Review - HBO's "The Ties That Bind" Documentary

When they announced The River box set six weeks ago, I thought it was an odd choice.  It has an odd place in Springsteen's discography: of course, it is a classic, but it is arguably the least classic of Springsteen's classics.  It doesn't have the rawness of his first two records, the birth of stardom that surrounded Born To Run, the drama and meloncholy behind the production of Darkness, the experimentation of Nebraska, nor the unprecedented hit-making with Born In The USA.  It came at a point where Springsteen was, more or less, very comfortable with his music career.  Also, it is the 35th year anniversary - while it may be an anniversary worth a quick blog post, it isn't not quite a nice round number for a celebration.  So, I found myself asking, what is the point of all of this?

Well, to help answer that question, along came the HBO documentary The Ties That Bind.  In what is basically a 60-minute infomercial for the aforementioned box set, we sit down with Bruce as he discusses the making of The River.  And, let me be clear, we are only talking to Bruce.  There are no other interviewees - and any other voices heard in the documentary are quick or off-camera (like a bizarro-Springsteen & I).  While this may sound like Bruce-overkill, it is fortunately padded with live performances to break up the interview sections (Bruce plays "Two Hearts", "The River", and "Independence Day", among others).  It is also interesting to note that, at times, they subtitled Bruce while he was singing, which should elicit a chuckle from Bruce-diehards but was probably necessary to help the casual fan follow along.

However, despite my snark present in the last paragraph, the documentary did provide some fascinating insights into this period of Springsteen's life and career.  Without giving away too much, the documentary explores the decision to make The River a double-album, the often clashing dynamic between Jon Landau and Steven Van Zandt, and the issue of Springsteen's live shows being a better experience than his record (a problem some critics may say he never solved).  The most relatable part, to me, was Springsteen talking about entering his thirties, and trying to move from an observer in life into being a participant.  While Darkness came from a period of isolation, he wanted The River to be a movement towards the mainstream.  As a 31-year-old New Jersey boy myself, I can't help but vicariously project myself into Bruce's shoes in the recording studio.

Ultimately, the documentary helped show The River in a slightly new light.  Many people may criticize it for being entirely about cars and girls, it shows Springsteen's maturity as an artist - he had the confidence needed to put out an extra-long album with a variety of genres on it. While the documentary may be hampered with a bit of padding and a lack of voices, I would recommend it to any fan just as confused as I was about this recent celebration of The River.  I can't say that I still don't find the whole thing to be coming out of the blue, but I am enjoying the ride.

You can watch the documentary on HBOGO, or try this link while it lasts.

Concert for Valor: 7 PM Tonight on HBO!

Just a reminder that tonight at 7pm LIVE on HBO, Bruce will be performing at the Concert For Valor.  The concert is a very much well deserved tribute to our men and women of service, both veterans and active duty, and their families.  The concert is expected to draw close to 1 million people at The National Mall in Washington DC.

Bruce is just one of the many acts playing.  It truly is a "something for everyone" with Bruce Springsteen, Metallica, Rhianna, Zac Brown Band, Carrie Underwood, Eminem, and the Black Keys, just to name a few.

More information can be found at www.concertforvalor.com.  Check back later this week for a review of the event!

Video Spotlight- Adam Sandler "Out In The Street" (Explicit)

It seems hard to remember but there was a time, in the mid 1990's when Adam Sandler was THE MAN in comedy.  After a memorable stint on Saturday Night Live and his insanely popular movies "Billy Madison" and "Happy Gilmore", Sandler went on to release a number of comedy albums that only cemented his place at the top of the comedy world.  Don't get me wrong, Sandler is still an absolute A-List celebrity who can still pull out a great comedic performance when he wants, but he seems to have lost a step in his comedy along the way.

However, in 1996, to support his What the Hell Happened To Me comedy album, he went on a 21 date tour of live performances of songs and comedy bits.  One of the shows was filmed and aired on HBO.  During the show Sandler wanted to get the crowd pumped up, and what better way to do that than a Bruce Springsteen song?  This really shows how big Sandler was.  Bruce's popularity was definitely on the wane in the mid 1990's after nearly a decade separated from the E Street Band.  And on top of that, although a great song, "Out In The Street", isn't exactly a mainstream hit.  But Sandler seems to know that, and while asking the crowd to indulge his fantasy to pretend he's a rockstar, comes just short of saying to his crowd "You may not know this song, but I love it.  And I can do whatever I want."  And the crowd goes right along with him. Sandler had done his Springsteen imitation on SNL before, but in a more comedic way.  Although there seems to be some lighthearted jabs at Springsteen's singing style, it's more of an homage than anything.  Enjoy!

Bruce Springsteen's High Hopes (HBO)

For a Springsteen fan, getting insight into his creative process is like eating just enough candy. It makes you giddy and leaves you wanting more. Thom Zimny’s new 30-minute special Bruce Springsteen’s High Hopes gives you just enough interviews and, better yet, fly-on-the-wall recording studio footage to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Released nearly three months after the High Hopes album debuted, this very carefully timed piece of content marketing serves two purposes. First, it extends the conversation around the album when its natural lifespan on the charts was dying out (it’s currently at 189 on the Billboard 200). Second, and more importantly because this is Bruce’s real money-maker, it primes audiences for the new smattering of US concert dates (things officially kick off in Cincinnati this Tuesday).

To the non-enthusiast, Bruce Springsteen’s High Hopes offers little more than an extended commercial for the album. It gives you a healthy sampling of the music (often with lyrics on screen, which is helpful when it comes to Bruce), live performance footage, and interviews with the band about how the songs were created.

My favorite moment featured Bruce and Max Weinberg in the recording studio discussing the drumming on “Frankie Fell in Love”. Bruce, donning a black hat and wife beater, instructs Max that the drums need to sound “half-drunk” and “the sloppier, the better.” We hear a sample of the track pre-instruction and post, and you know what, he’s right. That moment alone is enough for a Springsteen fan.

Bruce Springsteen's High Hopes is currently airing on HBO and HBO Go.