Bruce Springsteen refuses to quit. Throughout his career, he’s painted the landscape of the “behind the scenes” America, that of the blue-collar factory workers, the catalyst that lets the dudes in the skyscrapers keep rolling in benjamins. Or that of the country drowning in debt, hiding to the rest of the world behind silver screens everywhere. As The Boss has put it, he’s spent a life “…judging the distance between American reality and the American dream.”
On the eleven tracks that make Wrecking Ball, Springsteen hasn’t sounded this passionate and laced with fury in recent years. You’d think that with a seemingly sane man in charge of the White House and impressive changes coming to America’s foreign policy that Springsteen would be able to relax a little. Yet he refuses to let the dust settle and continues to empower a critical eye, heard almost overwhelmingly on album opener We Take Care Of Our Own, a rousing public call to conscience with lyrics like “Where’s the promise from/Sea to shining sea” or “There ain’t no help/The cavalry stayed home.”
Of course, he gets personal, especially on the country-tinged Easy Money, with lyrics in a similar vein as his classic Atlantic City, or the near six-minute title track. You can practically hear Springsteen’s eyes watering throughout the cinematic rise. What he’s always been a master of is painfully evident on Wrecking Ball. Springsteen may be telling a story in which he is the protagonist, but it’s one that millions others will have experienced in some manner.
Wrecking Ball becomes permanent in that respect. He tells the stories that need to be told. When people talk of grassroots movements, Wrecking Ball needs to be included as the soundtrack. To benefit the people, one must truly represent them, and The Boss has given the people he’s always aimed to represent something of a vote of confidence: he’s not going anywhere.
BY JOSHUA KLOKE
Best Track: Wrecking Ball
If You Like This, You’ll Like This: Keeping your fist in the air for an extended period of time
In A Word: Rousing
