Customer Rating: 
Summary: The Boss Comes Home
Comment: This review was originally posted for the DVD. The accolades for that serve here as well.
Frankly, I had never been a strong fan of Bruce Springsteen's during his more raucous Rock and Roll career. I like Rock and Roll very much but most of his work seemed to my ear a little off kilter. However, with an acoustic recording in 2005 and now a folky recording of some works made famous by the legendary folksinger and folk traditionalist Pete Seeger Springsteen has come back home. This session produced interesting versions of some common American songs like Eire, John Henry and Shenendoah that are done with so much retexturing (Springsteen's term) that Bruce has now created a niche for himself in the folk pantheon. Who would have thought?
This is a short documentary about the making of the sessions album but it gives real insight into the way Sprngsteen `feels' the song, gears up, and then goes out and performs it in that gravelling voice that I like in male singers. For my money his version of Shenandoah is one of the most hauntingly moving I have ever heard. And I do not even usually like the song. All this plus his gang of musicians were obviously having a good time. And it shows. I am going out to buy the album, pronto.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A Masterpeice of Music
Comment: I had no idea that this would turn out to be one of the most listened music cds in my collection. I have over 5000 33rpm, 1000 78rpm and hundreds of CDs. My wife and I think this recording is an incredible musical experience in folk, ethnic, bluegrass, and New Orleans Jazz. Bruce Springsteen has found one of the best bands I have ever heard in any music style mixing ethnic, New Orleans Jazz, folk country, bluegrass, as well as just plain great music. I can't say one song is disappointing and must say that it's hard to pick a favorite though Mrs McGrath seems to go through my head as well as Eyes on The Prize, and Froggie. Can't rate this CD any higher in my humble opinion.
Customer Rating:
Summary: sony digital camcorder
Comment: Bought two for my oldest kids and they love it. It takes great movies and can do so much......glad I went digital.
Customer Rating:
Summary: The slaves meet the rednecks
Comment: This is folk music, but few reviewers have noted how the music of the African American creeps into this album and also into the excellent Dublin Live album (though I thought the BBC show in the church was better). American folk music was the medium of the poor white man, originally of Irish, Scottish or English origin (please don't say British - there is no such thing as British culture; neither does anybody speak with a British accent!). These were the guys of the slave states, the rebels and, after 1865 the white trash, but however much they despised the African Americans they absorbed their music and this cultural fusion of the slaves and the rednecks gave us rock 'n' roll, the favourite medium of the Boss. The black influence on this album is evident both in the brass section and in the choice of some of the material. Though still a 'folk' album one senses how rock developed from the songs on this album, which certainly 'rock' in their own way. It is wonderful, beautiful, evocative music truly 'Born in the USA'. Some tracks don't work so well but genius is always flawed; it's never pure. What on earth do you expect? But forget the anthropology and enjoy the music. (I certainly did laugh the other night when I heard James Stewart singing 'Buffalo Girls' in 'It's a Wonderful Life' (and yes, we were all in tears at the end. If it doesn't make you cry I figure this Springsteen album should at least make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck. If not you are such a party who is only moved by an earthquake)).
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Its missing something....
Comment: Like stew is missing salt, this is missing soul. The music is grand, and has good flavor, but I cant feel it, you know? Im almost there, but I cant cross over. I feel a bit cheated by that.
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