Bruce Springsteen - The Wild The Innocent and the E-Street Shuffle Review







Bruce Springsteen  : The Wild, The Innocent & the E Street Shuffle (1973)                  
Songs: The E Street Shuffle, 4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy), Kitty´s Back, Wild Billy´s Circus Story, Incident on 57th Street, Rosalita (Come Out Tonight), New York City Serenade.   

Type of Music: Early Seventies Rock/ R&B Influences.

Comments:
Bruce´s second album is his own West Side Story, telling us Dylan like tales about the big city street life. With lots of Latin American influences both in words and in music. Living in a big city is like living in a great big Melting Pot. Lots of different cultures and influences. The same goes for the music on this Album.

Sometimes you will recognise bits and pieces of Dylan, Lou Reed, James Brown, Mink Deville or even Tom Waits. But all the songs have two common denominators: Balls and Soul!!
It is inevitable that one day all of this energy will lead to Born to Run.

It´s a very coherent album as well. Not really a bad song in sight although some songs are a bit overlong. I´m not too enthusiastic about the sound quality. Sounds a bit muddy.
The rhythms seem very odd from time to time during the songs but in the end it always just seem to work out fine. And that says something about the quality of the band although the drummer Vini Lopez is not always convincing.

On the other hand I really admire the organ and piano parts played by David Sancious. What a pity he left the band to start a career in jazz music. Absolute high point for me is his playing in Kitty´s Back, my choice for best song here. His playing reminds me of Emerson, Lake & Palmer. Also very good is his piano part on New York City Serenade.

Like Greetings from Asbury Park NJ, I find it difficult to listen to the whole album in one time without losing interest after about 25 minutes. I suppose it is because of Bruce´s somewhat monotonous voice. However, on an individual basis the songs are all okay.  

It´s a pity that Bruce would abandon these story like songs later in his career and would concentrate on short and to the point musical statements. But I´m looking in the future. Let´s end this little story by concluding that The Wild, The Innocent & the E Street Shuffle certainly is one of the best efforts by The Boss.        

Rating: ******** (8 out of 10)

Black = Good Songs
Green = Great Songs
Red = Could Be Better

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