Devils & Dust
While the title track about a soldier at war synched with the then-current issue of the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, many of the songs on *Devils & Dust*, Bruce Springsteen’s third album of near-acoustic ruminations (in the tradition of *Nebraska* and *The Ghost of Tom Joad*), were ones that Springsteen had kicked around for more than a decade. “Long Time Comin’” and “The Hitter” made appearances in his live set for the *Joad* tour. “Reno” is a graphic and affecting song about a man trying to lose his sorrow in the arms of a prostitute, to no avail. “Jesus Was an Only Son” has a spiritual grace, enhanced by piano and strings. “Maria’s Bed” aches with some of Springsteen’s most clenched vocals and a rhythm section redolent of early Rod Stewart. “All I’m Thinkin’ About” shuffles with the feel of an old blues. “All the Way Home” is a full-band blowout, with a dark snarl in the guitars that’s pure catharsis. Often overlooked, *Devils & Dust* is one of Bruce’s finest albums.
The latest in Springsteen’s vinyl reissue series provides a few lost gems for record collectors and completists. But for these odd years, even for the uninitiated, there’s plenty of gold to discover.
Every decade or so, Bruce Springsteen releases a somber album of narrative songs, character sketches, and folk tunes -- records that play not like rock & roll, but rather as a collection of short stories.
To truly understand the power of Bruce Springsteen's newest disc, Devils & Dust, one need only listen to its final track.
<p>Shocked by the song about sodomy? Wait 'til you hear the Dylan impression, says Alexis Petridis.</p>