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 sophomore album and second of 1973 is nothing less than the sound of summer on the Jersey boardwalk, filled with iconic individuals such as Rosalita and Sandy, hoodlums, fortune tellers, and sprawling narratives that fall somewhere between historical fact and tall tale. The 7-track effort boasted a more cinematic style of songwriting, with the kind of identifiable suburbanites that would become The Boss’ calling card (“4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy),” “Incident on 57th Street” and “Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)”). It also featured a crucial sonic addition to the nascent E Street Band: organist Danny Federici joined keyboardist David Sancious, bassist Garry Tallent, drummer Vini “Mad Dog” Lopez and saxophonist Clarence Clemons in the band’s ranks.

 

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.  The E Street Shuffle

2.  4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)

3.  Kitty’s Back

4.  Wild Billy’s Circus Story

5.  Incident On 57th Street

6.  Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)

7.  New York City Serenade