Wrecking Ball - Bruce Springsteen

You've got to hand it to Bruce Springsteen. His music is still as relevant with album 17 as it was back in 1973. As you might imagine, expectations run pretty high with each release. Will the new record be with the band or solo; will he use his Seeger Sessions ensemble or will this be another pop-like record? These are the things we think about as we wait for the official release day.

After three albums showing off Springsteen's pop songwriting skills, I was caught off guard by the sounds coming from Wrecking Ball. Once I cleared my expectations out of the way and accepted the record on its own merits, I am happy to say that I love this record.

Springsteen’s writing is focused, with the songs fitting neatly into a story line that draws you in and keeps you listening all the way through. Admittedly, Working on a Dream and The Promise were not thematically knitted together, at least not lyrically. Many Springsteen fans look for that storyline in the Boss's albums. For me, I thought both of those albums worked thematically, but the theme was more musical than lyrical.

So, with Wrecking Ball's opener, “We Take Care of Our Own,” Springsteen asks the questions that set the tone for the rest of the songs, asking, “Where’re the hearts that run over with mercy?” “Where’s the work that’ll set my hands, my soul free?”

In “Jack of All Trades,” the answer to the last question is found in odd jobs, with people doing whatever it takes to get by. “Death to My Hometown” describes the quiet death that many towns have encountered over the last few years.

With the title song, the mood of the album shifts. The characters stand up after being knocked down and find the strength to keep on fighting. The song I can't quite get my head around is "You've Got It." As a transitional piece to the spiritual tone of the album's last three tunes, it serves a purpose, I guess. 

“Rocky Ground” and “Land of Hope and Dreams” remind us that faith can see us through the hard times, helping us stand up and fight for a good and righteous life. "Rocky Ground" was a favorite of mine from my first listen. It's the closest we get to Springsteen's melodic side. And, it features the first rap found in a Springsteen song (courtesy of Michelle Moore), which makes the song even more interesting and enjoyable to these ears.

"Land of  Hope and Dreams" was a staple of the Reunion tour, but on Wrecking Ball, it gets a sonic upgrade that drives home the message of faith that we all need to get through the tough times.

The album's closer is "We Are Alive," a tune that would fit neatly with the songs recorded with the Seeger Sessions Band. The song borrows a riff from Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire," and has Springsteen singing in the voices of the spirits that have died before us, but remain with us to help us fight to keep moving forward.

If you by the expanded version of Wrecking Ball, two additional tracks are included. "Swallowed Up (in the Belly of the Whale)" is the complete opposite of "We Are Alive." Dark and mournful, no one's spirit is rising up here. 

"American Land" is the second bonus track. I'm not sure we needed another version of this, but it does serve as a nice prequel to this album. 

Clearly, the death of Clarence Clemons left a hole in the sound of these songs. His solo from the live version of "Land of Hope and Dreams" was added to the version found on Wrecking Ball. 

It's easy to get caught up in comparing this work to previous albums. As I learned with this record, you've got to be able to listen to Springsteen's new music on its own merits. Sure, you'll hear elements of his earlier work within these songs, but Springsteen continues to move his music forward. What more could you ask for?