He has been making music for longer than most of us have been alive, and at age 58, Magic comes as a tribute to The Boss and his E street band. He’s one of those artists you can’t escape on the airwaves anywhere in the world. Whether it be “Born in USA” or “Dancing in the Dark” or the first single to be lifted from his new album, “Radio Nowhere,” the sound, the voice, the lyrics are unmistakable. It’s Bruce Springsteen, which is often followed by the phrase “Oh I love this song, turn it up!” With 15 full length albums, 15 Grammy Awards, 1 Academy Award and three decades of touring under his belt, there’s a song that has touched every music lover’s heart out there.

Bruce Springsteen fans are like head lice in a primary school, relentless, unforgiving, hardcore and willing to stick to their leader through thick and the more balding years. I am proud to say that I’m one of them. Although I can’t claim to have been there from the beginning (I only joined in the late nineties), the passion is strong. What do I like most about Bruce Springsteen? The way his songs tell stories. His music has always been rooted in folk and in the beginning of his career was often unfairly compared to Bob Dylan. He has always had a rockier feel to his songs and this comes through again heavily on the latest album “Magic”.

“Magic” kicks off with treble guitar big band bang on “Radio Nowhere”. It’s so good that at the Recent MTV Awards, when asked which song he wished he had written, REM vocalist Michael Stipe answered, “That new song Radio Nowhere from Bruce Springsteen”. A massive complement from one of the world’s best lyricists.

Bruce Springsteen has throughout his career been very outspoken about current issues which saw him write many songs about the Vietnam war and in 2002 released “The Rising” in the wake of the September 11th attacks that also affected his home state New Jersey. Magic however is probably the most openly nostalgic album of his career. He dances through his life in the sixties in “Girls in their summer clothes” and recalls his hometown beachfront on “Long Walk Home.” In contrast to the patriotic “The Rising,” he seems disillusioned with all America has become in the post terrorist state. Although he makes no reference to Iraq, songs like “Gypsy Biker” paint the angst awaiting the return from war (“We pulled your cycle out of the garage/And polished up the chrome”) and the wasted effort for so many families “The speculators made their money on the blood you shed”.

In short, Magic is another offering from an artist who has consistently delivered quality songs and quality production. This is an album I have thoroughly enjoyed. Don’t expect “Born in the USA,” it’s a little bit more somber, but a great addition to your music collection especially for that Sunday Afternoon when you want to sit back and remember.