Bruce Springsteen – Only The Strong Survive | Album Review

It's been an interesting few years for Bruce Springsteen. Despite not playing a live set with the E Street Band for several years, the last tour a pre-pandemic romp in support of a anniversary boxset of The River that morphed into a more traditional Springsteen tour (complete with near four hour shows), Springsteen has not stood idly and allowed his twilight years to pass him by.

Bruce, in the six years that have passed since he stood on a stage with the musicians alongside which he became the quintessential American rock artist, has been incredibly prolific.

A sell-out Broadway tour and subsequent Netflix show, a new studio album (including re-recorded songs from a song vault that must be reaching Swiss proportions at this point) an extensive and rather controversial tour announcement and now, amid rumours of more delving into the annals of Springsteen history, a 15-track soul covers album released seemingly on a whim.

Why? Well, why not should be the better question. After selling his discography for a reported $550m, it appears the Boss is now completing side quests.

Only The Strong Survive is a tour through Springsteen’s childhood, a revisit through Soul and R n’ B classics that coloured the New Jersey native’s perspective and explains several of his extensive, and often improvised, live renditions over the years.

The Jerry Butler song and title track that opens with Springsteen’s spoken word ‘I remember’ is littered Bruce’s enduring charm, flitting in and out amidst a thumping rhythm and refreshingly loud bass line before follow up ‘Soul Days’ (Dobie Gray) contains the gorgeous clean guitar chords that defined that period of American music.

At times, the album feels like an extension of Southside Johnny, a Jersey compatriot of Springsteen and star of many a shared stage and song. OTSS is a roller-coaster at a fair-ground ride, a whistle-stop, fun journey that contains many moments of whimsy and nostalgia and should not be taken any more seriously than a cap-tip to a by-gone and much admired piece of American culture.

That said, though trivial, OTSS is a warm embrace for many who grew up in living rooms next to speakers that pumped out the songs that Springsteen lends his famous voice to, hearing a classic such as ‘What Becomes of the Broken Hearted’ – definitively one of the greatest songs ever written – being recreated is a thrill and a joy no cynicism over necessity can quantify.

Single ‘Nightshift’ is emblematic of this; an underrated Commodores song that Springsteen gives light, production and muscle to. The song still retaining the core elements of 80’s soul with a hint of Springsteen sheen; an enlarged organ sound, a clearer guitar sound and a booming bass.

The songs, almost in entirety, are lovingly re-created, a gloves-on approach that is representative of the affection that Springsteen feels towards these songs and that feeling of affection will be mirrored in his older audience, as well as doing some introductory work for his newer and younger fans.

At 73, with seemingly nothing in front of him left to achieve, it is reassuring that not only has Bruce Springsteen have life left, but more than a couple of surprises remaining tucked in those famous blue jeans.