What's he on about now?

In case the articles, essays and opinions throughtout this site just weren't enough for you, here's my online diary (a.k.a. 'blog'). It's as close as you'll come to the inside of my head, so don't say I didn't warn you
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   Thursday, April 28, 2005

   GOING DOWN TO RENO

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that the new Bruce Springsteen album "Devils & Dust" would be released only in the dubious new DualDisc format. Imagine my surprise when the record turned up this Tuesday in a spendid two-disc set -- one CD and one surround-sound DVD -- for a lower price. You'd almost think the record industry is listening to consumers.

But enough about that -- how's the new album? Fantastic, I'm pleased to say. Springsteen's albums are like collections of short stories, Raymond Carver with a guitar, and the new batch is terrific. The title track is haunting, "Long Time Coming" blends regret and hope, and "Black Cowboys" is a tiny wonder. Overall, it's a sparse set of country tunes about sin and redemption that suggests Johnny Cash in spots.

One song, "Reno," surprises with its sexually-frank lyrics -- it's a more 'X-rated' Bruce than we're used to. This is obviously the case for Dateline NBC's Matt Lauer who interviewed Springsteen this week:

Lauer: “When's the last time you had a label on the back of the CD that said, ‘This song contains some adult images’?”

Springsteen: “I don't know if I ever heard that one before.”

Lauer: “The song they’re referring to is about a man's time with a prostitute...want to go back to that whole 'writing these in hotel rooms after the Tom Jode [sic] tour.' I'm imagining this is fiction right?”

Springsteen: “Yes, absolutely.”

Lauer: “What's that song about?”

Springsteen: “Actually, it's a love song.”

Lauer: “It's a graphic love song.”

Springsteen: “It just comes at it from a different point of view.”

Lauer: “But why did it have to be so graphic. I mean, sexual intercourse images. You know, could you not have told the story without those things?”

Springsteen: “No.”

Lauer: “No? Just leave it off the album?”

Springsteen: “No, I don't think so. And the label is to say if you're going to hand it over to your 10-year-old kid. It sort of lets the parent know along the way this story comes up. It was just part of the story. It made the story real.”

While it's a bit sad to see a TV host interrogate The Boss over his artistic choices, it's terrific seeing Bruce stick to his guns. "Reno" is a sad, lonely song written by an adult to be heard by adults. And note MSNBC's misspelling of 'Tom Joad' on the site -- if they don't know who Springsteen's hero is, there's no need for Bruce to cater to them.

Labels: Bruce Springsteen