Bruce Springsteen
Tracks II: The Lost Albums
*** out of *****
For Tracks II, Bruce Springsteen decided to focus on albums (or close to it as you can get) he had recorded yet chose not to release for various reasons over the years. The massive collection of 83 songs is overwhelming to those without a hardcore love of The Boss, however a few of these collections are enjoyable no matter what your level of fandom is.
For this review we will rank these collections into different categories, from must hear to totally skippable. They are listed in order of preference, however, each fans feelings of Springsteen's outtakes will vary, so feel free to check out the whole collection.
Must Hear: None
Honestly, Bruce has been sitting on these for decades, if something was up there with any of his best work, it would have been released already. This collection is designed for diehards, new comers could check out his best work which RtBE outlined here.
Very Good, Full Album Worth Seeking Out: Streets of Philadelphia Sessions and Inyo
Streets of Philadelphia Sessions:
Perhaps the most anticipated collection of this release, the rumored 'hip hop' Springsteen album that lived in lore for decades. These sessions are focused around drums machines, synths, and cinematic flair. The songs use these beats to push and pull tension but Bruce stays consistently restrained in his vocals. Tracks like "Blind Spot" and "Maybe I Don't Know You" get you where Bruce was going during these recording sessions while the dance ready "We Fell Down" and the great galloping "One Beautiful Morning" increase the pop appeal.
Gorgeous songs like "Waiting on the End of the World" the beat laden remix of "Secret Garden", the twinkle affair laden "The Little Things" and the closing "Farewell Party", are all well done. Perhaps the only reason this wasn't actually released was that the songs feel a bit one note, without a true standout single, but this will be the one album out of this collection RtBE reaches for the most.
Inyo:
Recorded during the Ghost of Tom Joad tour (1995–1997) RtBE thinks this could have been a follow up to that record and maybe a more confident one. The strings on this album (unlike some others here) are tastefully done, violins are understated on "Inyo" and "Indian Town", setting the tone.
"The Last Charro" finds Bruce sounding like Elvis, the big trumpets in "Ciudad Juarez" are dynamite and "Our Lady of Monroe" takes Springsteen's knack of small town trouble into the southwest with confidence, a winner. He goes too over the top with choir et. all on "El Jardinero (Upon the Death of Ramona)" but "Adelita" does just enough to stop from being cheesy and works. Inyo represents an interesting version of Southwest Boss.
Average Outtake Album (A few songs worth hearing): Somewhere North of Nashville, Perfect World and L.A. Garage Sessions '83
Somewhere North of Nashville:
Recorded in 1995 alongside The Ghost of Tom Joad sessions and where that album is sparse and spooky, this record shifts more towards rockabilly. "Repo Man" is a keeper, a Chuck Berry by way of Nashville number that works with nice piano, the honky-tonking fiddle with chickens around the boots of "Delivery Man" is fun while "Silver Mountain" is excellent folk rock that Steve Earle should think about covering.
"You're Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone" plays like a short and successful indie film while the closing title track is a winner and very easy to see why he re-recorded it for Western Stars. This feels like Streets of Philadelphia Sessions in that the songs are in the same vein, but not as interesting as that collection.
Perfect World:
While L.A. Garage Sessions '83 feels like a mid career outtake album Perfect World feels like a late career one. This could have probably been released as a solo collection, but it is the least album feeling out of all the others here.
Surprisingly RtBE enjoyed it more than '83 because the quality of recording is higher. Also some of the songs are really solid. "Idiot's Delight" is stout, "Another Thin Line" has killer organ work and guitar solo while "Great Depression" feels lived in and real. There are also a few that just drag ("Blind Man") or cover ground he has done much better in the past ("If I Could Only Be Your Lover") yet it is a slightly more consistent listen than....
L.A. Garage Sessions '83:
This album also feels like it could be a stand alone/outtake/bootleg album as sound levels are varied as well as song quality. While Bruce has released Electric Nebraska, this album seems to be the one in-between that original record and Born In The USA.
It has a few of the best individual tracks here including the staggering "Shut Out The Light". "Unsatisfied Heart" sticks around in odd fashion, the quick "Little Girl Like You" is fun while "The Klansman" is a pulsing tense tale of racial animosity. An OK collection of outtakes that also has a fair share of misses on it ("County Fair", "Fugitive's Dream (Ballad)").
Skippable: Faithless, Twilight Hours
Faithless:
Recorded in 2005–2006.The album was intended to be a soundtrack for a "spiritual Western" film that was never produced. The whole thing is nebulous, just OK at best and never really comes together. "My Masters Hand" is by far the best, most complete effort here, so if you want to cherry pick one tune off it, this is the one.
Twilight Hours:
We mentioned Western Stars above, and this one goes down that schmaltz route as well. Springsteen is always over the top dramatic, but it works when he is grounded with tight rock and roll, not awash in the mushy strings and nonsense. These Brill Building sounding efforts just don't excite the ear, the mind or the hips. They run into each other in the same fashion and aren't distinct enough to care very much for.
Overall, Tracks II is a mixed bag and a large beast that isn't fully accessible by design, yet it is also a treasure trove for longtime fans to luxuriate in for years to come.
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