Bruce Springsteen — The Rising

The Rising has not only been hyped as Bruce Springsteen's first record with the E Street Band since 1984's Born In The U.S.A., but it's also his first since September 11, a theme that runs throughout the 15-song album. Thankfully, The Boss keeps his working-class heroics subtle and personal — the boisterous E Streeters have aged nearly 20 years since their last outing, but then, so has Springsteen's great muse, America.

The Rising isn't about 9/11 as much as it's about America's still beating heart in the wake of so many vague and unnamed tragedies. Springsteen offers observations, not answers, and faith in the humanity rather than condemnation — all set to the familiar, albeit less raucous, groove of E Street. It's the closest to the truth that any multi-platinum artist will ever come — which is exactly what we have always expected from The Boss.

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