'The Rising' keeps Bruce at the top

Bruce Springsteen
The Rising
Columbia Records So you've been broke and then your back hurts / well show me somebody who ain't," he said over 10 years ago. That pretty much set the mood for the last decade or so of the Boss' career as a solo artist -- which was much better than most singer-songwriters of the time, but fell far short of his groundbreaking career with the E Street Band -- all the way from 1987's Tunnel of Love through the agonizing cuts on Ghost of Tom Joad. So it shouldn't be much of a surprise to hear that The Rising comes across as more of a solo project, though it features the E Street Band throughout. The Rising still has the signature Springsteen sound, but it is missing the one thing I've come to expect from each of his albums: a unique tone unto itself. This one borrows a lot from Tunnel of Love, and even has tracks with more noticeable strings and synths than "Streets of Philadelphia." But the best tracks by far are the ones that deal with everyday depression and anxiety, and the salvation his blood brothers provide. "Paradise" stands out as one of these tracks with its sad, spiritual changes and fingerpicked acoustic so reminscent of "Youngstown." The E Street Band's presence may be felt, but it's certainly not as noticeable as on any of their other masterpieces, which to be honest, would include every album Bruce has ever made with the band except The River, which is still a damn fine double-disc. It's just a shame that Clarence Clemons' work is so subdued here. Usually there are five or six memorable moments on each album by the big man, Steve Van Zandt or Roy Bittan, all of whom sound like a supporting cast for the most part instead of letting their individual voices be heard. It would be easy to place the blame on Springsteen in his old age, but judging by his latest concert video and live album, I'd have to guess that this is actually courtesy of producer Brendan O'Brien. Sadly, there aren't any really strong rockers with the burning intensity of "Candy's Room" or the mad poetry of "Born to Run" that makes so much sense to anyone who's ever felt trapped by a life they didn't choose. Though it's not the direction or approach I was hoping for, The Rising still has all the sincerity and guts typical of his work, just not that of the band.