Bruce Springsteen - We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions

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When the general population heard of the new Bruce Springsteen album, the news wasn't exactly met with unanimous anticipation. Firstly, it's Springsteen's second non-E Street Band album in a row. Secondly, it is The Boss's first all-covers album (interestingly, he covers songs sung by and associated with Peter Seeger, but none were actually written by him). It all doesn't sound very promising.

Suprisingly, it works. "We Shall Overcome" was recorded quickly, with a band with limited experience playing together. The band plays loosely, resulting in a rather invigorating record. Like any good folk music, it has it's share of social/political commentary, but at the same time it never beats anybody over the head with it - it's subtle, relying on stories about the people with politics as an inevitable result. For example. it's hard to hear "Mrs. McGrath", where Springsteen laments a mother's loss of a child in a war, without thinking about the current stiuation in Iraq.

The album epitomizes a few aspects of folk music in it's fun, sing-along atmosphere. It's quite suprising that an acclaimed songwriter with a rockstar image could work so well, indeed better than he has in a while, playing covers as a down-to earth folk singer. Although on the other hand, maybe it shouldn't - after all, Bruce is firmly rooted in American tradition and firmly ingrained in contemporary American culture ("Born in the USA", anyone?). It was Pete Seeger himself who said "plagiarism is the basis of all culture." So maybe a tribute to Pete Seeger covering songs he didn't write is quite fitting.

"We Shall Overcome" manages to offer a nice chunk of variety by exploring the wide spectrum of styles included in the catch-all genre that is folk - including Zydeco, bluegrass, etc. At the same time, the album is influenced by different - although still decidedly American - genres: gospel, rock 'n roll, etc.

The band is made up of relative unknowns instead of the much more famous E Street band. Of the twelve musicians listed, I know only three. I know Mark Pender (trumpet) and Richie "La Bamba" Rosenberg (trombone) but only from TV, playing with the Max Weinberg 7. The other artist I know is Patti Scialfa (backing vocals), but only because she's married to the Boss himself. Bruce sings with a raspy, Tom Waits-ish voice, helping the songs differentiate themselves from both the Seeger versions and Springsteen's previous work pretty nicely.

The music tends to rock, going for a joyous sounds perhaps best accomplished on "O Mary Don't You Weep" - thanks to it's rather unexpected mix of sounds (violin, trombone, fiddle, etc.) and some really effective backup vocals. The album slows down for a much different effect every now and then on songs like "Shenandoah"

Springsteen and his band sound loose, relaxed, and (most of all) just having fun when they play (alcohol was definitely a factor). The album was recorded in 3 day-long sessions, with no previous rehearsals (perhaps what Bruce refers to when he talks of music being "made" instead of "played"). The result is an uplifting, fun album. It's folksy sound may be derided by some (you know who you are) but in the end it's hard to find too much fault in the execution. Sure, personally I could have done with less banjo and more piano, but that's besides the point. If there's one knock against this this album, is that it sounds a bit contrived at times (especially these banjo parts) - its everyday atmosphere a little hard to believe when you realize the prices he's charging for tickets at his concerts.

In the end, however, it's about the music. It's hard not to enjoy an album that was put together by people who enjoyed putting it together so much. The joy is infectious.

-Luis