Sherry Darling
New Yorker
From today's Asbury Park Press:
Store owner 'loves' new Springsteen CD
Published in the Asbury Park Press 5/18/02
By BOB MAKIN
Staff Writer
David Lang is one of the record store owners who got to hear five tracks from Bruce Springsteen's forthcoming studio album, his first in seven years.
The owner of the 10-store South Plainfield-based CD World chain heard the tracks on Tuesday in the Sony Wonder High Definition Theater in New York during a Columbia Record's birthday celebration for Springsteen manager Jon Landau.
The tunes were:
"Mary's Place," a "Rosalita"-like rocker
"The Rising," an energetic Sept. 11-inspired anthem
"Into the Fire," a similarly themed ballad
Ballads "Nothing Man" and "Lonesome Day."
"I loved it," Lang said. "They think it's the best album he's done in at least 15 years, and from what I heard, I agree with them. The ballads are classic Springsteen ballads with a lot of soul. One had 9-11 content that was quite moving. One was called 'The Rising.' I was humming it as I walked out. I was singing it for 45 minutes. I couldn't get it out of my mind. It's just a great, great song."
Landau told the crowd of 50 record store owners and label representatives that Springsteen recorded the album with members of the E Street Band in only three months.
The manager joked that Springsteen usually would shelve an album at that point and move onto to something else, but he apparently is very pleased with the results of the project, which was co-produced by Brendan O'Brien (Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots).
"One thing that I felt was lacking was that I didn't feel (saxophonist) Clarence Clemons was accentuated as much as a real E Street Band fan likes to hear," Lang said.
Clemons appears on "Mary's Place" but none of the other tracks that were played. Drummer Max Weinberg apparently is on several.
Lang said he wasn't sure who else from the E Street Band is on the album or whether there will be a tour in support of it.
The E Street Band reunited in 1999 after 10 years of not touring together and released a live album last year.
Lang invited fans of both Springsteen and E Street Band guitarist Nils Lofgren to his Eatontown store on Saturday to find out more from Lofgren. The guitarist is making an in-store appearance there at 3 p.m.
"I am a tremendous Springsteen fan," Lang said. "I've seen him 30 times. I think this album is going to be huge for Springsteen fans. I don't know how far it will go beyond Springsteen fans, but I think fans will be proud of it."
Store owner 'loves' new Springsteen CD
Published in the Asbury Park Press 5/18/02
By BOB MAKIN
Staff Writer
David Lang is one of the record store owners who got to hear five tracks from Bruce Springsteen's forthcoming studio album, his first in seven years.
The owner of the 10-store South Plainfield-based CD World chain heard the tracks on Tuesday in the Sony Wonder High Definition Theater in New York during a Columbia Record's birthday celebration for Springsteen manager Jon Landau.
The tunes were:
"Mary's Place," a "Rosalita"-like rocker
"The Rising," an energetic Sept. 11-inspired anthem
"Into the Fire," a similarly themed ballad
Ballads "Nothing Man" and "Lonesome Day."
"I loved it," Lang said. "They think it's the best album he's done in at least 15 years, and from what I heard, I agree with them. The ballads are classic Springsteen ballads with a lot of soul. One had 9-11 content that was quite moving. One was called 'The Rising.' I was humming it as I walked out. I was singing it for 45 minutes. I couldn't get it out of my mind. It's just a great, great song."
Landau told the crowd of 50 record store owners and label representatives that Springsteen recorded the album with members of the E Street Band in only three months.
The manager joked that Springsteen usually would shelve an album at that point and move onto to something else, but he apparently is very pleased with the results of the project, which was co-produced by Brendan O'Brien (Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots).
"One thing that I felt was lacking was that I didn't feel (saxophonist) Clarence Clemons was accentuated as much as a real E Street Band fan likes to hear," Lang said.
Clemons appears on "Mary's Place" but none of the other tracks that were played. Drummer Max Weinberg apparently is on several.
Lang said he wasn't sure who else from the E Street Band is on the album or whether there will be a tour in support of it.
The E Street Band reunited in 1999 after 10 years of not touring together and released a live album last year.
Lang invited fans of both Springsteen and E Street Band guitarist Nils Lofgren to his Eatontown store on Saturday to find out more from Lofgren. The guitarist is making an in-store appearance there at 3 p.m.
"I am a tremendous Springsteen fan," Lang said. "I've seen him 30 times. I think this album is going to be huge for Springsteen fans. I don't know how far it will go beyond Springsteen fans, but I think fans will be proud of it."
