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Magic

Bruce Springsteen - Magic Audio CD

A fair review of the Bruce Springsteen "Magic" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Bruce Springsteen reviews here, or go back to the Bruce Springsteen tabs.

Band: Bruce Springsteen
Title: Magic
Rating:

Release Date: 2007-10-02
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Radio Nowhere 2: You'll Be Comin' Down 3: Livin' in the Future 4: Your Own Worst Enemy 5: Gypsy Biker 6: Girls in Their Summer Clothes 7: I'll Work for Your Love 8: Magic 9: Last to Die 10: Long Walk Home 11: Devil's Arcade

Don't blame Brendan O'Brien for the poor sound quality
That said, "Radio Nowhere" is one of the best songs i've heard in a long while (just listened to it 4 times in a row in fact) and i'm on Amazon to decide if I should get the entire album. I'm not a huge fan of Bruce but I do love several of his songs and he has my highest respect as a musician, songwriter, performer. Reading the reviews I see many are dissatisfied with the sound of the record and I agree that it could sound better. The reason for the poor quality is attributable to the mastering of the record which, for those who don't know, is the final process in the production of a song/album. The mastering process is supposed to be an overall review/tweak of all the songs to be included on an album, after they are mixed, to create a homogeneous overall sound - similar EQ, levels, etc. What mastering has become however, is a loudness war instigated by the RECORD COMPANIES to one-up the loudness of latest pop song. In the eyes of the record cos, sounds louder = sounds better. This is true to to a certain extent, sound quality is increased as loudness is increased. But after a certain point, sound quality diminishes with increased loudness, resulting in distortion, harshness and ear fatigue, which is why many of you stopped listening to the record even though you like the music. What happened in this case is indicative of the recent/negative trend in the mastering process. Here's the likely scenario: A label exec stands over the shoulder of the mastering engineer and says "Make it louder. " The mastering engineer says, "But. . . ". The label exec says "Make it louder. " I'm sure the pre-mastered recording sounds great and Brendan O'Brien probably cringed when he heard the final product, but he won't bite the hand that feeds him so won't intercede. And don't blame the mastering engineer either. He'd love master it at say, early 90s levels (How good does Nirvana/Nevermind sound?)

Try this: listen to several songs spanning the BS catalog. Notice that the songs get louder the more recently they were released. Notice also that they sound progressively better and then, suddenly worse. This is highlights the change in the approach to mastering which has occurred over time.

Why did I just spend 45 mins typing into the void? Because this issue REALLY angers me. I can barely listen to many modern recordings because modern recordings are mastered TOO LOUD. The labels are to blame.

The Boss Still Has It
The CD starts off with the fierce rocker Radio Nowhere. Bruce still has the energy to rock n roll on the Magic CD. You'll Be Comming Down keeps the pace going strong as well. As a matter of fact its mostly rockers at the beginning. My favorite track is clearly Girls In Their Summer Clothes. The arrangmeents on that track just do it for me as the keyboards fills are very captivating. There are more ballads at the end such as the hidden track Terry's Song with its gripping lyrics. That doesn't mean the CD gets worse, it just means that we see the softer side of the Bruce man. And there is nothing wrong with that. This CD is a good one almost on the level of The Rising.

IS THERE ANYBODY ALIVE OUT THERE!!!
It's all here. Born to Run might just beat this album by a few notes, but this is sure close to the greatest album I've ever listened to. The production, the songs, the voice, the band, everything clicks. None of these songs get old and the Boss's writing has improved drastically from "The Rising" (and it was great then!). I listened to it the other day and after listening from "Radio Nowhere" to "Devil's Arcade" all I had to say was "damn!". In a very good way. My favorites from the album are "Girls in their Summer Clothes," (I nominate this song for not only the Boss's best, but one of the best EVER) "You'll Be Coming Down," and "Long Walk Home. " Do yourself a favor, and go buy this album. You will not be disappointed.

A classic rocker produces less-than-classic rock.
Many fans are no doubt celebrating Bruce's latter-day prolificacy, but I suspect that they, along with Bruce's reputation and canon, might be better off if he was to slow down and concentrate on quality. Bruce's best work has provided me with great pleasure over the years, but I cannot include this album in that hallowed category.

Indeed I sensed the shadowy silhouettes of a few good songs on Magic, but melodies are concealed in the cacophonic depths of an ear-rattling mix where generic guitars and drums are stirred into a morass of metallic noise. No discernible lyric (and not all of them were) caused me to stop and contemplate. This journeyman effort is almost unlistenable, and I can honestly state that I feel no compulsion to ever spin the disc again. I'm sending it to a Bruce-obsessed relative for her upcoming birthday - she will uncritically love it simply because it's The Boss.

A Flat Out Great Rock Record
It updates Springsteen characters and themes of old while still pushing into new territory. Simply put, I love this album. To me , the protagonist of "Radio Nowhere," a man disillusioned with the current state of radio complaining (or pleading) "I just wanna hear some rhythm" is the older counterpart to the character who wailed "I wanna be where the bands are" thirty years ago. The theme's the same: in good music, redemption can be found. And, there is some redemption in the snarling guitar and vocal of this track.

"Girls in Their Summer Clothes" is a great Brian Wilson song that Springsteen managed to write before Brian could. It is a perfect pop song, a highlight of this album, and one of Springsteen's best songs.

"I'll Work for Your Love" with its Catholic overtones, could be a great lost track from 1975; at the same time, it does not sound like a blatant attempt at recapturing the past. That dubious honor would go to "Livin' in the Future. " Okay, so it sounds like "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out. " So what?

Another highlight for me is "Long Walk Home. " In this song, Springsteen shows that he hasn't lost his gift for depicting alienation, loss, and yearning. I believe that this track deserves a place alongside classic Springsteen cuts like "Independence Day," "My Father's House," and "My Hometown. "

Yes, there are flaws. Some of the songs are more filler than I'd prefer, and the production takes some getting used to. When I think of Springsteen, compressed is not a word that usually enters my mind. Most of his records are expansive. Try this: pop a song like "Loose Ends" into your car stereo and see if it doesn't feel like the song fills up every last bit of atmosphere around you. Magic is a compressed production. I got past it, but it took several listens. If I could change anything on this album, I would have had the Landau/Springsteen/Van Zandt production team instead of Brendan O'Brien.

All in all, Magic is one of the best rock albums of 2007, and it may well turn out to be one of the best rock albums of the decade.

You can see a complete list of all Bruce Springsteen discography, or go back to the Bruce Springsteen tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.