History Post #1 The River Bruce Springsteen

The River was released 30 years ago this week (the date varied across the globe). The album was of course pre internet and pre MTV so it was preceding by a huge marketing campaign in the music press (NME, Melody Maker etc.).  Accordingly I think this is one of the first lp's I was actively anxious about the release coming.

It is funny thinking back now when I got the lp I literally did not know what to expect. I was amazed and transfixed at the packaging with its mix of straightforward and slightly surreal packaging. I soon realised that this was deliberate, a mix of the exuberant, the dark, the object you yearned for. Just like the album. An exuberant track followed by something much more dark, hope and yearning followed just as quickly by despair.



Spot the difference on my Vinyl copy: