The ‘Rising’ Tide
Rock troubadour Bruce Springsteen returns this week with the incredible disc “The Rising” — his first album of new material since 1995’s “The Ghost of Tom Joad” and his first full set with the legendary E Street Band since 1984’s “Born in the U.S.A.” Produced by Brendan O’Brien (Rage Against the Machine, Pearl Jam), the albums centers thematically on the events Sept. 11 and those affected by the attacks.
O’Brien manages to take Springsteen to uncharted waters on at least one song (“World’s Apart”) but for the most part the music doesn’t sound particularly unlike the artist’s most recent studio efforts. The album’s best songs (“Into the Fire,” “You’re Missing,” “Paradise”) find Springsteen revisiting the contemplative mid-tempo rock of “Streets of Philadelphia,” while a handful of less enjoyable numbers (“Countin’ on a Miracle,” “Let’s Be Friends”) rely more on an outdated ’80s pop sense. The subtle lyrics and bare arrangements of the slower tunes (which ironically lack nearly any E Street contribution) seem to have a spark the more elaborate numbers lack.
Springsteen and company embark on a 46-city tour Aug. 7 in East Rutherford, New Jersey, a run which is expected to extend well into 2003, with stops in Europe, Australia, and an eventual return to the U.S. Springsteen is also scheduled for a series of television appearances, including a segment Tuesday (July 30) on the “Today” show, two appearances on “The Late Show with David Letterman” later this week, and an Aug. 29 performance at the MTV Video Music Awards.
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