What could the now ubiquitous known as 'the boss' Bruce Springsteen for his digitally-established and highly successful THE RIVER (1981) at all do not go based on the pop-circus at own celebrity culture? The answer was as simple as courageous, namely a quiet solo album on which Springsteen sings alone with guitar and harmonica on an ailing America, which adheres only by sucking its population afloat. In vocabulary on folk hero Woody Guthrie and Hank Williams oriented, reminiscent in singing at the early Dylan, plus much the Bible miteinbeziehend, the boss with NEBRASKA delivers his most intimate and bedrückendstes work: "My Father's House" extends the cycle of Springsteen songs about the often oppressive legacy of the fathers; "Atlantic City" describes a future with no prospect for young unemployed people who can only take refuge in crime itself. All the pieces are played with tremendous intensity, coming in unmistakable language (and sometimes the preacher) to the point to emphasize in their spartan arrangements the statement content. In all darkly uncomfortable facets of his portraits Bruce also has the courage to complete the album with "Reason To Believe". Nebraska, that's all over the US (and not also with us?) - But also a credible feat to strategically effective career time. A real classic. (This is an Amazon.com at the university-student review.)
