By Walker Simon
After years of excoriating the Bush administration for what he believed was the hijacking of American values and ideals, Bruce Springsteen is welcoming the Obama era with a noticeably lightened tone, both political and musical.
Springsteen's "Working On A Dream" album, released a week to the day after President Barack Obama's inauguration, turns inward and addresses relationships and aging in lush arrangements with a sound evocative of classic 1960s pop music.
"In terms of lyrics, it's a much more personal album, focusing on themes like romance and maturity rather than expressing outrage sparked by government policies," said Entertainment Weekly music critic Simon Vozick-Levinson.
The album stands in stark contrast to 2007's "Magic," on which he railed against the war in Iraq and the erosion of civil liberties. Touring for that album, he told fans that America was now known for voter suppression and illegal wiretapping.
"MOMENT OF OPTIMISM"
The new album isn't the only thing to raise the Boss's profile lately. Springsteen appeared at Obama's pre-inaugural concert, won a Golden Globe award for the title song for independent film The Wrestler, and will be the halftime act at Sunday's Super Bowl.
Experts say the new record and more relaxed approach to politics is simply a reflection of the changing times.
source : BBC news
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