Bruce Springsteen - The Promise (2010)

Bruce Springsteen is the Stephen King of Rock 'n Roll. King writes 1.000 page novels and keeps churning them out. I've always wondered how he does that all on his own. Sometimes he releases outtakes.
His two latest story collections 'Just after sunset' and 'Full dark no stars' are just that. Outtakes.
Sometimes he still comes through with a real corker. 'Cell' was like that.
Sometimes he releases a double album of which side 4 show an artist not finding a satisfactory ending. That one is called 'Under the dome'.
But enough of King.

Bruce Springsteen writes 'em by the dozen, records 'em and puts 'em in a box for thirty years.
I am not of the opinion that Bruce's first two albums were the only worthwhile ones he's ever done. Yes, I'm looking at you, Johnny Slider.
He's been great for many years, his fame deserved, but to me his last couple of albums were merely routine.

Is 'The promise' worth buying? Certainly. For a Bruce fan it is life blood. A must.
Will the casual fan be charmed? Doubtful.
After all these songs are over 30 years old and the fact that they were written and recorded during one of his most fruitful periods will probably be not enough to lure the one-cd-a-month punter.
Every reviewer will mention the fact that because of a legal battle with his former manager Bruce was not allowed to release one note of music for three years. But that didn't stop him from recording. So let's not go there.

Can we consider these songs to be the missing link between 'Born to run' and what became the final 'Darkness on the edge of town'?
Not really. In view of the fact that 'Darkness' was such a narrow, one direction only album, these songs go in too many different directions.
Also, he gave a fair few to other artists. 'Because the night' to Patti Smith, 'Rendezvous' to Gary U.S. Bonds.
'Talk to me' ended up on a Southside Johnny album. And, yes, 'Fire' went to the Pointer Sisters.
All of these are on 'The promise'.
What else? Some early versions of 'Racing in the street' and 'Candy's room' (Candy's boy here).
Some big Spectorian productions with 'Gotta get that feeling' and 'Someday (we'll be together)' probably written with Ronnie Spector's voice in mind.
The elusive title track in a band version with one verse missing. That one already was on the 'Tracks' box in a 1999 piano only version.
There's also a hidden track often bootlegged never officially released. It's 'The way' a great song.

One big omission from 'Darkness' surely must be 'Because the night'. A majestic piece of music, the best he's ever written. Only Bruce knows why he left it off.


Is 'The promise' the missing link between 'Born to run' and 'Darkness'?
Pruned down to a single disc it may have been. There's plenty of great ones to chose from.
But then the question would be: could 'Darkness' have ended up the dark and stark masterpiece it now is?


P.S. 'The promise' rates 5 stars not only for the music but also for the historic document it really is.