I've been listening to the cd in the work vehicle. Not the best place for fidelity but it sort of forced it to grow on me a bit more than the initial listening.

Peter T. makes some interesting observations and some I have to agree with. I'd like to read DB's comments on the hunger that exists in artists, because part of me thinks Springsteen has lost some of that raw hunger.

The layers of sound also create a problem with me as well.

Maybe we are spoiled, though. I mean, do we want to have an artist produce the same thing over and over again? There has to be growth, right?

Still, maybe one thing that is missing is the perception of the lack of passion in these later records that was heard in the early ones. I do think there is a difference when the early Springsteen music is contrasted to this later era. Something does seem to be missing.