Replay: Bruce Springsteen, The Ghost of Tom Joad, 1995

Republicans and critics of the recent Vote for Change tour readily recycled the tired, impotent argument that entertainers are paid to entertain, not publicly espouse political viewpoints. Most of these critics didn't point their ire at Pearl Jam, though--it was the de facto headliner, Bruce Springsteen, on the receiving end of these complaints.

He expected that. After 30 some years of songwriting and performing, he knows not only the political dynamic of his audience, but the depth--or lack thereof--of its comprehension of his work. After all, those who understand "Born in the U.S.A." as an anti-Vietnam anthem are still a minority. The biggest legacy of his 1982 Nebraska album among the non-diehards seems to be that it's a stark collection of demos, not a sobering account of immorality building early in the Me Decade.

And then there's 1995's The Ghost of Tom Joad, an album that owes as much to Nebraska as it does to The Grapes of Wrath and its impoverished hero. Which partially explains why it's not one of Springsteen's blockbusters. As on Nebraska, there are no commercial radio candidates, no showstopper moments, no Clarence Clemons sax solos--most of it is just Bruce, an acoustic guitar and a harmonica, channeling Woodie Guthrie a la early Bob Dylan.

But given its concentration on immigrants and the poor, Tom Joad also presents a challenge to his fans' sense of escapism. Much of Springsteen's work is romanticized for its embodiment of the working-class man, and the American traditions--namely, girls and cars--that offset his daily struggles. Very few Tom Joad listeners would be able to relate to its displaced and disenfranchised characters, be they Mexican day laborers or ex-cons.

While Springsteen clearly went the folk singer route on Tom Joad, emphasizing story over production, one wonders how much more strongly his messages would resonate if the music wasn't such a background device. Though the album carries a poignant subtlety throughout, an occasional shift in instrumental dynamic would have been welcome. Ditto for his vocals; too many times Springsteen relies on the same phrasing or held notes. It's almost as if he's afraid to make his sociopolitical viewpoints overt. Now that he's spelled out his views on stage, one hopes his next work will be less ideologically timid.--Mike Prevatt