Red Mosquito

You don't fuck with Harry's money
You don't fuck Harry's girls
These are the rules

Eesh.

David Fricke gave this 4.5 stars out of 5 in Rolling Stone--after one listen I'd say 2.5 stars is generous. I really liked "Down in the Hole," "Hunter of Invisible Game," and "The Wall." The rest did seem more or less forgettable--that big, nondescript "wall of sound" rock production Bruce been so fond of since reviving the E-Street Band almost always fails to leave a first impression, though I've come around on enough of his post-2000 stuff that I'm prepared to give the songwriting the benefit of the doubt. The remake of "Tom Joad" is offensive, though--it sounds like Metallica's version of "Turn the Page" (not nearly as good, I'd argue), and I really, really hope this is the last time we see Morello on an official Springsteen release. He's horrendous.

Kevin Davis wrote:David Fricke gave this 4.5 stars out of 5 in Rolling Stone--after one listen I'd say 2.5 stars is generous. I really liked "Down in the Hole," "Hunter of Invisible Game," and "The Wall." The rest did seem more or less forgettable--that big, nondescript "wall of sound" rock production Bruce been so fond of since reviving the E-Street Band almost always fails to leave a first impression, though I've come around on enough of his post-2000 stuff that I'm prepared to give the songwriting the benefit of the doubt. The remake of "Tom Joad" is offensive, though--it sounds like Metallica's version of "Turn the Page" (not nearly as good, I'd argue), and I really, really hope this is the last time we see Morello on an official Springsteen release. He's horrendous.

Anyone catch this article?

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/102 ... erly-rated

I enjoyed it (I really like Hyden's writing), and my thoughts on Bruce's early stuff are mostly spot on with his. I think he's offbase in a bunch of areas, though, particularly about Bruce's later work. He says The Rising and Wrecking Ball fail for being heavy-handed and preachy, and for only talking Big Themes, but I think he's missing the more personal nuances in both of them.

I've been listening to the song Hungry Heart probably five or six times daily over the last week.

zeb wrote:I've been listening to the song Hungry Heart probably five or six times daily over the last week.

It surely is the most touching ode to deadbeat dads ever.

Man in Black wrote:

zeb wrote:I've been listening to the song Hungry Heart probably five or six times daily over the last week.

It surely is the most touching ode to deadbeat dads ever.

That's only one of three verses though, right?

He definitely means it to be taken literally as well. All songs are literal. John Lennon was legitimately only happy when he transformed himself into a warm gun.

Lament wrote:He definitely means it to be taken literally as well. All songs are literal. John Lennon was legitimately only happy when he transformed himself into a warm gun.

You're not a girl who misses much, are you?


Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo Dooooooo...ah yeah.

I'm on another "Highway Patrolman" kick. It's been a solid three weeks and I'm just seeing signs of it letting up.

Hatfield wrote:I'm on another "Highway Patrolman" kick. It's been a solid three weeks and I'm just seeing signs of it letting up.

Frank just wasn't any good.

Sean Penn made a movie based on that song, didn't he?

Yeah The Indian Runner.

Is it any good?

Lament wrote:He definitely means it to be taken literally as well. All songs are literal. John Lennon was legitimately only happy when he transformed himself into a warm gun.

Right. You just never know with an insanely talented and clever writer like Mr. Springsteen.

For instance, is Johnny 99 just your basic leftist treacle, or is Mr. Springsteen being ironic in his sympathetic portrayal of a cold blooded killer?

It's the subtle genius of this writing giant that keeps us all guessing.

Question: Do neo-Springsteen fans pathologically avoid discussing Born in the USA in order to maintain some hipster cred?

You obviously don't understand hipsters. Check out this Pitchfork article where some writer identifies "Born in the USA" as "an old album he rediscovered this year":
http://pitchfork.com/thepitch/201-my-ye ... drew-ryce/

Hipsters love "Born in the USA."

As an aged, bitter, right-wing "rock" fan who spends what are probably his waning days on the unofficial message board of a veteran left-leaning rock band and devotes his time and energy there to complaining about artists he doesn't like while trying to hide his encompassing fear of a world that left him its dust by using catch phrases like "hipster cred," it appears that Man in Black is perhaps almost a character from a Springsteen song himself. Maybe this is where all of the anger and frustration comes from.

The world isn't as scary as it seems, Man in Black. It ain't no sin to be glad you're alive.

Lament wrote:As an aged, bitter, right-wing "rock" fan who spends what are probably his waning days on the unofficial message board of a veteran left-leaning rock band and devotes his time and energy there to complaining about artists he doesn't like while trying to hide his encompassing fear of a world that left him its dust by using catch phrases like "hipster cred," it appears that Man in Black is perhaps almost a character from a Springsteen song himself. Maybe this is where all of the anger and frustration comes from.

The world isn't as scary as it seems, Man in Black. It ain't no sin to be glad you're alive.

I reject every accusation in this post except for the "undeniably handsome" part.

Lament, as Red Mosquito's foremost Springsteen expert, I need your help. I've never been able to figure this out.

Can you explain Springsteen's "guitar face", what exactly is going on there?

Man in Black wrote:Can you explain Springsteen's "guitar face", what exactly is going on there?

I can't explain it. And it's weird, cause he's obviously the only guitar player in the universe to make faces while he plays. So weird...