And Sing It Til You're Done

The best music to my ear captures a particular time and place in a way that resonates with the listener. I don’t know if Wrecking Ball will receive much critical acclaim but it’s unlikely another record this decade captures precisely what living in 2012 feels like. Angry. Blunt. Fierce. Unapologetic. Spiritual. I’m a huge sucker for records that take on the world and express what a large portion of the population feels. Unfortunately, I don’t believe musical artists do this much anymore, certainly not the white ones at least, and certainly not very well. As Lester Bangs said back in the 70’s or was it Phillip Seymour Hoffman, “Rock N Roll has become an industry of cool.” It’s a hell of a lot easier to write a song about breaking up with a girl or partying all night. There’s nothing wrong with this type of record but its way more daring to write for the masses at a critical moment in history. In my lifetime, Green Day’s American Idiot and Springsteen’s The Rising are the most successful records that come to mind that took on a heightened moment of the present and put it into music. Springsteen's added another gem to this short list with his new record Wrecking Ball.

Springsteen’s success comes from the fact that he has taken on the systematic collapse of the economy and made it personal. If you haven't personally been affected by The Great Recession in some way, somebody in your family has. Most of the songs on the album are all first person narratives evoking a different response to the crisis. The diverse musical styles and bombastic drums certainly help make this record feel fresh and alive.

Enjoy the record my friends and be sure to soak in the Big Man’s solo on “Land of Hope and Dreams.” You’ll hear a lot of people hate on Springsteen for his righteousness, especially at the age of 62. It takes balls to make a record like Wrecking Ball. He certainly doesn’t have to be doing this at his age.

Thanks Boss. See you at church this fall.