Bruce Springsteen's "Devils and Dust", DualDisc is highly recommended -- I play this every day.
Springsteen is completing the US leg of his solo tour, which I saw in Cleveland last Sunday night. His performance is truly unbelievable.
A politically aware friend reviewing last night's show in Philly on http://www.greasylake.org/ eloquently explained what Springsteen concert-goers witnessed, and I am reprinting it here with his kind permission:
[Originally posted by Brimstone Baritone]:
The structure of the "Devils and Dust" show is crafted to allow Bruce to make his most eloquent and powerful political statement EVER.
Just as Nebraska was a scathing commentary about Reagan's America, the "Devils and Dust" tour speaks for all of us that Bush has stepped on, ignored, lied to, and left behind.
The show begins with Bruce playing "My Beautiful Reward" on a pump organ. I felt like I was in church as Bruce reminded us that we are still searching ...
"Reason to Believe" sounded like an old scratchy recording of Blind Melon Springsteen playing on a really old turntable. It harkened to the great tradition of the delta bluesmen who sang of our problems and inner-demons. The lyrics are distorted to the point of incoherence - perhaps Bruce is still dumbfounded that people find reason to believe in such a fucked-up world.
The next group of songs told the stories of the real people battered and bruised by our current administration.
"Devils and Dust", of course, about the soldier in Iraq, sent to fight in a war premised on lies to the American people, so the prez could even a score for his dad and enrich his cronies.
"Youngstown", about the blue-collar workers ignored by an administration more concerned about credit-card companies (see bankruptcy "reform"),insurance companies (see tort reform),and drug companies than the average guy trying to make a living.
"Empty Sky" served to remind us of the tragedy of 9/11, and in the political context of this show ,should remind us that the war on terror should be in Afghanistan, not Iraq.
"Black Cowboys" reminds us of our society's failure to fight/win a war on drugs in our inner cities. Not all children have the courage or strength to escape on that train.
"The Ice Man" shifted from politics to reminiscing. Bruce talked about the Tower Theatre before the song and then segued into "Incident [on 57th Street]" bringing shouts of joy from the rafters.
The politics returned for HM/HM as Bruce pointed out that "Inherit the Wind" could not be made today because it is too controversial. Bruce pointed out that he thinks W just pretends to believe "the jery is still out" on evolution ["very iffy" - GWB] - W needed the evolution vote to win (left unsaid,of course, is that he also needed the "racist and the anti-gay", I mean family values, vote.
I'm going on too long, but obviously "The Rising", [Land of Hope and Dreams] and "Promised Land" are also heavily political in this context.
The show is UNBELIEVEABLY GREAT. The songs are beautifully presented.
Overall I had one overwhelming thought after the show. How can any [fan] - obviously someone who feels Bruce's songs and lyrics in their soul - reconcile their devotion to Bruce and what he represents with support for Republican policies . I just don't get it.
Thanks to Brimstone Baritone from Greasylake.org for the review and political insight to Springsteen's performance -- http://www.greasylake.org/frame_circuit.htm?PHPSESSID=32c1c67f353ffbf2c7fc610fcd47c39e