i would compare the album to whatever we imagine Electric Nebraska would sound like... but, not.
so we've all heard we take care of our own...
Easy Money and Shackled and Drawn have that Seeger feel...
Jack of All Trades is a piano waltz backed by a very subtle Tom Morello sonic-guitar sound, and curt ramm trumpet, ending with a Morello solo.
some very violent images in the lyrics on the first few songs as well... about taking up arms, literally. i'm sure some conservative jackass will get his panties in a bunch over that.
Death to My Hometown is a modern day irish folk song... Ronnie Drew with drum loops.
This Depression brings Morello back. it sort of sums up the first half of the album, which is 100% about the modern economic times and the troubles people have dealing with unemployment and the inequality of wealth. this one's more of a love song, not necessarily dealing with the economic depression, more a spiritual one.
wrecking ball we've all heard, and it sounds great as a studio recording. the arrangement is the same as what we heard live at the end of the last tour, and the lyrics are all the same.
you've got it is a straight forward, medium tempo, guitar and drum driven love song.
rocky ground is by far the most "experimental" song on the album... but not nearly as much as you might fear. it's driven by a drum loop, as a lot of the tracks are, backed by a piano, and a female voice singing "we've been traveling over rocky ground, rocky ground" after each verse. bruce's lyrics are ripped straight from the bible on this one. the solo here goes to a muted curt ramm trumpet. and yes, there's a quick little 10 second rap part and a gospel chorus at the end of the song. not sure how i feel about this one yet...
... but it does go nicely into the new and improved Land of Hope And Dreams... which got a very nice makeover for it's studio debut. starts with an organ, banjo, gospel choir, intro before busting into the guitar intro that we all know. uses drum loops through the first chorus, where Max makes a very nice intro to the record for the first time. and, of course... there's clarence. i know he's technically on wrecking ball as well, but his sax really shines on this track, just as it did live. steve's mandolin is very prevalent on the track as well.
we close it out with We Are Alive, which goes back a bit to the seeger style... driven by a banjo, and has a big mariachi feel the horn section. wraps up the album well.
this is a good record, folks. it's unlike anything bruce has ever done before. it borrows bits and pieces from every phase of his career, puts them in a big pot and mixes them all together.
only wish i could hear the bonus tracks.