Track Listing

1. Outlaw Pete
2. My Lucky Day
3. Working On a Dream
4. Queen of the Supermarket
5. What Love Can Do
6. This Life
7. Good Eye
8. Tomorrow Never Knows
9. Life Itself
10. Kingdom of Days
11. Surprise, Surprise
12. The Last Carnival
13. The Wrestler (bonus track)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #535 in Music
• Released on: 2009-01-26
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .37 pounds

Amazon.co.uk Review
2007’s Magic saw Bruce Springsteen enjoy a monumental return to form. His frustrated takes on American social and political life created an album bristling with indignation, introspection, and an indubitable spirit. Working On A Dream, his 16th studio album, continues this creative streak. Produced once again by Brendan O’Brien, it could almost be seen as a companion album: one that’s less political and decidedly more optimistic. Indeed, songs like “What Love Can Do” were written during the Magic sessions, and the whole album was recorded during the 2007–2008 Magic Tour, lending some overlap between the two projects. Kicking off with the eight-minute opus “Outlaw Pete,” (‘at six months old, he’d done three months in jail’), The Boss takes no prisoners as he and his E Street Band power through upbeat songs like the title track and “My Lucky Day,” gutsy rockers like “Good Eye” and stirring ballads like “Surprise, Surprise" and “The Last Carnival”. There’s some MOR material (“Kingdom Of Days”; “This Life”) and it’s far from a musical reinvention, but Working On A Dream is a life-affirming and buoyant addition to Springsteen’s unparalleled oeuvre. --Danny McKenna

CD Description
Working On A Dream is the 16th studio album from Bruce Springsteen, and it's the E Street Band that join him here in producing more of his trademark brand of classic rock. Following 2007's Magic, this offering comes as a result of Springsteen working once again with producer Brendan O'Brien (Devils And Dust, Magic). The uplifting and passionate single Working On A Dream is featured. Also included is a bonus track, "The Wrestler", from the 2009 film of the same name.

Customer Reviews

Perhaps not his best work so far...but certainly enjoyable nonetheless!!
I am a relatively young fan (24), but Bruce has been a source of both musical and spiritual education throughout my teen years and ever since. I have collected all of his albums over the course of the last few years in random rather than chronological order. Therefore I do not have that same bitterness of long-standing fans who have been there from the start and seem to expect each new album to be as good/ better than/ similar to his last. I can imagine that many of those who were originally charmed by albums like Born to Run in the 70s would be tempted to criticise him now for getting "old" or "past it". The simple truth as I see it though is that you have to view each of his pieces of work on their individual merits rather than seeing them as a continuous time-line of albums. I love Nebraska for different reasons to why I love Born in the USA, but I see them both as "classic Bruce". He has many tones and flavours, and to love him is to love and recognise the qualities of each.

As far as Working on a Dream goes, it becomes clear that this is something quite new from Bruce....but with some of the flavours of his older styles. Upon hearing it the first few times, I have to say I was quite disappointed. If there is one thing Bruce has been consistent with over the years, it's his ability to SAY something and TEACH us something. This album seems to be lacking that ability in places, and leaving us with often trite lyrics and "bouncy" pop music. If you want Devils and Dust or Born to Run, you won't find it here. This is in the most part, pure and simple pop. But is that such a bad thing? After a few more listens, things become a little clearer....there ARE some great pop tracks on this album. There are also one or two wonderful, slightly darker and edgier tracks. Unfortunately, I have to admit there are some awful tracks too. But let's face it "Crush on You" 30 years ago was hardly poetry either, so we cannot blame his age for the few blips on this new album.

Amongst the notable "good" pop records are My Lucky Day (classic Bruce sound), What Love Can Do (reminiscent of the sounds from The Rising), and This Life (a lot like some of the sounds from Magic). I would also include Working on a Dream, Kingdom of Days, and Tomorrow Never Knows in the "good" category, however I do have some reservations about the awful whistling (WOAD) and trite lyrics on these.

The songs with a bit more meat on the bones and a darker sound are Outlaw Pete (wonderful epic that builds and rises), Life Itself, and The Wrestler. All three are the absolute highlights of the album.

I would categorise Queen of the Supermarket, Surprise Surprise, Good Eye and The Last Carnival as the "awful" ones, although most have some redeeming features. For example, Queen of the Supermarket and Surprise Surprise are lyrically embarrassing and cringe-worthy, but both have "catchy" enough melodies to stay with you all day. Good Eye is just not my cup of tea, but I can imagine some will love it!

All in all, it's not a bad album. It's not an amazing one either. There are some gems, but I can't imagine any of them entering my top ten favourite Bruce songs. The main message of the album appears to be that of a man who has reached a time of comfort, love and happiness in life, and he wishes to shout it cheerfully from the rooftops. Nothing wrong with that! However, I generally prefer that slightly darker side to his work which is perhaps more prevalent on other albums.

Special Delivery
Did you see The Boss at Glastonbury last night ?

Of course you did !

Mr Springsteen and his superb band of merry minstrels
were in fine form and so were his ecstatic audience.

There was one whole lotta love in that there field.

For those of us moving fast towards our first century on the planet
Mr Springsteen has contributed a small but indispensable part of the
soundtrack to our lives. A dependable beacon in the gathering darkness.

Building on the elemental brilliance of 2007's tour de force 'Magic',
'Working On A Dream' delivers a further peerless installment.

The thirteen songs in this new collection are remarkably
assured compositions. The melodies strong and memorable;
the lyrics simple, purposeful and sincere.

The voice is in just as good shape as the songwriting.
Never the most refined instrument in the history of rock
it none-the-less possesses both power and conviction and
manages to fulfill its purpose never less than adequately.

The production sound is dense and full. The band delivers a refined
and homogenous backdrop to the proceedings but it remains clear
throughout that there really is only one true star in the sky.

The eight minute epic 'Outlaw Pete' opens the show in fine style.
A good story well told. A great chorus rousingly realised.
The church bell, harmonica and string arrangement leading into
the final coda are truly atmospheric and affecting.
A High Noon for the noughties. The Wild West is alive and well and living here !

Title track 'Working On A Dream', with its lilting foursquare backbeat
is up there with his finest work. A real dream of a tune.

'Queen Of The Supermarket', too, is an absolute cracker.
There's something really quite endearing about Springsteen's ability
to take something small and ordinary and human and give it
greater depth and dignity.
The suggested image of The Boss wheeling his trolley down a Wal-Mart
store aisle in search of true love is absolutely precious.

'This Life' is up there with the best that he has done.
A warm and wonderful anthem for a godless world.

'Tomorrow Never Knows' is small and perfect and finger-pickin' good.

For my money 'Kingdom Of Days' is the album's heart and soul.
One of the finest songs that Mr Springsteen has written
in a long and venerable career. A little masterpiece.

'The Last Carnival' comes a very close second !

So, the late-flowering continues unabated.
A force of nature still to be reckoned with.

The Boss is back and there's more than a little life left in the old dog yet.

Essential.

Wonderful - A trip to Tesco will never be the same again
I had listened to a review copy for about a week prior to the release date. Three tracks; Working on a Dream, My Lucky day and The Wrestler I had already owned. I find the album compliments perfectly The Rising and Magic. The range of music seems to be endless. Up to date and at the same time making reference with the past. I hear new music every time I play it.
Listening to an interview on Radio 2 with Bruce Springsteen and Mark Hagen a few days ago I already see the album in a new light.

Recording wise it is one of the clearest records I have ever listened to. I play it on a Naim Hi-Fi system. This album could quite easily be a demonstration disc.

Nothing elese I can say to describe it. You need to buy the album and enjoy it for yourself