The Rising

A pleasant surprise.

Enjoyed more than I thought I would.

Bruce at his most political written in the wake of 9/11 this proved to be Springsteen's comeback album after a slightly lacklustre 90's (save for a few excellent singles). I've always loved Bruce Springsteen since I was a kid my dad was a fan and had everything from Greetings through to Human Touch. This is a really good album with the title track as the highlight but Waitin' on a Sunny Day, My City of Ruins & Lonesome Day are great as well.

In-Depth Review of "The Rising" by Bruce Springsteen Bruce Springsteen's album The Rising, released in 2002, is a profound exploration of grief, hope, and the search for redemption in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. As a return to form for "The Boss" after a lengthy hiatus from his E Street Band collaborators, the album stands as a compelling artistic statement. This review will delve into the lyrical themes, musical composition, production quality, and the album's broader influence, highlighting its strengths and potential weaknesses. Lyrics Themes of Loss, Resilience, and Renewal: The lyrics of The Rising are deeply rooted in the emotional landscape following 9/11, navigating themes of loss, resilience, and renewal. Springsteen takes on the role of a storyteller, providing intimate portraits of people affected by the tragedy. In the title track, "The Rising," Springsteen embodies a firefighter ascending the stairs of a burning building, using vivid imagery like "left the house this morning, bells were ringing, filled the air" to capture the urgency and heroism of the moment. The refrain "Come on up for the rising" serves as both a call to spiritual ascension and a plea for communal healing. Other tracks like "You're Missing" delve into the personal impact of loss. With lines such as "pictures on the nightstand, TV's on in the den," Springsteen uses simple yet evocative language to paint a picture of the void left in the wake of a loved one's absence. The use of ordinary objects and settings amplifies the stark reality of sudden grief. "Mary's Place," meanwhile, is a song of reconciliation, combining themes of mourning with a yearning for celebration. The lyric "Let it rain, let it rain, let it rain" hints at a cathartic release, and its gospel-like structure suggests a move toward communal joy even amid sorrow. Personal Reflections and Universal Appeals: Springsteen's lyrics also explore broader themes of faith, uncertainty, and the human condition. In "My City of Ruins," originally written for Asbury Park, New Jersey, and later repurposed for New York City post-9/11, the line "Come on, rise up!" becomes a spiritual rallying cry. Springsteen weaves a narrative that simultaneously grieves the losses and calls for unity and renewal. However, the album's lyrics sometimes lean toward sentimentality. Tracks like "Let's Be Friends (Skin to Skin)" are lyrically weaker, with overly simplistic phrases that don't match the emotional weight of the other songs. The track feels out of place and disrupts the album's flow with its overly saccharine tone. Music and Composition Diverse Musical Styles: Musically, The Rising is an eclectic mix of styles, demonstrating Springsteen's versatility and willingness to experiment. The album incorporates rock, folk, gospel, blues, and even hints of Middle Eastern music. This diversity enhances the emotional range of the songs, making the album feel dynamic and varied. Songs like "Lonesome Day" and "Further On (Up the Road)" feature driving rock rhythms with anthemic choruses that evoke Springsteen's earlier work with the E Street Band. The use of fiddle and pedal steel guitar on "Nothing Man" and "Paradise" introduces a folk flavor, while "Worlds Apart" stands out with its unique incorporation of Qawwali music, a form of Sufi devotional music, complete with tablas and an Eastern-inspired vocal chorus. This blending of genres speaks to the global impact of the 9/11 tragedy and adds a layer of complexity to the album's sound. Melodic Strengths and Weaknesses: The album shines in its melodic construction, particularly on tracks like "The Rising" and "My City of Ruins." Both songs build gradually, layering instruments and voices to create a rich, textured sound that mirrors the emotional escalation of the lyrics. The use of organ, piano, and choral backing vocals in "My City of Ruins" creates a soulful, almost hymn-like atmosphere that feels both intimate and expansive. However, not all tracks are equally compelling. "Waitin' on a Sunny Day," while catchy, borders on being overly repetitive and lacks the depth of the other compositions. Its light, almost pop-rock style feels incongruent with the heavier themes that dominate the album, creating a jarring shift in tone. Production Return to Classic E Street Sound with Modern Touches: Produced by Brendan O'Brien, The Rising combines the classic E Street Band sound with contemporary production techniques. O'Brien's approach is clean and polished, with a focus on clarity and balance. He allows each instrument to breathe, ensuring that the dense arrangements never feel cluttered. This is particularly evident on tracks like "Into the Fire" and "The Rising," where the interplay between guitars, keyboards, and saxophones is meticulously balanced, providing a full, rich sound without overwhelming the listener. O'Brien also uses layering to great effect. The use of strings, choral backing vocals, and diverse instruments like the Indian harmonium on "Worlds Apart" adds depth and texture, creating a multi-layered soundscape that enhances the emotional gravity of the songs. Critique of Production Choices: However, some critics argue that the production is overly polished, lacking the raw, unfiltered edge of Springsteen's earlier work. While the crisp production quality makes the album accessible and radio-friendly, it also removes some of the grit and spontaneity that characterized Springsteen's best records from the 1970s and 1980s. This slickness can sometimes make the music feel too controlled, potentially diminishing the emotional impact for some listeners. Influence and Reception Critical and Commercial Success: Upon its release, The Rising was both a critical and commercial success, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 and earning Springsteen his first Grammy Award for Best Rock Album in 2003. The album's timing and thematic focus resonated strongly with listeners, capturing the national mood in a way few other records did at the time. It became a cultural touchstone for its exploration of the human spirit in the face of tragedy. The album's influence extended beyond its immediate impact. It reaffirmed Springsteen's role as a voice of the American experience, and its success paved the way for other artists to tackle complex, emotionally charged themes in their music. The blending of various musical styles and the use of non-Western sounds in "Worlds Apart" marked a significant step in the cross-pollination of global music genres in mainstream rock. Pros: Lyrical Depth and Resonance: The Rising is filled with poignant, introspective lyrics that explore themes of loss, hope, and resilience, capturing the collective grief of post-9/11 America. Musical Diversity: The album showcases a wide range of musical styles, from rock and folk to gospel and world music, providing a rich and varied listening experience. Strong Production Quality: Brendan O'Brien's production work is meticulous, ensuring a polished sound that highlights the strengths of each track. Cultural Relevance: The album's themes and timing made it a significant cultural artifact, reflecting the national mood and serving as a form of healing for many. Cons: Overproduction: The slick production, while clear and polished, lacks the raw, organic feel of Springsteen's earlier work, potentially diminishing the emotional impact for some listeners. Inconsistent Tone: Tracks like "Let's Be Friends (Skin to Skin)" and "Waitin' on a Sunny Day" feel out of place due to their lighter, more playful tone, disrupting the album's overall cohesiveness. Lyrical Weak Spots: While most of the album's lyrics are strong, there are moments of sentimentality and simplicity that don't match the emotional depth of the rest of the album. Repetitive Elements: Some songs, such as "Waitin' on a Sunny Day," suffer from repetitive structures and choruses, which can feel redundant over the course of the album. Conclusion The Rising stands as one of Bruce Springsteen's most important albums, a testament to his ability to articulate the complexities of the human experience in times of crisis. While it is not without its flaws—occasional overproduction, uneven tone, and a few weaker lyrical moments—it remains a powerful statement of resilience and hope. Its diverse musical palette and thoughtful lyrics offer a rich, rewarding listening experience that continues to resonate more than two decades after its release. Ultimately, The Rising reaffirms Springsteen's place as one of America's great musical storytellers, capable of turning collective pain into shared hope. It may not be a perfect album, but its imperfections are part of what makes it compelling, capturing a moment in time with an honesty and clarity that few others could achieve.

At first I was annoyed that it was Springsteen again - but this one was a whole load more fun than the last.

A strong album, but could have profited from a bit of a shorter run time. I enjoyed the quiet songs way more than the power pop tracks.

I’ve heard many songs by the Boss but have never known most of his stuff or how long he has been putting out new music. 2002 new album and he has many more since then! This one makes me want to listen to a few others

Pretty surprised to see this on the list, but very happy it is included! A late-career peak from (maybe) the best to do it.

I’m normally pretty ambivalent about Bruce Springsteen stuff but this combined the best aspects of all of his past work into something I actively enjoyed. Well written with great vocals plus the production is pretty bombastic which is more in my wheelhouse than anything from Nebraska or stuff like that. Waiting on a sunny day and counting on a miracle were my favs plus a couple others I don’t remember which ones cuz I was high (sounds great that way too)

I’m 37, white, a dad; in other words I’m in my Springsteen prime and have concluded he’s one of the top 3 or so songwriters ever. His run of albums from Greetings From Asbury Park to Tunnel of Love may only be matched by the Beatles in quality and consistent excellence. The second half of his career is more spotty, but he’s had several great records and The Rising is certainly one of them. Bruce sounds great throughout the record and it has the sound of classic Boss. I’d argue it’s best songs (The Rising, Lonesome Day, Worlds Apart, Mary’s Place) are some of the best in his career. While I’d also argue there’s not a bad song on the album, to me it’s a mid-tier Bruce record. There’s something that keeps me from calling it a masterpiece, perhaps it’s 2 or 3 songs too long, and it lacks the extended instrumental sections of songs like Jungleland or Thunder Road that made those so special. Mid-tier Bruce is still excellent, and it’s basically 4.5 stars for me.

Impressive album for being so late in his career. Not the best in the discography and I like Bruce Springsteen's 70 - 80s work more.

Never got into The Boss. This was a nice surprise.

I didn't like this as much as I remember liking it when it first came out. Still a few greats, like the title track, "My City of Ruins", and "Worlds Apart". "Paradise" would fit well on his earlier album "The Ghost of Tom Joad" Solid album but hasn't held up quite as well as I thought it would.

Bruce igen. Och med det sagt ska jag lyssna med ett öppet sinne och inte tänka på hur hans stämband mår. Jaha nu visar det sig ju att den här skivan är bra. Into The Fire kanske omvänder mig. Herregud! Jag gillar det. Låt på låt som är bra. Countin on a Miracle är 5 av 5.Empty Sky likaså. Sen går något snett på World Apart.Introt skulle han kastat. Stämbanden verkar hålla. Bruce har vuxit upp från 2 till 4. Kul!

Låg på en femma de första fyra-fem låtarna. Bättre än classic Bruce. Lite för många sisådär-låtar dock..lite för lång skiva överlag. 72 min.

Inte riktigt på samma nivå som hans klassiker, men fortfarande en jävligt bra skiva rakt igenom.

GOTTA FINISH THIS ALBUM. Fucking amazing. First time im listening to a bruce project and its beautiful

Good start with straightforward rocker Lonesome Day. I also like Waitin' On a Sunny Day with its dense, almost maximalist production. Nothing Man follows, country rock but pleasing to my ear. This is polished stuff compared to earlier Springsteen but the formula works. Radio ready rock with an orchestra full of instrumental backing. Not everything is a hit, and there's some forgettable tunes amongst the 72-minute runtime. Strong finish though, You're Missing being the standout of the back half for me, downtempo and melancholy with cello and organ. Paradise is another stripped down slow one, and My City of Ruins is a decent closer featuring a gospel sounding refrain. Cut a few songs from the middle and this is really really strong - as is, still very good. Glad this came up.

La primera parte es espectacular pero peca de alargarse mucho, hay varias canciones que me sobraban

Goes pretty hard

Wasn't familiar with this, but I really liked it.

The Boss' 9/11 response album shows a return to form after a decade of mixed albums.

Very squarely a Bruce Springsteen album.

Rating: 8.5/10 Great album overall. The melodies are fantastic for most of the songs, very catchy choruses and instrumentation. Bruce Springsteen sounds great, he sings with a lot of passion and emotion and his voice sounds better than some previous albums I heard by him. The album has an immaculate vibe to it, listening to this brought me immense joy. Definitely too long though, could have cut abut 4 songs to make this a Springsteen classic. Favorite songs: Lonesome Day, Into the Fire, Waitin' On a Sunny Day, Nothing Man, Worlds Apart, Further On (Up the Road), You're Missing, The Rising, Paradise, My City of Ruins. Worst song: Countin' On a Mircale.

Strong later-career album from the Boss, powerful as a response to 9/11. Bit long but good listen nonetheless

Eine exzellente musikalische Aufbereitung des 11.9.2001. Die Gefühle eines Feuerwehrmann in Nordturm in „Lonesome Day“, die Wegfall der Unbeschwertheit nach dem Ereignis in „Waitin‘ On A Sunny Day“ und der Mutmacher „The Rising“ zeigen die künstlerische Tiefe im Album. Wut, Trauer und Hoffnung im unverkennbaren Bruce Stil. Wiederhören sehr sinnvoll.

Overall, this album was a pleasant experience, however a few of the songs have repetitive lyrics. The last few songs are peaceful which was enjoyed.

That's a really nice album, genuinely good and entertaining songs, with that Springsteen flair in some lyrics. I enjoyed this album much more than the older, more classic albums by Bruce. Wholesome surprise.

A seventy minute album from Bruce Springsteen about the fallout from 9/11 is a daunting prospect. From just about any other artist this might have come across as preachy or jingoistic, but the Boss manages to make this thoughtful and considered with light and hope amongst the darkness. The E-Street band are back in business for this album too, which really lifts everything. The highlight is My City of Ruins, dedicated to his beloved Asbury Park.

"Waiting on a Sunny Day" has always been one of my favorite songs, but this is just way too long.

I really liked this album and had never heard it before. It reminds me a lot of the mid to later Mellencamp albums, as both seem to have gotten to a place where they are just doing what they want, not caring about trends or hits. I didn't realize until most of the way through that many (if not all) of the songs are about 9/11. That changes it a bit, but for me personally (someone that wasn't in the Northeast US when 9/11 happened), I can still listen to the album as a song about people in a more general sense. I will definitely listen to it again. The only reason I don't give it 5 stars is it doesn't pull me in or feel particularly fresh in any real way. It's just very solid.

Me gusta este disco también

I did enjoy this a lot. I can still remember listening to the songs on the radio back then. But never listened to the record as a whole. This is really great stuff!

Not top tier Bruce from the 70s/80s, but close.

The songs that I loved I absolutely loved. The ones I didn't were just fine. I'll give it a 4 just because of the sheer number of songs that I loved.

Reminded me of childhood and listening to Pops play this album.

There is never a bad time to put this album on. The Rising marked Bruce’s return after a long gap between studio records and, crucially, a full return with the E Street Band. You can really feel how important that reunion is. The chemistry, the lift, the sense of togetherness. It sounds like a band playing with purpose again. It is a fun album in places, but it also carries real emotional weight. There is hope running through it, but also reflection. Rediscovering Paradise was a highlight for me this time. What a beautiful, understated song. It quietly builds and stays with you. Favourite songs: Waiting on a Sunny Day, Mary’s Place and The Rising Least favourite: The Fuse Album artwork: Not quite on the level of Born to Run or Born in the U.S.A., but still a solid and fitting cover for the mood of the record

This will be my first encounter with the Boss during this project. I love his classic albums but haven’t ever really listened to anything beyond Born in the USA, along with one or two songs he released after. Curious if this will be the understated Boss on Nebraska and Streets of Philadelphia, feels like that should be appropriate for an aging rocker. I think my experience of this album can best be summed up by my experience with the song World’s Apart. It starts with an electronic drum and an Indian/Middle Eastern vibe that had me thinking oh God is Bruce about to do some trance music is he trend chasing is this going to have a weird message that’s aged poorly. And then the song kicks off and it’s incredible, I loved it, the production is excellent, the instrumentation is great, and the whole time I’m mad because of how much I like this album. So unbelievably I’m giving this 5/5. Do I think it deserves to be on this list? Maybe not, but I do really like this.

7/10 solid album especially if it's a nice day out

Lonesome Day Waitin’ On a Sunny Day Empty Sky Let’s Be Friends Mary’s Place The Rising Didn’t feel long. Had a joyful vibe to it. Put me in a good mood. Would definitely listen too again.

not a fan of sprintsteen but a good album all the same

The BOASS

I don't know how I didn't know of this album, but it was great

So fun!! Bruce always makes you wanna dance

Okay bruce i see you, post 9/11 and all

Least favorite of the Springsteen albums I've heard on this list so far, but I continue to grow more respect for this artist. It seems like he does a great job of being a voice for the public, his music feels very down to Earth. The Rising stood out for me on this album.

He's the boss. Even in his later work (which I didn't have high hopes for), he's the boss.

Pretty good

Very good album and another Bruce Springsteen one! I don't think it's as good as Born to Run though, which was the album I got last week. Probably a 8-9/10 but I think 4/5 is good.

Not my favorite Bruce record, but I know it was a response to 9/11 so it still gets a thumbs up.

Good variety

Waiting for a Sunny Day......such a great song.

What a sleeper album. Really enjoyed this and I know it is only one of the many Springsteen albums that got little radio play and thus I never heard. Really excellent through and through.

Not my personal flavor, but I can’t deny that Bruce brings the juice

Surprising. My favorite Springsteen album

Really really liked this, I was very close to giving a 5*. But I just thought knowing he’s got even better to come, I’ll go with a safe 4*. That could be a tad harsh, sorry boss. Simpsons reference: Yes (also rumoured to have turned down multiple guest appearances)

This album took a few listens to to apprentice fully. The boss knows what he's doing. waitin’ on a sunny day is probably my favourite from this album

mucho like, 5 lajkanih pjesama 4.5

Surprisingly not bad despite the cover and timing within his career

Always powerfull and sentimental

This is the second Bruce album in one week & I've learned that I appreciate his work. His songwriting style is deeply relatable, and his voice draws me in. Solid listen.

great album, but it dragged on a bit towards the end

My feeling about this album is strange. At the same time it's like every other album and like no other album. I listened to it twice and still can't find out, what does it remind me of. But I liked it though.

good listening and some great additions to my playlists

I listened to Bruce a fair bit back in the day but have never gotten to around to anything he released in the 2000s. I see that I have missed out. This is a very solid Bruce album, so that automatically makes it 4 stars. But it's not quite 5. I'm very glad to have been introduced to it, however.

Good Album

This isn’t peak Bruce, but it is very good Bruce.

I wasn’t a Springsteen fan during my south Jersey youth. But now I always enjoy listening to him sing about his city and Mary and his all-American pride.

I was super into Springsteen in my younger years. From Born to Run through Born in the USA, I would give every one of those albums 5 stars. After Tunnel of Love (which I also think is a very good album, probably 4 stars) though, I lost track of The Boss. I've listened a little bit here and there to things like The Ghost of Tom Joad and Devils and Dust, but overall he hasn't been on my radar much. So, it was good to listen to this. Doesn't quite have the magic of his earlier work, but still very solid. I really liked the songs Empty Sky and Let's Be Friends. My only advice to Bruce would be - it's okay to have some songs in the 2.5 to 3.5 minute range. They don't all have to be so long. 4 stars.

No. 63/1001 Lonesome Day 5/5 Into the Fire 4/5 Waitin' on a Sunny Day 5/5 Nothing Man 5/5 Countin' On a Miracle 4/5 Empty Sky 3/5 Worlds Apart 3/5 Let's Be Friends 4/5 Further On 3/5 The Fuse 3/5 Mary's Place 3/5 You're Missing 4/5 The Rising 3/5 Paradise 4/5 My City of Ruins 4/5 Average: 3,8 Really liked the start of the album. Towards the second half I felt for some songs like I already heard them in older albums of his e.g. Mary's Place. Still overall an enjoyable listen.

Of course I have heard a number of tracks from Bruce Springsteen, and The Rising is not the first album from Springsteen that I've reviewed for this list. I don't think I have heard anything from this album before. I am willing to hear anything from Springsteen because I know that the music will be to a certain level, even if the recommended tracks don't become automatically new favorites. I enjoyed this album. The album started out strong with possibly my two favorite tracks ("Lonesome Day", "Into the Fire") and continued steady throughout. "The Rising" should be added to my list of favorite tracks. Taking the album as a whole, I think I liked The Rising more than Born to Run, and close to the same level that I like Nebraska. I haven't settled in on whether there are individual tracks that I for sure would come back to (like I have from Nebraska), but I could listen to this album again.

Some very strong songs but a little long. Excellent production.

Great

The boss. Gotta be his best album in the 2000s

A few more of these and I'll be a full-on Springsteen head

Favourite songs: Further On (Up the Road), The Rising, Lonesome Day, Waitin' on a Sunny Day, Countin' on a Miracle, Nothing Man, Empty Sky, Worlds Apart Least favourite songs: Paradise 4/5

What's mediocre by Bruce's standards is pretty close to excellent when graded against mere mortals. There's too much filligree and layering with synths and strings for one's taste (though this is the trend with the late period Bruce). The excessive repetition in a lot of the lyrics – e.g., the same basic line being repeated again and again within single cuts ("Into the Fire" most notably) – is also noisome. And we get perilously close to outright schmaltz at times. That's what's reuniting with one of the 1970s' best bands will do, one supposes. But, per usual, Bruce's heart is certainly in the right place (who else could get away with deploying Sufi musical tropes and be so effective with it?). Plus, he offers up a great deal of soul, aiming to elevate in response to a tragedy felt locally, nationally, globally. Plus, there's just an extremely high level of songcraft and musicianship and pride in the work – the quality is unimpeachable from the first to the last note. The net-net is ample pleasure for listeners and a handful of top-shelf songs ("Lonesome Day," title cut, "City in Ruins," "Empty Sky"). Even the worst song is strong if – again – not among his most transcendent outputs. At times, it seems Bruce is almost too good for his own benefit. Does he make it look too easy? Is it all too accessible, slightly too broad, over-emphatically crowd-pleasing (see "Waiting on a Sunny Day" and "Let's Be Friends" as Exhibits A and B)? Too polished and assured? Too shiny and too impeccably produced? Are there perhaps too many relatable characters and personae? Definitely maybe on all counts. Still, editors are right, it is "magisterial" and "moving," clearly deserving of bonus points for the degree of difficulty.

Something about famous artists that you've never listened before is that you probably will understand why they are so liked. I don't know anything about him, but i can sense the emotion and the quality of his music.

Thoroughly enjoyable Springsteen album. It's got rock, ballads, soul, gospel, lots of the great E Street sax. Not really any dull songs. A long album that whistles through. Poignant subject matter. Top picks, depending on your mood, could be My city of ruins, The Rising, Mary's Place, Lonesome Days, Empty Skies.

I like Springsteen a lot. His 70's stuff is untouchable. I don't know how many albums he has on this list but I can think of at least 4 other albums that should be on here before this one. It's mostly good, but it's too long. 15 tracks at 72 minutes, should be 10 at around 42. That complaint seems to recurring for me from CD era releases.

Som muito bom, mas talvez muitos do mestre nessa lista

In the shadow of 9/11, Bruce got the E Street Band back together and recorded this fine collection of songs about love, loss, and finding the will to go on after tragedy. Not quite at the level of his greatest work, but well worth a listen.

Trodde inte jag hört någon låt från följande platta men det visade sig att jag hört 2-3 låtar tidigare. Blev tagen på sängkanten faktiskt. Det här albumet är riktigt bra. En stark fyra. Med lite inlyssning så kommer det i framtiden antagligen bli en femma.

Not the best Bruce album, but it’s still a Bruce album.

This is a solid album. I like Springsteen a lot but am definitely more drawn to his earlier records, so I haven't listened to this one as much. I think there are a number of really good songs on here and I wouldn't skip any of them but it still doesn't quite hit me as hard as his 70's and 80's records. Overall a strong album though. Standout Tracks: Lonesome Day, Nothing Man, Worlds Apart, The Fuse, You're Missing, The Rising, My City of Ruins

Liked it more the more I let it play. Wasn’t the old school Bruce but some soulful ballad type songs. Could throw it on the background at any point in time.

4.0

Pretty joyful, good old rock from The Boss. An enjoyable listen!

I thought the album was pretty nice, though I would say there were definitely a few misses. I also thought the album was a bit too long - definitely could've scrapped a few songs. "The Rising" was absolutely the best song on the album and was a bit more meaningful, considering my proximity to the events of 9/11. 8/10

It's Bruce. It's grand, it's pretty cliché but it is listenable and enjoyable to me. This was a rather long album and could have done with being halved but I wasn't wanting to burst my eardrums by the end to make it stop. Worlds Apart stood out for me out of the rather large bunch.

I love Bruce, but this record didn’t grab me. It has some very beautiful songs. But it misses the grit and the punch. It’s too lighthearted for my taste. I’m glad it gave him somewhat of a resurgence though! 7 out of 10

better than expected. im a big 9/11 fan i guess nothing man, countin on a miracle, worlds apart is a 5, paradise

This album is a very welcome return for the E Street Band. The sound on this album is very filled out, and has almost a wall of sound effect on certain tracks. The instrumentation is great overall. I have some qualms with some of the early 2000s style production and beats, but can generally look past it. Lyrically, this album deals with the aftermath of 9/11 and its songs are contemplative, joyous, somber, and life affirming. Springsteen’s emotional range on this album is vast and it imbues this essentially heartland rock album with a strong sense of place and storytelling that allows it to become something more.

Undeniable quality. Would I listen to this more often? Probably not.

Nice

hidden gem. Hadn't heard it and enjoyed it more than expected.

I wasn’t familiar so much with this entire album. Just knew a few tracks. Really enjoyed it. This apparently was a bit of a comeback album.. He still had it then, and he still has it now!

Opening track on this album has hints of greatness, and “the rising” is also a solid track, worthy of the Grammy. My general thoughts on the boss are that he was a 70’s storyteller, then a hit maker in the 80s-early 90s, then regression back to storytelling. I enjoy the hitmaking Bruce, not so much the storytelling.

Never listened to this but there were some good songs.

The Boss is back. Between 1992's Human Touch and Lucky Town, both uneven albums, Springsteen's only studio record was the folk album "The Ghost of Tom Joad." All the others else were live albums or compilations. For twenty years, there was no Boss album. Then The Rising was released. It was Springsteen back in his old form. The best songs include the title track, lead off track "Lonesome Day", and fun "Mary's Place". While not as good as 2007's Magic and on par with 2012's Wrecking Ball, The Rising is a great late career album for Springsteen, bringing back that old Boss energy.

gostei do álbum, o final estava bem melancólico. apesar de não ler cada uma das letras sei sobre o que se trata e achei a mensagem geral e intenção lindas.

Um álbum atemporal. Apesar de refletir, em grande parte, especificamente sobre os acontecimentos do 9/11, é na verdade, um álbum que trata sobre desastres, tragédias, tempos difíceis e os sentimentos que temos durante esses períodos - desde vingança, suicídio, desespero até um sentimento de perdão, compaixão, esperança, suporte e persistência - além de referenciar a religião ( e sua influência em tempos como esse ) de inúmeras formas. Um álbum com uma mensagem simples e clara ( como a maioria dos álbum do bruce ) porém profunda e necessária. Não é um álbum repleto de hits, como outros da carreira do artista, mas entrega exatamente o que se propôs a fazer e é uma ótima experiência musical e de reflexão.

The title track pulls a lot of the weight but BOY does it.

Despite never listening to Springsteen in depth, I really liked this album. It was consistent all the way through. Even though nothing blew me away, I would definitely listen again.

Gran disco de rock interpretada por una gran voz. Muy rítmico y con los tempos muy bien ajustados. Emotivo en algunos aspectos

Sounds like a distilled album of the music Bruce created up to this point, in a good way. Solid songs that reference the past, but evolve beyond it. Only real complaint is it's a bit long.

Enjoyed this so much more than Nebraska. This is the Bruce I like.

I went into this album not expecting much. "Waitin' on a Sunny Day" is maybe my least favorite single of Bruce's career, and I'm not crazy about "Lonesome Day" either. But there are enough great moments here to consider this album a success. The back half of this album particularly worked for me -- the slower cuts like "You're Missing" and "Paradise" really work for an older Boss, and songs like "Mary's Place" have all the E-Street swagger and pomp that we expect from a Springsteen album. This probably gets a 3.5 from me, in actuality. But what the hell, I'll bump it up.

This was fun to listen too, if a bit saccharine and Budweiser-y. Kind of lost its way in the middle but picked up at the end. You’re Missing was my fave

First time listening to a Bruce album from the 2000s all the way through and was not disappointed one bit.

Oh my days. 2002 Bruce Springsteen is the greatest of all time. The Boss delivers a stellar record that oozes with class. A marvellous culmination of all of his best work. His vocals are on point and his buttocks as hard as ever. What a derriere. Fine, fine buns of steel. That ass is to die for. Sumptuous peach.

ugh his voice is so pretty. the album’s clearly about 9/11, finding hope and keeping faith in dark times. his songwriting is so poetic and warming. the tracks are so comforting and bright, ironic to the subject matter but i think it works. I will say it’s less interesting musically than his classics but it’s a strong singer-songwriter album. 3.5

Listened Before? N I liked this one! It's not really on par with his older works, but it's very Springsteen... and it captures a very specific time in America: The post 9/11 vibe of shock, gloom, but hope. He did a good job. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Waitin' on a Sunny Day

Pretty good mid career Springsteen. No standouts. No turds. Excellent guitar on “Worlds Apart”. 3.5 and rounding up because my wife “really like this”

Great album. Really good vibe. Thoroughly enjoyed most of the songs on here.

You can't take The Boss in small doses, and this is a large dose of Boss (1hr15mins). Compelling as ever however with a couple of real bangers (Nothing Man, The Rising)

Good album

There are some great songs on here, but the album could probably lose a few songs and overall sounds more dated than most of his other stuff.

Just when I though maybe Bruce was kind of winding down....he. releases this powerful fantastic album. Saw him perform "The Rising" live.....like a religious experience.....I would. give it a 5...but. then what do you do with. Born to Run.....The wild, the innocent, and. the E street Shuffle.....Greetings from Asbury Park.....Nebraska......Darkness on the Edge of. Town? Giving it a 4....but it's a 5

Very good, although pretty much ignored at the time. Sounds very like his famous songs, but without the baggage of being rock radio staples for a few decades!

Not very interesting but the rythm is there and gives some good vybes.

Bruce just manages to always deliver. This album combines his classic e-street sound with contemporary production and sounds. The production is flawless, his lyrics are personal, and there are plenty of quality songs. If it was only a little shorter with the omission of 4 or 5 weaker songs, it would have been a 5.

Bruce is always a good time! Even in the early 2000s he proved that his typical style still works, while also showing some versatility by dabbling into other directions in this album

I love The Boss. It took me a while to come around. I've always been more of a John Cougar man myself, but Springsteen has some real depth that takes a while to dig into. I still chuckle when all the 'Merica folks think that Born in the USA is a patriotic song. I wasn't familiar with this post-911 effort by Bruce and the E-Street Band, and some parts are a little obvious, but remembering what the time right after 911 was like, obvious was just what we needed. There might not be a Tunnel of Love (man, that's a crazy hook) or Human Touch (his most underrated tune, IMHO, but still worth a few listens.

4 because it’s catchy and definitely above 3 but it still needs some work!

I haven't really listened to much from the Boss since Born in The USA and for the most part hasn't been impressed by his solo albums without the E Street Band. For The Rising, Bruce reunites with the band and the results are much more satisfying than his previous efforts. A powerful and passionate project for the Boss, the songs are all consistently good and interesting with the band adding that extra energy and spark. Sure, there are some slow moments and the album is a tad bit too long, but overall it's a solid return to the "glory days".

Not his best but still pretty good

Highlight: Worlds Apart

Very strong record. Especially given where he was career wise at that stage.

This was excellent.

I have not been much of a Bruce Springsteen fan before but I loved this album. I thought the E Street Band sounded absolutely perfect, and that the songs were all just what was needed in 2002. Having listened to Born to Run recently, I really noticed how this was a Bruce who's seen and felt some things since then, bringing all those experiences and feelings into this. Really good.

Very good. Nice instrumentation and heartfelt lyrics. I like it.

I enjoyed this album with its great sound and solid tracks - what I expected. A nice listen with some standouts that made me pause and really take notice. Favorite songs: World’s Apart and Mary’s Place

This may not be peak Bruce, but is still damn good. Let's Be Friends was never a favorite and Mary's Place seemed like he was trying too hard to create a centerpiece for the Rising tour. Further On (Up the Road) sounded great in 2000 on the Reunion tour at MSG, but seems flat here. The rest vacillates between very good and exceptional. Missing is simply devastating. Not bad for 30 years in.

The album marking Bruce's 21st century comeback. The Rising has many beautiful moments whether they are soaring with joy (Mary's Place) or devastatingly sad (You're Missing/ My City of Ruin). It captures a moment in time both lyrically and sonically. This is a very good album that will not get a 5 because the other albums of his on here are still a tier above. I also think that there are a few clunker tracks on here that could have been cut given the album's length in order to get a perfect score. However, I'm sure it was thrilling when this came out, as it marked a return for one of America's greatest rock and roll bands during a moment when they were sorely needed.

I’m relatively new to the boss and besides his early career behemoths I’m not that that familiar with his entire body of work - I just thought his later work was a bit poorer than Born to Run or Nebraska or Darkness… Well. I was wrong - this is a very strong showing - and I suspect it’s anther of his ‘growers’ - its subtler, mellower, more introspective but it’s a good record.

Good stuff.

Another fine album from the boss. Even his throwaway songs sound familiar and comfortable. Doesn't have the consistency of his 5 star albums but there's enough good songs to please most music fans. 4 🌟

Fav song: The Fuse

woah so ok turns out i like bruce springsteen. who knew? it's a 3.5 star rating for me - but given i'm new to this i'm gonna go 4 and regret my choice later.

Wow, a Bruce Springsteen album i actually enjoyed.

Ok first off....come on. Twice in a row? I guess that means we can get it out of the way. Starting to listen, however, I already like this first track more than the last album so I won't complain too much. Ok, as I listen, this album is really great. Feels very rock but also very folksy in a weird way. Pretty wild how different these two albums are and now I'm glad that we got to listen to them back to back.

Vau, tämähän on hieno levy! Todella leppoisan melodista countryrockia ilman Brucelle ominaista hieman överiksi vedettyä äijäilyä. Äänimaailma tuo kovasti mieleen Wilcon varhaiset albumit. Levyltä ei jäänyt mieleen ensimmäistäkään kappaletta mieleen negatiivisesti, mikä on melkoinen meriitti yli 70 minuutin kokonaisuudelta. Kohokohdat eivät kuitenkaan kykene nostamaan tätä ihan vitosen tasolle. Päivänselvä nelonen kuitenkin.

Good stuff! Best Springsteen album so far. 4

springsteen is an auto 4 but only the end stands out

This was awesome! Love a bit of the Boss and although not his usual rocking self, the slower more melodic side is as appreciated! Really enjoyed it!

Bruuuuuuuuuuuce

Interesting ref sept 11 influence Easy listening

I wasn't expecting much from this album. I've liked the Springsteen albums that I've listened to in the past, but a 2002 Springsteen album made as a response to 9/11 in light of everything that's happened since then sounds like the exact opposite of what I need right now. This album, however, is solid all the way through. Bruce's music doesn't sound dated for 2002, and the lyrics aren't the type of heart-on-my-sleeve rah rah bullshit that I associate with this period. Every song on this album is good, if not spectacular. More importantly, he found a way to capture the feeling of hope really well with this album. Totally worth coming back to in the future 4/5

Good, classic

Fínasta Springsteen plata. Rennur ljúflega í gegn.

This is a fine slice Springsteen goodness. One of his most consistent albums song after song is good with a few great one's thrown in; Lonesome Day, Empty Sky and the title track. The E Street Band absolutely cooks look seldom since Darkness on the Edge of Town, if you're more Springsteen appreciator rather than mega fan, as I am, don't sleep on this excellent album 4 stars

You get a classic Bruce Springsteen album... heartfelt, meaningful and straight ahead rock. Though it runs a little long, pretty much everything is enjoyable from the louder more energetic Worlds Apart to the more wistful Nothing Man. Really good album.

A really strong album from Springsteen. Enjoyed this quite a lot.

3.8 Ik denk niet dat je dit kan haten. Goede vibe, duidelijke stem, prachtig.

Decent

Love a bit of Bruce!

THIS IS DSOTM

нормально, отдохнуть

Hvis det er noe Bruce Springsteen får til, er det feelgood musikk! Mye karakteristisk og oppløftende på dette albumet, og man blir rett og slett litt gira. Energien fra Springsteen er ganske smittsom. Likevel har han en viss tendens til å skrive litt for repetitive sanger med mange korte vers og refreng, og det merkes godt når albumet bikker én time. Men jeg er sikker på at dette kan bli en deilig gjenganger når jeg har fått hørt mer på det. Beste sanger: Lonesome Day, Mary's Place, The Rising.

A pensive and slightly melancholic Boss.

Solid dad rock from the most dad rock guy around

It's a bit long and not quite up there with his best but some great tracks.

Gotta love brucey

enjoyed

A good one, but not my favorite Springsteen album

The emotion and depth is apparent throughout. Maybe a bit long winded at times, but overall it was really good. Solid 4.

Solid album, although not great (in my opinion) due to it being somewhat inconsistent and a bit repetitive at times. A few REALLY amazing songs on there though.

Mucho más movido que el otro que ha salido en la lista y se agradece. Me quedo con Waitin' On A Sunny Day y Further On (Up The Road), aunque también se puede colar Mary's Place. También tiene baladas, buenos arreglos de metales. No se siente como un disco arriesgado y no necesita serlo. Mi único tema es que es muy largo.

Very folksy and 2000s

Excellent

Pues sí, así como los Foo hacen música casi prefabricada para gustarle a nuestra generación en un estadio, este disco de El Jefe está prefabricado para gustarle al baby boomer o gen X gringo. Pero dejando eso de lado, para mí, que solo conocía Streets of Philadelphia o Born in the USA, tiene mucho que ofrecerme: bonita producción, mezcla de estilos y sonidos y hasta un coro árabe que es un contrapeso a todo el contexto del disco. Punto adicional para Bruce cuando leí que es defensor del matrimonio gay, que debe ser algo complicado al ser el cantante favorito de gen x y boomers.

A nice Bruce Springsteen album. Was nice to listen to.

false

Ich kann verstehen, warum er so unfassbar beliebt ist. Eine sehr markante Stimme. Einfache und doch gleichzeitig mitreißende Musik. Sicherlich massentauglich. Auch wenn das Album mit 73 Minuten etwas lang war, hab ich viel Abwechslung gehört. Ein Song mit viel Percussion und rhythmischer Begleitung. Einer mit elektronischen Sounds. Das Urgestein mit 23 Alben bei i Tunes gibt sich Mühe die modernen Entwicklungen in der Musikszene aufzugreifen. Country-Rock-Pop? Das Album hat bei mir Interesse an ihm geweckt.

Preachy but the rising (song) is a classic

Not his best album but it’s hard not to like the boss

If your from Jersey you know

Memories of 9/11. Heartbreaking and inspiring in the current crises.

Of all the Springsteen records—and there are some truly incredible selections—“The Rising” crops up on this list? Really? This record isn’t bad or anything, but it’s just not his best work. I love Springsteen, but this record’s inclusion here is a head scratcher. There’s like 6 records of his that could legitimately be featured here, and this isn’t one of them. Again, it’s not bad. I don’t think Bruce puts out truly bad work. But it doesn’t excite in the same ways that Born to Run, Born in the USA, The River, or Nebraska does. 7/10

This is my first introduction to Springsteen. These are rock tunes with country influences (gospel on the closing track, choir vocals on many others).The songs come across as very passionate and spirited. I mostly thought it was okay, it could get repetitive at times. The songs I enjoyed the most were ""Further On (Up The Road)" and "The Fuse".

Le début de l'album m'a fait penser à un Bono fatigué. Into the fire et The Rising ressortent fortes j'imagine vu le contexte dans lequel s'est sorti. C'est des beaux odes d'espoir assez entraînants. J'ai trouvé le reste plutôt meh. Maintenant qu'on en est à 4 albums de Springsteen, je maintiens que Born to Run est le meilleur (à date, mais un certain M. Pitre m'a beaucoup vendu Nebraska).

I adore the Boss but I don’t get why this is on the list. Maybe his later work is just not for me.

I was tempted to give it 4 stars because it was a surprisingly solid album an great to listen all through, but in comparison to the Boss's earlier albums, it is just lacking the hits.

Vanilla.

There’s nothing bad, but nothing great either. Plenty of good enough, and I enjoyed it, but it’s nowhere near the best Springsteen album in my opinion. It’s a very high 3, but still a 3.

Bruce Springsteen is one of those artists that I am aware of and know some of his work, but never took a deeper dive into his music. First listen through was kind of ho hum. But upon a second listening and thinking about the album's post 9/11 context I definitely appreciated it more. I'm rating it 3, but could see that moving up as I listen more.

Not his best album but the consistency and musicians are sooo good that even when its not great its still good american pop rock

typical man music. meh

Some bangers here but it's a true 3 star

Decent rock album, some ok songs, but overall I’m not super impressed.

I'll placeholder this as a 3, but c'mon. Is this truly essential listening?

I know this was a bit of a return to form album for Bruce and also apparently very relevant to 9/11 and the vibe of the country and what we needed at the time. In isolation though while this album doesn't have like major flaws it just sounds a little corny and idk why I'd reach for this over a more classic album if I'm craving the straight ahead dad rock that the Boss has to offer

BRUCE SPRINGTEEN! Not bad, feels like good American music. Now I want to go to Mary's place

Not big on Bruce. I find him a little samey, especially on this album. It's not particularly bad, but it's not great. He's done better I'm sure.

Pleasent but not essential. 3.5

Another victim of the CD length - just because you can have up to 100 minutes of music doesn’t mean you should. Cut 20 minutes from this

Don't hate it but it feels pretty far from being worthwhile on this list. RYM: N Saved a song: N

Some great tunes. Probably a 3 and a half

Still Bruce but not my favourite

Bruce is... fine, I guess? Never been a huge fan, but it's not bad either. It just is.

I'm amazed I got 4 Springsteen albums and no Beatles albums.

Entry #3 for the Boss. This one was made after 9/11/2001 to help with morale. There are a few good tracks on the album, plus a bunch of others that are forgettable. Overall a quality record but still a rating of 3.

It's weird to see 2002 and think "oh, a *new* Springsteen album" and then realize it came out 24 years ago. Time is weird. Also, this won the Grammy for rock album of the year and I didn't know it existed until today. It was fine. I guess. Not as good as his earlier work and not really deserving of the runtime, but it wasn't bad. 2.9

It's very meh. For someone with albums like Born to Run and Born in the USA, this feels too placid and smooth. The production is very of its time for old legends.

Springsteen at his best, which is to say extremely average. This guy sells out stadiums to only 55 year old white guys named Jeff

When to listen: ehhh perhaps don't because Bruce Springsteen has so many good, better albums. Agree with most of the sentiment here -- it's a fine album but compared to what Springsteen is capable of? It's watered down, it's boring, it's meh.

I respect Bruce, but have never been a huge fan. That theme continues with this album. I respect and appreciate what this album is trying to do, but I never attached to it the way I'd like to. Having said that, the title track is one of my favorite songs from this era. Perhaps this record just went on a bit too long. Dropping three or four of the weaker songs would have helped it a lot.

Ok. I went into this expecting to hate it. I find Springsteen insufferably dull. And over an hour of him sounded like torture. But this had some good tracks. Some incredibly dull ones too but I'll grudgingly admit to tapping my toes to a few too. Highlight was Mary's Place.

Started feeling really long. 3.

I spent about 25 years avoiding this album. Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 5/5

I like Bruce, but his raw younger talent had so much more energy and power. I recognise that a lot of this was a contemplation on some difficult times for the USA and New York, but it still didn't quite hit the spot. Glimpses of greatness in there, but mostly flat.

Could see this being a heavy listen in 02 for a tri-state Springsteen diehard. And it’s good. But not too much stuck with me. Last 4 tracks are the standouts

I liked this. It added some more weight to the album learning that it was his post 9/11 reflections. Sounds like typical Bruce rock but I also hear whispers of the tail end of grunge in some songs. I’d give it a 3.5, I’m just not confident that I’d go back to this too often.

bruce really just didn’t have to make this.. he said everything interesting between 1982-1984. but kudos to him for trying!

Not classic Springsteen by any means, but some decent songs - The Rising, Lonesone Day. Drags a little by the end.

Good rousing music, very American mainstream, but best of brand. Actually enjoyed the upbeat.

A solid album but I don’t know if this one really deserves a spot – plenty of other better Springsteen albums to include. When is an edition of this list going to be published that limits it to one entry per artist. 3/5

A réécouter

Max Weinberg and the horns: 5 Everyone else: 3 Average using all the people and weighted for the % of the album the horns appear on: 3.1

The first 6 tracks are very mid and diluted country/rock, and then things take a strange turn with the track "Worlds Apart" which is a weird blend of rock and Middle Eastern music. The track itself is not very good, but it leads to the good part of the album where we get a a mix of catchy pop rock and folk-y singer-songwriter tracks. This kind of music doesn't really feel like Springsteen, and on some of the pop tracks (e.g. "Let's Be Friends") I wondered why not just have a more pop oriented singer sing this instead. But ultimately I'm not much of Springsteen fan in the first place, so I don't really care if this doesn't sound like him, and I actually think this is his strongest album so far. My favorite tracks were "Let's Be Friends (Skin to Skin)" and "My City of Ruins". "My City of Ruins" reaffirms my belief that Springsteen's best songs are the ones where he says the same line over and over again. 2.5 stars.

Swaths of intensity with shadows and highlights that give the album vastness and depth. We have lust, love, pain, doubt: but it's the humanist in Springsteen that frames this and completes it, runs through it. Intensely sincere, very "American" sounding (whatever that means to you, that's what this sounds like) with some surprising moments ("World's Apart") alongside perfectly rendered classic Springsteen ("Mary's Place").

Decent enough record, with some decent tracks. It's too long and many songs are just a bit too generic.

Not a Springsteen fan per se, so maybe that’s my problem. The music isn’t bad, but you know for a later career release I wound have expected mor e if it’s on this list, more like Bowie’s.

thanks for the mumbles

2.5

Me gustó mucho más Darkness in the edge of town

Buen disco, pero tiene de mejores para poner en una lista nombrada “1001 discos a escuchar antes de morir” 🫣

good but not my jam

Okay, this is the second album of Springsteen on this list for me, and I’d say that in the 27 years between them, my opinion of Bruce hasn’t changed. The same boring songs, a strained and unremarkable voice. I still haven’t figured out this phenomenon.

Klart en Bruce album, men jeg startede det faktisk også op en ekstra gang, så det kan noget fint ind imellem det Brucede.

A bit too long

There is a 4 (or even 5) star album in here. Is it Bruce's best, no, but its still enjoyable. Just shorten it to 10 songs and you've got a winner

Not the best Springsteen album I’ve listened too (Nebraska/Born in the USA) but not the worst either. The music is uplifting and there’s a a couple of really nice tunes on there, but sadly it’s all a bit forgettable. Favourite track: waiting on a sunny day *(Gets minimum 3 stars because he’s the boss)

Paras Springsteen levy tähän mennessä. Ei erikoisempaa, kappaleet vaan parempia. Vähän ehkä rokimpaa ja menevämpää. Parhaat: Lonesome Day, Mary's Place, Countin' on a Miracle

Bruce fucks!!

some of the songs are pretty good but it sounds like bruce mightve experimented it bit too much at some points 6/10 Favourite: Lonesome Day Least Favourite: Let's Be Friends (Skin to Skin)

I had heard Waitin' On a Sunny Day and The Rising before. I think this album is just fine. A little long, maybe.

Not bad, but Indonhave a bit of Boss fatigue as this is 4th entry in a month

Ni slabo actually

Why does this list need so many Bruce Springsteen albums?

Solid rock album after a lull. Probably the best in the latter half of his career but doesn’t hold a candle to his 70’s and 80’s peak.

This was interesting from an emotional sound perspective but not anything super remarkable to me

Consistent but maybe a little rushed

Same old, same old.

This is an album of its time and I can't imagine how I'd review it if I didn't know that. As a 9/11 response album it has the same element of patriotism that a lot of US work at the time did, but there's something of substance here. A big part of me listens to something like this and wonders if it's genuine or jumping on a bandwagon. To my ear, he felt this and meant it. Not a masterpiece and I don't know how well it fits on the list but there's something relevant in hearing this album in the history of music. It is too long and needs some edits.

Okay, right off the bat, this sonically sounds alright for an album from 2002. There is just a warmth missing for me on the first couple tracks. Nothing Man gets there tho. Worlds Apart was an interesting swing. A couple seemingly out of character moments. Oh okay, I know this one. The Rising is a solid track. Paradise reminds me a lot of The Sound of Silence. Is this on purpose? A few similar phrasing moments vocally and from the instrumentation. I always appreciate his energy and style as a performer. I have to assume it is really something to see Bruce Springsteen live.

Decent

I love how it's become almost ironic how American Bruce Springsteen's music is. Like if the USA were a sound, it would be this man's music. And not that I'm hugely familiar with all that much of his music, but it's not really my thing. Which interestingly I think is a contributing factor in why I liked this more than expected. It still sounds super American (well duh, it's Bruce Springsteen), but not in a way that feels so over the top like much of his other work. I would still say that this album is much more on the generic side, but other than that there really is nothing else that bad about it, just a straightforward rock album that sounds American enough to be undeniably Bruce Springsteen, but not so much so that I can feel myself contracting diabetes and the urge to shoot up a school just from listening to it.

Kinda middling for Springsteen. A bit disappointing. Not nearly as intresting as some of his other records.

There's a lot here. Lots of very solid songwriting and heart. That counts for a lot. This is not Springsteen's best but it is still a good album. No more, no less.

I often don't enjoy Bruce Springsteen albums, but this was one of the more tolerable ones. His delicate handling of 9/11 is done well. The songwriting is there and I am glad for the accessibility with the production decisions, plus they make sense, because it is an album about healing and unification, and not an album about provocation and division. I appreciate the creative risks he took by stepping outside of his normal oeuvre. And it was fun hearing the E Street band again. My complaints are that is bit too long and would have benefited from about 20 minutes of the weakest tracks being cut. His vocal performance sucks, as it usually does, but as I have learned with Dylan, Cave, and Waits, vocal quality is not what Springsteen's fans are there for. Probably his best since BORN IN THE USA. Do I think it is an essential album that belongs on the list? Not really, but it is certainly better than a ton of the 2000s albums that are already on list, so it can't actually hurt, I guess. Favorites: "Lonesome Day", "Empty Sky", "Worlds Apart", "Paradise"

It was music. it was alright, Springsteen is not my thing normally but this was ok.

It is fine. One of the top albums of all time? No, probably not even one of the top 1,000 albums of all time. Maybe the 1001st? 5/10 Top song (they all sound similar) further on

U2 does 9/11

Like it 3/5

I am a big believer in art being political, but cannot possibly get excited about 80 minutes of The Boss singing about the twin towers. I tend to loathe Bruce at the best of times. His best songs are basically 3 stars for me, so this is daunting. The first thing is, at least the mealymouth is toned down. Also, god bless low expectations. This feels like a generic album of its ilk, which is a step up at least from a Springsteen album. Let's be Friends has notes of Rob Thomas in it, no less. But the only really notable bit is the inspiration, and it's sort of proof that even an emotional, earnest motivation doesn't mean the music will be great. This is a tepid 3*

Ait

Liker vanligvis bruce veldig godt, men denne var litt kjedelig

Kinda an empty 'peace to all' message. Just generally a weird album thread. Didn't realize Springsteen was SO poppy. This is a later album in his career though so I'm curious about his earlier stuff - Right off the bat I can hear that 'every man' sound - Struggling to engage with this over a choppy few listening sessions. Giving it one last continuous listen but it's just not really exciting me

The flat production kills this for me. 4.5 star tunes in a 3 star prod package.

you know what you get with Bruce and this is more of the same

Not a bad record, pretty standard for Springsteen. Definite highlights and emotional moments that really stand out. I do feel like the album is way too long, really would've benefitted from some editing to refine the sound and song quality. Overall decent. Top tracks: Nothing Man, Empty Sky, The Rising

Quando passei a escutar esse álbum fiquei com uma expectativa enorme, pois já tem um álbum dele que gosto muito que espero que apareça aqui. E foi suprida! O tom é diferente pois quando passou da terceira música já tive a impressão de um storytelling, e quando pesquisei era realmente, meses antes, sobre o atentado de 11 de setembro, que logo após seu álbum foi lançado. Onde ele narra situações e sentimentos em suas diversas formas musicais, flertando com o country, folk, e uma lembrança de gospel, com letras inspiradoras que me lembraram também aquelas músicas de estádio. Bruce como uma graande referência de espírito americano tem esse tom mais crônico e sentimental de falar sobre os acontecimentos, sem ser maçante e difícil demais de entender. O álbum me deu um misto de calma meio apática e esperança, acho que um pouco do misto da época que foi feito e no contexto. Minhas favoritas foram “Into the Fire”, “Waitin’ On A Sunny Day”, “You’re Missing” e “Further On (Up the Road)”. Gostei, The Rising é um álbum emocionante cheio de significados e histórias, que olhando a fundo traz esperança em meio ao caos.

6/10

Lonesome Day - 4/5 Into the Fire - 3.5/5 Waitin' on a Sunny Day - 3.5/5 Nothing Man - 3/5 Countin' on a Miracle - 3.5/5 Empty Sky - 3.5/5 Worlds Apart - 3.5/5 Let's Be Friends (Skin to Skin) - 3/5 Further On (Up the Road) - 3/5 The Fuse - 3/5 Mary's Place - 3/5 You're Missing - 3.5/5 The Rising - 4/5 Paradise - 3/5 My City of Ruins - 3.5/5 This definitely sounds like it came out post-9/11. Unfortunately it also sounds like The Boss may have sold out a little and as a result the albums sounds pretty middle of the road. The length certainly doesn't help either. It could have been better maybe in a contemporary sense but I was not sentient enough to relate to that. Overall: 3/5 Favorites: Lonesome Day, The Rising

i admire bruce's politics due to the recent hard times but is anythign thats not born to run, born in the usa and nebraska nessessary for the list? probably no. 3/5

Been a Bruce fan as long as I can remember, that being said I don't love late period Bruce. This is not bad and I probably need to spend some more time with his later stuff. 3.5 stars

If this is the Boss's answer to 9/11, it's very well. Even with some of the somber lyrics & imagery, it is very upbeat. Almost telling New Yorkers or Americans "It's ok." His voice in this is incredibly intelligible. I've had 2 other albums of Bruce & he does NOT sound like an Elvis impersonator singing with mouthful of marshmallows. I liked the Eastern sound in Worlds Apart. A bit too long though. Bonus Review: Streets Of Minneapolis. Springsteen's protest song for the deaths of Alex Pretti & Renee Good. I listened after all the noise of it has died down. It's pretty par for course for a protest song. A Throwback to 60s protest songs. Heard him channeling Dylan. Laid out the situation out fairly well but mostly focused on Pretti's story than Good's.

There are so good songs here but overall pretty boring and didn’t transcend me

Lots of the same. Okay to run in the background

Can’t hate Bruce

Was Bruce innit

Der typische Bruce Springsteen Sound

3.6

Definitely too white and christian for my own taste, but it is good.

It's okay. Instrumentation is good. Not super creative or his best work. Further Up the Road is pretty good.

Eh

Sadly, I found this pretty mediocre, despite being a fan of the boss. I prefer him when he is more restrained, but this rocks out a bit too much. The Qawwali vocals on “Worlds Apart” (by Asif Ali Santoo Khan) are quite interesting though.

I like Bruce’s sounds.

“The Boss” is back again. Gracing me with his presence for a third time out of a total of 5 comes The Rising by Bruce Springsteen. This is album number 3/5 after previously rolling Born to Run and Darkness on the Edge of Town. The general consensus I’m seeing online and in a lot of these reviews about Bruce is that he fell off pretty spectacularly after the mid 80’s. Not necessarily a fall from grace, just wasn’t making all that culturally relevant or popular music anymore like he used to. I enjoyed his first 2 albums on the list well enough. A lot of the songs straight up rocked with an occasional lighter ballad here and there. Nothing I’ve heard so far has absolutely amazed me, but it’s all been good enough that I’d be happy to hear more of it. It’s Dad Rock. I enjoy Dad Rock, so it’s good enough for me. This album in particular was still alright, but man was every single song pretty bleak and depressing. Substantially more light songs than the previous albums, and it’s mostly filler that I don’t dislike but wouldn’t say is anything special or worth coming back to. That is, except for my 2 favorite songs on the album that I love equally, “Further On (Up the Road)” and “Worlds Apart” are freaking awesome. Both of those songs come out of nowhere and are up to the quality I expect of someone who identifies as The Boss. First time 2 of his songs have genuinely impressed me. If those songs didn’t exist, I may have just rated this album a 2. Probably not actually. It’s fine as a whole, I just wouldn’t return to anything besides those 2 songs, both of which are now going to be in my frequent rotation. I don’t know man, an entire hour and twelve minutes of depressing songs is a lot to ask of someone. Now to address the enormous elephant in the room. This is the 9/11 album. It’s not a coincidence that his albums on here jump from 1984 to 2002. 9/11 was a tragedy that had everyone reacting pretty similarly as far as music is concerned. Very patriotic, very sad and moody yet hopeful. There are a lot of songs that feel very reactionary, and I totally get it. This album revitalized his career pretty substantially, and with the context of the tragedy, I can see why it gets to be on the list. However, it’s my least favorite of the three I’ve heard so far. Not bad, but certainly dated by today’s standards. We’re going to need much more hope as a country if any of us want a better future nowadays… Sorry, that got a little dark, kinda like this album. Anyway, yeah. It’s alright. Not his best but far from terrible. A good product of its time but not something I’d come back to personally in the present.

7 / 10

It was an ok listen, the song Paradise is good, it sounds like Dire Straits

3+

I think I like Bruce, but this is not an interesting album.

This is much different from the material I'm used to hearing on the radio. I like some of his songs, but I wouldn't call myself a "fan" of his music. This album was a decent listen, especially considering it was released in the early 2000s after his prime. Kind of a long album, but Worlds Apart and the Rising were my fave songs from the album.

It was ok. Title track was clearly the best. It also might be my favorite Bruce song.

Fine? Forgettable? It washed over me and past me, leaving no mark or impression. It's like a ghost album.

Definitely not the best of Bruce. Its ok, a bit long, missing some real rock and alma !

I don't usually love Bruce Springsteen's music -- he has some bangers, but I don't love his style, especially his later music, but this album was a nice listen. I had it on in the background while working and found myself humming along. It still wasn't something I'm likely to listen to again, but it was nice enough to listen a second time all the way through. Three stars.

Fairly pleasant but nothing groundbreaking- once again seems to be on the list for his reputation only

Agreed with other reviews, good album but not needed on the list

Strong. Too long

This feels so overly American it makes it impossible to really enjoy. Worlds Apart was the only song I could enjoy. Its not a bad album, the vibes are just off, I don't like his voice, the guitar tone is boring. I just couldn't get into it

Another Springsteen album... and for me it still doesn't sound very exciting. I don't know what it is with me and Springsteen, but it just doesn't click like it feels it does for the rest of the world. It's by no means bad, it just isn't very exciting. Bruce's signature powerful vocals are also missing for me on this record. In the end it was fine, but nothing special.

I got into Bruce Springsteen for real not by listening to his older stuff, but through the album that followed this one, The Seeger Sessions. I'm very thankful for that album, as it really opened my eyes to Pete Seeger's music and the American songbook. Weirdly, I had a similar experience with Hugh Laurie's Let Them Talk, so don't let the haters tell you there's no point in recording old music! This was the album that came before it, and honestly, it's nothing to write home about. I did enjoy hearing the original version of "Further On Up the Road." I still can't decide whether "Waitin' on a Sunny Day" is actually a good song or not. "The Rising" feels like a radio-friendly pop-rock pastiche. Weak 3.

Rock, heartland rock.

Hea taustamuusika ja sellist laivi kuulaksin ma küll, aga siin ei ole midagi erilist. Bruce'i energia on lihtsat pakatav. 3.4/5

Loved one song, across the globe Kinda gospel?

Before: I don't know anything about this album as a whole. I'm sure there are going to be tracks I've heard but more than likely, this is not going to be the kind of music I like or have liked since it came out in 2002. I did have Born To Run as my 9th album from this challenge and that one I gave 5 stars. I'm anticipating a 3 for this one. Incidentally, this is my first repeat artist. I check and see he is on this list 5 times, that's way too many. During: I listened to a few times throughout the day. Most of the songs I tuned out or skipped through. After: I liked three songs a little: Let's Be Friends (Skin To Skin), The Fuse, & You're Missing. I'll give it a 3.