Review Summary: Raw, uneven, and underproduced... but that's the only way it could be this good.
Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J., however, is not the sound of a man who would affectionately become known as “the Boss.” On his debut album, Bruce Springsteen sounds much less like the perfect hybrid of Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, and Elvis Presley that he would eventually become and much more like a second coming of Bob Dylan with a more grizzled vocal delivery whose baritone register hinted at a possible Roy Orbison comparison. At times, Springsteen showcases a tender baritone; however, his overall delivery is often uneven. Sure enough, the overall sound of Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J., is one of Springsteen trying to find his voice growing up in a chaotic world.
None of the aforementioned information is meant to disregard Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. It is truly a terrific debut album that contains some of the better material that Bruce Springsteen has ever released. In particular, “Lost in the Flood” served to showcase Springsteen’s strength as a songwriter. “Lost in the Flood” follows a formula that many of Springsteen’s most memorable tracks ultimately would: a ballad with a strong, emotional story that builds in intensity throughout and relies on strong lyrical content as its backbone. “Lost in the Flood” is perhaps the bleakest song on the album. The majority of songs on Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. showcase a young man unsure about the world around him. Bruce Springsteen is not thoroughly cynical on the album, yet he does not display the surefire energy displayed on The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle and Born to Run. For instance, “Growin’ Up,” a mid-tempo tune that stands with “Lost in the Flood” as Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.’s finest moment, dives into the mind of a young Springsteen growing up as a young man in New Jersey.
“Mary Queen of Arkansas” and “The Angel” are not album highlights, but these piano-driven ballads showcase Springsteen’s strong lyrical abilities. However, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J., does not take itself too seriously at all times. “Spirit in the Night” is a jazz-infused tune that would serve as a precursor to the funkier material found on The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle. “Blinded by the Light” is certainly not Springsteen’s crowning lyrical or songwriting achievement, but it is a fun tune that also incorporates some funk influence that would be prominent throughout Springsteen’s early career. “For You,” “Does This Bus Stop at 82nd Street,” and “It’s Hard to be a Saint in the City” are generally uneven in comparison to the rest of the album but remain good songs in their own right. That is the beautiful thing about Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.: though it is very uneven in spots, there is not one bad song on the album. Though there is no masterpiece on the album, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. gave the notion that Bruce Springsteen would be a consistent performer with terrific lyrical and songwriting abilities once he found his voice. And though Bruce Springsteen would ultimately be known for his dedication to creating music about the struggles of the working class, his career was ignited by crafting songs influenced by his life growing up on the Jersey shore. And that is what makes Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. so special. It is not the voice of “the Boss.” It is the voice of Bruce Springsteen.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS:
1. "Growin' Up"
2. "Lost in the Flood"
3. "Spirit in the Night"
4. "Mary Queen of Arkansas"
