Bruce Springsteen The River on 180g 2LP  

The story of Bruce Springsteen has long been etched into the firmament of rock and roll. To some, he is the poet of the Jersey shore who wrote complex characters that appealed to the young and the hopeful across the nation (and later, the world). To others, he’s a studio perfectionist who tinkered with Dylanesque folk, deep-rooted, intellectually and politically astute rock and soul, and a sense of production grandeur to rival Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound.

 

Some laud him as a brilliant bandleader, turning the sprawling E Street Band (including the outsized musical personalities of guitarist Steven Van Zandt, bassist Garry Tallent, drummer Max Weinberg, keyboardists Roy Bittan and Danny Federici and the Big Man himself, saxophonist Clarence Clemons) into one of the tightest ensembles in rock and roll history, and a recent inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s sidemen category. Still others find him a brilliant if reluctant pop star crafting taut, heavy-hitters tailor-made for FM radio - including “Rosalita (Come Out Tonight),” “Born To Run,” “Hungry Heart,” “Dancing In The Dark,” “Born In The U.S.A.,” “Glory Days” and more.

The Boss’ fifth album was an ambitious summary of his greatest musical strengths to that point, sprawling over the length of two LPs. Split evenly between huge house-party numbers (and a wealth of live staples) and darker, real-world tales in the vein of the title track, The River represented a Springsteen out to explore the emerging dualities of his music. It continued the themes of deep introspection and reflection on difficult times in the United States previously explored on Darkness (“The Ties That Bind,” “Independence Day”) but also showcased some of his most exuberant songs, such as the Top 5 single “Hungry Heart” and the upbeat tracks “Ramrod” and “Cadillac Ranch.”

Mastered from the original analogue masters by acclaimed engineer Bob Ludwig, working under the personal supervision of Springsteen and longtime engineer Toby Scott. Using the Plangent Process playback system, noted for its ability to correct pitch errors and other distortions in the magnetic tape, this is, hands down, the most detailed take on this Springsteen classic anywhere!

LP1

1.  The Ties That Bind

2.  Sherry Darling

3.  Jackson Cage

4.  Two Hearts

5.  Independence Day

6.  Hungry Heart

7.  Out In The Street

8.  Crush On You

9.  You Can Look (But You Better Not Touch)

10. I Wanna Marry You

11. The River

LP2

1.  Point Blank

2.  Cadillac Ranch

3.  I'm A Rocker

4.  Fade Away

5.  Stolen Car

6.  Ramrod

7.  The Price You Pay

8.  Drive All Night

9.  Wreck On The Highway