Working On A Dream by Bruce Springsteen

The reason Bruce Springsteen’s career has lasted so long is because, evidently, the man can do no wrong. His new album, “Working On A Dream,” shot to number one on the Billboard Top 200 chart in its first week of release, proving that people need and want his idealistic patriotism now, just as much as they did back in ’84.

The album starts off with the slow, seductive story of “Outlaw Pete,” a traveling vagabond, who leaves a trail of broken hearts behind him, across the country. The song draws listeners in so much that they’re highly unlikely to even notice its eight-minute length, when most artists would have lost all the listeners after only four minutes.

Two typically Springsteen-esque tracks follow - the optimistic “My Lucky Day” and the album’s title track. While both tracks have a laid-back pace, they are boring at no stage. While Springsteen often lost listeners in his mumblings about the Ghost of Tom Joad and Nebraska, his lyrics on these songs, and throughout the album, are clear and riveting throughout.

On “Queen of the Supermarket,” Springsteen sings about his eternal love for a simple supermarket clerk. He manages to turn every detail of something as mundane as a trip to the supermarket into pure poetry, from how her hair is tied up, to how she packs the groceries. This is definitely a feat few could accomplish.

“Good Eye” is the most catchy, repeatable track on the album. It has heavy blues influences, with Springsteen’s vocals moving to the background, while the guitar playing takes the foreground. It’s unique to the album, and not something we hear too often from the artist, but definitely a sound he should use more often!

“Tomorrow Never Knows,” which comes next, moves back to the album’s regular style, with a softly rolling acoustic guitar backbeat, while Springsteen whispers clever lyrics to the audience.

Other top tracks include “Life Itself” and “The Last Carnival,” while “Surprise, Surprise” is definitely to be avoided. If you can, buy the CD with the bonus tracks, “The Wrestler” (the theme song to the movie) and “Night With The Jersey Devil,” but either way, just make sure you buy this CD!

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CelebSelect

Danielle Panabaker's Top Pop Picks
- Favorite Band: The Avett Brothers
  
  "I'm really into the Avett Brothers as of late."
- Favorite Book: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
  
  "My girlfriends are I - we are very nerdy. We started a book club and the first book we read was Gone Girl."
- Favorite New Movie: Silver Linings Playbook
  
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Paul Van Dyk: Current Favorites
- School of the Seven Bells
  
  The New York-based band unites Benjamin Curtis of "Secret Machines" and Alejandra Deheza. Formed in 2007, the duo is named after a mythical South American pickpocket training academy of the same name.
- Linkin Park
  
  The Californian rock veterans have come a long way since 'Hybrid Theory.' Back now with their fifth studio album in over a decade, 'Living Things' is one of Paul Van Dyck's favorite albums this year.
- Jupiter Jones
  
  The German punk rock band formed in 2002, but has already released several LPs, including an eponymously-named album in 2011.
- Depeche Mode
  
  The legendary Essex electronic band from the 80s remains a classic for Van Dyk. It was also recently among 'Q' magazine's "50 Bands That Changed The World!".
Cody Simpson
- Favorite Movie
  I'm still really into the Ocean's series. I got into them recently. I was always too young to watch them.
- Favorite Book
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- Favorite Album
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- Favorite TV Show
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Styx's Lawrence Gowan
- Bossypants by Tina Fey
  
  "That’s got me laughing hysterically on airplanes."
- Making Mirrors by Goyte
  
  "I thought that was a tremendous record."
- The Artist
  
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- Keane
  
  "They’re really strong."
90210's Michael Steger: My Favorite Stuff
- Favorite TV Show: Rome
  
  HBO's series starring Cirian Hinds
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  "Either that or The Gypsy Kings."
- Favorite Book: The Fountainhead
  
  "Probably my favorite book of all time."
- Favorite New Movie: Attack The Block
  
  “It reminded me of The Goonies.”