Bruce Springsteen: The Seeger Sessions

I'm really happy with this album. I went into it with moderate expectations, and I came away impressed. I haven't been too happy with Springsteen's latest stuff, ie. The Rising, but I was cautiously optimistic when I heard this album was a tribute to classic American folk music. It's great to hear The Boss really growl out some of these songs, like John Henry or O Mary Don't You Weep (best line: "Moses stood at the Red Sea shore/Smote the water with a 2x4"). Sometimes it sounds like he's trying to channel Tom Waits, but that ain't a bad thing.

There's a good range of music on this album, too. It's true that a lot of the songs have a similar sound to them, but it's still pretty diverse, from foot-tapping bluegrass on Old Dan Tucker or Jesse James to the slow, almost mournful melodies of Shenandoah or We Shall Overcome.

Overall, a damned good album. If you're a Springsteen fan, you can't go wrong with this one. If you've never really heard his stuff, it's probably still worth a listen. 4 doors / 5 hives.