Magic | 
| Artist: Bruce Springsteen
Label: Columbia Records
List Price: $18.98
Buy Used: $3.24
You Save: $15.74 (83%)
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Rating:  410 reviews
Sales Rank: 457
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2
Dimensions (in): 5.5 x 4.7 x 0.2
MPN: 717060
UPC: 886971706024
EAN: 0886971706024
ASIN: B000V8I2QU
Release Date: December 7, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | Radio Nowhere | | • | You'll Be Comin' Down | | • | Livin' in the Future | | • | Your Own Worst Enemy | | • | Gypsy Biker | | • | Girls in Their Summer Clothes | | • | I'll Work for Your Love | | • | Magic | | • | Last to Die | | • | Long Walk Home | | • | Devil's Arcade |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Thirty-five years as a justifiable rock musician allows Bruce Springsteen an opinion on the state of over-the-air radio, and he takes it--and takes the medium to the woodshed on the ruthless "Radio Nowhere." The opening smash sets the tone, with the ageless Boss wondering, "Is there anybody out there?" before imploring, "I just want to hear some rhythm." Then, with E Street Band in tow, Springsteen goes on to retrace every step between here and Greetings from Asbury Park, hand-delivering more could-be, would-be hits than anything he's done since Born in the USA. Credit producer Brendan O'Brien for the wall of sound that backs "Girls in Their Summer Clothes," which sets the atmosphere for one of the great vocal performances by Springsteen, who plays the misfit "in the cool of the evening light" watching the girls "pass me by." With piano, glockenspiel, and infinite guitars, the rocker "I'll Work for Your Love" recalls The River, with Springsteen even settling for blue-collar hero in matters of the heart. "Livin' in the Future" could be an out-take from Darkness on the Edge of Town, with shades of Election Day blasting away with the boastful sax of Clarence Clemons and Little Steven's relentless backing vocals. There's even a hint of Nebraska on "Terry's Song," an earnest (and mostly solo) accolade with Springsteen acknowledging the death of a friend: "When they built you, brother/They broke the mold." The hidden track closes this unforeseen comeback, and for 48 minutes the nearly 60-year-old Bruce Springsteen sounds 35 again. --Scott Holter
Product Description
a music cd. classical rock
Magic, Bruce Springsteen's new studio recording and his first with the E Street Band in five years, is set for release by Columbia records on October 2, 2007. Produced and mixed by Brendan O'Brien, the album features eleven new Springsteen songs and was recorded at southern tracks recording studio in Atlanta, Ga.
Album Description
Magic, Bruce Springsteen's new studio recording and his first with the E Street Band in five years, is set for release by Columbia records on October 2, 2007. Produced and mixed by Brendan O'Brien, the album features eleven new Springsteen songs and was recorded at southern tracks recording studio in Atlanta, Ga.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 405 more reviews...
 Springsteen's spiritual successor to BORN IN THE USA; best album of 2007 October 12, 2007
Mike London (Oxford, UK)
445 out of 529 found this review helpful
Intro Note
My original review of MAGIC has generated a lot of votes, but also a lot of negative backlash, so I thought I would elaborate on a few things before we get to the review proper. First, I am posting a revised version of the review. The original is still listed on Amazon.co.uk. Now onward.
When I wrote this review back in early October, I made it quite clear that, although I like Springsteen's music, I haven't taken the time to go through his discography like I have with other musicians. My original review was written from a point of view of a middle-of-the-road Springsteen fan. Although Springsteen obviously has a very strong, devoted fanbase, I think my status as a good, but not hardcore, fan represents a good proportion of potential listeners for this album, and so is a valid or helpful review.
I freely confessed I hadn't listen to all of his albums, though I have a passing familiarity with most of them. People really took me to task for not having heard TUNNEL OF LOVE, which is USA's followup, even though I made it clear I haven't listened to Springsteen as extensively as I have other musicians due to time and money. Yes, you an be a fan of Springsteen and not have heard TUNNEL. I'm a Tom Waits fan and there's a lot of his albums I haven't heard all the way through.
Since I posted the review, I have taken the time to listen to TUNNEL, and have even wrote a review of it for Amazon. It's quite good, and it's a perfect bridge between USA and MAGIC. I consider it his pop trilogy, much like NEBRASKA, TOM JOAD, and DEVILS & DUST is his acoustic/folk trilogy.
Though I've been accused of "not being a fan" because I hadn't heard TUNNEL, listening to it really didn't radically change my position on MAGIC. It only slightly modified it.
All major artists have various populations in their fanbases. I count myself hardcore when it comes to Bob Dylan (see my review for the new DYLAN compilation for further elaboration). With Springsteen, I've always liked his music. But just remember one thing. Each album services the various populations in different ways, and I was writing from a different perspective than those who have followed Bruce for years and have all his records memorized and been to lots of his shows. But it doesn't mean I'm not a fan, or that Bruce's music doesn't move me.
Because it does.
Mike London, November 16, 2007
Revised Review
I must confess, ever since I learned about MAGIC, Springsteen's newest, I was pretty excited. Though I haven't gotten into Springsteen the same extent I've gotten into some other rock giants (the biggest being Bob Dylan), I proudly count myself
among his fans, though not, perhaps, a card carrying member of the Asbury Fan Club (or Cult perhaps would be a better term).
I also have another confession. I've been listening to this album incessantly for the past month, since early September from the version leaked on the internet. Now, if history repeats itself like Radiohead with KID A back in 2000, this prerelease leak should drive sells. I know it made me want to buy it. I can't stop listening to it. We haven't heard Bruce do a real pop album like this for years, and it's great to hear him do a new record in vein of TUNNEL and USA.
Of course, a big reason for the great sound is Springsteen is back with the E Streeet Band. Springsteen would not use the E Street Band on an album for a full eighteen years following USA. They finally resurfaced on the 2002 effort THE RISING. And while THE RISING is certainly a fine record, it was largely preoccupied with the post 9/11 universe we as the international community have been thrust into.
While Springsteen has been active releasing albums since then, he didn't use the band, and the albums he did release were either folk or bluegrass driven. Which is not to say they're bad albums. DEVILS & DUST is great, especially the title cut. SEEGER SESSIONS is an interesting, and very fun, history lesson about Pete Seeger, even if he did ax the sound equipment at Dylan's Newport appearance in 1965. But those looking for Springsteen's rock sound will be disappointed by them.
But not now. MAGIC is the album we've been waiting for for a long time. While there are some quite serious moments, overall Springsteen just lets his hair down and doing some great pop rock and roll in a way that only he can.
Without a doubt, MAGIC is one of Springsteen's funnest albums in the last twenty five years. In fact, I would argue that MAGIC is closest to that seminal 1984 masterpiece and TUNNEL OF LOVE out of all of Springsteen's previous albums. MAGIC feels very much akin to those two towering records.
To me, these three albums are Springsteen's harrowing forays into pop music, and sound very much like a pop-trilogy.
BORN IN THE USA is a strange animal. Musically, it's upbeat, it's poppy, it's just fun to listen too. BORN IN THE USA, though very pop-driven, had a dark pessimism underbelly that has always been a constant in Springsteen's early records. Lyrically, however, the album featured the characters in the songs following the same dark, desperate fate that most of Springsteen's narrators did on DARKNESS, THE RIVER, NEBRASKA, etc. USA dressed up Springsteen's bitter stories about his down-on-their-luck characters in such brilliantly poppy music that the Reagan administration famously used the title cut in their bid for reelection. The political publicist machine can be pretty damned oblivious at times.
TUNNEL OF LOVE examines marriage, love, and the failures of commitment in a heart-breaking way. TUNNEL lacks the strange dichotomy so apparent with USA between lyrical outlook (USA's lyrics are more akin to singer-songwriter and blues than pop) and actual music. But TUNNEL is a much different record than either lyrically, and is a rather devastating and insightful analysis of relationships between the sexes.
MAGIC, on the other hand, is just fun, but, like USA, can be rather deceiving if you listen only to the music and don't pay that much attention to the lyrics. There's a wistful nostalgia here that we haven't seen from Springsteen before, a remembrance of things past. There's anger here too ("Radio Nowhere", a diatribe against the radio landscape of the new millennium, "Last to Die", a politically charged rocker, and the title track, a song that can unfortunately apply to several different government administrations).
Springsteen makes some serious statements on MAGIC, but he still manages to make the whole affair quite fun, and there are a few numbers here that sound like Springsteen playing rock and roll and pop music just for the hell of it. All the songs sound like they belong together, with the sole exception of the hidden track "Terry's Song", a tribute to one of his friends who died. While a pleasant enough song, doesn't really do a lot for me. While there are some dark undercurrents on MAGIC, the sound itself is rather glorious. Especially given how long we haven't really got to hear something like this from Bruce.
Another thing that should be mentioned is the way in which Brendan O'Brien, the album's producer (also affiliated with Pearl Jam, Neil Young, and any number of major rock acts), and Springsteen's chose to record it. Working around the band's busy schedule, they would record their own parts solo with O'Brien producing, and then O'Brien would assemble all the different tracks into a finished song. The sole exception to this recording process was the Big Man, Clarence Clemmons, the E Street Band's famous saxophonist. Springsteen personally oversaw all of Clemmons' sessions, due to the rich dynamic relationship they have with one another.
While this protools method of recording albums can sap modern music of their vitality, it's amazing how organic and lived in the music feels. Of course, this is Springsteen, and this is the E Street band, so they obviously know how to make great music. What a backing band they truly are.
Like most of Springsteen's music, none of this is disposable music. The best pop never is.
Ultimately, MAGIC is probably the best album for 2007. For those Springsteen fans who didn't much care for DEVILS & DUST and SEEGER SESSIONS, rejoice! We have Springsteen making some phenomenal rock and roll at long last!
 An Open Letter To Bruce Springsteen October 5, 2007
Tell It Like It Is (good ole USA)
139 out of 189 found this review helpful
I realize you will never personally read this. You undoubtedly now employ a legion of sycophants to perform such tasks for you. Not so long ago, you were without doubt the most fastidious rock 'n roll performer around. And your millions of adoring fans loved you for it. Whether it was a recording session, a concert, a warm up gig in Asbury Park, you were meticulous in your preparation and presentation. Now comes Magic, your latest CD release. My, how times have changed.
I must say, I cannot have been listening to the same CD others have reviewed here and awarded 4 or 5 stars. Maybe the CD I bought was defective. But probably not, because others have noted the same deficincies I did. Notably the sound quality. Half the songs are nearly unintelligible. It sounds as though all instrument tracks and vocals were recorded simultaneously on a cheap cassette recorder you bought at the flea market. What's that about? How could you ever allow such a travesty to reach the market? I read the lyrics in the booklet that accompanied the CD and it appeared you had lots of interesting things to say (as usual). The problem is, there is no way I could (or anybody else could) possibly decipher your words on half the recordings.
The sound quality on your earliest recordings was vastly superior to this latest effort. Phil Spector had his "wall of sound." I guess we can call this your "sinkhole of sound." I literally checked all the connections on my CD player, amp, and speakers to see why the sound was so bad. Then Magic played, and it sounded fine. So I guess someone intentionally produced your music in this manner. Why?!?!? Is this some kind of a cruel joke? Did you aim to turn out as poor a product as possible, and see if you could still make $10 million off of it? Is this some jab at Sony over some contractural issue?
I realize you have had your problems in the past with the legal and business side of the music industry. In the CD credits you list more lawyers and business people than musicians! Is that what this is about? Has it just become all about the Benjamins? Well, if that's anywhere near the truth, you've lost the edge, buddy. If that's what's going on, you need to hang it up, and pass the baton on to somebody else.
I grew up a couple towns away from you. We're the same age, and lived through many of the same things. When you sang about Keasby and Highway 9, I was right there with you. I followed your career with interest since the early '70s. My cousin and I even met you, and had a beer with you in a little bar in Asbury Park way back when. You have certainly earned every success you enjoy, and I wish you many more. But don't let this latest CD be the final chapter in your storied career. Fix this horrible recording. Insist it be re-engineered in accordance with current state of the art standards. Your work deserves nothing less. Let your fans trade their current CDs for a properly recorded version of your music. But please,..., don't allow this CD to stand as is and become part of your legacy. Unless it has become just about the Benjamins. That will be too bad. And a big loss to lots of fans. But we'll get over it. But I don't think that's how you want to go out.
Well, best wishes to you and yours. Read back through some of your old lyrics and listen to some of your old recordings, and see which way you're gonna go with this. I hope you'll do the right thing.
--A Big Fan
This is the most effortless, organic Springsteen album since "The River". It is, in a word, spectacular. October 2, 2007
M J Heilbron Jr. (Long Beach, CA United States)
126 out of 209 found this review helpful
Yes, my friends, it's true. Bruce and the E Street crew are back in glorious form!
I could barely contain myself, driving around listening to the album for the first time. This is the most effortless, organic Springsteen album since "The River". It is, in a word, spectacular.
The album opens with the thrilling "Radio Nowhere". Guitars, check. Drums, check. The band, which we must now admit is on the very short list of "best bands ever", builds the whole track, piece by piece, like a well-told suspense thrillier. There's surprise, drama, mystery...all in the first song. We're just getting started and Bruce has already laid out his plan of attack. I'm back. We're back. We aim to blow you away. Period.
It's that obvious.
Come on...he's even decided to use his classic concert line, "Is there anybody alive out there?" in the body of the song! This one of those songs where you immediately think, "Man, THIS is gonna sound GOOD in concert!"
Next up is "You'll Be Comin' Down", a mid-tempo, head-bopping number with a nice, little sax break swooping in near the end. You'll start to notice that Bruce's singing is markedly different than his last several albums. Gone is the "Joad" mumble, or the "Devils" rasp. His singing is clear, confident and for the first time in decades, smooth and pure. Think "Hungry Heart" or "My Hometown."
"Livin' In The Future" will create a smile on your face from ear to ear within seconds. It's bright and sassy, with great back-up vocals and a too-cool-for-school vibe. Masters Federici and Bittan create a sweet, melodic foundation, and Clarence drops in from the heavens to bless the proceedings with some pure sax love. It is around this time when you will say, for the first time, "I can't believe how good this is..."
It will not be the last.
I have always said a song with a rousing verse of "na-na-na's" cannot be all bad. This is amazing.
"Your Own Worst Enemy" opens up a widescreen image with all those cool, dramatic keyboard things that we remember from "Born To Run"...pianos, glockenspiels, whatever...and then there's Bruce's voice.
It is here where you may utter your first four-letter word, preceded by the word, "Holy". The verses are simple enough, but the end of the song will have you thinking of Roy Orbison.
Yeah...that's what I said. It's epic.
Then comes "Gypsy Biker", opening with a familiar harmonica riff, then gallops into a full band, "heading on down the highway" anthem. Loved the haunting harmonica wail leading into a lacerating guitar solo. This rocks as only the full-band E Street can. Again...his voice is exemplary. In previous albums, he'd probably slur or mumble for dramatic effect, or be judicious with melody to emphasize the lyrics. Not here. Oh no, not at all. I can't get over how good his singing is on this record...
Which brings us to "Girls In Their Summer Clothes." When did Bruce ask Brian Wilson to join the E Street Band? Seriously, the opening reminded of something off "Pet Sounds", and again, the singing is simply astonishing.
This may be the song you will play to non-Bruce music fans; they'll re-assess their opinions instantly.
By this time, I'm thinking, Springsteen hasn't made an album this consistent, this enjoyable, this all-around wonderful since "The River."
Sure, "Born In The USA" was awesome, but it is a document of it's time. "Tunnel of Love" is somewhat painful (too personal?), and the E Street Band only visits from time to time anyways. "Nebraska", "Joad" and "Devils" all serve their purpose in the Springsteen canon ("Nebraska" still blows my mind) but they don't elevate your spirit like, say, "Out In The Street" or "Cadillac Ranch" did. Do. Still.
The non E-Street "Lucky Town/Human Touch" had their moments, and "The Rising", as good as it is, is not exactly a "feel-good" record, if you know what I mean. Its' pleasures are more emotional and cathartic, less purely musical. The Seeger Sessions Band...or "the 1920 E Street Band"...did some unbelievable things, but it's a lark. A wonderful lark, but one nonetheless.
Back to the record.
"I'll Work For Your Love" is a terrific, old-school Springsteen story song; briskly uptempo, cascading pianos, insistent drums (Mighty Max!) and easy on the ears.
"Magic" opens in a way that'll bring back some of the hushed tones of the quieter songs on "The Rising" or "Devils & Dust", but "new" elements weave their way in...a mandolin, soft strings...and Bruce again sings well. On those earlier records, he would sound like he's "reporting" as opposed to singing. I don't know if that makes sense, but for those type of songs, it added a sense of immediacy. That's not necessary here.
A linear guitar/string line tease us into "Last To Die", a serious "No Surrender"-ish rocker. The strings add all sorts of drama to what is "one of those songs Bruce used to do". We can't say anything like that anymore.
"Long Walk Home", another galloping rock song, continues the hit parade. I find it fascinating how all the parts fit together so well. The harmonies. The background lines on the guitars. The keyboard flourishes. The solos. The rhythm section so enmeshed, it borders on something preternatural. Pay attention to the fade out. Springsteen fans will be so tickled they'll vibrate.
"Devil's Arcade" ends Bruce's best album in a quarter century with a serious, drop-dead classic. It's quiet, but "big". Intricate, bold. A slow build to an exhausting, anthemic, epic end.
Wow.
Being totally serious, I haven't been this impressed with an album upon first listen in a long, long time. I'm thinking the first time I heard "Nevermind". "London Calling." "Born To Run."
There will not be a better album all year.
The magic is back.
 Great Songwriting - Poor Production October 3, 2007
J. White
116 out of 141 found this review helpful
The songs on this album are great as many others have said. I give the CD only 3 stars because of its poor production and in some places awful sound quality. Bruce should dump Brendan O'Brien and get somebody who can really bring out the fabulous dynamics of the E Street band. What ever happened to Bob Clearmountain? It is such a shame that this amateurish wall of sound crap ruined what truly could have been a great album.
Looking for the Magic September 10, 2007
Bo Persson (Sweden)
97 out of 116 found this review helpful
A disappointment. Being a diehard Bruce-fan, I expected a lot more than this. The album suffers from a murky and muddy production, it feels like the E Street Band is playing in a closet. Mighty Max sounds like Ringo Starr's puddingsound (when Max sounds produced by Jeff Lynne, then we got a serious problem). Bittan & Federici can't really be detected. You can hear them here and there, but not in their personal way/style. And I'm not saying E Street of 2007 needs to sound like 1978. But it might as well be studio musicians playing here. O'Briens production feels boringly mature, no risks are taken and that puts a straitjacket on the songs. There's no albumfeel, just 12 individual songs without any real ties between them (the 12th is "Terry's song", to Terry MacGovern). Every song stands on its own, production- and arrangementwise. Half of the songs are less than 4 minutes long, which many of them suffer from: they should have been allowed to continue and develop, more flowing music and saxophone, more soul less editing. Sometimes the fadeouts are technically bad, as well. Furthermore, the songwriting isn't top quality. I love Radio nowhere, You'll be coming down, the beautiful Your own worst enemy and the Beach Boyish Girls in their summer clothes, with one of the most haunting melodies Bruce ever written and he sings it like a God. I think Last to die will grow a lot on me, but apart from this the titles and songs tend to make promises they can't keep. I'll work for your love is a kind of mature lovesong Bruce has written at least five times before and it sounds the same. Magic must be the most antititletrack I've heard, sounds like an outtake from Tom Joad or D&D. Livin' in the future has lyrics which are really beneath Bruce, reminds me more of Huey Lewis (the song is much better than the lyrics, the singing is great). Devil's arcade has a lovely title, but the song - like the album - lacks direction. A lot of the songs was obviously written from Bruce staccatoplaying technique on the acoustic guitar (see Storytellers), but the transfer to full band arrangement is rather bad. The separate parts of some of the songs aren't connected. It's obvious the E Street Band-members flew in separately and did their stuff. This is NOT a band album, but hopefully a lot of the songs will come to life on stage, being free from their albumlength and poor production. There really isn't that much magic here, I'm sorry to say. The better record in this marriage is actually Patti's. Bruce delivers some really nice melodies and vocal arrangements, but a lot of the songs lack good melodies. Is it writer's block or simply a bad choice of songs? I don't know. I'm sure the album will grow on all of us, but having listened to it 5-6 times this really isn't what I was hoping for.
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