NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� new project, 鈥淭racks II: The Lost Albums,鈥� is entirely about that age-old question: What if?
The box set, out June 27, encompassing the period between 1983 and 2018, all but one he prepared to release in its time but ultimately shelved. Now that he's decided to drop them simultaneously, they offer a fascinating alternative story of
Building on its predecessor 鈥淭racks,鈥� 1998's four-disc, 66-song collection of unreleased material, there are 83 songs here. While some slipped out on other projects 鈥� 鈥淢y Hometown鈥� and 鈥淪ecret Garden鈥� among them 鈥� the vast majority hadn't been heard publicly. This is all fully completed material, not half-baked or half-finished outtakes. It's not unusual for artists to leave songs 鈥� or even full-lengths 鈥� on the cutting-room floor, but multiple entire albums? Springsteen explains that he's taken care releasing albums, looking to build and believes this approach has served him well.
Perhaps as a result, the most interesting work on 鈥淭racks II鈥� comes when he stretches out and explores pathways not in his wheelhouse: countrypolitan Bruce, border-town Bruce, Burt Bacharach-inspired Bruce and a set of synthesizer-based songs modeled after his Oscar-winning 鈥淪treets of Philadelphia.鈥� Oddly, the one disc of strays cobbled together that feels most like an is the least compelling.
Breaking down a big pool of music
Since these are seven distinct albums, it's worth evaluating them that way.
鈥淟A Garage Sessions '83鈥� captures Springsteen working virtually alone at a home in the Hollywood Hills. It was squarely in between and 鈥淏orn in the USA鈥� albums, and he seems torn between those two approaches. There are character studies here, and more lighthearted fare like 鈥淟ittle Girl Like You,鈥� with a single man yearning to settle down. The most striking cut is 鈥淭he Klansman,鈥� about a boy and his racist father, yet it cries out for more development. Ultimately, Springsteen chose the right albums to release at the time.
The was a genuine departure musically, and Springsteen decided to make an album in the same vein, with synthesizers and drum loops the dominant elements. If released in the early 1990s, this would have been the most contemporary-sounding disc of his career, with atmospherics that occasionally recall U2. Springsteen pulled it at the last minute, reasoning that the stories of doomed relationships 鈥� sample lyric: 鈥淲e loved each other like a disease鈥� 鈥� was too much like 鈥淭unnel of Love.鈥�
At the same time he recorded 鈥淭he Ghost of Tom Joad鈥� in 1995, Springsteen also convened a country band steered by pedal steel player Marty Rifkin. Their work was terrific, led by the one-two punch of 鈥淩epo Man鈥� and the Johnny Rivers cover, 鈥淧oor Side of Town.鈥� The title cut to a disc he calls 鈥淪omewhere North of Nashville鈥� escaped into the public some two decades later. Since the somber 鈥淛oad鈥� who are we to second-guess his choice of what to put out? 鈥淣ashville,鈥� though, is a rollicking good time.
鈥淚nyo鈥� is similar to 鈥淛oad鈥� and 鈥淒evils & Dust,鈥� mostly acoustic-based narratives, here many of them stories of the Southwest. Springsteen even appropriately brings in for 鈥淎delita鈥� and 鈥淭he Lost Charro.鈥� Soozie Tyrell's violin is notable, particularly on the majestic 鈥淲hen I Build My Beautiful House.鈥� We're guessing that Springsteen may have considered 鈥淚nyo鈥� one album too many in the same style, but it's still strong work.
At one point Springsteen considered making his salute to early 1970s California songwriting, a double album. When he didn't, the songs on 鈥淭wilight Hours鈥� were left behind. Here Bacharach is the primary influence, and this almost feels like collaboration with Burt, only without him (and is the lyric 鈥淕od give me strength鈥� a hat-tip to that project?). The crooning Bruce of 鈥淪unday Love鈥� is spellbinding, maybe the box's best song. 鈥淟onely Town鈥� sits at the intersection and Roy Orbison, while 鈥淒inner at Eight鈥� is a lovely sum-up. 鈥淭wilight Hours鈥� may startle Springsteen fans 鈥� and impress them, too.
The workmanlike songs on 鈥淔aithless鈥� were written on commission in two weeks, the soundtrack to a movie that was never made. It's a good bet it would have been a moody Western.
When Springsteen duels with on the song 鈥淎nother Thin Line,鈥� you realize how little you've heard his electric guitar on 鈥淭racks II.鈥� The album 鈥淧erfect World鈥� is the one here made up of leftovers from different periods, with the greatest E Street Band participation. Here's the deal, though: Most good E Street Band material has already been released. The best left behind for this disc is 鈥淵ou Lifted Me Up,鈥� with minimalist lyrics and a vocal collaboration with and
The box gives Springsteen completists plenty to mull over, and you can question whether these 鈥渓ost discs鈥� would get more attention released separately instead of together. If it's too much, he's releasing a 20-song set of its highlights.
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David Bauder writes about the intersection of media and entertainment for the AP. Follow him at and .
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David Bauder, The Associated Press
