Bruce Springsteen Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. on 180g LP

The story of Bruce Springsteen has long been etched into the firmament of rock and roll. To some, he is the poet of the Jersey shore who wrote complex characters that appealed to the young and the hopeful across the nation (and later, the world). To others, he’s a studio perfectionist who tinkered with Dylanesque folk, deep-rooted, intellectually and politically astute rock and soul, and a sense of production grandeur to rival Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound.

 

Some laud him as a brilliant bandleader, turning the sprawling E Street Band (including the outsized musical personalities of guitarist Steven Van Zandt, bassist Garry Tallent, drummer Max Weinberg, keyboardists Roy Bittan and Danny Federici and the Big Man himself, saxophonist Clarence Clemons) into one of the tightest ensembles in rock and roll history, and a recent inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s sidemen category. Still others find him a brilliant if reluctant pop star crafting taut, heavy-hitters tailor-made for FM radio - including “Rosalita (Come Out Tonight),” “Born To Run,” “Hungry Heart,” “Dancing In The Dark,” “Born In The U.S.A.,” “Glory Days” and more.

 

Springsteen’s debut album, 1973's Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J., was an intriguing introduction to the artist’s distinctive gift for Dylan like lyrical wordplay. Lead track “Blinded By The Light” later became a chart-topper for Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, while songs like “For You” and “Spirit In The Night” remain staples of Bruce’s live act. Although it featured musicians Springsteen regularly played with and who would later become members of the E Street Band (Clarence Clemons, David Sancious and Garry Tallent), this was considered a solo outing. 

Mastered from the original analogue masters by acclaimed engineer Bob Ludwig, working under the personal supervision of Springsteen and longtime engineer Toby Scott. Using the Plangent Process playback system, noted for its ability to correct pitch errors and other distortions in the magnetic tape, this is, hands down, the most detailed take on this Springsteen classic anywhere!

1.  Blinded By The Light

2.  Growin’ Up

3.  Mary Queen Of Arkansas

4.  Does This Bus Stop At 82nd Street?

5.  Lost In The Flood

6.  The Angel

7.  For You

8.  Spirit In The Night

9.  It’s Hard To Be A Saint In The City