have quite a horrible collection of music now...
Well also some better ones, that I got new editions of.

Posted by: sweetcharmedlife (IP Logged)
Date: October 4, 2007 04:01

>Well obviously you've got a tin ear then. Bruce is as good as they come and >will run circles around the Stones in terms of fan freindliness.

You dont know about my "ear", and I prefer to listen to something else...

I was just curious as to why you guys like him...nothing more....so I will get back to my Early Mac...

Enjoy the boss, but just dont talk about my "ear" any more...

JR

Nikolai Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The only sing I like on Magic is Devil's Arcade.

The only thing I like about it is I didn't pay for it.

This statement may get me crucified, for daring to draw comparisons:

Bruce's new album is a collection that is meant to be played live, and on the current tour he is fully supporting it. Contrast that to the limited support that ABB got on a tour that called itself "The Bigger Bang".

bassplayer617 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This statement may get me crucified, for daring to
> draw comparisons:
>
> Bruce's new album is a collection that is meant to
> be played live, and on the current tour he is
> fully supporting it. Contrast that to the limited
> support that ABB got on a tour that called itself
> "The Bigger Bang".


Agree 100% bassplayer.

I saw this blog post about the opening night show. Kinda made me chuckle:

I thought it was solid, but think Bruce needs to consider a Stones-like model when he builds his setlists. He doesn't have enough "core" songs. His only core song is Born to Run and possibly Badlands. Also, rather than playing 9 songs off Magic, play 4 and bring in more classics, etc.

lamemodem2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I saw this blog post about the opening night show.
> Kinda made me chuckle:
>
> I thought it was solid, but think Bruce needs to
> consider a Stones-like model when he builds his
> setlists. He doesn't have enough "core" songs. His
> only core song is Born to Run and possibly
> Badlands. Also, rather than playing 9 songs off
> Magic, play 4 and bring in more classics, etc.


In this case I agree. In the old days Bruce could play 4 hours a night and not repeat half the songs the following night. As the band ages, the show length is much shorter than it use to be, which is fine, but to get me to a show, I want to hear more of what got me to his shows in the 80s's. 9 songs from Magic? O.K., but rotate them. I am not saying this is right, it's just my opinion and I know the opinion of many of my friends who were even bigger Springsteen fans than I ever was.

I would rather hear Prove it All Night, Out on the Streets, Jungleland and Racing in the Street with 4 songs from Magic.

BluzDude Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> lamemodem2 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I saw this blog post about the opening night
> show.
> > Kinda made me chuckle:
> >
> > I thought it was solid, but think Bruce needs
> to
> > consider a Stones-like model when he builds his
> > setlists. He doesn't have enough "core" songs.
> His
> > only core song is Born to Run and possibly
> > Badlands. Also, rather than playing 9 songs off
> > Magic, play 4 and bring in more classics, etc.
>
>
> In this case I agree. In the old days Bruce could
> play 4 hours a night and not repeat half the songs
> the following night. As the band ages, the show
> length is much shorter than it use to be, which is
> fine, but to get me to a show, I want to hear more
> of what got me to his shows in the 80s's. 9 songs
> from Magic? O.K., but rotate them. I am not saying
> this is right, it's just my opinion and I know the
> opinion of many of my friends who were even bigger
> Springsteen fans than I ever was.
>
> I would rather hear Prove it All Night, Out on the
> Streets, Jungleland and Racing in the Street with
> 4 songs from Magic.

My, oh, my --- now you know exactly why the Stones offered up mostly "warhorses" during the just-concluded tour. That's what the vast majority of the audiences came to hear. Funny when the shoe is on the other foot, isn't it?

Well, I saw the Stones play 5 song from ABB (Back of My hand was the highlight), granted not all in one show, but yes, I would have loved to have heard a lot more of the early Stones - BB and B4.

lamemodem2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I saw this blog post about the opening night show.
> Kinda made me chuckle:
>
> I thought it was solid, but think Bruce needs to
> consider a Stones-like model when he builds his
> setlists. He doesn't have enough "core" songs. His
> only core song is Born to Run and possibly
> Badlands. Also, rather than playing 9 songs off
> Magic, play 4 and bring in more classics, etc.


Sounds like this guy wants the same stuff again and again and again.

Sad...very sad.

Bruce doesn't have to do the same stuff, he has so much material that has all been played live.

We must give Bruce credit for a set list that includes a lot of his newer stuff,
very few warhorses,no Born in the usa,no rosalita,no sandy,etc and his fans enjoyed the show ,no mass walkouts cause he didn't play Rosalita. The Stones could take a lesson from this, they can play recent songs and the fans will enjoy their show just the same. But l don't think it will happen if and when they tour again we will get 12 warhorses and maybe six or seven semi warhorses.
Kudos to the Boss

"No dope smoking no beer sold after 12 o'clock"

Well the best song on Magic is "livin in the Future" it may take a couple more listens for the rest of it to come around. Although I do like Radio Nowhere. Also would'nt mind hearing the song Human Touch live. Great lyrics...."So you been broke and then you been hurt. Well show me somebody who hasn't been."



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2007-10-09 04:28 by sweetcharmedlife.

R Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Nikolai Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The only sing I like on Magic is Devil's
> Arcade.
>
> The only thing I like about it is I didn't pay for
> it.


Thief! (LOL - someone on commented on how most of the crowd at the Convention Hall rehearsal shows knew all the lyerics to the new songs .... because they downloaded the album last month).

I'm not even sure what the name of the one song I like is. It's kinda slow and has a bit of a different sound to it than the rest of the album. I think there's some different intruments if memory serves. I'd have to listen to it again, and I really don't want to waste my time doing that. But I might just so I can post the song title.

VoodooLounge13 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm not even sure what the name of the one song I
> like is. It's kinda slow and has a bit of a
> different sound to it than the rest of the album.
> I think there's some different intruments if
> memory serves. I'd have to listen to it again,
> and I really don't want to waste my time doing
> that. But I might just so I can post the song
> title.

It's either Magic or Devil's Arcade.

I hate to admit this, but all these discussions of Magic have had me playing the album quite regularly, and I'm .... wait for it ... STARTING TO LIKE IT.

Ok, there are two turds on there - Livin' in the Future is rubbish because it's a rewrite of 10th Avenue Freeze Out and I'll Work For Your Love is plain dull. But i'm really starting to hear all sorts of interesting there - like The Beach Boys harmonies on Your Own Worst Enemy.

I don't think I'll be playin it that much Nikolai. Much like Devils, it'll sit on the shelf just as a completist to the collection. I will spin it tonight so I know the song for tomorrow.

I did mean to comment on the Stones too though, as I believe they played 4 off of ABB at some shows, don't think they ever played 5 though, but I could be mistaken. Opening night at Fenway was RJ, ONNYA, BOMH, & Infamy if I recall.

Nikolai Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> (LOL - someone on commented on how most of
> the crowd at the Convention Hall rehearsal shows
> knew all the lyerics to the new songs .... because
> they downloaded the album last month).

...obviously!!!

Auction at Boss's tix, at the moment... Globen Dec 10 for 4 100 SEK
[www.tradera.com]

BluzDude Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Well, I saw the Stones play 5 song from ABB (Back
> of My hand was the highlight), granted not all in
> one show, but yes, I would have loved to have
> heard a lot more of the early Stones - BB and B4.

Oops, I made a mistake, I actually have seen them play 7 songs from ABB, I forgot about Keith. And these songs of course were spread over the tour (2005-2007) and not at one show.