Bruce Springsteen - The Seeger Sessions

The rest of the album was like the beginning of it. Some songs are better than others, but all in all it is a good, fun album, though very unlike the Boss's other work. It should be interesting to hear peoples' reaction to the album. My two oldest kids, who enjoy Bruce's "rock" work, don't care for it too much. Perhaps because I was expected a more somber effort I am pleasantly surprised. Anyway, this is an album that's worth checking out, even if you're not a Springsteen nut like me.

Mike

Happened to hear some of it by chance on the radio the other night. They were playing it on the folk music show. Didn't sound much to me like Springsteen - hey I'm not an expert but I always liked Max on the Conan O'Brien show - but it did sound a lot better than the other twee stuff they were playing

Thanks for the review Naimed-In-NY. I was thinking about getting this album but was not sure. Having read your review I think I will hang on for a bit and try and listen to some of it first.

However, in the meantime on the strength of my enjoyment of Nebraska I have just ordered a copy of Ghost of Tom Joad.

Can't wait for it to arrive.

Cheers

worm

it is - essentially - not a bruce springsteen album.

i am defending springsteen whenever necessary and am willing to admit that this is well played and so forth.

but it is clearly something very special only people will like who have a taste for countrymusic. beware, this is nothing like nebraska.

Sorry I disagree there. What I heard is definitely not country music. It's folk music, no yee-has, dogs dying or pick-up trucks being stolen

I hear something Irish music in it. So, for me is it is more folk than country.

And yes, don't be mistaken, Nebraska is a complete different album.

quote:

Originally posted by worm:
Thanks for the review Naimed-In-NY. I was thinking about getting this album but was not sure. Having read your review I think I will hang on for a bit and try and listen to some of it first.

However, in the meantime on the strength of my enjoyment of Nebraska I have just ordered a copy of Ghost of Tom Joad.

Can't wait for it to arrive.

Cheers

worm

Worm - I hope you enjoy TGOTJ. I'm a huge Springsteen fan, but I have a tough type warming up to this album. There is some very good song-writing, but it definitely has a different feel than Nebraska. Tough to explain. Nebraska, to me, is more of a rough, acoustic rock album, while TGOTJ has more of a very sparse, somber, folk album (which should not be confused with The Seeger Sessions, which, while also a folk album, sounds nothing at all like TGOTJ). TGOTJ is not too much more than vocals and a guitar, with very little other instrumentation, whereas The Seeger Sessions has a big band w/ lots of instruments. I'm enjoying The Seeger Sessions much more than I ever enjoyed TGOTJ but, of course, everyone's tastes are different (and I wouldn't have it any other way).

Mike

Chance to win tickets to see the Boss at an intimate gig in London, care of the BBC..................................

click here

Mike- I saw Springsteen last week in Asbury Park. Here is an email that I had sent out to friends. Springsteen was at times Dylanesque

I trekked down to Asbury Park last night to see the rehearsal show for Springsteen's Seeger Sessions Tour. This show is not to be missed. Shed any thoughts of tuneless, serious acoustic numbers, this is probably the most musical and inspired thing he's done in years. 18 musicians on stage, full horn section, fiddles, back-up singers, banjo, steel guitar, dulcimer, etc. The songs are timeless and timely, mostly seeger associated songs but a few bruce originals thrown in in a revamped style ----johnny 99, if I should fall behind, Cadillac ranch, you can look….This is really a New Orleans show --- not in a Dixieland way at all -- but in the eclectic mix of music that one associates with New Orleans. And its pretty clear that Bruce is tying these classic Seeger songs with a New Orleans sound to connect the themes of Seeger music with recent New Orleans events. Its very inspired and smart. More important, from a performance perspective, it is a complete blast. Bruce is loose, in great shape and having a ball. He doesn’t feel like he has to slow it down to get a message across, isn't trying out newly written songs….probably the loosest Bruce show I've seen since the Carter administration. Don’t miss it and sit as close as you can to the stage.

Phil

Phil - Sounds great. I've also heard very positive feedback from a friend of mine who caught one of the rehearsal shows. I'm planning on catching him when he plays upstate NY in June. The new album is a "fun" album, and I'm really looking forward to seeing him live again.

Mike

I've listened to it a dozen times in the past couple of days and think it's the best thing he's done in many a year. Some songs I recognise from my days in the school folk club, some from my occasional brushes with the church. I just love the sound of that fiddle and when the accordion, banjo etc come in it's just overwhelming. In fact why am I sitting here when I could be hearing it one more time before off to bed.

My best album of the year so far. By far.

...and only £8.75 including the DVD from CDwow

Jonathan

quote:

Sorry I disagree there. What I heard is definitely not country music. It's folk music, no yee-has, dogs dying or pick-up trucks being stolen

LOL! love that definition of country music

I just ordered the CD after listening to Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street band 1975-1985 the 3 CD set driving from Zurich to Tuscany - great music for long motorway driving alone.

Still want to buy a copy of the 1975-1985 on CD but not so easy to find now.

I thought dogs dying was the blues

quote:

Originally posted by JasonRStone:

quote:

Sorry I disagree there. What I heard is definitely not country music. It's folk music, no yee-has, dogs dying or pick-up trucks being stolen

LOL! love that definition of country music

I just ordered the CD after listening to Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street band 1975-1985 the 3 CD set driving from Zurich to Tuscany - great music for long motorway driving alone.

Still want to buy a copy of the 1975-1985 on CD but not so easy to find now.

From my favourite supplier Jason


Order here, free post
Diccus

Definitely different to anything else he has ever done - yes folk music, with a lot of country feeling as well.
Probably rate the album at 4/10. No regrets buying it tho.

Pete

quote:

Originally posted by Diccus62:

quote:

Originally posted by JasonRStone:
LOL! love that definition of country music

I just ordered the CD after listening to Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street band 1975-1985 the 3 CD set driving from Zurich to Tuscany - great music for long motorway driving alone.

Still want to buy a copy of the 1975-1985 on CD but not so easy to find now.

From my favourite supplier Jason


Order here, free post
Diccus

Thanks! I know play.com but hadn't checked there yet...

Just put an order in now

quote:

Originally posted by AlanM:
I thought dogs dying was the blues

Isn't the blues more about girlfriends dying?

There was a really funny movie on the 60s folk tradition a couple years ago. A Hard Wind? something like that. Very funny and all the songs made for it were spot on. boy do i remember that era well. I think Bob Denver put the last nail in the coffin with sugar on it.

glenn

quote:

Originally posted by Wolf:
There was a really funny movie on the 60s folk tradition a couple years ago. A Hard Wind? something like that. Very funny and all the songs made for it were spot on. boy do i remember that era well. I think Bob Denver put the last nail in the coffin with sugar on it.

glenn

Bob Denver? The star of Gilligan's Island? And I only know that courtesy of Google. You'll have to explain that one. Sorry if I'm being obtuse.

I haven't managed to hear the album / cd yet but I enjoyed a fantastic surprise this evening when a friend called to ask if I'd care to see Bruce playing at the Hammersmith Apollo (London). Took me a nano second to consider!

What a great night out - despite not having heard the album Bruce Springsteen is one of those very rare artists who manages to gel together a group of musicians (in this case 17 plus himself) and then reach out and grab hold of each and every member of the audience. It's irresistable!

I wondered if they were using cold Naim amps - the sound quality was awful at the start but after 15 or 20 minutes each one of the many instruments shone through and burnt away the hazy blur of sound.

Cadillac Ranch was played and a track from the Nebraska album was played - so maybe Bruce and the band see a link there after all.

Whatever your musical tastes, if you are able to catch Bruce on this tour there is something great there for all to enjoy.

A bit late, but I'll be checking out the album any time soon!

Peter

Sorry TomK, I was wrong, it was John Denver,(blame it on a brain fart) the folkie that turned pop balladeer. He was so big when I was in college in 70's Colorado with songs like Annie's Song and Rocky Mtn High. I was ready to puke they were so awful and played allllllll the time.

the film I've also remembered was "A Mighty Wind " with Christopher Guest director. It's just too funny send up of that era. He also did Best in Show about dog shows and their really weird owners and Waiting for Guffman.

sorry i shold have done my research before i wrote.

Springsteen's Seeger Sessions Tour is getting really great reviews, especially down in New Orleans Music Festival last week. speaking of which Bruce just came on the radio with Glory Days.

Wolf,
I knew who you meant. I was just being a little mischievous.

Had this album for a few days now. Fantastic. I love it more every listen.

Jonathan

I'm a Springsteen fan of 20+ gigs, most of them in the 80's (13 in one tour). In the last 5 or so years I really havent bothered with him and have turned down offers to go and see him. This time I had a chance to see him in Manchester with a good friend and turned it down because my wife was off to see 'Grumpy Old Women' in Newcastle and we have little ones that need at least one parent. Anyway he saw the Manchester show, loved it and got a Hammersmith standing ticket and again was great. It was only when I heard Chris Evans play a track recorded the night before at the intimate London gig in a church that the hairs on the back of my neck raised....................... Damn, I should have gone, but my wife loved grumpy old women and she deserved a night out more than me.

We shall overcome

The concert is on BBC Radio 2 on Saturday night. For more details click the link

Bruce, sold on song

Diccus