Darkness on the Edge of Town by Bruce Springsteen

It’s interesting to go back to this album after listening to Born in the USA, to hear the difference in the sound. Where the later album was bombastic, this album is quieter and more reflective with more piano and less sax, although there are some excellent hard rock tracks on here too. 

There’s a slightly odd obsession with cars though - driving around aimlessly, tinkering in oily garages and racing late at night on empty strips at the edge of town. Perhaps it’s the car as a symbol of freedom for a working class kid, although maybe that’s more of an American thing? There are also songs playing with Old Testament themes of vengeful Gods and other familiar themes of urban decay and poverty.

The highlight for me was the song Factory, an utterly devastating indictment of working class drudgery and poverty that chews people up and spits them out at the end of a working day. This easily stands alongside songs on similar themes from Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie.

https://album.link/gb/i/400713977