Born To Run

Haven't posted in awhile, but a performance by The Boss in Madison Square Garden from the Born to Run era just came on TV and I felt like I should post. I did not own Born to Run until a few months ago when the Chicago Virgin Megastore on Michigan Ave. sadly went out of business. They were clearing out their inventory at a 30% discount and I called Joey to ask what I should buy. He proceeded to reel off 15 albums that I should buy. Even at 30% off, I wasn't about to buy 15 albums. (Springsteen just fell off the stage). BUT I did buy like 7 CDs. And along with This Year's Model by Elvis Costello, Born to Run was the best album I bought that day. (Springsteen is hanging on one of his guitarists' backs right now, possibly Little Stevie) It's one of the best albums I've ever bought in my life. I feel a little silly to be writing the first posting in months just because of an album that was released 30 years ago, but it's an unbelievable CD. I think it's the only thing that has ever made me think "man, I wish I had been alive in the late 70s".

The amazing thing about the album is the way the album holds up, and toes the line between extremely cheesy and classic. Bruce was trying to write the biggest album he was capable of, maybe the biggest rock'n'roll record in history (he was around my age I think, which in itself is a little ridiculous), and the sound is, indeed, huge and hugely produced. It's so huge and theatrical and sax-laden (let's face - that's a dangerous instrument to use) that it teeters on the brink of complete hokiness. The sound is pre-punk and pre-post-punk unabashed, unironic rock and the lyrics sound like they were written for a musical. Which all sounds like it would be terrible on paper. But he captures his age (again, my age) and the era so perfectly, that it comes out, well, perfect. It feels like you're walking down dirty 1970s new york city streets just listening to it.

Buy it and love it. Immediately.