Bruce Springsteen – Letter To You

Thirteen years after the release of the solid "Magic", and after a string of four studio albums that, not being bad albums by any means they were far from being counted among his best, The Boss returned somewhat unexpectedly with "Letter To You".
I approached cautiously to this new album: at some point since "Magic" I became afraid that Springsteen had become "just" an exceptional live musician, but unable to create new truly relevant music.

Oh boy, was I wrong.

For "Letter To You" is a truly wisely composed, written and built, relevant and, most importantly, heartfelt album that dares to start not with a blast, but with the intimate, elegiac, almost liturgical fashion of "One Minute You're Here", and then offers hymn after hymn of pure rock n' roll where the very same elegiac essence can be felt here and there, bittersweet though infused with the energy and uplifting essence of rock.
Because "Letter To You" triumphs in gathering the past and the present, where the young, filled with lust for life Bruce (channeled here through the absolutely gorgeous "Janey Needs A Shooter", "If I Was The Priest"- I love how his voice cracks at some points in this one- and "Song For Orphans", all written originally back in the seventies and officially released as studio recordings here for the first time) meets his older, wiser and more reflective self to great effect, and both fill these twelve great songs with powerful images in a way that only a truly exceptional storyteller can.
The new songs are also excellent: the title song, "Last Man Standing", "Ghosts"- a stadium hymn right from the start- "The Power Of Prayer" and mostly "I'll See You In My Dreams" (one of these rare perfect album closers) are already among my favourites out of The Boss' songbook, with a tight E- Street Band (shout out to Max Weinberg!) showing why they are legend.
All in all, "Letter To You" is an exceptional, honest album that takes the best Springsteen in years back to the stage where, despite of the nostalgic tone of these songs, we would like to see him for many more years.

Have the grey US press, but the song titles on the back do not show the If I Was a Priest order mistake. Titles correctly listed.

LPs are pressed on center, thankfully. Beautiful sound on a beautiful album.

Quality start to finish. Terrific dynamic pressing doing justice to perhaps some of Bruce’s best music for sometime!! Jacket and inner sleeves are all top quality as is the booklet. Some rice type paper used?? Looks interesting but screams quality. Don’t hesitate pull the trigger on this one!!

Are there really transparent inner sleeves? My copy is with standard paper inners. The sound is great and also artwork.

A brilliant album and a very fine pressing too. The artwork adds to the positive feelings about the record.

A very tight album and is probably my favorite post E-Street breakup album. The sounds on this pressing is bright and full. The mids can get lost every now and then, but it's not too noticeable. Very clean pressing and the package as a whole is phenomenal.

Two words:
The Boss!!!
Sounds like "Darkness" and Born In The USA, my opinion.
Loved it.

This is a big disappointment after the fabulous Western Stars album

Not sure if my copy is the gray version, bought from the official Bruce store, no hype sticker, anyone else have this?

I read through all of the comments and I guess I’m the only one experiencing inner groove distortion. I hear it on the last song of both sides A and C. That or coincidently those last two songs have too much or compression. Enjoyed the album overall and the rest of the record sounded great.