From one album to the next, The Boss changed, a lot.
Born To Run was a warm-hearted, nostalgic masterpiece,
Nebraska was a gritty, intimate piece, and in 1984, Bruce went in a different direction. Many could say he sold out. For example, "Dancing in the Dark" was created solely for the purposes of having a hit single. And Bruce got that. This didn't make many of his previous fans very happy, for becoming a hit was not his aesthetic in the 70's, or the early '80s. But Bruce brushed with success with
Born To Run, and he wanted worldwide recognition. And he got that.
But how is the music? Well mostly, it's a pop record. It's a step away from the heartland rock Bruce is famous for, the longwinded rock symphonies of his second album, and the folky demos of his previous album. The arrangements are upbeat and synth-covered, especially on the aforementioned controversial-within-die-hard-fans track, "Dancing In The Dark." The song is fairly simple and an easy listen, but past that, it's an excellent pop song. It retains the pained, heartfelt tone and lyrics of previous Bruce songs, layered over a more commercial sound. But even though this track was technically a manufactured one, it's still a very fun listen, and a worthwhile song in the gargantuan catalog of Bruce Springsteen.
For the most part, this album is extremely consistent. There is not one dud song, except some still falter in comparison to others. Some that come to mind are "Glory Days" and "Cover Me." Glory Days is remarkably silly and unmemorable for a Springsteen song- it stumbles on its own joyfulness, making for an overrated and unsatisfying listen. "Cover Me" is repetitive and exhausting, one of the only instances that shows lazy songwriting from a usually stellar songwriter.
The opening track is another overrated offering, yet still good. It is evident that the songwriting is considerably weaker, and more based on catchy melodies than excellent stories. Bruce has went from a storyteller to a simple writer of music. Darlington Country faces a similar problem, yet it succeeds because of its enormously catchy melody. Some songs don't stand out at first listen ("Bobby Jean," I'm Going Down,") but after repeated listens are great pop records.
There are two kinds of Springsteen fans: the ones who like
Born in the U.S.A and the ones who don't. I fall in the first category. It clearly is not up to par with his previous records, simply because of its simplicity and it takes itself too seriously. Songs like "Downbound Train" and "I'm on Fire" are over-earnest when they can't afford to be, unlike the classic song "Racing In The Street." But, my opinions might be different on this album if this was the first Springsteen album I had heard. Instead, it was the fourth. I enjoyed the brilliant stories of lovers and broken heroes and the long, orchestral arrangements. Neither are the main idea on this record. But
Born in the U.S.A isn't trying to be any other Springsteen album but
Born in the U.S.A. He's clearly changed on this album as a songwriter, and I'm okay with that. Bruce does touch on ideas of
Darkness on the Edge of Town and
Born To Run sometimes, lyrically on "No Surrender" and "Downbound Train," but musically there is little to no similarities. Make no mistake--this is a pop album, but it's a great and important pop album. When compared to other Springsteen albums,
Born in the U.S.A doesn't stand out as much as it deserves to.
