Viva Lì

This time Grasshopper you haven't overdone the rating (heaven forbid you gave it a 5!). And, for once, (though it's happened a few times before), I agree word for word with what you wrote in the review. What a relief! And well done Bruce. Marco Poletti Dixit.

At the peak of his success, Springsteen steps away from rock and takes a moment for reflection. He picks up the guitar and harmonica, dabbles in folk, and records a series of nostalgic and timeless ballads (the one mentioned in the review is, indeed, the most beautiful). He draws inspiration from Woody Guthrie and openly references Bob Dylan. Yes, we are indeed flirting with copyright infringement, but between Dylan and this Springsteen, frankly, I wouldn’t know whom to choose. Marco Poletti Dixit.

Dear Fyguns, this review is what it is (that is, worth little), but I share some of the things you say. Bruce is always brilliant, but every now and then (just every now and then, not always) he loses his way a bit. Well, here he lost it. However, the album still deserves a solid 3. And if everyone who loses their way made albums that scored a 3, DeBaser could close shop and pack up. Marco Poletti Dixit.

Him, the band, the music, the rock: just like the good old days. They have aged but are not tamed, they heat up the crowd, they stir up the arenas. It’s a pleasure to see them play, it’s truly a great pleasure. And even hearing them this time has a nice effect. Marco Poletti Dixit.

Nice album, but normal. From Bruce, one should expect much more. Let's be clear, it's not a complete disaster, but it almost feels like a bad copy of the Boss's first album (which wasn't that great to begin with). Well, a misstep here and there, we can forgive him. Marco Poletti Dixit.

Folk rock hewn with an axe. Critics like it (far less so the public), it invents beautiful melodies, many songs are nice, but it seems excessively controlled and censored. As a debut, it's passable, but judging the importance and greatness of some of his albums, one would be astonished and left dumbfounded after listening to this little disk that's neither fish nor flesh. Marco Poletti Dixit.

The America that Bruce talks about is terrifying, but it's the real one: it's the ordinary man who makes the States great, the one who gets up at six in the morning and works until the sound of the siren ("Factory"), and knows that his life cannot rise up or even be glorified. Besides these semi-political considerations, Bruce blends successful folk-country accents into his rock. And he creates, as if it were a miracle, a second masterpiece after the monumental "Born to Run." And that's not something everyone (every day) can do. Marco Poletti Dixit.

Luxury box set, there's no denying that. Yet at the time, it didn't sell very well. Why? Simply put: reproducing the emotions and feelings that Bruce offers you during a concert in audio format (be it CD, LP, vinyl, cassette) is nearly impossible. So, it's perfectly fine to buy the box set to bask in it during the less beautiful moments of your life, but even offering us 3 CDs of emotions feels a bit shameless and forced. Anyway, great songs. Marco Poletti Dixit.

Well, what can I say? The De-Recensore has excellently explained the almost epoch-making greatness of this pure masterpiece that is, without a doubt and with no exaggeration, the greatest rock album of the entire Seventies. Essential. Clear? Marco Poletti Dixit.

Less beautiful than "Born to Run" (and that's understandable), but far superior, for example, to "Lucky Town" (1992). Springsteen tells the stories of a destroyed and humiliating America, one that invites you to pick up a rifle and then, ruthlessly, brutally dumps you in the middle of a street. Great personality and great rock rhythm. No track can be considered minor, yet at times it seems that Springsteen didn’t really know what artistic direction he wanted to give the entire album. But it’s only a matter of seconds before you are automatically captivated and swept away into the vortex of organized disorientation (beautiful, besides "Born in the USA", also "Glory Days" and "I'm on Fire"). "Bobby Jean" is spine-chilling. Rating this record a 3 is a bit ridiculous, and it’s clear that the reviewer tried in every way to show that he is musically knowledgeable (but he isn’t) and grossly alternative. Marco Poletti Dixit.