Bruce Springsteen unleashes fine “lost” album with The Promise double CD

“Gotta Get That Feeling” pours out of the stereo speakers with heart. Guitars and saxophone provide a mellow, smooth melody while The Boss talks about the rush of being young and trying to recapture a lost sense of excitement and joy. The Boss continues this theme of alienated youth on “Outside Looking In.,” making a beautiful pastiche of sound with his myriad of oldies influences. “Some Day(We’ll Be Together)” slows it down without losing the fullness of the narrative power. The Boss tells this universal tale of two young lovers who cannot find one world for both of them. A sweeping melody of saxophone and piano remind of Motown in the 1960s. The Boss always did have a knack for putting his oldies influences to good use without hitting the listener over the head with them.

“One Way Street” features a beauty of a saxophone melody from Clarence Clemmons who keeps it wide, brimming, but not quite overflowing. “Because The Night,” a song The Boss gave to Patti Smith, gets a less commercialized approach and Springsteen infuses a sense of drama. “Wrong Side Of The Street” has more of The Boss’s poetic vision about life and its destiny being rooted in one’s family background. The drums are propulsive and the guitar work nimble. “The Brokenhearted” comes off like an oldies ballad from the 1950s due to more of The Boss’s use of his influences. The background vocals smack of girl groups form the late 1950s and early 1960s. The lyrical drama, though, may have been a little too bleak for 1950s radio.

“Rendezvous” gets a sprightly melody out of its happy piano tinkling, and, the band sounds fantastic as the song allows listeners to peer into what they were doing in 1978. “Candy’s Boy,” which eventually evolved into “Candy’s Room” on the Darkness album, is an interesting germ in its demo form. Though this version lacks the drama of the song we’ve all known since the late 70s, it’s pared down form does make it easy to picture this tale of a youth who falls for a prostitute.

The second disc opens with “Save My Love,” a song built around a sweet piano melody with The Boss in his mellow croon, underdeveloped but pleasant enough in the hands of the E-Street Band. More evolved is Bruce’s “Ain’t Good Enough For You,” a 1950s style rocker in its bopping beat and handclaps. Here Springsteen makes you picture him leading a band at an intimate club in which someone has called out for an oldies request and the he happily obliges that fan.

This collection’s rendition of “Fire” is pared down to allow a greater appreciation of the rhythm section. The tight bass and drums make it very hip and danceable. When the saxophone comes in, you know this is going to be an internet hit. “Spanish Eyes” is a slow dance number with potential to be developed into a hit. As is, it gives insight into The Boss’s ability to build a song up into something that moves people on multiple levels. “It’s A Shame” has promise in its groove and sax line. A lament of the workingman, it skillfully combines Springsteen’s lyrical influence from people like Pete Seeger and Woodie Guthrie with his taste for oldies rock and roll.

“Come On (Let’s Go Tonight)” is a decent, but pleasant slow song while “Talk To Me” is closer to being a hit song with its juke box beat, cool piano, and rocking saxophone. The Boss continues this pop-rock vibe with “The Little Things (My Baby Does)” but he changes pace on a thoughtful piece called “Breakaway,” a tune with a slow swirl of emotion that marked much of his down tempo material. Springsteen becomes the commanding presence he’s known for on “The Promise,” and he close out classy and smooth with a cool song called “City Of Night.” Just over seven minutes long, the E-Street Band pack it with a lot of nice instrumentation. This collection is a combo of insight into an artist’s work and simply an enjoyable two disc set of good music.

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