Bruce Springsteen - "Ain't Good Enough For You"

In honor of the 4th of July, hot and humid star-filled nights, fireflys, beer, barbecues, and everything else groovy about the American summer experience, here's an obscure yet wholly classic cut from the quintessential summertime artist, Bruce Springsteen. "Ain't Good Enough For You" is an upbeat number culled from the Darkness On The Edge of Town sessions, which first saw the light of day last year as part of The Promise. With a couple blasts from Clarence "The Big Man" Clemons (RIP), a blissful piano riff, handclaps, and a whole lot of shouting and hollering, The Boss delivers one of his more carefree and fun pop numbers. If you're making a mixtape or playlist for your weekend shenanigans, you can't go wrong with an injection of the sweaty, working class funk of "Ain't Good Enough For You."

If you dig The Boss, you can still buy The Promise right here.

Bruce Springsteen - "Ain't Good Enough For You" (from The Promise)

Review: Shakey Graves :: Roll The Bones

Every time I think the folk genre has been beaten into the ground as a tired platform, I'm blown away by a voice so wholly unique and unequivocally original I can't help but fall in love all over again. Shakey Graves—the nom de plume of Los Angeles via Texas songwriter Alejandro Rose-Garcia—wields a one of a kind voice that stings with a dark whispery howl and crackle of seduction. The fingerpicked guitar work—soulful and bluesy—and production—loosely layered, and colored with the sparse and shadowy intimacy of an empty motel hallway—prove equally well matched here.

Bruce Springsteen - "Tougher Than The Rest"

During the documentary film The Promise: The Making of Darkness On The Edge of Town, Bruce Springsteen admits that at the time he was afraid of writing a love song. That's why he gift-wrapped "Because The Night" for Patti Smith—he was afraid to finish the song himself. But of course, Springsteen would write a love song or two. And like "Because The Night," they were mostly brilliant. One of his best is "Tougher Than The Rest," a tale of two lovers that have "been around a time or two." "If you’re rough enough for love," sings the Boss, "baby, I’m tougher than the rest."

Bruce Springsteen - "Tougher Than The Rest (Mike Vogel remix)" 
Camera Obscura - "Tougher Than The Rest"
Bruce Springsteen - "Because The Night"

Digging For Covers: The Boss's Disciples

The National - "Mansion On The Hill"

Marah - "Streets of Philadelphia"
Josh Ritter - "The River"
Deer Tick - "Nebraska"

Ted Leo - "Dancin' In The Dark"

AA Bondy - "I'm On Fire"

Spoon - "I'm Goin' Down"

Digging For Covers: Camera Obscura gets Bossy

"Tougher Than The Rest" was released on Bruce Springsteen's 1987 album Tunnel Of Love. Because of the musical influence of the time period—cheesy synthesized organs and glossy production—the song was never a favorite of mine. But recently, under the guise of different artistic visions, its developed into somewhat of an addiction. First with Mike Vogel's remix—a dreamy landscape of texture—and now with Camera Obscura's—a performance brushed with fat strokes of reverb and loose swinging instrumentation. Camera Obscura's cover is featured on their "The Sweetest Thing" single as the B-Side. It's out now.

Camera Obscura - "Tougher Than The Rest" (Bruce Springsteen cover)

Bruce Springsteen - "Tougher Than The Rest" (Mike Vogel remix)

Digging For Covers: The Boss sings Dylan

In 1975 at the Main Point in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band unfolded the up-beat Dylan ditty "I Want You" into a slow and sweeping ballad. The performance—broadcast by WMMR FM-radio in Philadelphia—featured Israeli violinist Suki Lahav playing the famous melody alongside piano, bass, drums, accordion and a few muted puffs from Clarence Clemons's sax. The Boss had a slight lyrical misstep after the song's bridge, but he quickly saved himself with a well-timed mumble and pause. The 18-song set—one of the longest and most well-regarded shows of Springsteen's career—also features a cover of Chuck Berry's "Back In The USA" and the premiere of "Thunder Road"—then, still a work in progress. 

 
Bruce Springsteen - "I Want You" (live at the Main Point, 1975)

Three Songs You Need To Hear

The New York Times ran an article on the Detroit punk rock trio Death last month. It's a great story and the music's even better. Fellow Detroit-raised musician Jack White of White Stripes-fame gave his first impression: "The first time the stereo played ‘Politicians in My Eyes,’ I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. When I was told the history of the band and what year they recorded this music, it just didn’t make sense. Ahead of punk, and ahead of their time."

Death - "Politicians In My Eyes"

Mike Vogel's remix of the Bruce Springsteen track "Tougher Than The Rest" is as relaxing, soothing, and spacious as a song gets. A repeated percussion loop and layers of soaring synths give the Boss an unusually textured platform for his single off the 1987 Tunnel of Love album. 

Bruce Springsteen - "Tougher Than The Rest" (Mike Vogel remix)

A friend recommended I take a listen to Rhode Island's Low Anthem. It was good advice. According to Spin, the three band members combined to play 27 different instruments on their 2008 release Oh My God, Charlie Darwin, including pump organ, Tibetan singing bowl, and the zither—a stringed instrument that dates back to 433 BC. The bluesy and preachy "The Horizon Is A Beltway" is a scorching foot-stomper with influences ranging from Tom Waits to Josh Ritter and every rickety, harmonica-fueled folk rocker in between. 

The Low Anthem - "The Horizon Is A Beltway"