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Springsteen's 'Darker Years': A Journey Through Doubt
22 Sep
Summary
- Springsteen's 1987-1996 albums explore lost faith and self-doubt.
- He experimented with new musicians after disbanding the E Street Band.
- This period saw Springsteen live in New York City and Los Angeles.
The seven albums released by Bruce Springsteen between 1987 and 1996, recently remastered and collected in a new vinyl box set, chronicle a significant period of artistic introspection. This era, following his commercial peak with 1984's 'Born in the U.S.A.,' is marked by themes of lost faith and self-doubt.
During this time, Springsteen disbanded his iconic E Street Band in 1988 and assembled a new group of Los Angeles studio musicians. While this 'Other Band' aimed to refine his sound, they never quite matched the chemistry of his long-time collaborators, appearing on 'Human Touch,' 'Lucky Town,' and 'In Concert/MTV Plugged.'
Springsteen also underwent personal and geographical shifts, moving to New York City and then Los Angeles. He explored his most understated music on the 1995 solo album 'The Ghost of Tom Joad' and delved into autobiography and character-driven narratives in his lyrics, presenting a messier, more complex portrait of an artist in transition.
