Letter to You

Wonderful

Cut in 4 days pre-pandemic with the E-Street Band, A Letter for You contains Springsteen's strongest clutch of songs since 2002's The Rising and (after repeated listens) stands as a late career classic.Starting gently with One Minute You're Home, a tender acoustic number in the vein of If I Should Fall Behind, the E-Street Band kick in on track 2, the title track, and build up further pace over the next two tracks, Burnin' Train and Janey Needs a Shooter.Janey is one of three tracks - the other two being If I Was the Priest and Song for Orphans - written by Springsteen in 1972 which had only been previously been available in significantly different versions on bootlegs. They date from the Greetings from Ashbury Park era when Springsteen was in his Dylanesque free-flowing poetry era. The versions on a Letter from You are much better developed and fleshed out (by the E-Street Band) from the early 1970s versions and have some lines and versions changed. Janey is a particular standout, with lyrics more direct than Song for Orphans and its organ and guitar driven melody recalls elements of Backstreets and Darkness on the Edge of Town. If I Was a Priest is Springsteen early 1970s Americana. Songs for Orphans, which appeared as a slow acoustic number on 1973 bootlegs, is improved by being fleshed out here by the E-Street Band in a Blonde for Blonde era vibe.Tracks 5, Last Man Standing, 10, Ghosts, and 12, I'll See You in My Dreams, are an affectionate look back on Springsteen's first band, in the mid-1960s, the Castiles, of which he is the only band member still alive.Track 6, The Power of Prayer, is propelled by a gorgeous, warm, upbeat vibe, driven by Roy Bittan's piano and a great sax solo by Jake Clemons.Track 7, House of a Thousand Guitars and track 8 Rainmaker, are tracks underpinned by political messages in this US election year. "The criminal clown has stolen the throne, he steals what he can never own. May the truth ring out from every small-town bar". "Sometimes folks need to believe in something so bad, so, bad they'll hire a rainmaker". As through his earlier career, Springsteen puts his faith in the redemptive power of music.Throughout the album, Springsteen's vocals continue in the strong vein shown on Western Stars. Meanwhile, Miami Steve and Nils Lofgren add crashing guitar riffs (notably on Ghosts), Max Weinberg's distinctive drumbeats propel the group, supported by Garry Talent on bass, and Roy Bittan is excellent as ever on piano. The only surprise is the album is labelled solely as a Bruce Springsteen record, rather than a joint Bruce Springsteen and E-Street Band release.

Great service from order to delivery. Another wonderful CD, that brought me so much joy. The song "I'll see you in my dreams" for me is one of the best of all time. A tear jerker with a beautiful message. It will be played at my funeral. Highly recommend the album to all age groups.

This is a great collection of songs. Songs of reflection, jubilation and the passing of time. One of my favourite Springsteen albums now

When Bruce Springsteen's "Western Stars" was released I was full of praise, but on reflection I think much of that was due to the surprise at the Boss's change of direction, and over the last year I haven't replayed "Western Stars" as much as I had anticipated I would. Instead I've found myself heading back into the telecaster swinging sound of the Boss and the E Street gang, but that's probably because in these strange times I need something to cheer me up.So what about "Letter To You", does that cheer me up? Well the gang's all here; the boys and girl of the E Street Band, Roy, Nils, Patti, Garry, Stevie, Max, Charlie and Jake are back on board and ready to rock. And that's good because "Letter To You" was, we're told, recorded live but this being 2020 "live" doesn't mean with an audience it just means they played simultaneously in the same room [with nine members of the band including the Boss they obviously weren't subject to the rule of six!]. But that also means that there's nothing new here, this is a return to the safe familiar sound of so many of the Boss's albums and of course it's full of songs of blue collar struggle, of hopes dashed and fears realised; this time though there's a thread of Springsteen's own mortality that runs through the tracks that has led some reviews to describe this as a concept album [!]. Springsteen however despite his seventy plus years remains in fine voice as he works through a range of styles from "solo" reflective songs to stadia rocking bombasts and all points in between, and as ever the E Street Band add their decoration to give this set of songs that distinctive Bruce Springsteen sound.Opener "One Minute You're Here" with its theme of loss and it's black train metaphor starts as a mournful solo guitar-picking ballad that picks up where "Western Stars" left off, and then gently evolves with muted piano, organ, drums, and an echo on Springsteen's gruff vocals, it's OK but not how I wanted this album to open. But then the gang kicks into gear with the title track "Letter To You", a stop/start rocker ballad, this is the Boss doing what the Boss does best. It's so very Springsteen it wouldn't have been out of place on many of his earlier albums, but with its theme of loss it would have slotted in particularly well on "Tunnel of Love"."Burnin' Train" is a punky rocker with clashing guitar chords, pounding drums and a lengthy Big Country style swirling guitar solo, it's good but doesn't really go anywhere and frankly it sounds a bit under-developed [perhaps this is the disadvantage of the "live recording process"]. "Janey Needs A Shooter" is another rocker and one of three songs here that apparently failed to make the cut for any of Springsteen's early albums, including "Darkness On The Edge Of Town" or "The River" where it would have fitted in well with its story line, but this resurrection is timely and you can hear the guitar and organ in particular really playing off the vocals."Last Man Standing" is a reference to the loss of the other members of Springsteen's first band the Castiles leaving Springsteen now as the "last man standing". It swings but it's not a rocker, and with its changes of tempo it's a bit too Springsteen by numbers and could have come from the "Magic" or Working On A Dream" albums. Similarly "The Power Of Prayer" is nothing special, even Springsteen's voice has lost its raw edge on this track but Jake Clemons is given an extended blow on the outro and its good to hear the E Street sax loud and clear.For a song entitled "House Of A Thousand Guitars" [this is not a cover of Willie Nile's "House Of A Thousand Guitars"] opening with a solo piano seems a bit of an oxymoron, but it's not long before the rest of the band kicks in and turn this into a good time swing-along, singalong that will make a good live number [that's the type of live where there's an audience].There are no prizes for guessing the identity of the cheating, lying, conman "Rainmaker" and while I applaud the sentiment the song sounds way more John Mellencamp than Bruce Springsteen and it doesn't fit well with the rest of the album, at least not at this point. Unlike "If I Was The Priest", the second old song that has been resurrected and is a throwback to the sound of "The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle".Springsteen returns to the loss of former bandmates in "Ghosts", but this time he rocks and how; this is probably my favourite track, it's a six minute bombast that reminds me of "We Take Care Of Our Own"; I find my hands and feet keeping time with Weinberg's and you just know when that cymbal is going to crash, this is the essence of the E-Street Band's DNA and oh how I want to sing this with the faithful at Wembley [or any other stadium].For "Song For Orphans" Springsteen picks up the harmonica and I'm transported back to the story songs of the "Born To Run" album which is perhaps not to be unexpected as this is the third of the old, but previously unused songs from the '70s; that said there is something that's very familiar, even very Dylan-esque about this song. And then there's the closer "I'll See You In My Dreams" which I had expected to book-end the album alongside "One Minute You're Here" but this is more up tempo and has the band helping out but it's not the song that I would have chosen to close the album with [that would have been "One Minute You're Here"].So a return to safe and familiar territory, or perhaps territories as "Letter To You" has something for everybody, and that's both this albums crowning glory and its failing. I like most of it, it has the familiarity and comfort of an old pair of shoes, but like an old pair of shoes it's worn in places and that why it's only four stars.

I look forward to any new release by Springsteen with anticipation and this one has been on repeat play since it arrived. It is very different sounding to his last album (Western Stars) and back to his more recognised sound with the E Street Band. It starts relatively quietly and more subdued than I expected before it really kicks off. It is an album with songs that are often reflective which taking into account his age and his career is to be expected. The band plays with effortless quality without being as 'aggressive' or as rocking as on some past albums. Some great songs but no real 'stadium' or 'heavy' rockers or anthems on this one. A quieter more Americana type rock album than some of his past albums. Its good. Nothing to skip over. If you are a fan of this artist, my guess is that you will enjoy it without you thinking it is his best. It isn't in my view but it is good and well worth a listen. It has many of the sounds of his earlier albums. It is an album that grows with each listen which for me is the sign of a good album. I like it.