Well, I think Frank has nailed it. This is something I enjoy hearing on the radio, online, etc. but I won't listen for long. The album isn't near the top of Springsteen's best, and those who LOVED 'Nebraska' won't be nearly as enthralled with this. I agree with Frank's technical interpretation of the album.

But that said, I also know the true magic of Springsteen is his live performances, and I sure am jealous of Poppagator, because I'm sure the definitive versions of those Springsteen versions were the ones he saw performed in NO. Those tribute songs, I'm sure, will never sound as good any where or any place or at any other time than when The Boss performed them for a wounded NO. Because that is his element as an artist.

Springsteen is so gifted, in many ways he defies the whole genre/classification thing, like all great artists do.

Unless you've "been there" for a live performance, you have no idea what this artist, his music, and his values and sensibilities as a human being are all about.

Finally, why do you people give posters like Mr. Peasant & Mr. Gibson the time of day? You are feeding the trolls, derailing good threads, and dragging the level of conversation down into a cesspool.

While those of you who freely choose to engage in these bitter battles with bigoted idiots truly get what you deserve when you get into it with jerks, you certainly rob everyone else of what it is they come to a music forum for. You might try thinking about that the next time you get an uncontrollable urge to lay into the #1 Peasants and Martin Gibsons of the world.