Album Club, October, 2019: Bruce Springsteen - 'We Shall Overcome'

[Album Club]

The Album Choice for October come courtesy of Grant (Struth) with Bruce Springsteen's 'We Shall Overcome, The Seeger Sessions (American Land Edition). As always, please listen to the Album in its entirety before you comment and vote.



We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions (land edition).. Bruce Springsteen and the Seeger Sessions Band. 2006.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/8190r0as9hL._SY355_.jpg


Seeger Sessions band:

Bruce Springsteen – lead vocals, guitar, harmonica, Hammond B3 organ, percussion
Sam Bardfeld – violin
Art Baron – tuba
Frank Bruno – guitar
Jeremy Chatzky – bass guitar
Mark Clifford – banjo
Larry Eagle – drums, percussion
Charles Giordano – Hammond organ B3, piano, accordion
Ed Manion – saxophone
Mark Pender – trumpet, backing vocals
Richie "La Bamba" Rosenberg – trombone, backing vocals
Patti Scialfa – backing vocals
Soozie Tyrell – violin, backing vocals

After recording We Shall Overcome for a Pete Seeger tribute album Springsteen got interested in Seeger's music (of which he hadn't really known much before). After his daughter said she liked the music he decided to do an album... Rock meets folk was born.
The record and tour did very well. This is the reissue "land" edition.

https://youtu.be/Iuh96kiIU2M?list=PL...cpjjqh2IW4oDmZ

https://play.qobuz.com/album/0888880040879

Many will have heard this but many may not. Its a super group of traditional songs that Pete Seeger used to sing in his own way, and now giver the Springsteen touch... They are still as valid as they ever were for the most part.

[Ashmore]

Mmmm I've never listened to any Springsteen and I gather this is quite untypical of his output. I also see it was well reviewed by people who know better than me, so I'm happy to accept that my 'meh' reaction is probably due to my not having built an appreciation of the Boss, and not being particularly into this style of romp.

I've given it a 5 'cos I couldn't find an 'abstain' button.

[high.spirits]

Sorry Grant, fiddles, acordians and banjos just don't work for me.

The lyrics are all appropriate but not the music. "Pay me my money down" sounds very familiar but cannot think what.
6 / 10 for the lyrics.

[struth]

Pay me my money down was a big The Weavers song in the 50's... was originally a negro work song I believe.

The reactions so far are pretty much what I expected so dont worry.. This type of music has been long forgotten by the majority.. Just the times, and it will no doubt come back one day... Most things do:)

[Audio Al]

:(Oh dear , Did I say Oh dear , Is this the BOSS who did Born to Run :scratch:

I supose there must be some people who like this sort of hill billy thigh slaping banjo plucking violin playing , It sort of got a New Orleans twang to some of the track with the brass ( Eyes on the prize )
However for me it is miles away from my taste in music , I was glad when it ended
Sorry 2 out of 10 for me , Dire from the BOSS :(

[AJSki2fly]

Well at first I was not taken with it much through the first 2 tracks, but I listened harder and to the interplay of the musicians and I have to say that I began to like it. There are a couple of tracks which are edging on Cajun style IMO and are very good. I am not a massive fan of Americana music per-say, whatever that is, and as others have said hill-billy/folk style can leave me cold which is probably why I did not like the first couple of tracks.

Mr Springsteen seems quite at home singing in this style and bringing meaning to the songs and I saw him in a different light. I suppose this may be where he comes from in terms of background and early years listening experience with traditional songs, maybe Grant can clarify that? After all Rock is basically derived from Blues and Jazz, both of which have been influenced along the way with traditional American folk songs, so for him maybe he felt he was going back to his roots.

So I think overall it is worth a score of 8/10 purely on the musicianship and recording as whole, I also ended up liking it. Would I listen to regularly no, but I will probably revise to see if I missed anything first time through.

[Ian7633]

I've had a couple of listens to this now and it really isn't my thing. What I do recognise though is quality of musicianship and the way all the songs are played with great skill and enjoyment but still have that almost "jammed" feel. It's a 7 from me based on the excellent production values.

[Barry]

The YouTube link provided only plays the first track and not the whole album, so I had to listen to the tracks piecemeal and not necessarily in the correct order of the play list. In fact I'm not even sure I listened to all thirteen tracks!

That said, I quite liked the album: sort of Dubliners meets zydeco meets Appalachian banjo pickin', with Bruce trying to sound at times like Bob Dylan!

Whilst admiring the enthusiasm and skill of the players, on some of the tracks I quickly became bored. But some others were a complete joy.

Bit of a curate's egg - an interesting album and worth repeated listening, but at the moment I'll give it 6/10.



Good choice Grant - just the sort of thing we like to see on the Album Club. :)

[AJSki2fly]

The YouTube link provided only plays the first track and not the whole album, so I had to listen to the tracks piecemeal and not necessarily in the correct order of the play list. In fact I'm not even sure I listened to all thirteen tracks!


That’s true as I found out, but in case it happens again in the future you just need to search for the album name and put album after it, then the album should come up in the list and each track will play.

[Discopants]

Ok , I’ve played this twice now , because I’ve listened to some of Grant’s picks on whats spinning today threads and been well out of my usual comfort zone, with very pleasant results.

This is another out of my comfort zone offering for sure, theres a lot of material on this album 18 tracks and nearly 80 minutes. Its quite eclectic in itself. There are a few tracks i really enjoyed and I can appreciate the musicianship on the others some tracks had a live energy. A couple of tracks sounded corny to me.

I’m going to give it a 6 as not enough good material for me to put it on favourites.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[struth]

The YouTube link provided only plays the first track and not the whole album, so I had to listen to the tracks piecemeal and not necessarily in the correct order of the play list. In fact I'm not even sure I listened to all thirteen tracks!

That said, I quite liked the album: sort of Dubliners meets zydeco meets Appalachian banjo pickin', with Bruce trying to sound at times like Bob Dylan!

Whilst admiring the enthusiasm and skill of the players, on some of the tracks I quickly became bored. But some others were a complete joy.

Bit of a curate's egg - an interesting album and worth repeated listening, but at the moment I'll give it 6/10.



Good choice Grant - just the sort of thing we like to see on the Album Club. :)

i picked because it would be uncomfortable for most. Its not every day listening for me either although ive listened to it a lot lately before choosing it.
For me, i could have went for something more folk would like but i felt as a mod, i should hit hard lol.
Im glad some folk have liked the odd track as its a very good album, even tho its of a style not listened to so much now.

[ijrussell]

A bit of a mixed bag. Some tracks were pretty good but others weren't. I may have been a bit harsh giving it 5/10 but I struggled to get through the whole album on second listening.

[struth]

Find it amazing people gave this a 1 and a 2..

[Barry]

I agree - but I chose to make the poll anonymous so as to encourage voting.

[struth]

Doesn't matter as to who, just find it hard to imagine such great musicianship being so harshly judged, irrelevant of your taste.
Bruce will not be pleased [emoji23]

[HackneyRF]

Sorry I'm a bit too late to vote on this one. As a standalone listen I rather enjoyed it. But doubt I would listen to it again. Seeing it live could be fun but ultimately not my kind of thing.