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Elly Roberts reviews
Sony/BMG
- Cat.no: 82876830742
- Released: April 2006
- Rating: CD: 10/10; DVD: 6/10
Yee ha! Take your partners, as The Boss goes barn-dancing hillbilly style.
It’s not what you do, it’s they way that you do it – so mainstream BS fansare in for a big surprise, maybe a shock, or even a treat, which thisfun-filled collection is from start to finish.
When you’re ‘The Boss’, youcan do what you like. So, doing a ‘covers album’ (with a difference) is newterritory. After high-priest of Americana Woody Guthrie, comes 86 year oldfolkie Pete Seeger, who Springsteen pays tribute to on his 21st album.
Springsteen said, “So much of my writing, particularly when I writeacoustically, comes straight out of the folk tradition. Making this albumwas creatively liberating because I have a love of all those different rootssounds.. they can conjure up a world with just a few notes and a few words”.
Using a big ensemble, 14 musicians in all, he’s virtually recreated hisstadium conquering performances, all from his lounge (and hallway) in NewJersey. Not wishing to rush things, this concept is the culmination of aprotracted nine year period – 1997, 2005, 2006, so maintaining its spirit,without rehearsals, must have been a monumental task itself.
In the sleevenotes he says, “This is a LIVE recording..All arrangements were conducted aswe played, you can hear me shouting out names and instruments of the playersas we roll.”
Musically he’s done his home work, seeking out songs that span centuries ofAmerican folklore.
Conjuring up images of camp fires and pitch-fork dances, it’s full offinger-licking life from the start: we’re given the Springsteen shuffle -joyous and uplifting, which me maintains throughout – Old Man Tucker getsthe feet stomping. Fun continues as BS grows his way through another romp –Jesse James – with drum sticks leading and banjo following. Violin drivenMrs. McGrath and John Henry have a more ‘Irish feel’, a kind of bluegrassmeets The Pogues.
Throwing in a New Orleans jazz break midway through O MaryDon’t You Weep turns the indigenous song on its head, giving it a newspiritual meaning as brass, piano and back-ups have a ball. Gently amblingErie Canal‘s initial banjo pick and violin are swept away by Dixielandstylings, bringing a punctuated blast, segued by equally rip-roaring Jacob’sLadder.
The next three, take the foot of the accelerator – My Oklahoma Home,Eyes On The Prize and Shenandoah (a most beautiful love ballad and theundeniable highlight) are more sedate offerings amongst the wonderful din.Back to business, a rousing Pay Me My Money Down pre-fixes an emotional WeShall Overcome, sounding more like his compatriot Bob Dylan. Topping off, achugging Froggie Goes A Courtin‘ is a fitting conclusion to a brilliantidea.
On the DVD we get the album all over again plus two bonus tracks – BuffaloGals and How Can I Keep From Singing, and visual snippets of how it was puttogether, in an almost improvisation process – he guides them with –“Trumpet.bring up a B-flat…don’t stop now.anyone wanna tackle that ?”
The Boss also said, “I wanted the sound of a bunch of people just sittingaround playing.” He’s certainly achieved his goal, even if it took nearly adecade. That’s dedication.
Weblink:Bruce Springsteen.net
The full list of tracks included are :
1. Old Dan Tucker
2. Jesse James
3. Mrs. McGrath
4. O Mary Don’t You Weep
5. John Henry
6. Erie Canal
7. Jacob’s Ladder
8. My Oklahoma Home
9. Eyes On The Prize
10. Shenandoah
11. Pay Me My Money Down
12. We Shall Overcome
13. Froggie Went A Courtin’
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.