It can be hard to pinpoint a specific art direction for the Invented album, but a lot of the pictures take place in dim environments, where the light in the background offers a sharp contrast. I personally love the warm color tone selected for this album, and I think the artwork can often be overlooked along with some great songs on the album.
Thoughts on this era?
I’ve always viewed “Blood Brothers” as the emotional conclusion to the first chapter of Bruce’s career.
By 1995, Bruce had already experienced the rise from Born to Run through The River, the internal conflict with Nebraska, the mega pop stardom through Born in the USA, the introspection of Tunnel of Love, and the commercial uncertainty of Human Touch, Lucky Town, and The Ghost of Tom Joad. Then came “Blood Brothers,” a reunion with the E Street Band that feels less like a comeback and more like a reflection on everything that had come before.
The song is full of themes of time, change, friendship, and looking back. Rather than sounding like a new beginning, it almost feels like Bruce acknowledging that one era of his life had come to an end.
Looking back, the 1999 reunion tour and the release of The Rising in 2002 almost make “Blood Brothers” feel like the bridge between two chapters of Bruce’s career. It closes the door on the first era while quietly preparing for the late career resurgence that followed.
This is all just interpretation, but just curious to hear others thoughts on this.
I know some people don’t like to look at what ifs, or alternate histories, but considering how much influence Bruce has had in music and pop culture, I think it’s interesting to discuss. Feel free to answer the ones I provide and please comment some more.
What if Bruce had released the Streets of Philadelphia album (Waiting on the End of the World)? Would this have provided him a stronger presence in the 90? Would this have delayed the reunion of the E-street band?
What if The Rising wasn’t a critical and commercial success? Would there have been more E-street band albums, and would Bruce’s legacy look different today?
What if Nebraska was never recorded or was recorded with the E-street band? Would this have affected the sound of Born in the USA, possibly not launching Bruce into pop stardom?
An often overlooked album in Springsteen’s discography, this album features a color palette of various blues, red, and cloud imagery, trying to capture a lost in a dream feeling. One of Springsteen’s most positive themed album, the subjects of positivity and resilience can be heard in the title track of “Working on a Dream”, Surprise Surprise”, and “My Lucky Day”. Still serious subjects of aging and life’s conclusions can be heard on “Tomorrow Never Knows”, and “The Last Carnival”.
Honestly an under appreciated album for its art style, I just wished the songs on this album would have leaned into more of an atmospheric dream sound.
Thoughts on this era?
With the washed out photography, a sand colored palette, and grainy textures, Magic embraces the weathered and left in the sun appearance. With the continuing Iraq war, and the believed disillusionment state of America in this time, it was a theme in the writings of “Radio Nowhere”, “Magic”, “Last to Die”, Gypsy Biker”, and “Devil’s Arcade”. Breezier and happier sounding tracks of “Girls in Their Summer Clothes, still carry hints of melancholy, and “Livin’ in the Future” address the illegal wiretappings during the War on Terror.
One of the Springsteen albums with the least amount of photos, or album art, the music of this album seemed to be the main focus during this era, as longtime manager Jon Landau described it as a “high energy rock album” with a return to the “heavy e-street sound”. This can also be evident in the contrast of covers of “Radio Nowhere”, “Girls in Their Summer Clothes”, and “Long Walk Home”.
Thoughts on this era?
I don’t see this talked about a lot on here. I was wondering if this may have been a little forgotten? People who enjoy any songs on this EP let me know.
If one word could be used to describe this album’s art direction it could be “rustic”. Songs on this album sound like they could be played around a campfire at night. The album’s art in this era utilizes shades of browns, black, and amber, and this matches the warm acoustic tone of the album. Although the art of the album looks worn, more positivity is present this time around in comparison to the other acoustic albums of “Nebraska”, and “The Ghost of Tom Joad”. The single covers of “All I’m Thinkin About” and the title track of “Devils and Dust”, are faded images, but Bruce is seen smiling on them.
Western influences would reappear again this album, heard in songs like “Reno”, “Matamoros Banks”, and “Silver Palomino”, and is reflected in the art of the animal skulls on the backside of the album. The rustic imagery of the album could be captured in the stripped back but warm sounds of “Leah”, “Maria’s Bed”, and “All The Way Home”.
Perhaps one his most underrated albums, and one of his best from his later career. Did you like this art direction for Bruce?
Compelled to write an album after the attacks of September 11th, grey hazy photography would be used to capture the collective shock, grief, and disorientation felt across the world. Tracks like “Into the Fire”, “Lonesome Day”, “Empty Sky”, and “Your Missing”, relay this message through their sound. The orange tones and writing of this album can capture the flames of the destruction of 9/11, but they’re also suppose to represent the coming of a new dawn. Heard in the title track of “The Rising”, “Waiting on a Sunny Day”, and “My City of Ruins”, the orange tones can be attributed by the light trying to break through the despair.
I believe Bruce was able to capture every felt emotion during this timeframe, while also trying to deliver people a new feeling of hope, and I think the artwork captured this perfectly.
Album pictures were taken by David Clinch
Inspired by John Steinbeck’s novel “The Grapes of Wrath”, which captures the economic hardships of the Great Depression, nothing is suppose to invoke pleasure from this album. Rooted in addressing immigrant struggles, homelessness, incarceration issues, and poverty, The Ghost of Tom Joad’s artwork captures every aspect of desperation. With the figure on the album cover appearing battered or lashed, and paired with faded photography of earthy green and brown tones, it sets this album up to have the most thematic art direction since “Nebraska”.
The black and white photography adds to the vacant western and close to the border feeling captured in songs like “The Line” “Balboa Park”, and “Across the Border”. The highway imagery in the promotion pictures are captured in the title track “The Ghost of Tom Joad”, and “Highway 29”. The dirty and blurry artwork can add to the destitute vibes of the songs of “Youngstown” and “The New Timer”
Thoughts on this era of aesthetics for Springsteen? What do you remember most about this era?
With its bright colors, desert murals, and Southwestern imagery, Lucky Town may be one of the warmest and optimistic visual eras of Bruce’s discography. The Southwestern influences can be seen throughout the era, from the desert murals featured on the album artwork, along with the cacti and earthy tones in other images. The vibe of the music of this album fits the warm guitar tones found in songs like “Living Proof”, “Souls of the Departed”, and the “The Big Muddy”. Fuel by newly found optimism from the desire to start over after his divorce, the new marriage, and the birth of his first child, the optimism can be heard in tracks such as “Better Days”, “Leap of Faith”, and “Local Hero”.
I’ve always believed Bruce is dressed like a nightclub owner you would see in the southwest during this era, and it’s fun seeing him in these loud dress shirts.
Thoughts on this era?
Bruce lost in Japan
It’s hard to say if there was a dedicated art direction for this album, but there a few things that stick out. Possibly the best word to describe the imagery of this album’s art is “offbeat”. The image of the old tv in the “57 Channels (And Nothing On)” single cover, and the picture inside the album sleeve of the close up vacancy sign, and elephant, all almost appear surreal, but they’re grounded in real life imagery.
Close ups shots of Bruce’s arm and guitar on the front, and back of the album, paired with large stretched out lettering, can add to the cluttery tone that the art style can give off. Heavily saturated colors would be featured in this era, with the “Human Touch” and “Roll of the Dice” single covers both having vibrant tones.
David Rose captured the album cover and Annie Leibovitz contributed to the interior photography.
Thoughts on this Bruce era for design?
Although harder to pinpoint a specific art style attached to this album, the color scheme is dominated by more muted colors of sky blue, yellow, and white. Slight hints of red and pink were also featured in promotional images of the album along with outtakes. The duller color palette of this era could signify Bruce’s attempt to capture the more mature sound of love, straying away from the arena rock sound of the previous era of Born in the USA. The mature themes can also be seen in the attire, as a use of formal attire is present this album. Slight use of amusement park themes could be seen in the lettering style on “Spare Parts”, and amusement park imagery would be used on the “Tunnel of Love” single.
The use of black and white themes would return to this album, seen in the single covers of “One Step Up” and “Brilliant Disguise”, as well as in the music videos of “Brilliant Disguise”, Tunnel of Love”, and “Tougher Than the Rest”.
Pictures of the album were capture by Annie Leibovitz
Thoughts on this era?
I personally love this cover for the song, but do you think it captures the sound of I’m Goin’ Down? The single’s picture of Bruce in a suit is a lot more sleek compared to the more every day clothes he wore in the other singles for this album, so it was a unique choice. This perhaps looks like something more that would have appeared on Tunnel of Love.
Just wanted to see if you think this picture was fitting for I’m Goin’ Down
In Springsteen’s most commercially successful era, the art direction for this album embraces every day American imagery. With the patriotic appearance of the exterior of the album photographed by Annie Leibovitz and designed by Andrea Klein, inside, the songs of the album reveal the often overlooked struggles of Americans. The anthemic tracks of Dancing in the Dark, Glory Days, No Surrender, and I’m Goin’ Down, have a stadium sound effect that can present a perceived celebratory theme of the album.
The tracks of “Born in the USA”, Downbound Train, and My Hometown, address issues that can affect every day Americans, including the mistreatment that veterans received returning home from Vietnam, disillusionment and loss from relationships and economic decline, and the continued American industrial and urban decay.
While the singles covers of this album often stray away from the red white and blue color scheme of the album cover, they still feature common blue collar and working class American apparel.
While his most successful era, do you think this is Bruce’s most aesthetically appealing era?
Favorite art direction Jimmy Eat World has ever taken for an album. With the cinematic production at times and the various indie elements, I feel that the art style was perfectly captured by the songs on this album. Top 3 album for me!
What do you think of this era?
I have never seen “Movielike” talked about a lot on this forum, and I was just curious what the thoughts are on this track, and why it has sort have been forgotten?
I thought the song had a really nice sound to it, and perhaps it’s one of the best aged songs coming off the “Invented” album. Curious to hear other opinions on this.
Arguably Springsteen’s most thematic album, Nebraska truly captures the middle of nowhere America feeling that it delivers. The cover was captured by landscape photographer David Michael Kennedy in 1975, who was eventually hired by art director Andrea Klein, who introduced Bruce to Kennedy’s work. After various images were shown, Springsteen would settle for this image. The capitalized red letters offer a bloody imagery to the already dark tone of the album’s artwork and music. Springsteen himself described the album by saying, “It was all just very bloody in its own way.”
The blood red lettering can be related to on songs like “Nebraska”, “Highway Patrol Man”, “Johnny 99”, and “Atlantic City”, and the dark ghostly photography can be reflected on songs like “Mansion On the Hill”, “My Father’s House”, “Used Cars”, and “State Trooper”, which have more isolated sounds to them.
Released as the fourth single from the album on December 28, 1987, it was originally intended to be a dance track. With cutting out the snare on the board, it changed the whole atmosphere on the track, which resulted in a dreamy tone where George would work around. Michael’s in the past has confirmed that the song is centered around a relationship he had in the past, saying “Father Figure” was about “a very specific experience” in a relationship he had.
In an interview with ET, his explanation of the track continued with “I think there’s a definite pattern in people’s lives where they move away from their parents, then they spend time on their own and then they look for that replacement. It’s always talked about in terms of boys being discarded in terms of their mothers, and then finding a replacement.”
While there’s no clear explanation for the cover art for the single of “Father Figure”, a possible explanation is the white out styling of the cover reflecting the dreamy tone of the song.
UK Singles- 11
US Billboard 100- 1
US AC Chart- 3
US Dance Clubs Songs- 13
AUS- 5
CAN Top Singles 2
Originally intended to only be an album track, after popular demand from those working on the album, Faith would be released as the second single from the album. The vocals are intentionally dry and close up sounding, and eventually a new bridge including a 1950s style guitar solo was added to extend the track.
I’ve always found that this track was so distinctive from the rest of the album, which had such a deep perfection pop sound, while this song intentionally seemed to have a more aggressive and stripped down effect.
The single cover for “Faith” seems to add to the theme of the mature pop figure separate from the more innocent image that was acquired in his Wham! era. Love this song! If you have any more facts on this song share them!
US Billboard 100- 1
UK Singles Chart- 2
US AC Chart- 5
AUS Chart- 1
CAN chart - 1
Also if you ever want me to include your country’s chart just let me know ❤️