Bruce Springsteen - We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions Album Review

Bruce Springsteen
We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions
Columbia
Album Review

A year since Devils and Dust's release has seen Springsteen touring heavily, and then putting together this remarkable record. With music inspired by folk singer Pete Seeger, and covering some of the same classics Seeger reinvented, this is an album created by putting great musicians in a house and letting them have a wild time with some folk classics. Literally. Recorded in 3 days, the looseness and enthusiasm is audible. The music can't be described better than Bruce himself manages in the liner notes: street corner music, parlour music, tavern music, wilderness music, circus music, church music, gutter music. Imagine the joyful jazz music made by the alley cats in Aristocats melded with some old Dark Side of the Road Van Morrison and Springsteen's own The Wild, The Innocent album. For anyone who has become used to a more dour Springsteen, this reinserts the good times and humour in massive doses. It is a fantastic album, another Springsteen album to find yourself dancing and singing along to.

Rating 10/10

Mike Rea
Adult Contemporary Essentials

9-10 Essential purchase
7-8 Good, definite buy if you've liked this artist in the past
5-6 OK only, don't say I didn't warn you
3-4 Poor, even for this artist
1-2 Awful