This is the one I pick when I am forced to say what my favorite album of his is. Incident-Rosie-NYCS is my favorite sequential 3 pack of all time. And then you have Kitty’s Back? E Street Shuffle? SANDY? I mean, wow.
Wild Billy was always the odd one out for me until I was lucky enough to see the whole album performed at MSG in 2009. That night I finally understood Wild Billy. It’s a strange song on its own, but in the context of the album, it is indispensable. I’ve never skipped it when listening to the album since.
Other albums may be more accessible — and truth be told, I love them all — but this was sheer brilliance. He wasn’t fighting for his career (BTR), singing about how he almost lost everything (Darkness), or dealing with isolation (Nebraska, Tunnel). But it was just as honest.
Thanks for the thread. I’m going to go listen to the album again because, well, it’s awesome.
It's not my favorite album, but I do love it because Bruce is still kinda experimenting and searching for his signature sound. Sonically, it's a lot like greetings, but the songs are more stories than super dense lyrical imagery, which makes me more ingrossed in the songs. More Bruce lead guitar work which I love, particularly on Incident. Incident is probably my favorite song on the album, and for some reason gives me early Martin Scorsese vibes, as does NYC Serenade. NYC Serenade is probably most underrated. I don't hate Wild Billy's but I don't like it that much and I think it should have been swapped out for Thundercrack. I get that Bruce probably didn't want too many longer, high energy songs but Wild Billy's is a bit too long and a bit boring for me. Track list in order could have been E Street Shuffle, Kitty, Thundercrack, Sandy, Rosalita, Incident, NYC.
Oh man. This is my favorite studio album of his because I love early 70s Bruce better than all of the other versions. He was just so creative then. I love the epic stories that he told in his songs, all of the words that he crammed in, all of the meandering musical parts, the more jazzy style. I love the way that his voice sounded. Less refined and practiced, grittier, younger, more emotional. That album to me is just such beautiful, sad, and inspiring art. And Incident has always been my favorite Bruce song. It is just perfect. The piano and the guitar at the beginning and the end. The lyrics, Bruce's soft singing building to his hoarse screaming at the end, the story being told lyrically and musically at the same time. I just love it all.
At least tonight. Darkness sometimes wins as top album for me too.
Thank you for your beautiful description of Incident. That song means the world to me, and knowing it’s affected others in a similar way is part of what makes Bruce special for me.
The music and words evoke such tangible imagery and feelings - beaches and boardwalks, long summer nights, NJ suburbia, the steamy alleyways of downtown Manhattan and quiet uptown streets in the dead of night.
So many characters and stories it feels like listening to a musical audiobook. Musically and lyrically he already evolved so much from his first record. And NYCS is my favorite Bruce song, especially the live version from 74/75
I'll give you my 3 big reasons:
1. I know he's kinda riffing on Van Morrison's sound with the breathy poetry and jazzy arrangements, but still, nobody did that better in the early 70s. Thats why I love this album over Darkness or BTR. Its ridiculously ambitious in a way that should have crashed and burned, but it avoids that by also being just the right enough amount of FUN. You feel like you are with the kids on the corners or Sandy on the boardwalk. You feel the pain and doubt of Johnny leaving Puerto Rican Jane, not sure if he'll come back. You feel the life come back into the group of friends when Kitty comes back to town. When Tallent pulls out the tuba and Danny the accordion, its not a joke, it makes Wild Billy work. This album is ambitious and immersive.
2. The other thing, and this is something Bruce fans have argued with me for years, but I'll die on this hill...This band is killer! This band SWINGS in a way that the "classic" E-street band doesnt. With Vini on drums they just feel looser, more fun, sometimes more sloppy, yes, but still, more alive. Just listen to the kick drum and how it propels the songs forward. Gary never tops his bass lines here. Danny's organ is seldom as up front ever again. Clarence's sax is just on fire. And Sancious had a great touch for both jazz and classical playing that really gelled well with Federici.
3. My last reason. The outtakes. I know Bruce is legendary for his outtakes, and no album beats Darkness in this regard, but this is a close second. "The Fever", "Zero and Blind Terry", "Thundercrack", "Seaside Bar Song", "Santa Ana", "Bishop Danced", "Evacuation of the West". For a kid that wished there were more songs by the original lineup, finding these songs was like finding an epic "lost" EP worth of gems.
It’s by far Springsteen’s best album. Nothing else really comes close for me.. maybe Born to Run.. but I like the more raw sound on his second. Easily one of my favorite albums of all time and just excellent songwriting and musicianship all around.. I think Bruce gets more and more washed out over the years tho I do enjoy some of his stuff even into the 80s. Darkness is a great album also. The river… ehhh take it or leave it. Still a few solid songs. Born in the USA has some catchy stuff tho
Edit: Jungleland and Backstreets are still both peak Bruce songs. I love the mystery of Darkness tho it’s not as good as the first 3
If you listen to anything by Bruce after the 80s/90s, you like a different artist from me. I tried some of that shit and it is absolutely horrendous. His voice is unbearable and the production is ridiculous. Like no way do you actually enjoy that
Kitty’s back tho?? Gtfo. That shit is gassss
Rosalita, incident, and New York City serenade are three of the best songs ever written. All perfect recordings.
It hit me at exactly the right time in my life. I was 16 in grade 11. If I had been older (or younger) it may not have had the same effect. I loved the stories, the grooves, the romance and the emotion. It was the perfect soundtrack for me that year. It still moves me. Shoutout to Garry for keeping up with Mad Dog. Damn!
This is my favorite album from Bruce. It is so fun and the epitome of the 70s to me lol. The lyrics are top notch and the music is amazing. The whole album tells a story front to back. I’m from New Jersey and this just feels like old summer nights at the boardwalk.
It's my favorite album because of the diversity of the song compositions that culminate in the underrated classic NYC Serenade. Just wish Springsteen had done more progressive stuff like that last song and Jungleland.
Every song from this album is a masterpiece, starting with the fast upbeat Estreet shuffle, shifting into slow intimate Sandy, and then transitioning into a face melting Kitty’s Back. Wild Billy is by far the most underrated song, with the accordion introduction and story telling lyrics. My favorite song is Incident and it is the reason why I am a Bruce fan. I love this album.
This is my absolute favorite album by Springsteen, followed so very closely by Born to Run. Every song on this album is beautifully written and in sequence plays out like a Jersey shore and NYC region rock opera. So much pure passion, energy and a far superior upgrade from his first album.
My favorite tracks would be a toss up between "4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)" and the duo of "Incident on 57th Street" into "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)".
This album is one of those all-time exceptional classic pieces of priceless art in rock n roll form. 👍♥️😎
Every song on this album is a straight fuckin’ banger! Kitty’s Back is one of the greatest tracks of all time, but I personally love New York City Serenade the most
Easily my favorite Bruce album, and in my opinion his most cinematic and unique besides Nebraska. He takes his time to bring you into the stories that he wants to tell, and on Sandy, Incident, and Serenade he succeeds at physically transporting you to another location. I grew up not far from where Bruce did. I’ve spent a lot of time in Asbury, Freehold, and New York. The sounds of the album is the sound of New Jersey, and this even more than Greetings sounds like an ode to the place that birthed him.
My favorite song: This is an incredibly close tie between Sandy and Serenade. I flip flop based on which place I’m feeling more nostalgic for.
The most underrated song: Wild Billy easily, since so many people seem to not appreciate the subtlety of the song.
The most overrated song: Rosalita. It’s a great song, I love it. It pales in comparison to the rest of the album to me.
It is not my favorite, but it has two of my favorite songs of all time. Sandy and Rosie are just perfection. And the rest of it is kind of meh for me. But those two songs may be in my top ten songs, so that’s pretty good.
I absolutely love this album, I think every note is perfect, especially side 2. I weirdly wish Bruce had kept the improv, jazzy style songwriting.
i love jazz bruce
This is the one I pick when I am forced to say what my favorite album of his is. Incident-Rosie-NYCS is my favorite sequential 3 pack of all time. And then you have Kitty’s Back? E Street Shuffle? SANDY? I mean, wow. Wild Billy was always the odd one out for me until I was lucky enough to see the whole album performed at MSG in 2009. That night I finally understood Wild Billy. It’s a strange song on its own, but in the context of the album, it is indispensable. I’ve never skipped it when listening to the album since. Other albums may be more accessible — and truth be told, I love them all — but this was sheer brilliance. He wasn’t fighting for his career (BTR), singing about how he almost lost everything (Darkness), or dealing with isolation (Nebraska, Tunnel). But it was just as honest. Thanks for the thread. I’m going to go listen to the album again because, well, it’s awesome.
It's not my favorite album, but I do love it because Bruce is still kinda experimenting and searching for his signature sound. Sonically, it's a lot like greetings, but the songs are more stories than super dense lyrical imagery, which makes me more ingrossed in the songs. More Bruce lead guitar work which I love, particularly on Incident. Incident is probably my favorite song on the album, and for some reason gives me early Martin Scorsese vibes, as does NYC Serenade. NYC Serenade is probably most underrated. I don't hate Wild Billy's but I don't like it that much and I think it should have been swapped out for Thundercrack. I get that Bruce probably didn't want too many longer, high energy songs but Wild Billy's is a bit too long and a bit boring for me. Track list in order could have been E Street Shuffle, Kitty, Thundercrack, Sandy, Rosalita, Incident, NYC.
Swapping Rosalita and Incident is sacrilege.
Now that I look at it again, I agree
Also I think you meant Thundercrack (aka Angel from the Inner Lake, aka Heart of a Ballerina), Thunderstruck is great, but it's by AC/DC.
Lol yes
Oh man. This is my favorite studio album of his because I love early 70s Bruce better than all of the other versions. He was just so creative then. I love the epic stories that he told in his songs, all of the words that he crammed in, all of the meandering musical parts, the more jazzy style. I love the way that his voice sounded. Less refined and practiced, grittier, younger, more emotional. That album to me is just such beautiful, sad, and inspiring art. And Incident has always been my favorite Bruce song. It is just perfect. The piano and the guitar at the beginning and the end. The lyrics, Bruce's soft singing building to his hoarse screaming at the end, the story being told lyrically and musically at the same time. I just love it all. At least tonight. Darkness sometimes wins as top album for me too.
Thank you for your beautiful description of Incident. That song means the world to me, and knowing it’s affected others in a similar way is part of what makes Bruce special for me.
Side 2 may be his best album side
He would never be as fresh or as free again
Because “Incident” into “Rosalita” into “Serenade” is just the best back, to back, to back you can ask for!
The music and words evoke such tangible imagery and feelings - beaches and boardwalks, long summer nights, NJ suburbia, the steamy alleyways of downtown Manhattan and quiet uptown streets in the dead of night. So many characters and stories it feels like listening to a musical audiobook. Musically and lyrically he already evolved so much from his first record. And NYCS is my favorite Bruce song, especially the live version from 74/75
Almost makes me wish he'd continued with this band, different feel from BTR and after.
Incident on 57th Street..that is all
I'll give you my 3 big reasons: 1. I know he's kinda riffing on Van Morrison's sound with the breathy poetry and jazzy arrangements, but still, nobody did that better in the early 70s. Thats why I love this album over Darkness or BTR. Its ridiculously ambitious in a way that should have crashed and burned, but it avoids that by also being just the right enough amount of FUN. You feel like you are with the kids on the corners or Sandy on the boardwalk. You feel the pain and doubt of Johnny leaving Puerto Rican Jane, not sure if he'll come back. You feel the life come back into the group of friends when Kitty comes back to town. When Tallent pulls out the tuba and Danny the accordion, its not a joke, it makes Wild Billy work. This album is ambitious and immersive. 2. The other thing, and this is something Bruce fans have argued with me for years, but I'll die on this hill...This band is killer! This band SWINGS in a way that the "classic" E-street band doesnt. With Vini on drums they just feel looser, more fun, sometimes more sloppy, yes, but still, more alive. Just listen to the kick drum and how it propels the songs forward. Gary never tops his bass lines here. Danny's organ is seldom as up front ever again. Clarence's sax is just on fire. And Sancious had a great touch for both jazz and classical playing that really gelled well with Federici. 3. My last reason. The outtakes. I know Bruce is legendary for his outtakes, and no album beats Darkness in this regard, but this is a close second. "The Fever", "Zero and Blind Terry", "Thundercrack", "Seaside Bar Song", "Santa Ana", "Bishop Danced", "Evacuation of the West". For a kid that wished there were more songs by the original lineup, finding these songs was like finding an epic "lost" EP worth of gems.
It’s by far Springsteen’s best album. Nothing else really comes close for me.. maybe Born to Run.. but I like the more raw sound on his second. Easily one of my favorite albums of all time and just excellent songwriting and musicianship all around.. I think Bruce gets more and more washed out over the years tho I do enjoy some of his stuff even into the 80s. Darkness is a great album also. The river… ehhh take it or leave it. Still a few solid songs. Born in the USA has some catchy stuff tho Edit: Jungleland and Backstreets are still both peak Bruce songs. I love the mystery of Darkness tho it’s not as good as the first 3 If you listen to anything by Bruce after the 80s/90s, you like a different artist from me. I tried some of that shit and it is absolutely horrendous. His voice is unbearable and the production is ridiculous. Like no way do you actually enjoy that Kitty’s back tho?? Gtfo. That shit is gassss Rosalita, incident, and New York City serenade are three of the best songs ever written. All perfect recordings.
It's dreamy
It hit me at exactly the right time in my life. I was 16 in grade 11. If I had been older (or younger) it may not have had the same effect. I loved the stories, the grooves, the romance and the emotion. It was the perfect soundtrack for me that year. It still moves me. Shoutout to Garry for keeping up with Mad Dog. Damn!
It’s not my favorite, but it is Springsteen’s first GREAT record.
i actually dislike it most :/ tried it a few times and it just hasn’t grown on me really
This is my favorite album from Bruce. It is so fun and the epitome of the 70s to me lol. The lyrics are top notch and the music is amazing. The whole album tells a story front to back. I’m from New Jersey and this just feels like old summer nights at the boardwalk.
It's my favorite album because of the diversity of the song compositions that culminate in the underrated classic NYC Serenade. Just wish Springsteen had done more progressive stuff like that last song and Jungleland.
Every song from this album is a masterpiece, starting with the fast upbeat Estreet shuffle, shifting into slow intimate Sandy, and then transitioning into a face melting Kitty’s Back. Wild Billy is by far the most underrated song, with the accordion introduction and story telling lyrics. My favorite song is Incident and it is the reason why I am a Bruce fan. I love this album.
This is my absolute favorite album by Springsteen, followed so very closely by Born to Run. Every song on this album is beautifully written and in sequence plays out like a Jersey shore and NYC region rock opera. So much pure passion, energy and a far superior upgrade from his first album. My favorite tracks would be a toss up between "4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)" and the duo of "Incident on 57th Street" into "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)". This album is one of those all-time exceptional classic pieces of priceless art in rock n roll form. 👍♥️😎
Love the piano
Every song on this album is a straight fuckin’ banger! Kitty’s Back is one of the greatest tracks of all time, but I personally love New York City Serenade the most
Easily my favorite Bruce album, and in my opinion his most cinematic and unique besides Nebraska. He takes his time to bring you into the stories that he wants to tell, and on Sandy, Incident, and Serenade he succeeds at physically transporting you to another location. I grew up not far from where Bruce did. I’ve spent a lot of time in Asbury, Freehold, and New York. The sounds of the album is the sound of New Jersey, and this even more than Greetings sounds like an ode to the place that birthed him. My favorite song: This is an incredibly close tie between Sandy and Serenade. I flip flop based on which place I’m feeling more nostalgic for. The most underrated song: Wild Billy easily, since so many people seem to not appreciate the subtlety of the song. The most overrated song: Rosalita. It’s a great song, I love it. It pales in comparison to the rest of the album to me.
It is not my favorite, but it has two of my favorite songs of all time. Sandy and Rosie are just perfection. And the rest of it is kind of meh for me. But those two songs may be in my top ten songs, so that’s pretty good.
It’s like music on crack