#541

Just before we finish ToL week…

Anyone read Sarfraz Manzoor’s book Greetings from Bury Park? He talks very meaningfully about this album, and in particular ‘Walk Like a Man’ which had huge significance for him and which he walked down the isle to at his wedding. It gave me a greater appreciation for that song in particular.

On the other hand, I remember reading, perhaps in his autobiography, Bruce saying that Stevie got really mad at him when he first heard the album, and basically said that it was his job to talk to people about the bigger picture stuff, and not his own personal problems! Always though that was funny, but also the hallmark of a great friend to be able to be so brutally honest (if incorrect!) like that.

Gave the album a 9 myself. Hadn"t listened to it in a while before this, but it’s definitely one you appreciate more as you get older and experience, or at least witness in friends and family over the years, some of what he’s singing about and articulates so characteristically perfectly.

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#542

I have read Greetings From Bury Park (and seen the film!), but it was some time ago now. Think I’ve still got a copy, might see if I can dig it out later on.

One interesting thing about returning to ToL for me is that in memory it was marred by a heavily 80s production. In the end, it didn’t turn out to be too bad at all, but for anyone who did find it too much, this might be interesting. Over the course of the solo tour for Devils And Dust, Bruce played every song off ToL, so this guy has compiled them and essentially produced an alternate acoustic version of the record

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#543

Onwards we go, to 1992. The longest gap so far between Springsteen albums (four and a half years, covering divorce, remarriage and the birth of a couple of kids) was ended with the simultaneous release of the albums Human Touch and Lucky Town. Human Touch was recorded first (I think) and also is ahead by alphabetical order, so that’s where we go first.

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Human Touch

(March 31st 1992)

Human Touch
Soul Driver
57 Channels (And Nothin’ On)
Cross My Heart
Gloria’s Eyes
With Every Wish
Roll of the Dice
Real World
All or Nothin’ at All
Man’s Job
I Wish I Were Blind
The Long Goodbye
Real Man
Pony Boy

image

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#544

The absolute pits of album art design on both of these…

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#545

Yeah, that stretched font is horrific, can’t imagine how it was ever approved.

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#546

Ooh, first (and possibly only) album where I’ve not heard any of the songs much before…

#547

Little bit late, but I thought Tunnel Of Love was brilliant. I love that soft rock 80s synth sound, and he absolutely nails it. Agree with all the positive comments about Brilliant Disguise - it’s definitely in his top 10.

Wasn’t expecting to like this one as much as I did - a really nice surprise!

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#548

Just wondering - will the MTV (Un)Plugged live album get its own week, or just be picked up somewhere over this week and next?

#549

Difficult to say that you’ve missed much by not listening to this!

#550

I have a weirdly specific memory/association with 57 Channels and Nothing On. I’m about 10 and in the car with my mum on the street where my gran used to live. It was a road on a really steep hill in the Rhondda valley, and you had a cracking view from up there. Remember looking out over the town whilst we were singing along together in the car.

My mum is a massive fan of Bruce, and his 80s and early 90s records in particular we’re a mainstay of my childhood. Haven’t heard this in years though, so will be interested to hear it with that distance.

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#551

The plan is to cover it in the second half of next week - I didn’t want to do it this week (before Lucky Town) but also don’t really feel like it’s worthy of its own week.

I suppose, given the nature of both albums being released at once, we could introduce it alongside Lucky Town next week. It’s not getting its own week though.

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#552

feel like it was prevalent at that time, sure it was dominant in rave culture.

i like it! is hard to tell whether that’s because i associate it with nice things- rave, or because i think it’s ‘good’. reckon i think it’s good!

#553

Don’t think I’ve ever been able to listen to Human Touch the whole way through. Managed it tonight while cooking and it’s as bad as I remembered.

The production is crap, the lyrics are crap, and Bruce sounds bored.

The last two tracks are the pits. Probably the low point of his career, isn’t it? Will probably/hopefully never intentionally play this album again.

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#554

I’ve often wondered why this album came out. Bruce has a history of really stringent quality control and even dumping completed albums at the last minute, but somehow this was deemed acceptable. My best guess is that it’s down the to the 1988 Sony takeover of CBS? At this point Sony would have been waiting four years for a new record from one of the genuine megastars on the roster, someone whose sales were probably a big factor in the decision to buy the label, and I wonder if someone finally said enough is enough and demanded a release? It’s not the sort of thing I imagine Jon Landau would have much truck with, but how else does a dog like this get released? Think the hurried recording and simultaneous release of Lucky Town is an acknowledgement that Human Touch just isn’t good enough.

#555

Not sure I’d ever made it through this one. It is really quite bad. I’d remembered some if the better songs from Lucky Town being on here but nah, it’s a real slog. Soul Driver is his worst song for my money.

I do like Real World and 57 Channels and oddly the title track is brilliant.

Some of the tracks material from this time is better, generally the ballad material as opposed to the ridiculously dated rock songs.

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#556

Listening to this for the first time

Human Touch - ‘Hey this isn’t bad at all…’
That Real Man/ Pony Boy ending - ‘What the actual…’

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#557

Roll of the dice is kindof okay

#558

ngl I’ve still not played this one all the way through, yet.

#559

Off topic (album) but I bought Born To Run on CD from a charity shop on Saturday. I have listened to it 4 times and it is by far the best I have heard him sound. It still reminds me, a lot, of Meat Loaf though (the good Meat Loaf that is). It’s the card sleeve Japanese CD and looks really groovy, could be a proper gateway I’m feeling. I’ve always thought his sound overall is too mainstream and sensible for me… but this is good. Very good.

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#560

Lucky Town is much much better by the way - do not lose faith