The first thought that crossed my mind when news broke of Bruce Springsteen’s new album was, “Why?” It could never be his best - Born to Run - and had no chance of matching Born in the USA’s musical ability or even Nebraska’s eclecticism. In fact, we’ve seen this before- Paul McCartney’s Memory Almost Full wasn’t close to anything the Beatles did. Bob Dylan’s Modern Tracks wasn’t Blonde on Blonde or Highway 61 Revisited and you can’t get no satisfaction from anything The Rolling Stones have done on tour recently.

Magic is, in effect, a trip to your grandparent’s house as a child. The elder statesman and active trunk of the family tree sits in his big, easy rocking chair while the children sit around for stories. Bruce tells tales of his life in rock-and-roll and what pop music once was- when it used to be great- when it meant hearing The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Bob Dylan, and The Rolling Stones in their prime. He follows these stories up with his own first-hand experiences, bringing back memories of Born to Run and Born in the USA. And then comes the unsurprising “what’s wrong with the world today” moments, when it’s believable that youth might just be wasted on the young. And, while the music never could be as good as Born to Run, its Springsteen’s storytelling ability that captures your attention from start to finish. So in his grandfatherly state of the union, Papa Springsteen would like to address three topics: music in its current condition, love, and, of course, the war in Iraq. And so, as Bruce sings on the “My Hometown”-esque track “Long Walk Home”, “Everybody has a neighbor/ Everybody has a friend/ Everybody has a reason to begin again.” The album’s first single, “Radio Nowhere,” takes on the pop-music industry in its current form. “I just wanna hear some rhythm/ I want a thousand guitars/ I want the pounding of drums/ I want a million different voices speaking in tongues,” Springsteen sings as he longs for tunes from the Phil Spector “Wall of Sound” era. It brings the famous lines from Born to Run’s “Jungleland” eerily full-circle: “The poets round here don’t write nothing at all, they just sit back and let it all be”. Such is the life in ringtone-based pop music.

“Girls in Their Summer Clothes” flashes back to a time when The Boss and his troops would run around the Asbury Park boardwalk looking for love. “In just a glance/ Down here on Magic Street/ Love’s a Fool’s Dance/ I ain’t got no shoes but I still got my feet,” Springsteen sings. While the kid’s games may have passed him by, the feeling still remains. The metaphor can be applied perfectly to the aging rocker on this album; the musical ability might not be what it used to, but the substance - the lyrics - are still as good as ever.

“You’ll be Coming Down” and “I’ll Work for Your Love” are two Born in the USA-era tunes that dwell on past love affairs. The former tells a tale of a love that Springsteen never recovered from and the hope for a karmatic response. The latter rides a thin line between songwriting and poetry, presenting a tune filled with biblical metaphors dedicated to a woman whom the singer would do anything for. The main focus of Springsteen’s most recent studio releases, The Seeger Sessions and Devils & Dust, dealt with politics, more specifically Bruce’s politics and how they clash with the views of President Bush. “Livin’ in the Future” tackles it head on with a “Hungry Heart”-type of song; “Woke up on election day/ Sky’s gunpowder and shades of grey” would be hard to miss for even the most literal of listeners. Similarly, “Last to Die” puts things plainly: “Who’s blood will spill, who’s heart will break/ Who’ll be the last to die for a mistake”.“Devil’s Arcade” is a metaphor-filled track referring to George W.’s war on Iraq in which Springsteen sings, “You said, ‘Heroes are needed,’ so heroes get made/ Somebody made a bet, somebody paid.” The Nebraska-esque “Gypsy Biker” tells the story of a person who died under controversial circumstance, leaving the family angry and sad while the town debates whether the death was for a good cause. It isn’t much of a jump to see where Bruce is going with this song.

Although the political theme is present throughout the album, you don’t have to be swept up in politics to enjoy Magic. Musically, it’s a decent- though not great- album; Bruce returns to his New Jersey roots, dropping the folkiness of Devils & Dust and the southern drawl of The Seeger Sessions. Lyrically, it’s phenomenal. If nothing else, a simple appreciation for songwriting talent is enough to make this album a success. Powerful cantos could be cited in each of the songs until finally realizing this is the sign that Springsteen still has “it;” the “it” that makes up a musical genius. Some artists can make a nice song in which you look at a few lines and say “Ooh, that’s clever”. The greats- like Springsteen- have a music catalog filled with lyrics that blow your hair back. It’s no different on Magic. If you are expecting Born to Run then it will disappoint, but don’t be surprised if Papa Springsteen adds to his collection of 15 Grammy awards with this album.