The Boss

      Well, it's been a few days. Hope everyone is doing fine and dandy! I've had a good week/relaxing weekend, so can't really complain here! There's quite a lot to catch up on, so this is going to be a two part blog, the firs part going up now and the second going up later tonight! So for this blog, I'm going to concentrate on saying my final thoughts and review (for now) of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, as in my last post, we have reached his most recent album to date, Working On A Dream.

      First of all, I hope everyone enjoyed going though Bruce's studio album discography with me! It has been a blast going through his history again, and I hope I introduced you to a little bit of "The Boss", The E Street Band, and all their greatness!
     So for future reference, along with the other stuff I write on here, I'm going to go through studio album discography of bands and such, along with the music videos and all, and my reviews. Through my years, I have built up a pretty big CD collection (and it always grows) so I'll always have a band to talk about or feature. Of course, I take suggestions on what bands I should also check out, or albums! So recommend away! So yeah, for the previous few weeks, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band have been the ones featured. But alas, until they come out with another album, we will end here for now!

      So why did I pick Bruce Springsteen to feature first? Well, one reason is the New Jersey connection. If you don't know that he is from New Jersey by now, then *slap*. Bruce was born in Long Branch, and grew up in the Freehold Borough, not too far from Asbury Park on the Jersey shore. He now lives in Rumson, New Jersey.
      I was also raised in New Jersey, so I can relate to his music. Even if you don't live/are not from New Jersey, you can listen to this music and get a feel for the culture there and such. And you also get a feel for something Bruce was very important for: The Jersey Shore Sound
     As far as I'm concerned, we have our own music scene in New Jersey. So who comes from New Jersey? Well, let's see, Bon Jovi, My Chemical Romance, of course Bruce, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, Frankie Valli and the Four Season and more! Of course, some have more of a "jersey shore sound" than others, but it is still a very important part to the history of music.

     Bruce has always had a bit of Jersey in his music, but I think it's most prominent in his earlier work, such as Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.; The Wild, The Innocent, and the E Street Shuffle; Born To Run and Darkness On The Edge Of Town. What's important is that these show his roots, which, when you listen to later stuff, you can hear the sound still very much in the music. It's hard for me to explain really what the Jersey Shore sound, or the New Jersey sound, is in it, maybe it's the boardwalk style, the street style, the struggle style, but it always has that sound of old school rock and roll to it! Maybe that's it. Maybe it sounds like the roots of rock and roll. Actually while I look it up now, it says on wikipedia that it is "a mixing of pre-Beatles rock and roll, R&B, doo-wop, and the urban culture of the mid-Atlantic states". Now that I read that, it does make sense, good way to describe it, but I would also really emphizise "urban culture of the mid-Atlantic states". I think this may be another reason why I really like it so much, it does really ring a bell with the culture of what I grew up with, as I grew up and spent a lot of time around working class environments and suburbia. I also grew up ten miles outside of NYC, in North Jersey, and a lot of it is urban. All this comes out in Bruce's lyrics a lot, wheather it be about struggles of working class, walking along streets, or just being happy with the essentials of happiness: emotion, love, and hope. Even when we are stuggling to pay the bills or just to get through those endless shifts at work (like me at Holsten's at times haha), at least you have, well, you. It's about loving the little things, which I have come to realize makes life all the more great. Bruce's music is music that we can relate to and that can (and has) brought many people hope and a feeling of not being alone. It's done that for me as well. When I was having a down day and felt trapped in my little hometown in New Jersey, I could drive around, listen to Bruce, and get myself in a good mood. Many of the drives I took to work were drives with Bruce music blasting on my 20-25 minute commute, and I would always hum them while I cleaned dishes, or cooked food, or served people at the counter and I could say "yup, that's me right now" as I did it, refering to a Bruce song. Alas, working in a very "New Jersey"ish diner, I grew somewhat fond of it in my own way.

      That's the other thing. Bruce and the band really make you appreciate the working class people. The people who do the jobs that we think aren't so glamourous. Well, SOMEBODY'S got to do them. It also makes you appreciate your life a little more. Some of us are so lucky to be able to have luxuries such as IPhones, fancy cars, fancy clothes and such. Yet, some of us are working a job/jobs for pretty long hours just to pay the bills, have food and a home, feed a family, and save up for other things and have the luxury of nothing but dreaming. A vacation may be walking around in the streets, which in all honesty, I enjoy doing as well. Now, I can't say that I don't have it good, because I do. I go to school, I'm not loaded but I'm comfortable (at least most of the time), and I have many oppurtunities. But I'm by no means rich and I grew up in a middle class house and my dad and I try to save money, but we are happy. I did, however, know and do now know many people who had to work for what they have, and that meant (in some cases) working three jobs. Yet, these people were happy. And it clicked with me, that their stories and Bruce's music and my own dreams are what made me appreciate where I am from and that's why I'm happy with where I am at right now. That's also why I like going on long walks, just sitting and watching (now) the Chicago skyline and (back in New Jersey) driving around New Jersey and occasionally driving into NYC (though I usually take the bus). It took me a long time to appreciate New Jersey, as I used to HATE it with a passion, as many people knew. But, as I was here in Chicago, and as I listened to more Bruce Springsteen and thought about it more, I have come to really appreciate it and like it. It's not my FAVORITE place in the world, but I'm actually quite excited to go back for a week or so this summer!

      So in conclusion of all this, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band are lengendary and a big part of today's rock and roll and New Jersey culture! They are just amazing and are the definition of modern rock and roll! I hope you will go out on your own and listen to some of his music, as you can see a bit of what New Jersey is all about. And as I have said before, those who think New Jersey is just like "Jersey Shore", I'm afraid you are wrong. I think that's why I hate it so much (as do many people I have talked to in New Jersey), it's a misinterpretation of New Jersey and it's not what New Jersey it all about. Sure, we have quite a few guidos/guidettes that annoy the crap out of us, but not many of us go clubbing every night/have the time to do it and it fails to capture any of Jersey's working class culture or rock and roll history as well as the hope we have living there, wheather it be from faith, dreams, or music. Sorry Jersey Shore, but you are a fail. (p.s., I don't live too too far from where those idiots live on the shore, Seaside Heights).

    So I hope you enjoyed going through Bruce's history with me and I will feature another band very shortly. But I hope everyone enjoyed hangin with Bruce for awhile, and I hope you enjoyed some of the songs I posted! There is really none other like Bruce Springsteen and the Legendary E Street Band. I have seen them three times back home in NJ, and seeing them live is an experience! They all have such energy and character, it's a must see show at least once in your life. If you want to check out a recent concert video of his, check out London Calling: Live In Hyde Park which is from his most recent tour. It is pretty much a full concert video and it does a good job capturing their energy, though there is nothing like actually being at one of their concerts! But that should give you a good taste for them.
    Well, there is so much more I could say about Bruce, but I will leave it there for now! Here's to the Boss and the Legendary E Street Band! Baby, we were born to run!

  -AR

"Human Sacrifice, Cats and Dogs Living Together, Mass hysteria!"

    What's up everyone?
    It's been a few days, and just been a relaxing weekend. Catching up with school work and hanging out with friends and roommates and such. For all you Columbia people or people who have also been on spring break, I hope this week back in school has not been to bad for you!
    So I got to listen to the album Magic by Bruce Springsteen, released in 2007.

    Well, all I've got to say is: fuck yeah. This is my favorite Bruce Springsteen album ever! It was also the first Bruce Springsteen album I ever bought. I remember going to the K-Mart in my hometown with a friend of mine and seeing it there. I had listened to him before with my father but never really explored his music on my own, so I went ahead and bought it to give it a try. We drove around and listened to the whole album. (while skipping pretty much all my morning classes because of that and going out to get lunch and just driving around NJ and such. I was not a big fan of high school.) After one listen, I was immediately hooked.
    This is Bruce's first album with the E-Street Band since The Rising was first released, and they make quite the comeback. This album is pretty much the definition of modern rock and roll today. It brings the Bruce and E Street band elements, obviously, but also brings the music to a new intensity. Every song on this album is raw but spot on, all the instruments being emphizised and everyone giving it all they've got. Jon Landau, Springsteen's manager, classified the album as "a high energy rock" album, and he couldn't have been more right about that. He also said that is has a very "heavy E-Street Band" sound, and there too he is right. I would definitely say that this album is a bit heavier than his other albums and he does it in a way that it still sounds like him.
   Also, I remember reading that the songs on Magic were meant to be played live. I can see this, because the songs have such an energy to them that it even sounds like they were played live. It's just pure rock and roll, and I think Bruce always does a great job with this, and Magic is him at his peak.
   The themes on this album are little bit more darker and blunt. It still has the working class element to it, but it also has an element in it that sort of like about the country crying for help. It is about really looking at society in America and that state it's in, and also looking for the truth around us, even when the country seems to be slowly coming apartment. It is definitely many kinds of statements that this album is making, and you can get lost in this album very quickly, but letting the music and lyrics take you is the best way to experience this album. It does make you think a bit, so be warned.
   I can not express how much I love this album, so I can't really pick any favorite songs on this album, as they are all amazing, so I will write the whole track list for you:
     1. Radio Nowhere
     2. You'll Be Coming Down
     3. Livin' In The Future
     4. Your Own Worst Enemy
     5. Gypsy Biker
     6. Girls In Their Summer Clothes
     7. I'll Work For Your Love
     8. Magic
     9. Last To Die
   10. Long Walk Home
   11. Devil's Arcade
   *12. Terry's Song- bonus/hidden track- Bruce's song for Terry Magovern, his long time assistant, who passed away July 30th, 2007.
   
   So there you have it folks, Magic. It's a must and it never gets old.

   So otherwise, my roommate and I watched Ghostbusters last night. Ok, who HASN'T seen this movie? If you haven't, I'd get on that. Right now. It's a classic! Released in 1984 and directed by Ivan Reitman, the film is about three scientists (played by Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Harold Ramis) who, after losing their academic jobs, decide to start a ghost catching business. The film also includes Sigourney Weaver, who plays Dana, as she gets mixed up with a spiritual plot to end the world. Rick Moranis also plays Louis, Dana's geeky neighbor and Ernie Hudson, who plays one a team member of the Ghostbusters. And I mean, who doesn't know the theme song?
   This movie is a classic and should not be missed, so watch it! That's all I have to say about that.

    I also got to watch The Black Parade Is Dead!, the live DVD from My Chemical Romance, which includes the final performance of that tour over in Mexico City, where they played The Black Parade in it's entirety. It really is quite the performance. They have so much energy and stage presence when they play the album, and it really is a fun show to watch. Probably nothing like being there, but you can get a good taste of it from the DVD. It also features a show from Hoboken, NJ of all places. I have yet to see that one, but once I do, I'll report back on it. Anyway, that's pretty much it for now!
   Stay classy.

  -The AR

Long Walk Home:


Ghostbusters trailer:


The Black Parade Is Dead! trailer:

Even If We're Just Dancing In The Dark

    What's up?? Well, it's been a bit of a crazy week, but remember that spring break is approaching very quickly, and with that comes a good old week break! : )
     Well, trying to get better again, got the stress of school work, the good old anxiety kicking this week. Ohhhh lawd!! You know what it's like! I hope everyone's midterms went/are going well! I have a quiz in my Natural Disasters class tomorrow come to think of it. Shit. Well, I hope everyone has some cool stuff planned for spring break! Wheather you're in in Chicago, on the East Coast, on the West Coast, somewhere in between or even somewhere else in this amazing world!, hope whatever you do next week, you get some time to relax as well!

     Well, in the midst of this week, I so far got to listen to Born In The USA by Bruce Springsteen, released in 1984. Coming after the previous album mentioned on my blog, Nebraska, this definitely has another shift of style. Very different from Nebraska, and has it's feel of 80's music. No, it's not typical 80's though, it's Bruce 80's, rock and roll 80's, working class 80's! This album is more pop-y in it's sound and more upbeat than the previous album, the lyrics more about hope and fighting for the working class "American Dream", definitely something that I appreciate. It's a little more synthesized, but I mean it was the 80's, and it's not as heavy synthed as other bands back then. In fact, it really has a more rock and roll feel to it. It will definitely put you in a good mood, that's for sure. This album pretty much helped me though the week thus far. Hell, I'm listening to "Dancing In The Dark" right now!
     Springsteen knew, when making this album, that pop music was becoming really successful, and this album was Springsteen's way of saying "hey, I can rock the pop music world too!" and that he did. With the success of Michael Jackson's Thriller, he looked at trying to take over the airwaves himself and appeal to a wide audience, and that he did. This album did really well (it is one of his best selling albums, if not the best) and still kept his Bruce Springsteen and The E-Street Band originality.
    One misconception of the title track of the album, "Born In The USA" I find very interesting. A lot of people mistaken this song for a patriotic song/ anthem. Actually, this song is about the effect the Vietnam War had on the people here, partially inspired by people Springsteen who went to Vietnam and, at some times, never returned. It's about the working class that, at the time, felt like they didn't have a voice anymore. It really is a great song, and definitely one of my favorites for that reason alone, for the struggle and the cry within it, sometimes what people might have felt in the more recent Iraq Conflict, even though they were a bit different from from each other, it still effects people and families everywhere! The Iraq Conflict is just more my generation. Still, both the Vietnam Conflict and Iraq Conflict had it's price to pay, and that can be heard in this song.
     Speaking of which, my favorite songs in this album: you know, now that I think about it, I pretty much like all of them. There really isn't something I can say is my favorite and what is not. I guess the song that will always have a special place in my heart is "Glory Days".
     I remember when I was pretty young, like in 6th-7th grade and such, my dad always made these rock and roll mix CDs. And I remember I'd listen to them with him when we were going on longer trips like to Boston to see our group of friends up there or to Virginia and DC to see relatives and other friends, and I remember when "Glory Days" always came on and my dad would sing along to the chorus, and I'd try to sing along with him, though I had no idea what I was singing and really didn't know who Bruce Springsteen is. I always liked the song and was one of my favorites on his CDs, even though I didn't really go deeper into finding out a lot about it, I just knew it was "one of Dad's favorite songs". So, I grew up listening to it with him and, eventually, I just never had the oppurtunity to listen to it as much. Then, when I bought the album and listened to it, the song popped up and my memories of it instantly came back to me, and I realized I knew this song very well, and, in fact, I knew more songs on the album then I thought I did from the album. But that song, I remembered right away and it reminded me of good times hangin' with my dad, drivin down the highway blasting rock and roll music.
    Songs you probably (or should know) from this album: "Born In The USA", "Dancing In The Dark" (also known for Courtney Cox's appearance) , "Glory Days" (duh), and "No Surrender".
     Honestly, check out the whole album, it's worth it. At least check out "Glory Days" (which I posted a video for down below!) and the other three I just mentioned! They really do rock!
    Well, that's all I have for now! Remember: Rock and Roll will never die!!
    Take care now, keep rockin, world! PEACE!

   - AR

Glory Days:

Everybody's Got A Hungry Heart

     What's up! Well, not too much going on here. Just survived midterm week (music theory midterm was killer but I think I did alright in it!) and got myself some kind of stomach bug as well : (  Grrr, I hate it. Oh well! Anyway, also this week, My good friend John and his boyfriend Matt came to visit, which was fuckin awesome!! So I had a great time hanging with them in the end of the week and, all and all, it's been a pretty good week! Hope everyone's doing well! Did anyone check out the St. Patrick's Day Parade today? Crazzzzy stuff!! And now the Chicago River is painted green, as usual for St. Patrick's Day. Funny it's not even the holiday yet, but I guess they still celebrate it this weekend because it falls on a weekend. It's cool!

     Anyway, got to listen to The River by Bruce Springsteen last night and I forgot how awesome that album is. Probably, in my eyes, one of the most perfect rock and roll albums to date. This is definitely a rock and roll album (double album actually!) and has something for everyone. Whenever I listen to this album, I feel like I'm back in an old rock and roll club or restaurant or something, as long as there's the old sixty's dancing. This album definitely has the feeling of that time period, even though it was released in 1980. Still, I love that old nostalgic rock and roll sound! This album is definitely more lighthearted than previous release, Darkness On The Edge Of Town, but still has some darkness to it with songs like "Independence Day" and "Wreck On The Highway". But there are plenty others that make you want to dance. Some of my favorites: "Sherry Darling", "Two Hearts", "Hungry Heart", "Out On The Street", "Crush On You", "You Can Look (But You Better Not Touch)", "Cadillac Ranch", "I'm A Rocker", "Ramrod", and "Drive All Night". Yeah, a lot of them I really like haha!! I can guaruntee you that you have heard at least "Hungry Heart" and "Cadillac Ranch" at one point in your life. I think it's safe to say that those are the most popular ones. Anyway, this album still is a "working class rock" album at it's fullest and I love the style Springsteen is using in this album. This is probably one of my favorite rock and roll albums to date, just because it goes back to the old style of rock and roll and bringing it to a new generation (even though, as I said, it was released in the 80's, it still stands the test of time in my eyes). And it is most certainly a feel good album, especially after a hard week at work (or school). Surprisingly enough, Springsteen always get me to miss New Jersey just a little bit.
     Anyway, that's all I have for now. I'm gonna go rest up for a bit and who knows what else. Spring Break is getting closer (thank god) and I can't wait. Well, peace out for now!

-AR

Hungry Heart: