Bruce Springsteen's new collection of soul covers is due in three weeks. But I am not here to discuss the specifics of that record. I am more fascinated by the reaction.
Why is music criticism so disdainful?
Martin Scorsese has directed crap in his lifetime. Hitchcock, Spielberg, Fellini. Artists often make questionable decisions, but few get the vitriol that musicians get, often from those that claim to be fans. No Scorsese fan thinks they are owed something the way a Bruce fan or a Dylan fan thinks they are owed something.
Since the announcement of Bruce's "Only The Strong Survive," I've heard the following from various friends who are so-called Bruce fans.
"I'm not thrilled about it but will keep an open mind."
Bruce Springsteen has spent his entire career covering soul music. It's in his DNA. You need to keep an open mind? He didn't announce a new ballet!
"I guess I'll give it a shot. I haven't liked his voice in years."
When I suggested that "Magic," "Wrecking Ball" and "Western Stars" were all really strong records that showcase among other things, Bruce's fine singing voice, my friend replied, "I mean live." Nothing like criticizing music before hearing a note of it.
"Bruce doesn't even give credit to the Commodores on the YouTube video of Night Shift. That's shitty."
Talk about picking nits.
"Just make an E Street Band record for godsakes!"
He did. It was called "Letter To You." It was pretty damn good. And you didn't like that either. As a matter of fact, you admitted to never listening to "The Seeger Sessions," "Devils & Dust," "Magic" or "Wrecking Ball." You don't even love all of "The River." But you're a Bruce fan from the beginning...until the end, which for you is 1978.
There is absolutely nothing odd or badly timed about a Springsteen soul covers record. What kind of fan can you be if you see this as bad thing? It doesn't make sense musically. It seems unnecessarily cynical at a time when any and all feel good music should be welcome, especially from an artist who knows how to deliver feel good music.
But it's not just about Bruce fans. It's about music fans.
If I suggest reading a new Stephen King book, those who aren't fans will either just ignore the suggestion, or as one friend offers, "I am not a fan of horror." No one says, "He should give it up! Really? You like The Shining? Fuck Stephen King."
Try that with a heavy metal or rap record. Or in the case of the new Todd Rundgren, a very fine effort, I am still fielding the same "I stopped listening in 1974" bullshit comments.
Don't even get me started on McCartney or Costello's career.
This isn't a groundbreaking subject. But it is one that continues to effect me.
I'll never understand how a person can claim to love music and yet manage to dislike so much of it.
18 comments:
Thank you, Sal. My biggest issue is it says "Vol. I" on the cover which means I'm going to have to wait another year for "Vol. II." :) I'm surprised Bruce hasn't done this earlier.
paulinca
Actually, I am really looking forward to the record. I certainly liked the first two tracks that he released.
Where I may differ with you is the last line of the rant. I certainly love music, but there are many genres that I never really listen to. Over the spectrum, I enjoy blues, traditional and electric jazz, most classic rock, reggae, folk, southern soul, Motown, New Orleans R&B, some traditional country and the music of the 40s and 50s. That's enough for me. I recognize that I may miss some good stuff, but that's why I read this blog...
@Joe,
The last line of the rant certainly doesn't apply to everyone.
I can’t understand the criticism. This is a natural. This is the music that spawned him. I for one, can’t wait.
[Orson Wells clapping gif]
Well, I'm excited by ANY new Springsteen album. Looking forward to this and the first two tracks are really good. I love the song "Nightshift" and am chuffed he liked it enough to cover. I doubt most people think twice about that song and I never thought of it as one worth covering. I considered it a great "record" but not necessarily a tune others would do. I was wrong.
BUT, let me suggest this. People take music really really personally. Let's not see that as a bad thing; music is really powerful emotionally and that's why it means so much to us. And most people listen to the music they got into when they were 15-25. The rest of their lives they listen to...more of what they listened to when they were 15-25. I think music allows a LOT more revisiting of the same albums than, say, reading literally the same books or movies. (Yeah, people rewatch movies too but still not to the degree someone might play Born To Run or Rumors or whatever). And no one wants to get old.
Bruce is getting older and what reveals that more than him donning a suit and singing the old soul classics? It's a classic move for an aging artist. Up next: the Christmas album. They're not Springsteen fans, they're fans of the Springsteen they listened to when they were 15-25.
Just take their "I'm a huge fan" comment with a grain of salt. They don't mean what you or I mean by that phrase. Never had and never will.
I think that many (not all) artists do their best work early in their careers. I happen to agree that Springsteen is one of them, and yes, I've listened to almost all of his records. I also think that Costello fits the bill also. I have purchased more disappointing Costello records than I can count. I admire your open-minded approach, but I find a rant like this one to be a bit one-sided. Are we lesser fans of music because we like what we like and don't like newer material by legacy artists that we used to love? The Beths sound like a solid band, but maybe I got that power pop thing out of my system in the eighties and ninties with Sloan, Rooks, Rooney, Gigolo Aunts,and Rubinoos. I am having trouble finding new music I love as much as my faves from the seventies and eighties, but this is mostly the last 5-10 years. Gomez, Drive-By Truckers, Belly, The Xx and Del Amitri are examples of more recent (last 25 years) music that I have liked a lot. I'd rather listen to any Gomez record than anything Springsteen or Costello have done recently. And I admire both of those artists for making music that doesn't just rehash old ideas, but I still love their old ideas more than their newer ones.
I am impressed that you have such an open mind and listen to so much new music. And I certainly understand your position that people shouldn't bad mouth artists that they don't actually care about or listen to anymore. But I don't think that your definition of a music lover is the only one.
Cleveland Jeff,
I stand by my last line because it applies to the people it applies to.
I don't think I was "defining" music lover. Nor was I calling anyone "lesser."
Bruce and Elvis C. are 40 years beyond the last music that sounded like what made them Bruce and Elvis. That's 40 years of fantastic music that is dismissed because it doesn't sound like "Kitty's Back" or "New Lace Sleeves." Yeah, it confounds me when people claim to love music but can find so much not to like. I wouldn't analyze that statement much further than how it reads. I don't understand. Me.
I'm super guilty of listening to the first few albums, hearing a weak follow-up along the line somewhere, or determining they've said what they had to say, and never going back in.
OK I overreacted. You gotta know I love your stuff. But there has to be some music you don't like.
@Cleveland Jeff
Haha. Of course! There is music I hate!
(Dave Matthews Band tops the list.)
My point is, I don't mind if Todd Rundgren makes rap records. I mind that he makes bad rap records. He's just notn good at it. But Bruce can sing! He can pull off a cosmic, west coast country record! Would I prefer a straight Dylan record over 5 records of standards? Of course. But I don't mind one or two. You can hear his sincerity in the vocals.
I just can't dismiss or ignore legacy artists for moving on. But more important, I get ruffled when fans of an artist accept nothing but the classics. I saw this with Page & Plant. Plant makes solo records early on and they don't sound like Zep, so they are deemed crap by Zep fans. Page puts out a solo record that doesn't sound like Zep, so it's deemed crap. (It was kinda crap, but not my point.) Coverdale/Page put out a record that is full blown ZEP! Trashed for sounding like Zep. Why? What is it that fans want?
As for more music I hate:
Any nasty, unimaginative hip hop.
Techno covers of pop hits.
New age, pseudo jazz.
Ed Sheeran
Mary J. Blige because she cant sing and everyone thinks she can.
I just don't care what most people think about music. Or movies. Or books. Or TV. I don't even care what most CRITICS think. I surely don't care what some casual fan/yahoo spouts online. But I do care what you think.
bruce's nightshift is a note for note, instrument for instrument. guitar lick for guitar lick copy of the original. what's the point? he brings nothing to the song.
and the song itself is not that great in the first place. it is not a soul song. it is a mediocre pop song about some great soul singers.
the video is ridiculous. him standing there waving his seemingly broken wrists around. again i ask. what is the point?
Depravos,
So far, you've had little positive to say since you started commenting. What is YOUR point? Move on if there's nothing here for you.
you are right.
This is the music that spawned him. It's perfect. Why would anyone complain?
This post hits a little closer to home for me as a long time Bruce fan. I have been an active member of an online Springsteen community since the Reunion tour, and have made a lot of Bruce friends over the years. We've shared great shows, great conversations about music and life, ups & downs, and marriages, births & deaths (on the latter, too many, too soon).
Some of these fans have been more critical as the years have gone by, but there has always been a shared love of the musical journey we have been on. Maybe it's our aging and the lack of a tour since 2016, but the tone has changed in the online discussions in recent months and years. I have seen around 50 shows, but a lot of these friends have seen 100+ shows, especially those on the east coast. (If Bruce did a run of 20 shows in NJ, they made something like 18 of them.) Now these people are talking about sitting out the next tour, for a variety of different reasons: ticket prices, Bruce gouging fans with dynamic pricing, they 'hate' Western Stars, dislike Letter to You, and/or don't want a soul covers album (even though they have loved the covers he has done over the years).
I can't reconcile these comments. Not everything Bruce has done has been great, but there's good and even great work in each of his releases. And his live performances have continued to be the premiere rock and roll concerts of our time.
I agree with comments here that some fans are simply fans of one period of an artist's career. Apparently some of my online Bruce community friends fall into that category. I just need to appreciate the history and shared experiences we have, and keep my personal fandom alive and kicking (resuming in March of 2023 with a road trip to Milwaukee with my best friend of 45 years...hell yeah!!). Thanks for letting me weigh in.
Man a guy has a busy weekend and misses out on a great topic! Good rant Sal. I personally grade on a curve for the older artists, because unless they're trying to keep with the current trends, I give kudos for them still caring enough to put their heart and soul into new work that they already know most people won't care about, and will hit the bathroom during their concert when its played.
For Bruce specifically, I personally really enjoyed Western Stars and Letter To You, and am amazed how well his voice has held up over the years. To my ears, on Janey Needs A Shooter on Letter To You, he sings in the style of his '78 voice and it's pretty damn convincing. How many people could do that?
With all that being said, the first two singles off the new album just haven't really registered with me; something about them seems a little cold and distant. So maybe this album won't be one I return to a lot, but really, who am I to judge? If it kept him engaged and feeling vibrant during a pandemic, great, now I'm ready to see some live rock and roll and forget about the outside world for 3 hours.
Bryan
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