My Springsteen review

I write record reviews for Rock.com. Here is my take on the new Bruce Springsteen album.

Bruce Springsteen just won’t let up. Since the 2002 release of his post 9/11 album, The Rising¸ the Boss has put out five studio albums and an assorted lot of live CD’s and DVD’s. Oh, and there were the elaborate box sets celebrating Born to Run and Darkness on the Edge of Town, the numerous tours, and the occasional stump speech for presidential candidates. After being pretty much dormant throughout the 1990’s, Springsteen has taken it upon himself to become a spokesman for the nation, which is exactly what he’s doing again on his masterful new album, Wrecking Ball.

If you were a fan of Springsteen’s last effort, the optimistic pop album, Working on a Dream, you’ll probably be disappointed. Wrecking Ball is cut from the same cloth as 2008’s Magic and its predecessor, We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions, that furious collection of folk songs he put out in 2006. Those two albums found the artist looking at the state of America and reflecting on the sorry state we’ve found ourselves in. Somehow, he still found a way to instill hope in those albums, something he’s always had a knack for doing. Wrecking Ball may be his most pointed group of songs since 1982’s Nebraska. However, just as he’s did on Born in the USA, the Jersey born artist uses his pop music sensibilities to draw you in with stirring melodies and gutsy vocals. Throughout Wrecking Ball, he and his group of musicians (which include several of the E Street Band) deliver festive songs that will have his fans thrusting your fist in the air. It’s only when listeners dig into the lyrics that they’ll find themselves shaking in anger or close to tears. Such is the gift of this great American artist.

The album opens with the anthem, “We Take Care of Our Own” directed straight at Washington DC, scolding those that are supposed to be running out country, but instead seem to be running it into the ground. The statement has two meanings in the song. On one hand, he’s applauding people for helping one another; on the other hand he’s admonishing those politicians who’ve forgotten their role of looking out for the poor and middle class. From there, Bruce and company take us on journey through hard times. The protagonist of “Easy Money” (a descendant of the guy from “Atlantic City”) decides that if the bankers can be crooks, he’ll be one, too. The man in “Shackled and Drawn” is doing his best to rise above hardship. The poignant ballad, “Jack of All Trades,” shows us the new working class; a person who works whatever odd job comes his way, whatever it takes to survive. The opening cycle of songs ends with the pissed off protest song, “Death to My Hometown.” This one completes a triptych of songs that began with the classic single, “My Hometown,” was brought up again in 1996’s “Youngstown” (from The Ghost of Tom Joad) and now has the people of that hometown ready to take arms against the fat cats who walk free after feeding on the flesh of the regular folk who fell for predatory schemes and have suffered the most thanks to war and the rising cost of living.

From there, Wrecking Ball takes a turn, beginning with the title track. Originally written about the demise of Giants Stadium, Springsteen uses it as a metaphor for the state of our country. “Hold tight to your anger/And don’t fall to your fears,” he sings, practically begging his fans to keep looking for the sun coming over the horizon. “Rocky Ground” returns to the hip-hop textures that Springsteen explored in “Streets of Philadelphia,” for a gospel infused number about people coming together during hard times. Again, Springsteen is holding out for hope when he says, “There’s a new day coming.”

“Land of Hope and Dreams” is one of Springsteen’s best, and for longtime fans, most familiar anthems. He premiered the song in 1999 and showcased it during his reunion tour with the E Street Band (it was even released on two compilations). Used here, in a different arrangement that features a choir and some electronic beats, the song is the perfect number to bring the Wrecking Ball toward it’s resolution. In it Springsteen informs his audience that on the train he rides, the one called America, everyone is supposed to be welcome, everyone is supposed to be there for each other… to take care of their own. Winners, loser, bankers, whores, everyone. That’s the country he’s always believed in. It’s because he loves America and the idea of America so much that he’s willing to piss off others to speak out about what’s wrong with the nation now. “Land of Hope and Dreams” is also significant as the final appearances of Clarence Clemons on a Springsteen album. It’s a beautiful farewell to the Big Man.

The album’s coda is a dust bowl ballad, “We Are Alive,” that uses the trumpet melody from Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire.” Is this lift on purpose? Damn right it is. Who better to take the place of the man in black as the voice of the downtrodden than Springsteen? At 62, he continues to not only set an example for younger generations of rockers, but also lead the way for his contemporaries in quality and content. Some people may bitch that the album doesn’t sound like his older material, or that he shouldn’t be using samples or have attempted a short rap in the middle of “Rocky Ground.” I applaud him for continuously trying to expand his musical horizons. Wrecking Ball is a triumph in content and in the studio (the album was produced by Ron Aniello with Springsteen). More importantly, once Bruce and the E Street Band hit the road, the material should help make for some of his most memorable concerts.

Basement Songs book update- March

I'm happy to report that the first draft of the book is completed. From here I'm going to have some people read it and make sure there aren't an abundance of typos and then I hope to get it to a couple of critics for possible quotes. I'm also waiting to hear back from several of the artists I wrote about hoping they'll give me permission to use their lyrics.

If anyone has an in with Tom Waits or Bruce Springsteen let me know.

Robbie Robertson has already said "yes."

Basement Songs- The Book

Sorry it's been so long. We're still hanging in there for anyone who is wondering. We still have a long road ahead of us. In looking back on my brother-in-law's accomplishments, I was inspired by Seann's drive to get his art out to the world for his friend, family and fans to listen to and appreciate. Seann recorded music and sold it independently through a digital music service. I sort of took his ambition for granted until it was too damn late to tell him how much I admired his drive.

Well, now I'm drawing from Seann's life to try and get my act together. For two years I've been talking about compiling some of my favorite Basement Songs columns and self-publishing them as a book. After seeing the success that my good friend, Will Harris, had when he published a book of his own Popdose columns, I'm finally going to do the same.

Ever since we returned from Ohio, I've been editing the Basement Songs columns that I consider some of my best and/or my favorites to put in the book.

"But Scott, can't we just read your columns on the Internet? What's going to make this book different from the web postings?"

Glad you asked. My plan all along was to make this collection read like some kind of story. Therefore, I've been going through my choices and editing out certain phrases that get used often in the Basements Songs columns. In other words, I'm doing my best to remove redundant information. Also, since I've decided to publish the columns in chronological order, not by publication date, I've decided to revise some of the older columns. I've become a better writer in the past couple of years and I feel that if I'm going to ask people to shell out 16-18 bucks, I should put my best foot forward.

Moreover, I want to give people buying the book something different than what's already been on the web. One analogy could be this: The original columns are like a concert performance of a new song- a little raw with most of the kinks worked out; the book is like a album of those same songs and I've had a chance to refine what's been worked out on the road. Oh, and there will be one unreleased Basement Songs column that is exclusive to the book.

When will it be done? Soon, I hope. I'm about half way through doing my pass, then I need the final stamp of approval, Julie. After that, I'll slap on a foreword by my good friend, Jeff Giles (aka jefito, aka the guy who came up with Popdose) and I'll place a nice looking cover (still in the works) by another Popdoser, Dw Dunphy (who also designed the Basement Songs banner) on the book.

I will keep you updated as the publication date arrives and how you can purchase a physical and digital copy.

Aloha

Home again

It is a new year and we've returned home from Ohio. December is a bad, not so distant blur. I can not believe that my brother-in-law, Seann, has been dead for nearly a month. I never imagined that our family would have to survive such a tragedy. Both Mr. and Mrs. Flynn are such strong, loving people and I have no idea how they are holding up. Only one word comes to mind: devastated.

As for me, as if that matters, the loss hits me at strange times. Yesterday, while Dad Flynn and I went to see the new Sherlock Holmes movie as a two hour diversion, the trailer for the next Batman film played. I knew that Seann was a fan of composer Hans Zimmer, who scored the previous Batman movies, as well as Christopher Nolan's Inception (another one of SPF's favs). As the trailer ended and the Batman theme blared through the THX speakers, those blasting horns brought tears to my eyes. Seann will never see that movie; and he'll never get to hear any more of Zimmer's inspiring work.

Whenever a new year begins we look at it as an opportunity to begin anew and try to change the course of our lives. For now, I just want to get through the month of January and find a way to smile without it hurting.

Rainy 5K

This morning Jacob and I are running the Santa Clarita 5K race together. Right now, he's nervous about getting separated from me (which I'll never let happen) and not beging able o finish. I have complete faith in him. It's only 3.1 miles.

However, it is currently 45 degrees and drizzling outside. That's what I'm worried about. Going to be a cold one, my friends.

UPDATE- 3:42PM

To say that the run was miserable would be a understatement, but we labored through it and I'm so proud of Jake for completing the race. Sometimes it isn't about running the fastest or posting your personal record; sometimes it's just about getting across the finish line and saying "I did it." That's what today was all about and we have the medals to prove it.

In Dreams...

Images and scenes of sick or dying children have invaded my dreams. I don't remember most of what goes on in my head when I'm sleeping, but the past couple of weeks have contained some sad, but uplifting moments that obviously tie to my fears for my son and his health.

This morning, my dream began with me losing control of my bladder and having to take refuge in a disgusting, two stall shopping mall bathroom to wait for someone to bring me a fresh pair of clothes. While I wait, the miracle of dreaming dries my shorts and shoes and I decide to leave. However, I run into Julie, carrying some jeans and a T-shirt, and she insists that I go back and change. I return to the crappy bathroom and now it's got a line nearly going out the door. Among the people waiting is a teenage boy, maybe 15, confined to a wheelchair. his leg is in a brace and his head appears to be the only normal sized portion of his body. The rest of him is withered and sickly, barely there.

The boy- a blond, cheerful looking kid- is with his younger brother. He never calls him his brother, but you can tell by the way they interact that there is a bond and an understanding between the two of them. While the rest of te men in the room are doing their best not to look at the sick boy in the wheelchair, the little one talks to him and plays with him as if there is nothing wrong with him. It's like my children getting along. Anyway, I try not to stare at the young man in his wheelchair. However, he is waiting for the bigger stall, so he keeps letting people go before him since he and his chair can't fit in the smaller of the two stalls. I wind up waiting directly behind him. I can't help but to make eye contact since his little sibling keeps running around me. At some point, he apologizes for his brother's behavior and we begin to talk.

Suddenly we're in a bank, waiting to see a teller. I ask simple questions so as to not be rude. In truth, I'm trying not to look at the boy's body, which is as skin and bones as a concentration camp survivor. Somehow we get on the subject of sports and he informs me that he used to play soccer and he used to play track. The sight of this kid makes me wonder how that's possible. Was he a special Olympics kid? The disabled teller window opens up and the boy leaves me. I can't help but feel that I've just met a brave young man. I get to my teller window and she has a pamphlet about the boy. It's fundraiser announcement to try and raise money for some rare disease that strikes 1 and a million kids. In the world there are only 3 people currently living with the disease, and the boy I just met is one of them. Thus, his odds of surviving in the next year or so are slim.

I glance one more time at the boy, laughing with the teller and making a deposit. "He's going to die," I think, "and he must know it."

I leave the bank., carrying the pamphlet, trying to think of some way I can make myself useful.

And then I woke up.

I got out of bed and checked in on Jacob, sleeping soundly under an electric blanket, wondering to myself how I can make myself useful today.

I am not a baseball player

Finally got a chance to see MONEYBALL tonight and it was an excellent film. Although it was not as emotionally compelling as I'd hoped, I still found the movie inspiring and Brad Pitt's work exceptional. I sometimes forget how good he can be. I guess when you have so many children to feed, you have to make some glossy Hollywood movies to pay the bills. This leaves room to make dream projects like MONEYBALL.

There was a moment in the film when the story flashed back to Beane, at that time a washed up major league ballplayer, making the decision to become a baseball scout. "I'm not a ballplayer," he says, much to the amazement of some off screen person (I assume his agent).

There are many times that I think about the move out here and the dreams I've pursued and where I now and I think, "I'm not a ball player." But, I did make a movie, which most people can not say, and I've been in the lives of my children since the day they were born instead of being on location on a film set. So, the trade off was worth it. Sure, it's stings sometimes, especially when I look at the credits on upcoming movie posters and the names of the directors are people I've never heard of before, but I'll take the situation I had tonight over any of the glamor that comes with a feature film.

Tonight, for the first time in as along as I can remember, Jake asked me to snuggle him. Me. He never asks for me. It's always his mom. The two of us have had some special bonding in the past couple months, but I never expected this.

I am a lucky man.

"Wendover" in NYC again

My writing partner, Jeff Marsick, is once again at the New York Comic Con and this year he has set up a wonderful looking display for our comic book, Wendover. As we continue work on completing issue #2, Jeff is selling copies of issue #1.

Here is a picture of the display. The artwork for it was taken from the comic by, drawn by Jonathan Burkhardt, and finessed by my close friend, Villamor Cruz. Vill has kind of been the 4th man in the Wendover project. He also directed and edited the Wendover motion comic for issue 1, which will be online by Christmas.

For those of you keeping track, Vill also photographed and edited King's Highway.

Anyone who's interested in purchasing a copy of issue 1 (if you don't happen to be in New York) can do so by going to our website or by contacting yours truly!

http://www.wendoverproject.com/

Now approaching 12,000 on the King's Highway

Thought I'd mention that the little movie I wrote and directed 10 years ago(!!) is close to 12,000 views on Netflix. Obviously not as many as many, many other films. But considering we've only had i up on Netflix since May and King's Highway is a microbudget movie, I'm pretty proud of the fact.

Once we reach 12,000, maybe I'll have a contest and giveaway some copies of the movie.

Thirty Minutes or Less: F'n social networking

Each time I stop by Facebook or happen to check in with my Link'd In (or however the hell it's spelled) page, I feel like the world is passing me by. Where do people get the time to continuously update their status and inform the world about their lives? I used to do that with thunderbolt and the time got away from me. I like the idea of Facebook and other social networks as a place for people to stay in touch. But damn, it's so much more than that and I constantly eel like I'm not doing enough.

And Twitter, too? Son of bitch! It's too much. If I could just figure out a way to link everything from this site, my life would be so simple.