The "Magic" is missing

Not this guy, I hope....

 

This is the first Bruce album where it's taken repeated listens for it to grow on me and after a dozen or so listens, I like it, but don't love it.

I loved stuff like Last to Die, Long Walk Home, You'll Be Comin' Down, Gypsy Biker and Terry's Song on first listen. Terry's Song isn't a downer, but a great tribute to a dear friend.

Girls in the Summer Clothes, Your Own Worst Enemy, and I'll Work for Your Love have grown on me with several listens.

The title track - Magic - is still just ok - haven't full appreciated it yet. Devil's Arcade is another song I feel the same way about.

However the two songs that I don't care for at all on the album are Radio Nowhere and Livin' in the Future, the latter of which sounds too much like the 1980s throwaway "Out of Work" which Bruce gave to Gary U.S. Bonds.

The album isn't up to the usual level I've come to expect from Bruce. I sort of agree with the critic from the New Yorker who said that Magic feels calculated and generic. New Yorker review can be found here: http://www.newyorker.com/arts/reviews/recordings/2007/10/01/071001gore_GOAT_recordings_greenman


In terms of sound/feel I don't hear anything Rising-esque on the album. To me the sound/feel of most of the songs would fit in on Disc 2 or 3 of Tracks, than anything more recent he's done.

 

I picked it up today-and have just started listening to it. So I don't have a whole lot to say about it yet, but like a lot of albums it will probably take some time to grow on me.

I really loved The Rising, and even that took a couple of repeated listens to really really appreciate it.

 

Conan did a fitting tribute for Max on Friday. It was a riot.
If any of you have a chance, you should watch it.

 

Upon further review, I'm liking it a lot better now than I did a week ago.
Picked it up this morning, listened start to finish twice and I'm retracting some of my prior negative feelings.
It's good.. not great, but pretty damn good.

 

This is a phenomenon that people do with singers/actors/directors in particular: talking themselves out of their initial negative feelings about their icon's work, when the initial feelings may very well be correct.

 

Or the music could just grow on them. You've never listened to an album, been initially disappointed, but then found there was more there to appreciate than you heard on the first listen?

 

Exactly, hat. I still don't think there is anything great or memorable about this album, but it is good

 

Radio Nowhere's an awesome song. Bet it's fantastic live.

Haven't heard the rest of it.

 

It's a good album that grows on you with repeated listenings.
Although I don't care for it, Radio Nowhere rocks live.

 

Maybe it can happen. But it can more easily happen with someone you're predisposed to thinking can do no wrong, that can't possibly make product that perhaps sucks.

 

I never said it sucked, Dools. My original post was I was disappinted in it, thought it would be better.
After repeated listening, I like it more than I did originally. It's not great. But it is good and never did I say it sucked.