Release Date: 1987

Impressions:  Let’s get this straight: I like Bruce. But, I’m not too knowledgable. I recall this album seeming like a weird deal at the time because it followed up Born In The USA, (which in hindsight seems impossible.) It still sold well, but sort of seemed like a disappointment. Let’s fire up the Spotify and give this album a listen… Oddly, the spare, Bo-Diddleyish ditty “Ain’t Got You” starts off the album a lot like the similarly sounding “Faith” did on George Michael’s solo album that came out at the same time! Weird, dude. Weird. “Tougher Than The Rest” as a song is a million times better than the weak production.  In fact, many of the songs are mature and introspective, but the ’80s production, while not as horrible as it could have been, doesn’t help. “Tunnel of Love” comes in like an INXS song and then slows down into a decent late ’80s pop hit. The overall impact of catchy and insightful songs like “Brilliant Disguise,” is dulled by the decision to set the keyboards to “Bruce Hornsby.” I think a record full of the demos would sound better. I know I’m sounding like a broken record talking about this broken record, but “Valentine’s Day,” already amazing, would sound great stripped down. Goddamn, that song just floors me: “I got one hand steady on the wheel and one hand’s tremblin’ over my heart.”