Bruce Springsteen’s gigantic box set, “Tracks II,” comes out this Friday.
Is it worth $264 for the 7 CD set? Oh yes. Even the $354 for the nine LP box.
I’ve been knee deep in “Tracks II” all weekend. It’s a stunning collection of 7 albums Bruce made but never released. When did he find the time? I don’t know.
There are four or five “perfect” albums in the box, including one called “Perfect World.” It’s got the E Street Band and could be released right now as a new record — even though it was made years ago. It would be a hit in its own right.
There’s also a companion album to “Western Stars” that I think is better than the one Bruce issued. It was supposed to be a double album and should have been. More on that later, but one track — “Late in the Evening” — not the Paul Simon song — blew my mind.
A big winner on “Tracks II” is Johnny Rivers. The great blues and country pop singer had many, many hits. He’s underrated and should be in the Rock Hall. Bruce covers Johnny’s “Poor Side of Town.” I think of the 83 songs this is the only cover. Bruce could do a whole album of Johnny Rivers songs. His “Poor Side” will be an instant hit with fans.
The original version of “Poor Side of Town” has quite a provenance. Johnny wrote it in 1966 with famed producer Lou Adler, who also produced it. A bunch of the Wrecking Crew — Hal Blaine, Larry Knechtel, Joe Osborn — are on it. Darlene Love sings back up. It’s classic.
Bruce’s version comes on his “Somewhere North of Nashville” album, one of the many I’ve fallen in love with overnight. On Thursday night we’ll have a video I can post here.
