Review

With 83 songs spread across seven complete albums, Springsteen has made good on decades of whispered lore, offering a compendium that reframes his storied catalogue. This isn’t a disjointed assembly of B-sides, but entire projects, unified in theme and production—albeit postponed, not accidental . #### Standout Albums & Tracks ##### LA Garage Sessions ’83: A raw, transitional set bridging Nebraska and Born in the U.S.A.. Familiar gems like “My Hometown” demos and eerie farm-crisis ballads such as “Sugarland” coalesce into a haunting snapshot of a man at a creative crossroads Streets of Philadelphia Sessions: Dubbed the “drum‑loop album”, this synth-laden, introspective work channels 1990s gloom with moody undertones—a thrilling but occasionally unfinished detour Somewhere North of Nashville: A rollicking slice of country‑rock with pedal steel swagger. Tracks such as “Under a Big Sky” and “Poor Side of Town” are joyous and heartfelt ﹣ though occasionally meandering, as some critics note Inyo: Perhaps the most surprising revelation—full‑on mariachi‑flavoured border narratives. “Adelita” and “The Lost Charro” are cinematic and culturally thoughtful, steering clear of pastiche Faithless: What began as a soundtrack for an unreleased spiritual Western is quietly powerful. Sparse, gospel-inflected compositions here are the emotional core of the box set Twilight Hours: Orchestral pop balladry in the vein of Bacharach or Sinatra, with lush strings and mature melancholy—these tracks hold their own alongside Western Stars Perfect World: A loose anthology spanning decades, with contributions from Joe Grushecky and triumphantly earnest nods to E Street. It’s eclectic but often touching Overall Impressions: A Treasure Trove, with Caveats Critically applauded as “revelatory”, “a treasure trove”, even “a dream come true” , Tracks II nevertheless slides between brilliance and excess. Strengths: boldly adventurous, emotionally resonant—and occasionally profound. The standouts (“Inyo”, “Faithless”, “Twilight Hours”) often eclipse official releases in crafted nuance. Weaknesses: its sheer volume is overwhelming (“needlessly unwieldy” quipped Esquire) and a few discs feel unfinished—a by‑product of Springsteen’s own perfectionism Conclusion: Essential, But Not For the Faint-Hearted For the dedicated listener, Tracks II is a must-have experience—a historian’s delight, revealing Bruce’s restless creativity and stylistic curiosity. Yet casual fans may find it heavy going—its £250+ price tag and exhaustive scope feel more like an artefact than a casual listen . In essence: this is Bruce Springsteen the archivist, baring his unfinished genius for all to scrutinise. Not a coherent “new Bruce album”, but a captivating, flawed magnum opus that boldly asserts: this vault still hums with life.

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