Magic (Audio CD)

Magic indeed You never quite know what you are going to get with the Boss and we all have our preferences as to his darker side or towards pure rock belters. So I did what I usually do, I buy on the day of release but I leave it in the car on the auto-changer and I listen to it and see how it grows before I write a review. And I am enjoying this as much as I did on day one - a return to his best with great songs with real hooks that just make you want to keep on listening. I obviously prefer the belters and here he delivers in spades.

Very poor production... The production on this one is awful, but some of the songs are pretty good. The Rising sounds ten times better.

The title, "Magic" says it all! I was listening to and fully appreciating a Bruce Springsteen 'best of' on a train, on the way home, a few months ago. Although I've liked Bruce's music for a number of years, it is only quite recently that his music has really started speaking to me on an emotional level, namely his brilliant talent for finding beauty and grandeur in everyday occurrences and problems. With a new-found love for Springsteen, I decided that I wanted to hear more of Bruce's work and so, when I got home, did a search for his albums on amazon. The first album on the list was Magic, which I'd read good things about, but when I explored the user reviews on amazon and read so many great things about this album, I decided to give it a go. To be honest, I wasn't expecting anything too special as much of Springsteen's recent work, although very good, had been quite mellow. On the first listen, it took hold of me straight away. This wasn't just good, it was sensational. The kind of music you want to tell everyone about, songs you want to burn onto CDs and give to all of your friends and family - songs you want to play over and over again. Magic is a phenomenal piece of work, absolutely bursting with life, passion and all of the elements that made Bruce and the E Street Band so essential during their 70s & 80s peak. Nearly every song on this album could easily have been a single. There are half a dozen tracks here which are amongst Bruce's very best songs and are shoe-ins for the next 'best of' compilations - or at least they should be. Magic has a huge sound - guitars, drums, pianos, organs, glockenspiels, saxophones, harmonicas and much, much more all mixed together in a heady, intoxicating cocktail of almost pure rock 'n' roll. Radio Nowhere is a storming first track, a rabble-rousing ode to rock, followed by the majestic You'll Be Coming Down, a big mid-tempo song in the classic E Street tradition with a sax solo to die for. Livin' In The Future continues the trend of consecutive brilliance with a beat and song reminiscent of U2's Angel Of Harlem - only better. Strings give Your Own Worst Enemy, a song which succeeds in sounding perfect without really ever moving out of first gear, a very full and classy feel and the howling harmonica of the excellent Gypsy Biker provides an early glimpse of the bluesy, gritty brilliance of the song, which boasts a truly fantastic guitar solo. The next track, Girls In Their Summer Clothes is, for me, the standout on what is an almost consistently superb album, and is almost up there with Born To Run as my favourite Bruce Springsteen song ever. Every time I hear it, I involuntarily smile, my heart starts to swell with joy and I can't help but sing along - it's just such an amazing song, full of gorgeous melody and everyday imagery. Bruce makes you feel as if you don't need anything apart from your health, the sun on your back, a cheap meal from Frankie's Diner and to just hang out watching the world go by. He does something very special, musically, towards the end of the track, as well, which elevates the song, quite literally, into the realms of genius. Cascading pianos introduce a great straight-talking rock number next, the wonderful I'll Work For Your Love, an unabashed piece of lyrically-rich romanticism. After such enjoyable bombast, Magic is a huge contrast, a delicate and rather beautiful piece despite the rather dark and almost sinister lyrics. Last To Die and Long Walk Home are both great, catchy rock songs which could easily been standout tracks on any of Bruce's lesser works and the penultimate song, Devil's Arcade is a majestic, bittersweet love song right up there with some of Bruce's best moments. The final track, Terry's Song (actually untitled on the album cover) is a touching tribute to a departed friend and brings this stunning album to a respectfully low-key close. Lyrically and musically brilliant, this magnificent album combines the rare combination of maturity and excitement. The E Street band don't just successfully recapture the glories of their youth, they are now writing new chapters of their 'Glory Days'. I would urge anyone with even a passing interest in the work of Bruce Springsteen to get a copy of Magic - it's aptly titled.

Unsuprising rock n' roll bliss AGING rocker Bruce Springsteen's 14th studio release sees a return to his rock and roll roots. The record opens with single "Radio Nowhere" - relentless guitar chords cycle oppressively as Bruce bombasts the world demanding soul and rhythm back on the radio. Elsewhere "You'll Be Coming Down" bounces along with a stadium-filling backbeat whilst "Livin' In The Future" harks back to his 1980 hit "Hungry Heart". This marks the third collaboration with iconic `90s rock producer Brendan O'Brien, who has once again reinvented Springsteen as relevant contemporary force in the marketplace. But of their three works it's perhaps the most facile and throwaway - it lacks both the awkward post-9/11 social commentary of 2002's "The Rising" and the mature contemplation he showed on 2005's "Devils and Dust". Instead the once prolific lyricist - whose early works were bursting with image-conjuring poetry rivalled by only Dylan - is content to meander meaningless refrains such as "I'll work for your love dear" and "Girls in their summer clothes". But despite vague anti-Bush hints, this isn't Bruce the songwriter on display, it's Bruce the rocker, and the songs rock harder and more concisely than anything he's released since 1985's 30-million-seller "Born In The USA". Yet the record sounds best when he opens himself up to subtlety and weakness on the aching "Long Walk Home". There's nothing wrong with this album, fans will lap it up. But there's no great surprises here, there's just some damn fine, fun rock n' roll.

A return to his best work Having not particulary enjoyed the seger sessions, I bought this album with some trepidation. However there was no need to worry, this is just the best album he's made in a while. Magic is a return to the rock and songtelling of the early albums albeit on a lighter level. If you enjoyed the seger sessions I can't imagine this is the one for you. However, if you enjoyed the classic rock albums such as human touch, lucky town, born to run, the river, born in the usa etc. I think you'll absolutely love this. It's so catchy that I find myself humming 'girls in their summer clothes' whilst walking the dog which is not something you might expect.