tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9991864.post6842068464452612833..comments2023-08-10T05:24:20.775-04:00Comments on Razing the Bar: Old Fart Roundup: Van Explodes, Broooce ImplodesAndy Whitmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04010130934552315074noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9991864.post-32928511053302540992009-01-25T15:54:00.000-05:002009-01-25T15:54:00.000-05:00yes, I believe I read the wrong originally, so I d...yes, I believe I read the wrong originally, so I do stand corrected. Working on a Dream will be sold in various locations, the Greatest Hits will be a Wal-Mart exclusive...though I don't really understand the need for any Wal-Mart exclusive. And while I also agree that The Wrestler is one of the better tracks on the album, I don't think it necessarily goes that well with the film, after watching it yesterday, though the verdict isn't final on that. Nonetheless, its a really great movie that I would encourage people to see. Mickey Rourke is nothing short of amazing.anchorshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11234614641345390208noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9991864.post-65406768119975618082009-01-25T14:53:00.000-05:002009-01-25T14:53:00.000-05:00Andy, I just finished the Jeffrey Symynkywicz "Gos...Andy, I just finished the Jeffrey Symynkywicz "Gospel According to..." book about Springsteen and wish that you were still going to be able to publish your own; Rev. Symynkywicz doesn't offer much food for thought.<BR/><BR/>There is a lot of dross in this record, but I (like you) liked "The Wrestler" and I also liked "What Love Can Do" and "Good Eye." Maybe every now and again he just has to get the cheese out of his system (<I>Lucky Town</I>, f'r instance).<BR/><BR/>I believe <I>Working on a Dream</I> will be sold in several locations. There is a new <I>Greatest Hits</I> package, which has only three songs that weren't on the 1995 <I>Greatest Hits</I> and has no previously unreleased material, which <I>is</I> a Wal-Mart exclusive.Friarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04465717054328033709noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9991864.post-10666910463693655912009-01-22T19:32:00.000-05:002009-01-22T19:32:00.000-05:00Born to Run it is, then! Thanks for the recommend...<I>Born to Run</I> it is, then! Thanks for the recommendation.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9991864.post-47279588875879473092009-01-22T18:33:00.000-05:002009-01-22T18:33:00.000-05:00Craig, almost all of Springsteen's albums contain ...Craig, almost all of Springsteen's albums contain "story songs." For the most part, he writes from the perspective of other characters, and it's usually a mistake to hear "I" as a reference to "Bruce Springsteen." <BR/><BR/>Great story songs? Try the whole "Born to Run" album. Or the title track from "Born in the U.S.A.," since Bruce, I'm fairly certain, is not a Vietnam War veteran. <BR/><BR/>Springsteen has moved from a flowery, poetic, and highly romantic songwriter ("Greetings From Asbury Park," "The Wild, the Innocent, and the E Street Shuffle," "Born to Run") to a much more plainspoken "poet of the people." He's usually great in both modes, but I particularly have a soft spot for his first three albums, mentioned above. In fact, since "Born to Run" doesn't appear to be a part of your Springsteen experience, I cannot recommend strongly enough that you pick up that album. It's dangerous to make "Favorite Album of All Time" proclamations, but I'll just say that that one is certainly in the running.Andy Whitmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04010130934552315074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9991864.post-40767586199529972212009-01-22T09:32:00.000-05:002009-01-22T09:32:00.000-05:00Bill, the new Van album will be released February ...Bill, the new Van album will be released February 10th. It's on EMI Records.Andy Whitmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04010130934552315074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9991864.post-30429506931641510492009-01-22T09:25:00.000-05:002009-01-22T09:25:00.000-05:00I liked everything Bruce did up through Born in th...I liked everything Bruce did up through Born in the USA, and was disappointed by nearly everything he did afterwards, so I'm not surprised. The old comparisons to Dylan are now laughable, given the creativity that Dylan continues to exhibit at an age when most folks are retired.<BR/><BR/>When will the Van Morrison album be released?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9991864.post-18529636638853477602009-01-21T15:07:00.000-05:002009-01-21T15:07:00.000-05:00Andy - I'm certainly not un-biased when it comes t...Andy - I'm certainly not un-biased when it comes to Springsteen and I know you're generally a fan too. I think WOAD is a love letter to a new era as well as the 60's. There are a couple of duds ("Queen of the Supermarket" and it's awful lyrical conceit comes to mind) but on the whole I really like this record... even a bit more than Magic.<BR/><BR/>Your review threw me for a loop - but that's why certain notes and lyrics strung together appeal to one listener and cause another to shriek disapproval.<BR/><BR/>And I doubt if many songs this year will eclipse the buzz I get from "Surprise Surprise". Great song.Trip McClatchyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10915624243906432064noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9991864.post-12133403658066543302009-01-21T14:58:00.000-05:002009-01-21T14:58:00.000-05:00Hmm...maybe he found his girl at the Wal-Mart sinc...Hmm...maybe he found his girl at the Wal-Mart since he's only letting the album be sold (physically) at Wal-Mart (i think they are big on unions, lol). This sounded like such an obvious ham-fisted cash grab as soon as it was announced to be released just a week after the inauguration. And the repeating pimping of the mediocre-at-best title track hasn't helped.anchorshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11234614641345390208noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9991864.post-46425017592928854912009-01-21T14:50:00.000-05:002009-01-21T14:50:00.000-05:00that sucks about the boss. i wonder if he's relea...that sucks about the boss. i wonder if he's releasing albums too frequently..?mghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03996456590209005630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9991864.post-67176306087730246162009-01-21T13:49:00.000-05:002009-01-21T13:49:00.000-05:00I can hardly contain my anticipation for the Van M...I can hardly contain my anticipation for the Van Morrison album. I'm so happy to hear that it has turned out well.<BR/><BR/>As for Broooce, well, I didn't particularly care for <I>Magic</I>, so I don't expect I'll trouble myself with the new one.<BR/><BR/>Here's a question for you: For somebody who is interested in exploring Brooooce's music, which albums would you most recommend? I am fond of "story songs", and I've long admired <I>Nebraska</I> and <I>Tom Joad</I> for their excellence in that department, but I really don't know much about the rest of his catalogue. Maybe this would be a good topic for a post one day. I know you've been thinking a lot about Broooce lately.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com