The Rising

Pretty fine. The more optimistic songs are probably the highlights since I think a Good Times Bruce is way better than a Aww I'm Sad Bruce. 4/10

Brucey tried mixing genres with this one but fell flat on his face. Post 9/11 patriotic album does not go hard.

lonesome day langwiiiliiig! ui find d strings bi into the fire sehr tacky find de refrain sehr apathisch iwie ok neue tag neues glück! hans gester echt arsch gfunde aber de weg uf wmbrach erlüchtet mich ja vlt lalalalalalalalala DANKE BRUCE aber s lied ah sich isch ok (iwie en weirde mix uus nöd-westlichem backgroundgsang und so mega westliche rock?), d mundharmonika findi recht schön und passend let's be friends findi bis jz SCHRECKLICH DU DURU DU DU DURUDU???? vlt hetti das kied mitme andere artist/stimm besser gfunde aber so hanis würkli sehr schlimm gfunde und absolut unpassend the fuse isch easy ahhh ich han sini stimm eifach nöd gern ich weiss nöd was mich so ah dene songs stört AHHH HÖR UF MIT DIM DUDUDUDUDUDUDUDUDUDUDU anyway, isches wills iwie so schnulzig isch? ich weiss nöd aber mary's place findi au schrecklich you're missing isch na cute the rising findi zwar immerno chli langwilig, find die art passt vill besser zum bruce! paradise isch uuhuere schön gsi hahaha ich han anstatt "I pray for the strength, lord" I pray for the straight lord verstande?? hey han echt die aller meist ziit KEI gueti ziit gha. paradise isch schön gsi, es paar sind easy gsi und einiges isch mier aktiv uf de sack gange

Not what I'd typically associate with Bruce Springsteen, a decent album but a change of pace and not something I really felt I got along with.

sounds like what you'd think a bruce springsteen 9/11 album sounds like

stopped at "meet at mary's place, we're gonna have a party"

The gritty, American songwriter motif is really not for me; Bruce might be talented but I think it is lost on me. The songs on the album feel kind of formulaic and nothing in the first half of the tracklist really made me take notice. I didn't end up finishing the album.

..

I survived 75 minutes of Bruce Springsteen, where's my purple heart?

Springsteen felt compelled to record The Rising when, in the aftermath of the attacks on September 11, 2001, a stranger in an adjacent vehicle rolled down his window and said: "We need you now". I miss the days when we were still idealistic enough to believe that musicians could make a difference. Had the same feeling a couple weeks ago after listening to Tracy Chapman's debut album. As for this album, it's 15 years past Bruce being relevant and has no place here on this list.

Ugh. I tried so hard this whole album to get into it but I just couldn't. "Nothing Man" and "Worlds Apart" were great, but everything else was just flying by me with no thought. Then we reach 2 songs near the end, "You're Missing" and "Paradise". Wow. Fucking incredible pieces of work. Love these songs. They almost save it to a 3, but it also took like an hour to reach that point. Should have cut a lot of these songs out and keep the really good stuff

Boooooooooorinnnnnnnnnnng!

largely passed me by without much to note, enjoyed further on up the road but it was all fairly standard springsteen in my opinion

Bland and uninteresting. Classic Boomer rock.

Classic bruce

Awful

Like that one bit in ratatouille where he tastes the food and is immediately sent back to childhood, this entire album, which thematically and sonically is just one big long song, took me straight back to standing in some kind of sporting goods or camping supplies store with this music, or something like it in every way, softly played over the in store speakers while my dad got incandescently angry at a 16 year old casual shop attendant. This sounds like the soundtrack to every mid 00’s drama that somehow involves a road trip. It sounds like what plays on the radio in specialty stores, and in some places, sounds like music that would be played in an ad for a family SUV. I did NOT care for it.

Ok so I never heard Bruce before. Like I have heard of him, but not his music. But I was not expecting this country style music. Never been big on this style of music tbh. Gives off Mum and Dad kinda music vibes, like nickleback or something. Nothing really stands out to me, It does not sound bad but I just don't like it, thats it. 2/5

It's fine, but a pretty bland record. if it wasn't a Springsteen record it would be nowhere near this list.

I'm just going to say it: this should not be on a list entitled 1001 you MUST hear before you die. It's too long and too dull.

I’ve never understood the appeal of Bruce Springsteen and this album did nothing to help. There is nothing groundbreaking, original, or even interesting here. Even for the little I’ve listened to him, his music seems to follow a pattern that he deviates little from. I guess when in doubt, verse, repeat title several times, repeat is good enough. I hope there aren’t any more Springsteen albums on this list, but I have a bad feeling I won’t be that fortunate.

This is the kind of music I really dislike. Formulaic, sentimental pop rock. This is the kind of album your dad listens to in his car. This is the shit that gets piped into the background at shopping malls. When people say they don’t like Springsteen, this is what they’re talking about. 2/5

Kinda boring & dull.

I never understood the appeal of Springsteen and still don’t. I can hear the talent tho

Very corny.

Yeah I don't really see the case for this being on the list. It's just generic rock type music for the most part.

Not my favorite artist

After a recent trip to the Jersey Shore I’ve been on a Bruce Springsteen kick and dear reader this album is a disappointment. It’s very much of its time with appeals to patriotism and very clear references to 9/11. It lacks the timelessness of his early work.

Reading the context around this album, I see why it was included - 9/11 and so on. But that gives the album a very dated feeling now I think, over 20 years on. Apart from Waiting On a Sunny Day, this really didn't do much for me. I'm not a huge Springsteen fan but I like his earlier stuff, pre Tunnel of Love. I think they coul have left this one off the list personally, because his early period is well represented.

There's nothing particularly wrong with this record. It's very generic and safe. A typical average album from Springsteen. Has that underlying darkness that he has done in the past. Lyrics were pretty good. Nothing amazing. But why is this record on this 1001 list? The recording isn't anything to write home about. Music is ok. Singing is ok. It almost feels like this record is on here because it's Springsteen and that's it. I'm getting tired of these types of records being on this list. And from here on out, I will be rounding their rating down.

I haven't listened to every Springsteen album, but I haven't liked anything he released after Born in the USA - and I'm even lukewarm on that one. This doesn't really hit me any different. While I appreciate the timing of the album release and the sentiment that goes along with it, it just feels so forced and more like a cash grab riding the coattails of tragedy, which he gets away with largely by not being obviously cynical about it. However, I could list several albums released this same year that deserve much more recognition than this one.

There was absolutely no substance to this - couldn’t finish it

Dull.Trite, hackneyed, somewhat cringeworthy lyrics. ‘Paradise’ is a really bad Simon & Garfunkel rip-off. Too inoffensive for a 1

One of the most boring albums yet. 2/5

It was inevitable that Bruce would make an album about 9/11 right after the events and that's understandable that he would play it really safe. As a reaction and a call to unification after such a tragedy, I think he did pretty good even if I personally don't enjoy his music at all. But now that we're more than two decades apart from the events, its flaws are more prominent and it actually was a chore to get through it all.

Not Springsteen’s best, feels too commercial

Way too much patriotism and country twang. 2.1 stars

Doesn’t click with me at all. 2001-2003 American patriotism is front and center. Only saving grace is the music is decent, if a little bland.

Safe, boring.

Bruce Springsteen wrote this album after 9/11 so I understand it is meaningful and poignant; however, his music just don’t resonate with me unless I make the effort and I don’t feel the need/have the energy to do so. Fave Track: You’re missing Rating: 2

Not much standing out here. Lots of repeated lyrics and line it boring. Miracle song was pretty decent though. Definitely hearing Springsteens influence on the killers. Worlds Apart was pretty sick. Definitely the most interesting on the album so far. He also sounds like Eddie Vedder on some of these songs haha.

Never heard this album before now. It's alright, I prefer his earlier work the classic type stuff. It's about what you would expect for 2002 Bruce Springsteen.

Good songs, pop-rock but such a safe boring sound

Hmm nothing but average

Terrible, first album I really hated and could not finish. Generic soft rock. Forgettable. Milquetoast.

Didn't really care for this.

A Christian rock vibe An album of sad tribute Doesn’t make it good

Got boring really fast

Not listened to much Bruce before. Other than the big hits. I can see why mum and dad like him - and I don’t mean that in a snarky way.

Heb er een beetje doorheen geskipt, vond het vrij nietszeggend allemaal

ja prima leuk maar dit is niet me stylo

2e Bruce Springsteen albumpie Meh, vrij saai en weinigzeggend

Few songs are vaguely nice, the majority is simple boring pop-rock when it's not worse than that with archetypical american gimmicks. I would have die happy without listening to this record.

well that was quite boring

So today's album is one I've never heard of, from a mega star? What have I been missing? Turns out, not much. Obviously pandering to Americans, he even puts on a fake country twang for some songs. I got to the title track and realized that I had heard it before. I guess they tried to push it in my country but it didn't really take off. At least I know why I hadn't heard of this garbage before, I just wish it had stayed that way.

The E Street Band outshines Bruce on this one in pretty much every way. The songwriting and vocal melodies are the definition of subpar. But there are certainly some worthwhile sax solos! This is the 5th Boss album on this list, and it's certainly noticeable. Given that 1,001 isn't THAT many in the grand scheme of all albums ever created, I'm a bit disappointed we're not getting the variety I was hoping for.

I’m putting in my two-star notice, Boss.

The last thing this list needed was a 72-minute Springsteen album from 2002. It’s not bad by any means but is just so repetitive, and Springsteen really has nothing to say on this. He’s got some absolute classics that are deservedly on this list (as well as a couple that are somehow not, like The River) but this is not one of them

Okay album. Some interesting songs, but nothing that caught my attention.

meh

I've heard a lot over the years about how this is a late-period hidden gem in his discography, but to me his storytelling and songwriting here doesn't stand up against the rest of his catalogue.

It was okay, but I didn't make it all the way through. I used to like him, but not anymore ...

Sub par from the boss

No one NEEDS to listen to a Bruce Springsteen album released after 1989. As far as his career is concerned, he's been coasting off of Born in the USA ever since. The core problem is that The Rising is largely overproduced in order to compensate for Springsteen's weaker voice. There's also the sense that he's lost some of his songwriting skill, or at the very least he's padding out his albums with subpar songs. For Springsteen, this is nothing short of disappointing, but it's also to be expected somewhat given the passage of time. I found myself just waiting for the album to end so that I could move on but by good every song is like 5 minutes long. Very over-indulgent but he's still the Boss at the end of the day so he gets a free pass.

This really isn't my cup of tea.

-9/11 Happens- Random man to Bruce: "We need you" Bruce: "I'm on it" Random man to Bruce as Bruce runs to the studio to capitalize off of 9/11: ...not to capitalize off this tragedy and make it about you...

Springsteen is a powerful songwriter, but his delivery has been hit or miss for me. This one misses more than it hits.

I like Springsteen but this was bad dad music

Airhead pop-rock for dads with limited personalities. Listenable in its way but notably inoffensive and unvital. This is an album best described by what it is not and that's good.

Honest to god so insufferably boring. What wave did this man ride to get to the level of fame he achieved? It's the same god damn song over and over again. I did NOT need to hear a 2000s Springsteen record that runs over an hour long. What a pile of garbage. I'll give this a 2 over the 1 I gave the previous one just due to the additional instruments adding some variety but holy christ. An actual 1.5 Bruce sucks.

not awful, but didn't really enjoy it. 1.8/5

Meh. The Boss doesn't quite do it for me.

On this album “The Boss” sounds more like “The ineffective middle-manager.” Creative entropy hits some artists extremely hard.

The music is not bad, but the album as a whole is long, boring and kind of "ordinary", it lacks interesting solutions.

Just ok

Standout: The Fuse. I love Bruce but this is disappointing.

Nothing bad or offensive, but so boring I couldn't make it past track 5.

He sounds just like Andy Dwyer in Parks and Rec. I can’t get past that.

Honestly it was repetitive

Rating: 2.0

Meh

A weak effort. Uninspired and generic sounding. One would think that 9/11 would have drawn more emotion and passion to this record. Instead, it’s bland and lacking.

Between a 2 and a 3. Sometimes he would break through the formula and polish and it would start to shine. Most of it just felt like product.

There's better Springsteen out there.

i love Bruce, but the production here is just completely limp and lifeless, and it mostly ends up sounding like a bruce springsteen impression

Good

Mary’s place was the one song I liked. Otherwise bullshit pandering USA lover tracks. Very obviously post 9/11. Into the fire sounded like Christian rock.

Just can't get into Springsteen. Especially when thinking about this being written and recorded after 9/11, it just feels like I'm being hit over the head with most of the songs.

I just don't get it. I've never been much of a Bruce fan, but his music is so pedestrian and boring. Reading the reviews, it seems that "The Rising" is a popular song, but I just don't get it. It's an anthem with zero meaning other than to be an anthem. It says nothing about anything.

Oh Bruce, what happened? Clearly fell down a hole here, this album is a country twanged cliched mess. Just sounds lazy.

This is boring. It isn't the worst thing I have ever listened to, but I certainly would not seek out listening to this album. Also, really not a fan of the religious themes in the last song. Bleh, not a good way to end my listening experience.

I do not like Brucey but I listened to U Springin' Springsteen on My Bean? instead, which is much better than the actual music. 41 Shots was cool bc ACAB but it's not something to listen to in my free time. This album can basically be summed up as "bad music, cool guy"

Dull

I would assume that there are other Springsteen albums on this list. I'm not sure why this one is included. I get the motivation/historical aspect of this album being writtend and recorded right after 9/11, but this isn't really an record I needed to hear. I did like Further On, but that was really the only stand out for me. I've never been a huge fan of Springsteen anyway and this album hasn't changed that at all. Dad rock supreme and forgetable at that.

It's an okay album. It's everything you could expect from 2002 Springsteen. It's not a hard rock. It's pleasant rock. But in a way it's a boring rock. The constant one-sentence-screaming-choruses. And all through 75 minutes of an album can be annoying. It doesn't bring anything to the table. It's just another rock album. On the other hand, in the moments Springsteen's voice reminded me of late Chris Cornell. 2.5/5.

Me: Calling this Bruce's 9/11 album seems kind of reductive. It's over 70 minutes long and came out only six months after the towers fell, it can't just be about that. Me after listening: This is Bruce's 9/11 album. My dad listened to this album all the time when it first came out. I remember him being moved by much of it, especially "You're Missing". I had been just old enough to remember 9/11, but my most vivid memories about it are of the aftermath. I'd cry when my mom had to go into work because it was in a tall building; I remember the magazine covers full of smoke and debris, the anxiety and anger, the full swing into jingoism (which Springsteen does engage in some here; make no mistake, he wasn't above the inclination towards revenge or blind patriotism), the useless, wasteful war. Is every song literally about 9/11? No, I don't think so, but that grief, loss, and confusion permeates every moment of 'The Rising'; at the very least, it's an album of Springsteen processing 9/11, what he witnessed from his window in New Jersey, and the emotional state of the country afterwards. You may have noticed I've spent more time writing about the album's context than its music. This album does itself a great disservice in its runtime. Cut a few MOR or saccharine tracks, hack off a minute or two from the long songs, and this would maybe (big 'maybe') be a Springsteen classic. Honestly, I would cut the entire run of songs from "Into the Fire" through "World's Apart". As it is, this album is like an intense therapy session: a couple of breakthroughs, and lot of spinning wheels. Sorry, dad, I can't quite love this record, even though my nostalgia really wants me to. Highlights: Mary's Place, The Rising

Only ok at the beginning then just generic soft rock. A little dated

This isn't a bad album but it was kind of boring to me. Too much country twang in his voice, and it felt way too long.

A fine album but left me bored for most of it. Didn’t know this was about 9/11 until after I’d listened and tbh that could’ve changed how I saw this if I knew prior to listening but oh well.

Ah, this sounds like such a commercialised saccharine rock album. The sound feels like a parody of itself. Idk but I can’t find life in most of the songs. The opener is nice, nothing man is good, you’re missing is nice, the missing as well. Empty sky is just the beginning of creep idk how I can’t find any comparisons of it anywhere. The songs sound bit but hollow. There are some rememerable melodies and hooks here but argh the overall song just makes me feel I’m in a commercial or something. It’s such basic rock. Paradise reminds me of the sound of silence for some reason and I can’t not hear it now. It’s a competent album but it’s just a nothing album.

I get that, not being a boomer mom from the midwest, I'm not the demographic here but I really don't understand the appeal. All of these songs are tepid. Every. Single. Song. There's no fire. There's no spice. It's just boring. It's the plain, unsweetened oatmeal of rock and roll.

maybe this would hit if 9/11 just happened. i understand why it exists but i do not need to hear any of these songs again. i'm gonna go play born in the USA

There were some things I liked about this album. There were many touching lyrics. The organ was nice. One or two songs briefly caught my attention. But overall it was a long, painful album to get through and I'm glad it's over. That feels horrible to say because I do think this album is a nice 9/11 tribute but man. I'm already not a huge Springsteen fan so this was tough. I'm giving it 3 stars because it felt like a 2 to me but I also was not the target audience, so.

Not really my thing. 2.5/5

I like The Boss quite a bit, but I didn’t care for this album at all. I think there are some rather throwaway songs, like Countin’ On A Miracle and Mary’s Place. I also think that in a strange way, the production quality makes it sound more dated than the older records. That combined with a fairly neo-liberal message that also sounds incredibly dated make this album a tough go for me.

Not my cup of tea.

Dad rock good dad rock but still dad rock

Low energy Bruce. Gives the feeling of a tired old man that had to fulfill a contract and did so reluctantly

Turns out that so far through my 1001 albums journey, I don't care much for Bruce Springsteen. Still, as a 9/11 tribute, it's worth a listen, probably what his grassroot fans needed at the time.

long and boooooring

This is album is insanely repetitive, holy shit. I can only hear him sing "empty sky" so many times. I get that Springsteen is an American classic, but I've never been that fond of his vocals personally. First album that I didn't finish on here.

It's cool that he's still kicking it... but it's just ok. Not bad but not something I want on a Playlist.

sorry Bruce too long

Boring, overlong songs. I get Springsteen's thing most of the time, but these just felt like pretty generic country/rock songs

Mid. I don't really like Springsteen.

bo-ring

Bland shit.

Nothing wrong with it... but I'm fed up with every Springsteen album being bang average, this one in particular lacks any real stand outs

Bastante rollazo el disco. Sin pena ni gloria.

Bastante rollazo el disco. Sin pena ni gloria.

Musiikkia soitti blue collar rock... HIASTA PAKSA HIASTA PASKA TÖIHIN EI MENNÄ TUILLA ELELLÄÄN TÖIHKN ENE MENE

Standard Springsteen stuff

I thought this was kinda boring

Meh

Boooooring. I don't want to check how many Bruce Springsteen albums are in this list, because I suspect it might make me cry. Please, I implore you, no more Springsteen. I don't get on with it at all. It's just so bland and middle of the road, man. The lyrics are absolutely dreadful. And why are there 15 tracks? Why? I will however give a shout out to the track 'World's Apart' which has something about it.

On sent bien qu'on se rapproche dangereusement d'un podcast avec Obama là

Background noise. A dial tone. It's the same thing as other Springsteen albums. The performances can't be faulted but the songs are all the same. The guy never met a road he didn't write a song about.

PREFS : Lonesome Day, Waitin' on a Sunny Day, Further On (Up the Road), Mary's Place, The Rising, My City of Ruins MOINS PREF : Paradise

Boring. Not unpleasant, but boring.

On a free festival with nice weather and a few bears I could listen to this but only if there isn't somewhere more fun to be.

I really more than anything else just don’t want Spotify to think I keep choosing to listen to Bruce Springsteen

I suppose I must give credit where credit is due, in that Bruce is branching out her and playing with some different musical styles. Some of these songs sound a bit different from your average Bruce Springsteen song! Unfortunately he is still a horrible songwriter, trash musician, and has a moldy garbage can voice. This list needs to stop forcing Bruce onto me. It's not going to happen.

He's sounding kind of Country in this? Not a fan of him going that direction. idk the story of "Springsteen ends an 18-year hiatus with a 9/11 reaction album" is more interesting to me than the music itself, especially since that Reaction was apparently attuned to "messages of hope and uplift"

Opening tracks are ok. Album just meanders after that. Nothing of real substance. Still better than George Michaels however.

One anthem per album is more than enough.

Happy to listen to The Boss again, however, his second song Into The Fire was definitely too "Christian Rock" for me. The whole album was a bit of a bore. Hahaha.

Feels a bit safer and more cookie cutter / polished than his younger stuff. I feel like I should be a 50 year old, retired or just chillin on the weekend barbecuing with my other upper middle class friends at the lake house. Kinda lame. (I'm being judgey)

Oh sweet Brucey. I wish I enjoyed your music more. But damn is it just so bland. But. please keep doing your thing, because I like you.

This isn’t a bad album, but feel it’s a bit mediocre to be included on this list given the boss already has 4 other albums on here, all of which are much better than this. Feel like this is one which can drop off the list. One of those probably being overly harsh because I’m comparing to his other albums which is a very high bar.

Yup. I don’t want to be unfair to Springsteen. His heart’s in the right place, and this album is clearly inspired. And this is an album that’s more made for The American— the idealized, the one who stands front and center in a Norman Rockwell painting— more than it’s made for me. To listen to this album is to get a quick shot of that specific blend of Americanness. He goes right to the heartstrings. I am usually a pretty easy for this, and I fall for it a lot of times in this album. Songs like “you’re missing…” I mean, come on! That’s pretty heartbreaking! And then we have a lot of what sounds more like Bruce Springsteen-type-stuff than actual Bruce songs. It’s just a little unexciting. The fire in the songwriting and purpose is there, but the production or arrangement falls a little flat for me. Like they took the most middle-of-the-road approach to the production. Which is disappointing because there are some heart-tugging ones on here! I’m going for a reluctant 2. Bruce was my first 5 stars on this list, for Darkness on the Edge of Town. He deserves every one of those stars, and I’m sure we’ll get more. But I’m not, like, convinced that this should be on the list, with such a messy middle. Whatever, I’ll still be feeling a little American wistful the rest of the night. 2/5 PS: genuinely think I took a star off because of the clear “Middle Eastern type beat” midway through, that is as transparent a choice as it can possibly be for an album about 9/11… that uses tabla. TABLA, Bruce. Why tabla. Why did you do that.

Not a bad country rock type album. Some gospel influences as well. It is very long and begins to drag as all of the songs are very similar.

I CBA listening to this. Let's say 2 stars. It's not going to be better than that.

Ugh. This is some early 2000s stuff for sure. Who was like this is the best Springsteen album everyone needs to listen to. It's melancholy dad rock. Worlds apart got some real world music percussion going on. Real dumb. Here comes a song that sounds like Christmas. Thanks Bruce. It's like he heard generic inspirational music at the beginning of a conference and was like I need to get into that. My city of ruin is just days like this with different words. I hope Van Morrison had words with Bruce. Spotify went straight into the pogues after this album finished and I was ready to believe it was more terrible Bruce until the singing started.

It sounds good (he's got a pretty voice) but it doesn't move me. Meh dad rock. I did like a couple of the songs but probably will never spin this again. Maybe if I was from the East Coast and had a deeper connection to 9/11.

I think we can all agree that Springsteen is a respectable artist (and then some), but this album? Nothing special.

cheesy

It's ok....

it was ok. he’s done much better stuff. it sounds like he got more personal in this album and unfortunately that didn’t translate well to good music

I've never been a deep Springsteen fan, though I know some are. Even by my generally ambivalent view I'm not sure there is anything particularly interesting about this album. It's OK.

Not as depressing as Nebraska, but once again, why is this in the 1001 albums? Nothing worth hearing, and far from Springsteen's best work. Plain boring

Hate his voice... Sings like he is taking a shit

Still have trouble connecting with the boss man. He lost me when he started going world in World's Apart. Not for me. All starts sounding the same.

Als je echt luistert, is er niet doorheen te komen. Gisteren gemerkt dat het op de achtergrond met uitzicht op een begraafplaats nog net kan. Vooruit, een extra ster.

A few days after the 9/11 attacks, a stranger in a car reportedly told him: "We need you now." I guess that stranger was right. At times like that, America needs their charismatic rock star who made the anthemic "Born in the USA". Yes, the mentioned track was misinterpreted as patriotic, and yes it was released in the '80s. But I can still see why some American folks would love this kind of music during those times. Today, however, this album, and Bruce Springsteen in general I think, sounds like Christian rock sans Jesus. Some tracks might uplift one, but the 70 minute track is overall a generic mess. Corporate feel-good energy. We don't need it as much as we did in 2001, and we definitely don't need to hear it before we die.

I don't think I've ever listened to a full Bruce Springsteen album before. This felt entirely too long.

Loooove 9/11

Det värsta med 9/11 är att det fick Bruce Springsteen att laga denna skiva.

There are some good songs in here, but a good chunk of the middle of the album is really forgettable.

A few good songs here and there, but it felt like a snoozefest overall. A majority of songs could have been trimmed down by a minute.

ugh that early 00s sound

Too Bruce Springsteen

2.6 - Big and patriotic as a July 4th parade, and about as exciting. If Chevy were to commission a soundtrack for their truck commercials, it'd sound like this. Predictably, this album was hailed as a "return to form." Unfortunately, given how much I dislike Springsteen's "form", I can only agree with that consensus. For the love of all fuck, ENOUGH BRUCE!!!

Kind of boring overall and not that many memorable songs

Didn’t hit as hard as Darkness.

Not too bad, not his best

Didn’t hate it. I respect The Boss for sure. I’d go see him if someone gave me a ticket, just wouldn’t buy the album.

please stop

I liked the first song but did not like the second one. Third song was ok nothing memorable. The forth one is a little too slow for my liking. This album is so far unremarkable and boring. I'm eager for this to be over.

Absolutely fine. Just as you would expect really some inoffensive soft Americana rock.

2/5. Not a fan of country/Christian rock Bruce :(

meh

I had heard most of this album on the radio in the early 2000s. Likely as it was deemed safe to play while a lot of songs that had anything to do with death, flight or not loving America were deprioritized. Lonesome Day and The Rising are pretty good. But this album as a whole has aged pretty bad. I guess this is considered a return to form for Springsteen, but I don’t think anything he’s done since Born in the USA has really grabbed me.

Chato.

Sounds like I also need to add that I must admit I am not a fan of the Boss. I understand his significance but I don't have to enjoy it.

Not a genre/style that resonates with me, but some of the performances were quite moving. Particularly in "Mary's Place", I loved the vocals!

who caaaares

du er meget sød her brucy

Gode gamle Bruce, meget amerikansk, rock, pop, føleren

This is just so boring. I do not like Bruce Springsteen. I do not like this album.

Seriously why all the fuss about Bruce Springsteen? He is a mediocre song writer and this album is worse than his previous albums. I was not familiar with any of the songs and I am fine with that. It was a struggle.

This is a little better than the other Springsteen album I've had generated. At least this one isn't completely smothered in cheesy saxophones.

Not clear why this is on the list. Not the big hits of born in the USA or the restraint of Nebraska. Springsteen by numbers. And it has sax

I have my reasons for not liking Bruce, but this is basically a quarter-step away from country and no thanks.

…mmm I have a massive Bruce blind spot - sorry All sounds toooooo much …. All sound a bit like dancing in the dark

MOR Americana I can live without.

I find Bruce so boring, didn;t even know any hits from this one. Redeemed to 2 stars as its not actually offensive to my ears and somehow I managed to listen to is 1.5 times without noticing it was on loop.

Typisk Springsteen. Ok.

Lyrics reflect the times and some variety compared to some of the older Springsteen albums, but I can't listen to too much without it being a bit of a blur.

Can't say this album isn't important, especially given the circumstances of it being written, and it's cool to listen to newer Springsteen. That being said, is this really an essential album, one that you need to listen to before you die, any more than the other two Springsteen albums we've already gotten? I don't think so. It's also just too damn long Saved: Lonesome Day*, Worlds Apart

Saved Prior: None Off Rip: Mary's Place, You're Missing Cutting Edge: None Overall Notes: There is no conceivable reason that an overlong Springsteen album recorded in a year starting with a 2 should be here. I simply couldn't care less that this was released after 9/11, that's an explanation not an excuse. Verrrrrry close to dropping a 1 for wasting a space on the list but I guess it's nice that they saved themselves some albums to remove for when they update and add the new Magdalena Bay.

Ett album där temat är hanteringen av 11:e september-attackerna. Första spåret, Lonesome Day, låter som vintage Bruce, med mycket kraft och fart. Liknande låtar blandas med mer lugna, allvarstyngda låtar. Ett fint exempel är Nothing Man, som även här följer temat krishantering. En höjdpunkt i albumet är Worlds Apart, en häftig mix av rock och influenser från mellanöstern. Introt är en Qawwali, en sorts islamsk hymn, som sedan flyter över till en maffig klassisk rockdänga. Paradise är en låt som berör, oerhört vacker text och musik. Tyvärr så är största delen av albumet lätt att glömma, verkligen inte Bruce' bästa verk. Vissa låtar, som de på varandra följande Let's be Friends (Skin to Skin), Further On (Up the Road), och The Fuse är rent utsagt dåliga. Några vassa spår och ett drabbande tema räddar albumet, och gör att det i slutändan får ses som okej. Bästa låt: Waitin' on a Sunny Day. Även om Bruce sagt att den är lite för poppig för hans smak så SÄTTER den sig.

Waitin' on a sunny day

Not a fan of Bruce

Ok country thing.

I mean, it's Bruce Springsteen. I didn't grow up particularly fond of him, and this album is a testament to that sentiment. 2 = I get it, but not for me.

Hmm, ikke helt dette jeg forventa fra Bruce Springsteen. Litt for lite rock og alt for mye alt annet rolige greier.

I mean it is a fine album, and I am a fan of a few Bruce Springsteen songs, but I don't think that this album belongs on this list.

I'm giving this album a 2 purely because the social and cultural impact that it seems to have achieved; cause it appears it has helped a lot of people getting through hard times and that is sometimes more than enough. The music is pretty generic, to say the least, and the intentions I cannot tell at times. But yeah, whatev, I guess I'm never getting Bruce Springsteen.

I'm so angry. I went through most of this album thinking it was all very biege, nothing exciting, one song melts into another and nothing really changes or stands out. The longer it went on, the more bland it sounded. And then, without me really even noticing, Paradise plays and suddenly I'm almost crying! Maybe it's hormonal, or just perfect timing. How dare he cause emotions, I'm so mad!

i'm not 68.

I've never listened to a Bruce Springsteen album before. I thought it well-written, with excellent production, "Waiting On A Sunny Day" was catchy and I quite liked "You're Missing" and "Paradise", but overall it was just a bit bland. "Worlds Apart" had some vaguely different (tokenistic) influences. There aren't even any Springsteen classics on this album to get excited about. From what I understand, this album was a return to form for him although it sounds way more dated than it is. Maybe "Born in the USA" would have been a better intro to Springsteen? He seems like a good guy, I'll give him that, but I'll give this album 5/10. Offensively inoffensive.

Bruce means more to the yanks than he does to me

Sounds like a South Park parody of US "Pain" after 9/11 . only Springsteen's quality and a few good songs stop this being a 1

Just ok. Was never a Bruce fan. Nice to hear waiting on a sunny day in here though, my favourite song of his. Took a weird turn towards the middle of the album.

Wie gesagt: Solidarität und so, guter Mann, gibt ja nicht so wenige der Sorte, "Heartland Rock" als Begriff gelernt, undsoweiter. Aber die Mucke auf diesem Album? Nein.

Das ist Musik für Erwachsene. Leute, die mit ihr älter geworden sind, sich damit wohlfühlen und auch nix anderes brauchen. Nicht mal so sehr "früher war alles besser" als "hey, aber wir haben's doch ganz gemütlich". Keine schlechten Menschen an sich, schon auch mitfühlend, aber: die Schäfchen im Trockenen. Fürchte, ich muss das böse Wort sagen: Boomer. Und jetzt zum Podcast mit Obama.

As a rule, the boss rubs me the wrong way. I have never listened to anything beyond radio/soundtrack stuff. The working man stuff just doesn't appeal to me. I get why people like this, it's well-produced and all the songs are catchy, but it's also cringy beyond belief.

kind of sucks like country

I don't like classic Springsteen, so I really didn't enjoy his more recent stuff. I tried to give it a chance, but no... I just didn't like it.

Bruce Springsteen is the Bob Dylan of working class Americana bullshit. More like Bruce SpringPEEN(IS).

Int så bängeri Långsamt, men inte på ett bra sätt. Typ långtråkiga rock ballader?

Not really a Springsteen fan

has a couple decent tracks but not Bruce's best work

I tried, but just couldn't get past the voice. For some reason his voice bugs me. I can respect that he's a talented songwriter, but his style of music doesn't do much for me.

I'm glad I listened to the whole album; I would never have known there were Springsteen songs I could tolerate well. Some I would swear weren't him.

Nope. Just nope.

Ehhh not for me. I don't know why everything he makes sounds like a bad christmas album.

Standard Bruce fodder. No standout tracks

Kinda bland

Esperaba mas, está bien hecho pero puro nacionalismo gringo que solo tiene sentido para ellos, nada raro en esprinstin

Not a bad album, but I don't love the sound. It sounds too classic American roadside bar, a bit too heavy on the drums and sultry man voice.

tråkigt.

Not into it.

Bruce Springsteen, 4eme album => 1/5 Rock mou et peu inspirant, dans un album beaucoup trop long. Je ne suis pas allé au bout.

Eh, not my favorite Bruce, but not awful.

I love Springsteen as much as the next person, but this was a tough listen. This was written and recorded in response to 9/11, and while I don't doubt his sincere horror to the events of that day, this album falls too quickly into the same corny sentimentality that a lot of post-9/11 music did. Springsteen is no stranger to sentimentality, of course, but it's typically paired with better songwriting. The stories he writes here are a lot lighter on the specifics compared to his best work, making the emotional aspect feel much cheaper and unearned. There are exceptions, like the hauntingly dark Nothing Man and the vivid imagery on My City of Ruins, but these are few and far between. The E-Street Band is doing their best music-wise, but they're kneecapped by overly slick production and generic arrangements. The worst part is that this album is over an hour long, making this a complete slog to sit through. I didn't have high expectations for post-80s Bruce, but this failed to live up to even those lowered standards.

dont like this guy

Gross. Boring

This album sucks! It fucking sucks!! Every track makes me madder and it's A DOUBLE ALBUM.

Springsteen has one of the worst voices ever.

I’m sorry but what the actual hell is this

This is country music. I told the project I didn't want country.

Spends all of its time wallowing in post-September 11 national self-pity. Springsteen seems like a decent enough guy, but bullshit rhetoric like this only served to abet the United States’s slide into christian nationalist fascism.

Ugh, literally pandering patriotic post 9/11 Americana rock, couldn’t even get through 2 songs. Sorry Bruce.

Fucking unbearable the album cover made me think I was gonna listen to god bless my ears but NO I need to hear if some random grandma’s music when she says she likes heavy music

Do not like

Love the Boss. Not this.

Sheer cack

This record got me killed by putting my driver to sleep.

Eh

Into the Fire fuckin STINKS. Is this just an album about Jesus? Countin’ on a Miracle, Empty Sky, Worlds Apart has gotta be top 5 worst three song runs I’ve ever heard. Followed up Let’s be Friends (Skin to Skin). This should be relegated to commercials where old people sit naked in separate bathtubs watching the sunset. I can’t wait for this to be over. Oh, it’s a 9/11 album? This sucks.

This is worse than 9/11.

Boring. Even for the genre… boring and cringe. Im gonna rise up and ask people to not listen to this. 1

Once again stating that this list should have no more than one album by an artist. Bruce Springsteen is a hack at the best of times, and this isn’t the best of times.

It took me days just to get through 3.5 songs because it was that jarring to listen to. Definitely not my style. “Into The Fire” took 5 minutes out of my life that i unfortunately cannot have back, it sounds like a fucking church song. At least the third song was a bit better but you best believe i will never relisten to this shit again.

New Jersey

Don't call it a comeback. Because it's not.

This was way too long for a Springsteen album passed his prime. Even if it was shorter it has no business being on any list of “must listens”.

Once again I call bullshit on an album being "influential". Just because you wrote songs about 9/11 is not enough to make it influential! Boring.

not my style

I really want to like Bruce Springsteen - he seems so cool! His band seems conceptually great! But these songs are so plain and repetitive.

Nah

I’ve never been a big fan of Springsteen, but I do like some of his earlier work. However, post 9/11 Springsteen is not it. I understand he was inspired by the attacks and there is some earnestness to this that earns merit. Unfortunately, this album commits the worst sin, it is simply boring. It’s also a bit on the longer side.

Absolute cornball album.

Dull, formulaic and over long.

Not a fan of this musically but it's hard to enjoy patriotic art like this, now.

Probably great but I'm not a fan of this one. I love most of his other stuff though.

If this didn’t have Bruce Springsteen attached to it it would be lumped in with imagine dragons

I’m not listening to Bruce Springsteen.

I was bored to death with this one, sorry Bruce

I can't.

não me desce de forma alguma :D

Alt amerikansk musik var country efter 9/11. Den ligger mellem 1 og 2 for mig, havde nok været 2 hvis den var klippet til men vi skulle bare høre alle følelser folk havde dengang

noo-haw. could not finish.

Meh

His voice is awful, and I hate country music.

this was soooo cheesy and boring and went for ages

1 - not good

Unnecessary.

16h finde ich irgendwie langweilig, nothing Man hört sich okay an, eigentlich konsumiere ich wenig Musik von Männern. Volle Meinung folgt später.

Bullshit heartland rock

Another Springsteen album? And zero 'hits'!? Woof. Why? No. I'd go zero if I could - so 1. What a waste of space.

This album makes me wish I was in one of the towers

The Good: Something’s rising… The Bad: It’s not the what we’d like to see rise… The Ugly: age… For all you youngsters out there who feel the need to refer to this as boomer rock, or dad rock, get a life. This is shit music for one, and for two, though Springsteen might be a boomer himself, those who started listening to his music were Gen X… get your facts straight. Skip this album if you like music… it was painful to listen to. If you want to hear an album by a boomer in his later years, give Blackstar by Bowie a spin… now that’s an album. This was just shit… Couldn’t even get through the whole album as I feared I would start breaking things… I would rather listen to The Chronic… Nuff said… 0*

Too long, boring boomer ass shit

Sorry, with the first chords and that voice... I have no time for the musician Springsteen even though the person Springsteen seems to be a decent guy.

He's not my boss

1001 best albums? Really? Totally unmemorable to me. No real standouts, just bland and boring.

This album sort of sounds like if Bruce Springsteen made an album about 9/11, and it's half an hour too long. I don't know who asked for this, but it certainly wasn't me.

Not sure what people (and this list) see in Bruce

Not a fan of his music or OUTSPOKEN Political BS RANTS!

I hate Bruce Springsteen and I hate country music, and this is apparently Bruce Springsteen's more country-leaning 9/11 album. What the fuck were people smoking at the time that this has such universally good reviews? It's pure dog shit.

Appreciated the concept and sentiment but the songs didn’t match. Kinda middle of the road bland rock

No thank you

gave me a migraine

This was so painful. It is long, repetitive, tedious, with nothing interesting to offer, just ordinary rock and country. My head hurt very bad after listening to this because this album sucked all of my energies and left me stressed-out.

Two songs in: It sounds like standard rocky singer-songwriter. Like your dad's singer-songwriter. Springsteen has always sounded like he's singing through being constipated to me. Halfway Thru: (Right after Empty Sky) This is such bland tripe. There's a reason I stopped listening to Bruce. Just because he's Bruce Springsteen doesn't mean we need to worship everything he does. I got to "Let's Be Friends" and I'm tapping out. I can't do it any more. This is mid-tier dad rock at best. My Rating: 1/5.

1. lonezome - 1.5 2. fire - 1 3. zunny - 1 4. man - 1.5 5. miracle - 1.5 6. zky - 1.5 7. apart - 1.5 8. friendz - 1 9. further - 1.5 10. fuze - 1 11. maryz - 1 12. mizzing - 1 13. rizing - 1.5 14. paradize - 2 15. city - 1.5

Woah. Not good Boss.

Bruce's albums have always been hit or miss for me. This one is huge miss It's over produced, mixed and arranged like a pop album while Bruce does his usual yell sing vocals over music that does not work with those vocals

Not a huge Bruce guy, not feeling this one

i really just can't do rock

blah

Sgliich wie mit em Willie au hüt mit em Bruce. Au da nur eis chlöpferli uf die lingi fuddibagge

Sehr gut

10000x worse than dusty

I HATE THIS MANS VOICE I STG IF I GET ANOTHER ONE IM GONNA LOSE IT

At first I didn’t think this was too bad, but that was only a few tracks in. The deeper I got the more I found myself just waiting and wishing for it to be over. This album is great example of one that makes people think things like “oh he should’ve hung it up years ago”. It’s a downer both lyrically and musically, it’s rarely upbeat musically, it’s totally stylistically different than everything I love about Bruce Springsteen. This album is a turd, and I say that as a fan.

The album that enshrined Springsteen as the secular saint of the American liberal. It's politically patriotic, drawing on the big story of American strength in diversity, exceptional goodness, and progressive inclusivity to call for unity in suppressing the base desire for revenge and instead being our best selves. Everything is going to be ok, he keeps reassuring us, as long as we call on our better angels: strength, faith, love, hope - America is the miracle he's waiting for. Musically it reflects this message by combining his 80s heartland rock sound with lush modern 90s production, extra americana twang paired with Putumayo world-music Arab singing, epic classic rock guitars, RnB jams, and an even heavier than normal gospel sound, sanctifying the liberal patriotic message with the rich sounds of the black church and the post-civil rights story of national redemption through the moral arch of history bending toward justice. In stark contrast to the reactionary music of the time - thin one-dimensional pop country cynically weeping into the flag and joyously baying for blood - this is somber sophisticated and reflective - if vague and cliched- desperately charting a path rising through the end of the good times. "Come on, let's be friends," he begs over a smooth jazzy RnB Jam. The problem is that it's incredibly boring, bloated, and uninspired - it feels like 72 minutes of homework. No wonder this is what made him the homework-loving Ivy League liberal's heroic voice of the everyman. No wonder he has a podcast and coffee table book with Obama trying to sell this same story of American greatness in the Trump era. No wonder this ultimately vacuous patriotic message falls flat in the face of deteriorating material conditions fraying the flag he's waving. Better than Toby Keith, but a dead end, politically and aesthetically.

lunatic