High Hopes

Bruce Springsteen has been on comfortable territory since the reunion of the E Street Band and the subsequent release of The Rising in 2002, following a 7 year hiatus. As a result of extensive touring, he has managed to maintain his title as one of the greatest live performers in the world, while acting as one of the most prominent political and philosophical voices in music.

Moreover, in early 2012, Springsteen released Wrecking Ball, an album now regarded by many (myself included) as a late career masterpiece. It was a thoughtful, meditative, vicious, but ultimately optimistic commentary on the current economic troubles plaguing society. The album garnered rave reviews, was named the best record of 2012 by Rolling Stone magazine, and proved he still has the ability to create fresh, thought-provoking music at such a late point in his career. Where do you go next? Deliver a string of superb albums that rival what is considered your ‘classic period’? Bob Dylan has already taken the crown. Endlessly remaster and rerelease your old material until the once-devoted consumer becomes alienated? The Beatles are worryingly close to having that one covered. Instead, Springsteen has rerecorded a mixture of live favourites, covers and unreleased material with the help of Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello; the result is the ambitious 56 minute High Hopes.

The issue of High Hopes feeling like the equivalent of a bootleg album for Springsteen fans needs to be addressed before judging the content. As the album consists entirely of newly-recorded tracks and crucial sequencing (a painstaking aspect of album production for the notoriously meticulous Springsteen), it should be dealt with like any other record in the artist’s back catalogue. However, this is often hard to bear in mind when listening to the album; it initially feels ramshackle, lacking in direction and oddly rushed. This may be a result of Springsteen’s recent method of recording, which involves the songs being rehearsed on the road and recorded quickly at intervals in the touring schedule. However, I believe the main reason behind the initial dissatisfaction with this record (despite hitting No. 1 both sides of the Atlantic) is the expectations of the listeners. Following Wrecking Ball was never going to be easy, and as artists enter the final stages of their career each release is treated like a major event. Can’t we simply enjoy listening to Bruce without any expectations in the same way one would have done in the late 1970’s? If the listener is able to make this adjustment and open their mind, it’s not long before High Hopes becomes an incredibly successful artistic experiment and an extremely satisfying record for the fans.

An incredibly solid, enjoyable and worthy addition to his canon

The stomping title track, complete with Spanish horns, African drums and Tom Morello, opens the album. Morello’s influence is evident throughout this record, adding screeching, wild and melodic guitar parts to Springsteen’s well-crafted songs. This exercise in modernising the classic Springsteen sound continues through from the previous two studio albums as Irish and African rhythms still feature prominently; they’re most notable in the joyous ‘Heaven’s Wall’ and ‘This Is Your Sword’. However, these moments are not the best High Hopes has to offer; it is instead the mixture of wonderfully quiet and understated songs with what can only be called the American institution of a Springsteen anthem. Morello’s wailing guitar leads into the extraordinarily beautiful and poignant ‘American Skin (41 Shots)’, a live favourite for many Springsteen fans, inspired by the shooting of Amadou Diallo in 1999. When taken in this context, the echoing guitar could be mistaken for a police siren; a subtle but inspired touch on an album which I’m sure will reveal something new with each listen. Other key tracks include ‘Just Like Fire Would’ and ‘Hunter of Invisible Game’, the former being a cover of Australian band The Saints to which Springsteen adds an uplifting, nostalgic atmosphere reminiscent of earlier hits from The River and Born In The USA. Moreover, I am convinced the latter is one of the best post 9/11 Springsteen songs – haunting and beautiful but infinitely hopeful.

High Hopes proves Springsteen can throw together old tracks and still release an incredibly solid, enjoyable and worthy addition to his canon. Morello adds a fresh, modern twist and the E Street Band sound better than ever: this album gives me high hopes for Springsteen’s future, whilst reminding us who’s The Boss.

MP3: ‘American Skin (41 Shots)’

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4WhwuXylAw