I do get a little tired of folks claiming how great every single thing Springsteen has ever done is. T'ain't so. In fact, I don't think he has put out much in the past 15 years I've even thought was on a par with a lot of the indie/alt stuff that has come out in the same time span.

For instance, the version on this album of 'We Shall Overcome' makes me gag. My fave is 'Shenandoah' (the song is a favorite of mine, though) which he seems to hit the right note with, but it isn't the best version I've ever heard of it. 'Eyes on the Prize' is probably the one and only song on the album that he actually brings up to the present day, but I would also understand those who said he missed the mark completely on this album if making these songs contemporary was the goal.

As I said before, this is far from Springsteen's best work. It doesn't even come close to 'Ghost of Tom Joad' or 'Nebraska'. But it doesn't surprise me that some are less than critical about some of the stinkers on this one.