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SPRINGSTEEN ANNOUNCES NEW RECORD! High Hopes - Jan 14th, 2014


axlslash

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Got #HighHopes for a new Springsteen album in 2014?

1. High Hopes

2. Harry's Place

3. American Skin (41 Shots)

4. Just Like Fire Would

5. Down In The Hole

6. Heaven's Wall

7. Frankie Fell In Love

8. This Is Your Sword

9. Hunter Of Invisible Game

10. The Ghost of Tom Joad

11.The Wall

12. Dream Baby Dream

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Amazing track list. A few new studio renditions of long-time Boss staples (41 Shots, Ghost of Tom Joad with Tommy Morello) and unreleased outtakes (High Hopes, The Wall, Harry's Place). It's not "new material" in the truest sense, but it's a chance to hear studio takes on some great live tracks. Nice to see some of my favorites finally get the studio treatment.

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Excited.

Wasn't a fan of "Dream Baby Dream", though.

I preferred the D&D tour version where it was just Bruce and the pump organ. He's gotten too into those electronic drum loops for my taste. I still like it OK. Definitely not my favorite. I'd pay 10 bucks easy for the studio cuts of High Hopes (leaked a few days ago, fucking love it), Ghost of Tom Joad with Morello, 41 Shots, The Wall, and Just Like Fire Would, so I won't complain. I like the sort of mini-Tracks thing he's doing with this. I definitely hope there's an all-new record down the pipe as well, but hard to argue with what, 6 or 8 records in the last 10 years?

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Excited.

Wasn't a fan of "Dream Baby Dream", though.

I preferred the D&D tour version where it was just Bruce and the pump organ. He's gotten too into those electronic drum loops for my taste. I still like it OK. Definitely not my favorite. I'd pay 10 bucks easy for the studio cuts of High Hopes (leaked a few days ago, fucking love it), Ghost of Tom Joad with Morello, 41 Shots, The Wall, and Just Like Fire Would, so I won't complain. I like the sort of mini-Tracks thing he's doing with this. I definitely hope there's an all-new record down the pipe as well, but hard to argue with what, 6 or 8 records in the last 10 years?

Yeah, I love when musicians are willing to open the vault and release the music for the fans. I think The Promise compares favorably to many of his best studio albums, for example. Neil Young does similar things. It's great for the fans.

Getting into musicians like Springsteen and Young is a big reason I can't tolerate Guns N' Roses anymore.

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Springsteen puts GNR to shame when it comes to hoarding his outtakes. Does he release some? Yes. The promise is 3 of the incarnations Darkness could have taken, and Tracks is a look behind the vault doors. But let's not forget: he had 8 RECORDS MADE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN BORN IN THE USA. Let that sink in. One of the most commercially successful records of all time (7 top ten singles off of one record), and it's just 1/8 of what he could have dropped on that one day. The River also has many more iterations locked up that we'll never see. He could have made an entire record just out of different incarnations of Born to Run, the song. Bruce is the man, easily my favorite musician out there and of all time, but he's a perfectionist like even Axl could never know.

Fun fact: if Jon Landau hadn't been in the room to talk Bruce down off the ledge, Born to Run would never have been released. Bruce recorded possibly the greatest masterpiece in the history of rock n roll and HATED IT. Landau only got him to agree to release it by reminding him how many hours had been spent on the thing.

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Springsteen puts GNR to shame when it comes to hoarding his outtakes. Does he release some? Yes. The promise is 3 of the incarnations Darkness could have taken, and Tracks is a look behind the vault doors. But let's not forget: he had 8 RECORDS MADE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN BORN IN THE USA. Let that sink in. One of the most commercially successful records of all time (7 top ten singles off of one record), and it's just 1/8 of what he could have dropped on that one day. The River also has many more iterations locked up that we'll never see. He could have made an entire record just out of different incarnations of Born to Run, the song. Bruce is the man, easily my favorite musician out there and of all time, but he's a perfectionist like even Axl could never know.

Fun fact: if Jon Landau hadn't been in the room to talk Bruce down off the ledge, Born to Run would never have been released. Bruce recorded possibly the greatest masterpiece in the history of rock n roll and HATED IT. Landau only got him to agree to release it by reminding him how many hours had been spent on the thing.

Well I don't expect him to release everything. I'm sure a lot of the stuff is probably rough outtakes or music he just doesn't think is good. But a lot of very cool stuff has come from that. I'd still like to hear more of it, though, obviously. :P

I just meant it more in the way that Springsteen and Young are always working on something (polishing up old songs and live performances to release or writing new music), or at least touring when they're not. There's just a lot to experience from them if you're a fan. GNR sadly... doesn't. But this probably shouldn't turn into a GNR v other people thread lol.

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I'd pay 10 bucks easy for the studio cuts of High Hopes (leaked a few days ago, fucking love it)

I'd be surprised if it is better than the version he released on the Blood Brothers film:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eq7V7d3l_eg

Not really keen to hear yet another version of 41 Shots (i don't really like that song) or Ghost Of Tom Joad. I've already heard very good live versions of the latter with Tom Morello that will be hard to improve upon. Remember, was the version of Land Of Hopes And Dreams on Wrecking Ball really an improvement on the one on Live In NYC? Not by a long shot, imho.

Springsteen puts GNR to shame when it comes to hoarding his outtakes. Does he release some? Yes. The promise is 3 of the incarnations Darkness could have taken, and Tracks is a look behind the vault doors. But let's not forget: he had 8 RECORDS MADE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN BORN IN THE USA. Let that sink in. One of the most commercially successful records of all time (7 top ten singles off of one record), and it's just 1/8 of what he could have dropped on that one day.

I read Dave Marsh's detailed biography covering that period. he had a few good outtakes like Shut Out The Light and some that appeared on Tracks, but apart from that this is the first I've heard of him having recorded THAT much stuff for Born In The USA ! (Source?). Some of the stuff on Tracks, btw, isn't all that great - it's obvious why much of it was left off of albums and Bruce says as much.

The River also has many more iterations locked up that we'll never see. He could have made an entire record just out of different incarnations of Born to Run, the song. Bruce is the man, easily my favorite musician out there and of all time, but he's a perfectionist like even Axl could never know.

I've heard early live versions of Drive All Night, Independence Day and a few others with earlier, less impactful lyrics and phrasing and so on and while they are interesting i'm glad he took the extra time to perfect them. Also, early versions of Thunder Road (called Wings for Wheels (not that great, tbh)), and one great take of him i particularly treasure of him trying to nail Backstreets. Point being, the best stuff that he recorded definitely ended up on the records.

Fun fact: if Jon Landau hadn't been in the room to talk Bruce down off the ledge, Born to Run would never have been released. Bruce recorded possibly the greatest masterpiece in the history of rock n roll and HATED IT. Landau only got him to agree to release it by reminding him how many hours had been spent on the thing.

I read that he hated the production and so just wanted to record the album live and release it. BTR took a long time to record for THOSE days, but it didn't take unusually long by today's standards. What he also hated was the way the upcoming album was being promoted on big billboards that famously quoted one of Landau's live reviews with some pompous statement like he was the future of rock n' roll or something. When he went to London and saw the posters, he tore them down.

Edited by machinegunner
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Haha true. We can keep it a "Holy fuck Springsteen" thread. I'm cool with that.

I've seen the guy 5 times with the E Street Band (in addition to 1 solo and 1 Seeger Sessions), and the depth of material has never ceased to amaze me. Never opened with the same song twice (Adam Raised a Cain, Badlands, When You Walk In The Room, The Price You Pay - first time he'd played it since the River tour, and We Take Care of Our Own), every show has had at least 1 song I have never heard live before, each one over 2.5 hours. Oh, and sometimes, he and the band will say "fuck it, let's figure a song out right here and blow the goddamned roof off." This right here is the greatest moment of live music I have ever experienced. By any band, anywhere, period. I get goosebumps just thinking about it. I post this video virtually every time Bruce comes up because I think everyone who doubts the greatness of the house rockin', pants dropin', earth shakin', booty quakin', love makin', viagra takin', history makin', legendary E Street Band must revel in its greatness.

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The new High Hopes is MUCH better than the old one. Bigger band sound, plus Morello's guitar is great. I love 41 shots, and it's about damn time it got a proper studio release. The live GOTJ is definitely near perfect, but I trust Bruce. I actually liked the new take on LOHAD on Wrecking Ball. The original arrangement was wonderful, but it got stale over its decade as a setlist staple. I thought the new arrangement fit the tone of Wrecking Ball wonderfully, especially after Rocky Ground.

A lot of what I know of Bruce's BITUSA vault is mostly word of mouth and stuff. I know I read it somewhere, but not sure where exactly. It's possible that what I read was wrong. I think the Promise does prove that the best stuff doesn't always make the record. Sometimes, he doesn't even keep it for himself (though Patti Smith did a wonderful job).

If you haven't watched it before, check out Wings For Wheels: The Making of Born to Run. It's amazing.

Edited by axlslash
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Cool to see American Skin is getting a proper release. Wonder which 2013 shows they're going to release on DVD: I'm hoping Wembley and Leeds (the Secret Garden performance from the latter is beautiful, and they also did American Skin).

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The new High Hopes is MUCH better than the old one. Bigger band sound, plus Morello's guitar is great. I love 41 shots, and it's about damn time it got a proper studio release. The live GOTJ is definitely near perfect, but I trust Bruce. I actually liked the new take on LOHAD on Wrecking Ball. The original arrangement was wonderful, but it got stale over its decade as a setlist staple. I thought the new arrangement fit the tone of Wrecking Ball wonderfully, especially after Rocky Ground.

A lot of what I know of Bruce's BITUSA vault is mostly word of mouth and stuff. I know I read it somewhere, but not sure where exactly. It's possible that what I read was wrong. I think the Promise does prove that the best stuff doesn't always make the record. Sometimes, he doesn't even keep it for himself (though Patti Smith did a wonderful job).

If you haven't watched it before, check out Wings For Wheels: The Making of Born to Run. It's amazing.

I look forward to hearing the new High Hopes, then. Man, I'll miss Dan 'now you see him, now you don't - The Phantom' Federici's keys and 'The Big Man'...

Yeah that documentary has been on my radar since it was released and i'll see it one day (and the making of Darkness On The Edge Of Town movie too), thanks for the link but i'd go way over my monthly internet limit with that!

I'm hoping for another killer album at last to go through another Bruce phase again...

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I'd pay 10 bucks easy for the studio cuts of High Hopes (leaked a few days ago, fucking love it)

I'd be surprised if it is better than the version he released on the Blood Brothers film:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eq7V7d3l_eg

Not really keen to hear yet another version of 41 Shots (i don't really like that song) or Ghost Of Tom Joad. I've already heard very good live versions of the latter with Tom Morello that will be hard to improve upon. Remember, was the version of Land Of Hopes And Dreams on Wrecking Ball really an improvement on the one on Live In NYC? Not by a long shot, imho.

Springsteen puts GNR to shame when it comes to hoarding his outtakes. Does he release some? Yes. The promise is 3 of the incarnations Darkness could have taken, and Tracks is a look behind the vault doors. But let's not forget: he had 8 RECORDS MADE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN BORN IN THE USA. Let that sink in. One of the most commercially successful records of all time (7 top ten singles off of one record), and it's just 1/8 of what he could have dropped on that one day.

I read Dave Marsh's detailed biography covering that period. he had a few good outtakes like Shut Out The Light and some that appeared on Tracks, but apart from that this is the first I've heard of him having recorded THAT much stuff for Born In The USA ! (Source?). Some of the stuff on Tracks, btw, isn't all that great - it's obvious why much of it was left off of albums and Bruce says as much.

The River also has many more iterations locked up that we'll never see. He could have made an entire record just out of different incarnations of Born to Run, the song. Bruce is the man, easily my favorite musician out there and of all time, but he's a perfectionist like even Axl could never know.

I've heard early live versions of Drive All Night, Independence Day and a few others with earlier, less impactful lyrics and phrasing and so on and while they are interesting i'm glad he took the extra time to perfect them. Also, early versions of Thunder Road (called Wings for Wheels (not that great, tbh)), and one great take of him i particularly treasure of him trying to nail Backstreets. Point being, the best stuff that he recorded definitely ended up on the records.

Fun fact: if Jon Landau hadn't been in the room to talk Bruce down off the ledge, Born to Run would never have been released. Bruce recorded possibly the greatest masterpiece in the history of rock n roll and HATED IT. Landau only got him to agree to release it by reminding him how many hours had been spent on the thing.

I read that he hated the production and so just wanted to record the album live and release it. BTR took a long time to record for THOSE days, but it didn't take unusually long by today's standards. What he also hated was the way the upcoming album was being promoted on big billboards that famously quoted one of Landau's live reviews with some pompous statement like he was the future of rock n' roll or something. When he went to London and saw the posters, he tore them down.

Keep in mind this was not a good time for their label, they had just fired Clive Davis, and all you had was Paul Simon making any impact. Aerosmith would do well in '75, Billy Joel in '77, (and that Ted Nugent guy) but it sounded like they were ready to cut a lot of bands loose.

Bruce was upset with Hammersmith for years that he thought at the time it was a bad performance. When he had it pulled out of the vault, he was mistaken.

I think the 76 shows were full of venom when he's delivering "Backstreets" and the Animals' "It's My Life", both of which were aimed at his then manager because he was tied up in litigation. It might be a little bit over the top to listen to, but there's shows where you can tell he's completely amped up more than others.

The Darkness sessions were doled out because it was 2 years of material he had written, some of it's on The River, Tracks, and The Promise, as well as still in the bootleg circles. Most of "Born in the USA/Nebraska" is out there and it's the "acoustic BITUSA" and "electric Nebraska" people wanted to hear.

I don't even know if he put all the "River" outtakes out there, I think "Tracks" had a lot of songs, and I remember hearing some 79-80 bootlegs of stuff not on "Tracks".

The stuff he recorded before "Greetings" is definitely interesting, it's not all good, but surprising to hear him playing way more lead guitar and extended jams, as well as that 2 CD demo that was in stores for a couple of years.

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The Born to Run tour was definitely hit and miss. A lot of nights where he mailed it in and didn't care (since the tour was all an attempt to get the money Apppel was stealing), but the nights he was pissed off...perfection. The Darkness tour is really where the shit got its most epic, though. I could listen to Passaic Night all day every day and never get bored.

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Cheated and listened to it on a long walk today... KILLER RECORD!

The "old" live songs have been given incredible studio versions (41 Shots, The Ghost Of Tom Joad) and the production is great. Very organic and "live".

Personal highlights are the stunningly beautiful The Wall and the folk-ballad Hunter Of Invisible Game. The three covers are also very fine, and Bruce really made them his own. Just Like Fire Would is a great tune and Dream Baby Dream is the perfect closer.

Damn I wasn't expecting it to be this good.

EDIT: An interesting GNR-related note is that Josh Freese plays the drums on This Is Your Sword. Max Weinberg does most of the rest.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/bruce-springsteen-producer-breaks-down-high-hopes-exclusive-20131230

Great interview with the producer Ron Aniello there.

Edited by Demon Wolf
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  • 2 weeks later...

Just gave it my first playthrough, enjoyed it more than I thought I would, especially the new recording of Ghost of Tom Joad, which I thought I'd hate but I may actually like more than the original acoustic version. Favourite song off the album is probably Down in the Hole. Not a fan of the new version of American Skin (41 Shots), though :/

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Down in the Hole is incredible. Not sure how Bruce left it off the Rising. Been listening to the album for a week or so after Amazon accidentally leaked it.

Id rate the songs like this:

Great - Down in the Hole, American Skin (41 Shots), The Ghost of Tom Joad, The Wall and Heaven's Wall

Good - Hunter of the Invisible Game, Just Like Fire Would, Frankie Fell In Love, This is your Sword, High Hopes

Indifferent - Harry's Place, Dream Baby Dream --- although it sounds great on the Devil's and Dust bootlegs.

Overall, I really really like the album surprisingly...it's not a typical Springsteen album, as most of the songs are unreleased from the Rising, Magic and WOAD eras... but it works. Somehow it works.

Bruce is on Fallon tomorrow night and supposedly there is a chance some North American dates are announced tomorrow... but that is just speculation.

Edited by NightProwler
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Just gave it my first playthrough, enjoyed it more than I thought I would, especially the new recording of Ghost of Tom Joad, which I thought I'd hate but I may actually like more than the original acoustic version. Favourite song off the album is probably Down in the Hole. Not a fan of the new version of American Skin (41 Shots), though :/

Were you at the 2012 Hyde Park show? They did The Ghost of Tom Joad with Tom Morello and it was incredible, one of the highlights of the night, and it was essentially this version. I like it way better than the acoustic version.

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This interview and the one with Bruce hint at some really awesome stuff to come out soon. I'm intrigued.

That's why it takes so long and that's why he doesn't release that many records, really.

This is not really true, is it? Since 2002: The Rising, We Shall Overcome, Magic, Working on a Dream, Wrecking Ball; plus Devils and Dust and The Promise which revisit old stuff.

I actually like to listen to this stuff and not the old albums from the 70s. Most of those songs, once I've heard the live version seem unlistenable to me. With the newer albums the songs on the record sound more like they would live.

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