Review by JaredD
4 stars out of 4
"The Ghost of Tom Joad" is not so much an album of songs, as it is a
collection of short stories. Stories that bring to the fore the problems
of the poverty stricken. To the people in Springsteen's songs, the time
of Tom Joad is still very much alive.
In his writing, Springsteen should not be compared to Woody Guthrie or Bob
Dylan. Springsteen should be thought of as more of a lyrical Steinbeck.
As was evident with "Nebraska," Springsteen has a knack for bringing
the trials and tribulations of the downtrodden and putting them before
us in the in the raw bloody state that is reality.
If you go in thinking that this is a pop album, you will be sorely mistaken.
If, on the other hand, you go in thinking that you will come away with
a brilliant insight into a life people choose not to think about, you've
hit it right on the nose. The Boss does not dress up his stories or give
them plastic surgery, and this is as it should be. After all, this is
life, not some cheap lady of the night.
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