Between AF, the Hold Steady, and uh, the Killers, Bruce's sphere or influence has enjoyed quite a renaissance lately. Is this is good or bad thing? I'm leaning towards the former, although my explanation is complete pathos.

Not to mention the National, Handsome Furs, and the string of hot chicks (Chromatics, Bat For Lashes, Electrelane) that covered "I'm on Fire." I respect the guy's songwriting, but his voice and general manner really bugs me. Earnest and sweaty are not my most desired traits in an artist.

That same SPIN magazine has a sidebar with Hold Steady, and the National chiming in on their Boss-love.

I count myself fairly indifferent to Springsteen...though nothing "bugs" me about the guy or his career. I do think growing up in the metro NY area (greater Northeast too?) might have something to do with it.

Will the Jersey boys chime in on that one?

Harsh, Klingman. I have to agree w/Seb's point: being born in the tristate area definitely alters one's perception of the Boss. I was never a full-on adherent, and have gone through periods of really digging him fiercely to utter indifference, but, damn that sweaty earnest bastard, he keeps_pulling_me_back. Maybe it's the Jersey swamp gas I grew up with.

Also, I can see "earnest" as a negative (although I prefer it as a borgnine) but why attack 'sweaty'? We can't all be Kraftwerk, you know (not one drop of sweat in 30 years). Even Bernard Sumner shows a bit of sheen in the DVD of the early New Order shows in New York. Moreover, every great smack-addicted musician in history has sweated like a pig. Where would we be without them? I'm not saying all sweating is good (see Meatloaf, Soul Asylum, et al) but please, let's not throw out the unwashed baby with the unused bathwater.

Well, it was a cheap shot maybe.

Good Bourgnine joke, though.

A couple years back I was dragged to Rascal Flats concert which they closed with a medley of some Bon Jovi track and "Born in the USA." This was funny because the band and the crowd were equally Reaganesque in their misunderstanding of the song. It was transcendently funny because about half the audience was lying every time the hook came around.

Reminds me of a recent wedding I went to where PJ's "Better Man" was dedicated to the groom. *cringe*

The only appropriate person to dedicate that song to is the bride's first husband who beat her, but how often does that happen?

Late on this, but, outside of Born to Run, I have no lasting interest/NJ-tastic feeling about Bon Jovi or Bruce. But I don't have Turnpike exits memorized, so I'm an outlier.

All of our geographical origins and transplanted areas are fucked. Except maybe Mr. Klein.

It all depends on what your definition of "fucked" is. On the surface of it, the NJ town where I grew up was nothing like Bruce's Jersey--no boardwalk, no hot rods, no teenage diplomat--but the desire to ride out of whatever town you come from, on a bike with Wendy's hands strapped across your engines falls into the realm of the universal. And btw, I did have certain turnpike exits memorized but I'm happy to say that I have forgotten a few over the years, what with living in NYC and not owning a car. But I will never forget that exit 9 is New Brunswick.

I must admit that I have recently been fascinated with the Bruce show from the closing of the Winterland. http://concerts.wolfgangsvault.com/dt/bruce-springsteen-concert/3264-993.html

i don't even know what you guys are talking about.

however, i do know bruce springsteen and arcade fire share similarities, whether you like it or not.
i've found when talking to people about music, seems to me bruce springsteen is subject to be disregarded and/or underestimated.
i get that not all people share the same interests in music, oh definitely. but me, i believe bruce springsteen has something great to offer, if you listen closely.