Bruce Springsteen
Nebraska
Play Nebraska
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AMG Review of Nebraska
William Ruhlmann
All Music GuideThere is an adage in the record business that a recording artist's demos of new songs often come off better than the more polished versions later worked up in a studio. But Bruce Springsteen was the first person to act on that theory, when he opted to release the demo versions of his latest songs, recorded with only acoustic or electric guitar, harmonica, and vocals, as his sixth album, Nebraska. It was really the content that dictated the approach, however. Nebraska's ten songs marked a departure for Springsteen, even as they took him farther down a road he had been traveling previously. Gradually, his songs had become darker and more pessimistic, and those on Nebraska marked a new low. They also found him branching out into better developed stories. The title track was a first-person account of the killing spree of mass murderer Charlie Starkweather. (It can't have been coincidental that the same story was told in director Terrence Malick's 1973 film Badlands, also used as a Springsteen song title.) That song set the tone for a series of portraits of small-time criminals, desperate people, and those who loved them. Just as the recordings were unpolished, the songs themselves didn't seem quite finished; sometimes the same line turned up in two songs. But that only served to unify the album. Within the difficult times, however, there was hope, especially as the album went on. "Open All Night" was a Chuck Berry-style rocker, and the album closed with "Reason to Believe," a song whose hard-luck verses were belied by the chorus -- even if the singer couldn't understand what it was, "people find some reason to believe." Still, Nebraska was one of the most challenging albums ever released by a major star on a major record label.
Criminal Records
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Track:Atlantic City [4:00]
Welcome to "Criminal Records", where the Girlfriend and I yap about songs featuring criminal activity. First up is Bruce Springsteen's Atlantic City - a haunting, atmospheric piece of music about legging it from gangsters.[After listening to Atlantic City]Colin: What did you think of that song?The Girlfriend: Bleak. But it had a lot of hope. He was saying nothing is going right, we have all thi...
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I hope i'm not the only one celebrating
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I'd like to wish all my fellow MOG-meisters a happy 24th anniversary of Springsteen's "Nebraska" because every anniversary is an important one.
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Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen
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Recently Bob Dylan made comments about how the quality of music has gone to shit over the past few years. Not necessarily the songwriting, but how it is actually recorded. You know, pro tools and all that crap. Well I have currently been addicted to Nebraska by The Boss. In particular "Highway Patrolman". I don't think people write songs like this anymore. There aren't lyrics written like...
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Criminal Records
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Artist:
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Track:Atlantic City [4:00]
Welcome to "Criminal Records", where the Girlfriend and I yap about songs featuring criminal activity. First up is Bruce Springsteen's Atlantic City - a haunting, atmospheric piece of music about legging it from gangsters.[After listening to Atlantic City]Colin: What did you think of that song?The Girlfriend: Bleak. But it had a lot of hope. He was saying nothing is going right, we have all thi...
More >
I hope i'm not the only one celebrating
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Artist:
-
Album:
I'd like to wish all my fellow MOG-meisters a happy 24th anniversary of Springsteen's "Nebraska" because every anniversary is an important one.
More >
Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen
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Artist:
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Album:
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Track:
Recently Bob Dylan made comments about how the quality of music has gone to shit over the past few years. Not necessarily the songwriting, but how it is actually recorded. You know, pro tools and all that crap. Well I have currently been addicted to Nebraska by The Boss. In particular "Highway Patrolman". I don't think people write songs like this anymore. There aren't lyrics written like...
More >
english, motherfucker! do you speak it?
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one of the greatest songs ever… well, this is it folks. the last post from the comfy confides of my douglasville, ga abode. while it hasn't been my ideal place of residence, it has served its purpose for 4 years. interestingly enough, i will kind of miss it's serene yet boring setting. thanks bro! we shall [...]
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 "Nebraska")
