New Album: When I saw that Bruce Springsteen was releasing a new album, it felt like Christmas all over again. I’m a huge fan of his work, and given the death of his saxophonist Clarence “The Big Man” Clemons in 2011 and of his organist Danny Federici in 2008, I was anxious to see how his shoes would be filled on the new album. One could say I had High Hopes, which coincidentally is the name of the album. However, this album leaves me conflicted, because if it was anyone else I would think it’s a pretty rad musical endeavor; but because I know Springsteen’s capabilities, it pales in comparison to his earlier work.
The eponymous leadoff single to this album features Rage Against The Machine’s Tom Morello, and it’s a perfectly solid rock song, but has none of the quintessential edge he had on Born To Run and Darkness on the Edge of Town. The songs that even attempt reaching it are “Just Like Fire Would” and “The Ghost of Tom Joad,” and “American Skin” and “The Wall” make a concerted effort to pull off the Dylan-style balladry he carried out in his earlier years, but above all it just kind of sounds mailed in, because I know that he can do better. The Springsteen tropes such as wanting to get out of Jersey but never truly leaving, among others, are there for a good chunk of the record. However, if this were an album by anyone else, it would probably sit a lot better in my ears. So check it out if you enjoy Springsteen, and form your own opinion about it, or if you just want to hear a pretty solid rock album.
What I’ve Been Listening To:
1. One of the albums I checked out over break was Badfinger’s No Dice. This 1971 album contains the hits “No Matter What,” which is the perfect mix of a pop song and a classic rock song, and the original version of “Without You,” which was later made famous by Mariah Carey and Harry Nilsson. If you like the Beatles but also dig heavier stuff, this is a perfect middle ground.
2. In a similar vein and in light of their recent reunion, I also checked out The Replacements’ 1990 album Don’t Tell A Soul, which was their final album before they broke up. The songs draw heavily from power-pop like Badfinger, but also retain a punk edge through singer Paul Westerberg’s songwriting, though it’s not as evident as on their prior records. Songs like “I’ll Be You,” “Achin’ to Be,” and “Talent Show” serve up a lot of melody and tight songcraft for a writer who sang on their first album “I hate music, it’s got too many notes.”
3. The third is a track from one of our own UMass students which I’ve been listening to a lot because it’s just phenomenal. “The Hitchhiker” by Sarah Addi is a relaxed indie-folk tune in which she envelops you in her gorgeous voice, underpinned by fellow UMass student Mitch Bordage’s supple guitar lines. Take a listen and try to catch them when she has her next show, you won’t regret it.
Shows in the Area:
1. Gossip Girl actress Taylor Momsen and her band The Pretty Reckless will be playing at the Worcester Palladium on February 8. Tickets are $20 and the doors open at 4. Make sure to check out the opening band Blackwell, a group out of Holliston, MA that has a sound well beyond its years and always puts on a good show. It’s a bit of a hike, but the show will be well worth it.
2. UMass AMP is holding a concert at Earthfoods on February 13 at 7pm. Come check out what your fellow students are up to musically, and see the aforementioned Sarah Addi and Mitch Bordage, and Watt’s Closet, who you might have already heard if you’re anywhere near Herter Hall at night. It’s free and you’ll make a lot of your fellow students happy, so definitely come.
3. For those of you who dig more acoustic stuff, Old Crow Medicine Show is coming to the Iron Horse on March 5. The Americana/folk sound these guys play is pretty rad, and come see for yourself that they’re far more than just “Wagon Wheel.”