The Omaha Weekly Reader
Music

Who's the Boss? A tribute to Springsteen

Light of Day: A Tribute to Bruce Springsteen
Various Artists (Schoolhouse Records)

Over 35 singer/songwriters joined together to pay tribute to the everyday, workingman songs Bruce Springsteen has been serving up for the past 20 years. The collection is instantly accessible, completely rewarding and acts in a philanthropic manner by donating all of the proceeds to The Parkinson’s Disease Foundation and the Krista Ann Carr Fund.

While bigger names like Elvis Costello, Billy Bragg and Pete Yorn litter the tribute, it’s the heartfelt crooning and creative reworking by no-names like Garland Jeffreys ("Streets of Philadelphia"), Sid Griffin ("Highway Patrolman") and Jason Ringenberg ("My Hometown") that make the double-disc collection work. Many of the covers are stripped down to the bare bones, with less of emphasis on production and more energy put into capturing what exactly makes Springsteen such a prolific songwriter.

While serving the greater good of mankind, this eclectic collection also serves as an excellent reminder of the brilliant duality Springsteen has come to embody (if somehow you forgot). Springsteen is both a pop icon and also a writer heralded by the likes of Townes Van Zandt, Johnny Cash and Ani DiFranco and this collection of soulful ditties is the perfect testament as to why. — Jesse Stanek