EASE DOWN THE ROAD

 4 Stars

Of all the attempts to get people to start buying compact discs again, Dual Disc technology is perhaps the most insufficient, that is, until Bruce Springsteen went and included an invaluable short film documenting the recording of his latest album, We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions. Sure, the “making of” approach has been beaten to death in recent years. After terrible accompanying films with the latest Neil Young and Son Volt albums, you’d think the labels would know better. In this particular case, it’s a good thing they haven’t.

Seeing Bruce lead his 13-member bluegrass backing band is the stuff of legends for a number of reasons. First off, this is the Boss, a rock n’ roll legend clearly not known for bluegrass music. Seeing Springsteen take charge of a band that compiles so many established musicians so dexterously would make you think the Boss had been secretly recording bluegrass music his whole career. Secondly, we get to see Springsteen at his funniest, most charming and most inspired as he pays tribute to one of the genre’s all time legends, Pete Seeger.

Notorious for long-labored studio sessions that span months (and even years), Springsteen’s most recent two albums, The Rising and Devils & Dust (despite their earthy intentions) were too often plagued with the sheen of excessive production. We Shall Overcome sees Springsteen and his bluegrass outfit congregating for three one-day sessions in 1997, 2005 and 2006. No rehearsals, no fancy studio, no amps, no sound booths and no frills. Springsteen and Co. worked out their arrangements live in their makeshift studio, recorded the songs live and never looked back. With what sounds to be a rushed, stressful venture, We Shall Overcome is varied in sound, style and ideas with only infrequent minor imperfections that add to the recordings madcap appeal.

In late 1997, Springsteen and what has since become the Seeger Sessions Band recorded a version of the song “We Shall Overcome” for a Pete Seeger tribute album titled, Where Have All the Flowers Gone. Described by Bruce as the most important political protest song of all time, “Overcome” left an impression on the assemblage of musicians who decided to reconvene eight years later for another session of bluegrass covers that they deemed to be “inspired by Pete Seeger.” Fast forward to early 2006 for a third, jubilant session - magical enough to warrant an official release of the recordings gathered over the three sessions. So while the title may imply otherwise, Overcome is merely a collection of 13 traditional bluegrass songs whose sessions were inspired by the involved musicians’ initial enthusiasm for Seeger’s work.

Springsteen himself best describes the recordings as such. “All the arrangements were conducted as we played. You can hear me shouting out the names and instruments of the players as we roll. This approach takes the listener along for the whole ride - as you hear the music not just being played, but being made.” Don’t let the Boss fool you, not a single minute of this hour-long recording hints at unprofessional or demo-level quality. Though spontaneous in nature, Overcome‘s ramshackle semblance only complements the recording’s spirited roots. Rarely in the history of pop music will you find a batch of recordings so effortlessly natural, historic and beautiful. Needless to say, it’d be quite the understatement to say that the kid from Asbury Park has come a long way. Never before in Springsteen’s career has the verification of such been more clear than it is here.

Unquestionably the most noteworthy bluegrass release to see major distribution since Steve Earle and The Del McCoury Band released The Mountain in 1999, We Shall Overcomewill stand as one of the true gems of 2006 and quite possibly Springsteen’s best release since Nebraska, Bruce’s last true crack at the “less is more” methodology. Come Grammy time (as if it really matters), look for Bruce and the gang to clean house.

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