The New Bruce In Town

Back in the Autumn of his days, they say that WB Yeats had an implant of monkey glands. There may be little medical evidence to support the treatment, but he started chasing a young actress and roared off into the mystic of his art. With this in mind, I wonder if Bruce Springsteen has been taking any mad cures. Maybe not, but he does seem intent on leaving this decade with a vital streak of art. He seems alert, refreshed and newly engaged with the music and the times.

'Working On A Dream' is an odd, shimmering record, with little narratives about a wrestler, an outlaw, a bounty hunter and a guy who admires a check-out girl. The E Street Band feature, but there is little chance to wallop and thump. The production is vaguely modern, the lyrics are sweet and while I don't adore it instantly, it often pays to give a Bruce album repeated plays. You'll hear a good deal of it on the show tonight.