Springsteen, Bruce: The River (2xCD)

Newly remastered from original analogue masters. Despite the acclaim accorded Born to Run and Darkness On The Edge Of Town, this is the album that broke Springsteen into the big leagues, thanks to ‘Hungry Heart,’ then his most pointedly commercial song; it had new fans swooning but some old ones grumbling for the poetic Springsteen of days gone by.

Not to worry – though more economical lyrically, The River had something to offer nearly everyone: There’s old-time frat rock (‘Sherry Darling‘), empathetic character studies (‘The River’, ‘Stolen Car’ and ‘Independence Day’), passionate rockers (‘Out in the Street‘), dramatic ballads (‘Point Blank’), and even a couple of good-natured goofs (‘Cadillac Ranch’, ‘Crush on You', and ‘Ramrod‘). A sprawling double-disc set, The River offers proof that Springsteen could do it all and could do it better than virtually anyone else.

1. The Ties That Bind
2. Sherry Darling
3. Jackson Cage
4. Two Hearts
5. Independence Day
6. Hungry Heart
7. Out in the Street
8. Crush on You
9. You Can Look (But You Better Not Touch)
10. I Wanna Marry You
11. The River
12. Point Blank
13. Cadillac Ranch
14. I'm a Rocker
15. Fade Away
16. Stolen Car
17. Ramrod
18. The Price You Pay
19. Drive All Night
20. Wreck on the Highway