DOWN IN LUCKY TOWN (Lucky Town - Bruce Springsteen)

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Product:	Lucky Town - Bruce Springsteen
Date:	22/02/03 (21 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Original, Good songs, No E Street Band

Disadvantages: No E Street Band

Finding myself on Oxford Street (biggest shopping street in London) one Saturday I decided to pop into HMV. The plan was to just quickly spend my crisp £5 gift voucher and then be on my way to satisfy my hunger at that filthy but cheap and delicious kebab shop?Of course things didn?t go to plan and they never do when I go past HMV. It?s such a huge shop you can?t help but spend ages looking at all the various videos, DVD?s and CD?s.

Being broke all I ended up buying was Bruce Springsteen?s Lucky Town album. My gift voucher covered it and left me with a penny change to donate to the ?homeless? Romanian asylum seeker outside. (Well I am broke so I couldn?t give any more?)

I?m quite a big fan of Springsteen which is pretty unusual for someone my age but I think his music is great and he has to be one of the greatest rock artists ever. Before buying this album I hadn?t heard any of the tracks on it. All I knew was that it was released at the same time as Springsteen?s Human Touch album.

Lucky Town was Springsteen?s next album after Tunnel of Love, Springsteen?s fans waited 5 years for a new album after Tunnel of Love and then 2 albums came along at once. (Sounds rather like the 74 bus but that?s another opinion ? see opinions on London Transport?)

Springsteen?s double album release was a success with the albums selling well both in America and in Europe. Tours continued to sell out. Of course the boss never matched the success of Born in the USA which sold over 18 million copies but that achievement will probably be never matched again.

I don?t have Human Touch the other album in the boss?s double release so can?t compare the two albums but I will give a song-by-song review of Lucky Town:

~BETTER DAYS~

Better Days is a great opening song ? upbeat and loud. Though the lack of the E Street Band is noticeable and solo Springsteen sounds different to when he?s with the E Street Band. More emotional and mature
maybe?Certainly a great song though.
?These are better days baby
These are better days it?s true
These are better days
Better Days are shining through?

~LUCKY TOWN~

A very interesting song, somewhat hypnotic. A good chorus, the title track is definitely one of the best songs on the album.
?I?m going down to Lucky Town
Down to Lucky Town
I?m gonna lose these blues I?ve found
Down in Lucky Town?

~LOCAL HERO~

Very catchy song, there?s probably an autobiographical element to this song. Springsteen describes returning to his hometown. A light-hearted look at Springsteen?s celebrity status. Also features a harmonica, gives the song a really nice sound.
?Local hero local hero she said with a smile
Local hero he used to live here for a while?

~IF I SHOULD FALL BEHIND~

This is a far quieter song than the others on the album, unlike the rest of the songs which seem to fit into a ?soft rock? genre If I should fall behind is more intimate and reflective. It could quite easily fit onto Springsteen?s Tunnel of Love album. A superb song, a touching love song. On Virgin Radio it was recently voted one of the three best Springsteen tracks.
?Darlin I?ll wait for you
Should I fall behind
Wait for me?

~LEAP OF FAITH~

After the softness of If I should fall behind Leap of Faith returns to the soft rock sound of the album. Strong chorus and upbeat lyrics.
?It takes a leap of faith to get things going
It takes a leap of faith you gotta show some guts
It takes a leap of faith to get things going
In your heart you must trust?

~THE BIG MUDDY~

There is definitely a blues sound to this track, it has a similar sound to some of the songs on the boss?s Nebraska album. It?s a pretty good bluesy rock song, not my favourite song on the album but still pretty good.
?Waist deep in the big muddy
You start out standing but end up crawlin? <
br>
~LIVING PROOF~

After the slower bluesy rock of Big Muddy Springsteen returns to the overall soft rock feel to Lucky Town. Buoyant and upbeat sounding but the lyrics are quite deep.
?It?s been a long long drought baby
Tonight the rain?s pourin down on our roof
Looking for a little bit of God?s mercy
I found living proof?

~BOOK OF DREAMS~

Reflective and emotional Book of Dreams expresses happiness in its lyrics. It?s about weddings and family but Springsteen refrains from indulging in corny soppiness that we hear so often in pop music where love is concerned.

~SOULS OF THE DEPARTED~

Inspired by the Gulf War Souls of the Departed is Springsteen?s song of the event. Its not like Born in the USA, a loud and angry protest song but is much more of a reflection.

~MY BEAUTIFUL REWARD~

My Beautiful Reward is a chilled out ballad, it has a country style to it which seems to work pretty well. The lyrics are deep and meaningful though and the song is similar to some of the material on the boss?s Nebraska album. The song presents a vision of someone stalking an empty mansion. The lyrics are quite bleak and dark but the song has a nice relaxing sound.

Overall Lucky Town is a great album, there isn?t a bad track on the album. Its very easy to listen to. It wasn?t a breakthrough album for Springsteen but from it you can tell he has grown up from the loud rock and roll days of Born to Run. Well worth the fiver I paid for it.

The absence of the E Street Band is perhaps an advantage as well as a disadvantage. As a solo album its much more intimate and personal. It?s an album of Bruce Springsteen and his thoughts and reflections. If the E Street Band were present maybe Springsteen?s message wouldn?t have got across as clear. The absence of the E Street Band also means the album is a lot less quieter and doesn?t have the rock and roll sound that made the boss famous. Whether that?s an
advantage or disadvantage all depends on personal taste?It?s worth noting though that Springsteen?s latest studio album ? The Rising produced in 2002 was made with the E Street Band.

Thanks for reading

All quoted lyrics © 1992 Bruce Springsteen.
(Published on DOOYOO, CIAO AND U-RATE-IT)

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