I'm a big Springsteen fan and so, of course, I enjoy listening to the album where it all began. But, despite several top notch songs like "Lost In The Flood", this is far from a perfect Springsteen record. The foremost problem is that Bruce is still in the process of discovering his voice artistically and the lyrics are too derivative of Bob Dylan. Of course, there is no better songwriter to copy than Dylan and Springsteen does manage to evoke his own unique experiences of angst, romance and adventure on the streets of Jersey. But it really isn't until his vastly underappreciated second album, "The Wild, The Innocent And The E Street Shuffle" that Bruce achieves the descriptive power necessary to bring the boardwalk and beaches of Asbury Park fully to life. Of course, it was on their all time classic "Born To Run" that Bruce and the band hit their full stride both musically and lyrically.

Still "Greetings From Asbury Park" is a fine album, especially on the music side, propelled By Clarence Clemmons' wailing sax and Bruce's catchy hooks and beautiful melodies. There are some weak spots like the draggy ballad "Mary Queen of Arkansas" and "The Angel". But these are countered by much stronger upbeat tunes like "Growin' Up" and "Does This Bus Stop At 82nd Street?". The record's best song is the powerful and ambitious "Lost In The Flood" where Springsteen describes the social turmoil of the early 70's in the form of a soldier, most likely a Vietnam vetern, returning home. This is the first sign of the "social protest" aspect of Bruce's music which he would return to often, especially on the "Ghost Of Tom Joad" and "Born In the USA" albums.

But, for the most part, these are the songs of a younger and more carefree Springsteen. Certainly not his best album. But definitely worth having.
I'm a big Springsteen fan and so, of course, I enjoy listening to the album where it all began. But, despite several top notch songs like "Lost In The Flood", this is far from a perfect Springsteen record. The foremost problem is that Bruce is still in the process of discovering his voice artistically and the lyrics are too derivative of Bob Dylan. Of course, there is no better songwriter to copy than Dylan and Springsteen does manage to evoke his own unique experiences of angst, romance and adventure on the streets of Jersey. But it really isn't until his vastly underappreciated second album, "The Wild, The Innocent And The E Street Shuffle" that Bruce achieves the descriptive power necessary to bring the boardwalk and beaches of Asbury Park fully to life. Of course, it was on their all time classic "Born To Run" that Bruce and the band hit their full stride both musically and lyrically. Still "Greetings From Asbury Park" is a fine album, especially on the music side, propelled By Clarence Clemmons' wailing sax and Bruce's catchy hooks and beautiful melodies. There are some weak spots like the draggy ballad "Mary Queen of Arkansas" and "The Angel". But these are countered by much stronger upbeat tunes like "Growin' Up" and "Does This Bus Stop At 82nd Street? ". The record's best song is the powerful and ambitious "Lost In The Flood" where Springsteen describes the social turmoil of the early 70's in the form of a soldier, most likely a Vietnam vetern, returning home. This is the first sign of the "social protest" aspect of Bruce's music which he would return to often, especially on the "Ghost Of Tom Joad" and "Born In the USA" albums. But, for the most part, these are the songs of a younger and more carefree Springsteen. Certainly not his best album. But definitely worth having.