Speaking of Springsteen...

So yesterday I bought his new album The Rising, and I've been listening to it for most of the day while running errands around Queens and Manhattan. The very prospect of a Springsteen concept album about 9/11 and its aftermath is a frighteningly perfect idea, but the real beauty of the album comes from listening to the work of a singer-songwriter whose art seems utterly natural and unforced. I mean, I've been listening to studio rock bands like Radiohead for so long that I'd forgotten how pure, how perfect rock music can be when it's just about a man and his music. Standout tracks so far include "Lonesome Day," "Into the Fire," "Waiting on a Sunny Day," "The Fuse," and...well, about half the damn album, actually.

In short, I have a hunch that this is one of those albums that will continue to grow and evolve in my head for a long, long time, and I highly recommend it.