Nebraska, Bruce Springsteen, 1982, :40
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
I can't say anything new about this collection of bleak demos that marked a turning point in Springsteen's songwriting themes. It's hailed as a masterpiece; I have been reading about this album for years but never got around to listening to it through. Well, today's the day! It's... a bit of a downer, innit? I like the story of "Highway Patrolman," but things that are unrelentingly bleak like "Nebraska" and "State Trooper" aren't my favorite thing. Not even in St. Dylan's hands, such as "Ballad of Hollis Brown," are such things I seek out or return to. So I have a preference for the more rollicking tunes. Or at least the tunes leavened with a bit of optimism. "Used Cars" is a perfect blend of melancholy and hope, an apparently autobiographical tale of his father buying his first new car. Favorite tracks: "Open All Night," "Atlantic City," "Johnny 99."
