Album Review: Bruce Springsteen – Letter For You (Columbia)

A man out of time, just in time… Bruce Springsteen and his E Street Band serve up an album that drips with nostalgia and yet sounds so timely.

When I thought about listening and writing about this record, I anticipated pouring over the lyric sheet, researching the history of each song and taking careful note of who is playing what.

But as soon as my needle hit the vinyl that all went out the window.

The warmth found in the opening track, One Minute You’re Here hit me like a blast furnace.

“Big black train comin’ down the track”, the 71 year old Bruce sings in a slightly hushed voice over an acoustic guitar. Sure, that lyric, and many others found among the 12 songs here, sound like a tired old cliché. But for me, they strike a chord (there’s another cliché that shows up).

I’m hooked but still wriggling on the line until Letter To You. When Max Weinberg’s drum fill comes thundering in its all over… just reel me in Bruce.

Ok, I’m sure there are plenty of you who never need to hear another Bruce Springsteen song. In fact, I thought I might be one of those myself. The last few albums have been ok, but nothing like those glory days up on Thunder Road and down to The River.

When the surviving members of the E Street band kick in, there is no doubt that this is rock & roll at its best played with passion and heart as only someone who has lived it for the last 50+ years.

No slight to youngsters starting up with their own music… I hear and talk to plenty of young-uns every day and the good stuff is coming on strong.

But rock & roll is no longer a young man’s game. And this album proves it. Track three, Burnin’ Train, still seethes with that need to escape… escape what? Whattaya got? I swear I can hear Bruce wanting to bust out with… ”The screen door slams…” and I don’t know maybe you need to be an old coot like me to fully appreciate this record, but I hope not.

Each track brings more to the table… Janey Needs A Shooter (apparently a very old tune written in the early 70s) nearly breaks my heart when that harmonica comes in. And of course the title itself recalls dear, departed Warren Zevon.

That’s just the first side.

Side two opens with Last Man Standing and more clichés follow, Bruce singing about “Faded pictures in an old scrapbook”. It’s a tribute to his old band, The Castiles, but, let’s face it, any of us who have made it this far will have someone in mind as that sax breaks through the mix. The big man would be proud.

Meanwhile The Power Of Prayer namechecks Ben E. King and This Magic Moment (Ben E’s name criminally misspelled as “Benny” in the liner notes).

Then we move on to the House Of  A Thousand Guitars. Now, I worked my way through university at a shop called The House Of Guitars, so obviously, this one’s written specifically for me. That’s how it works, a great song will find its way to you that even the songwriter would have no clue about.

Rainmaker follows and mighty Max is still pounding the skins like he’s got something to prove.

On to side 3 and If I Was A Priest… another oldie with imagery of Jesus with a six gun or some such nonsense. Very American… religion and guns! But again that harmonica comes in and changes everything to be followed by the guitar solo of the record. Yes, its bombastic and yes, it needs to find a stadium. Good luck with that.

The same goes for Ghosts… ”I hear the sound of your guitar” …I hear Robert Johnson and Kurt Cobain, you pick your own dead guitar slinger.

But wait, there’s more!

Song For Orphans begins like Dylan’s Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands and then morphs into a revamped My Back Pages. It may not be the most original of chord changes, but it put a smile on my face.  More namechecking… Big Mama (Thornton?) and Madonna! And someone named Linda.

Finally we say farewell with I’ll See You In My Dreams. “The road is long…” our man Bruce knows  this… yet there is time for one more guitar solo.

What can I say… I loved this album from beginning to end.

Thank goodness for these old guys who have dedicated their lives to rock & roll. I don’t want to hear The Stones referred to as “Wrinkly Rockers” or someone whinge that Paul can’t hit the high notes anymore.  These guys and gals (Marianne, Chrissie, Patti) have given us so much.

Bruce and his buddies could have easily cruised through lockdown and rested. Instead they felt the need to speak up and make this crazy world a little bit better.

That’s why I love rock & roll (in all its forms) and why I love this record.

Marty Duda