Bruce Springsteen
We Shall Overcome - The Seeger Sessions

THE REVIEW

Folk, Folk, and More Folk.

The Boss's twenty-first album opens with a Banjo that conjures up images of a saloon from the American Wild West, reminiscent of Leone's films. "Old Man Tucker." The atmosphere is festive, unlike the last "Devils And Dust," and it permeates all the tracks of this latest move by Bruce Springsteen.

"We Shall Overcome - The Seeger Sessions" aims to be a tribute to the musician and traditional American music. Although this time the "E-Street Band" was left behind, the musicians are top-notch, like Mark Clifford on the banjo and violinist Sam Barfeld. Listening to all the songs flows by with pleasure, but the most beautiful tracks remain four: "Mrs. McGrath", a ballad in full style that fits well with the rest of the album; "Erie Canal", with brass that accompanies the entire piece, which takes on a more distinctive, slower, more dramatic rhythm. In "Eyes On The Prize", the voice is in the foreground compared to the music, like in the old days. But the most successful piece is the Title Track "We Shall Overcome", perfect even if it were included in a production full of new releases from the New Jersey rocker.

The Boss is a giant of music taking on this genre, and a comparison must be made with what was considered the greatest folk musician not only of the States: Robert Zimmermann from Duluth, better known as Bob Dylan. But the comparison doesn't hold: Dylan made folk history with his poetic lyrics and music.
This album will surely appeal to fans of the genre because it revives characteristic tracks, sung by one of the greatest American rockers, also unintentionally giving great publicity to this LP.