Close your eyes and you're there!

I'm reviewing this boxed set after spending last night at the Springsteen concert in New York City. Even though I've owned this for years, the quality of the songs and the selection never cease to please me; right now I'm marvelling at how energetic the songs these CDs are. If I close my eyes it's like I'm in the stadium again--only Bruce and his E Street Band are playing only the songs that I love ;)

Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band: Live/1975-85 is the consummate collection for Bruce fans new and old. 3 discs, 40 songs, all the hits. These are the songs that sealed Bruce's status in the collective conscious, and gave him the huge fan base that he has today. Unlike many other live/concert recordings, this one is easy to listen to: you're not bombarded with strange sounds, and Bruce isn't the only person you hear--each E Street Band performer shines through. Unfortunately, you will not find newer favorites like "Light of Day," "Murder Incorporated" and "If I Should Fall Behind" on this set, but their absence is hardly noticed among the rollicking rendition of "Rosalita," the quiet glory of an acoustic "Thunder Road," and a true-to-concert version of "Hungry Heart."

ALL of the old favorites are on this set: "4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)," "Backstreets," "Two Hearts," "Because the Night," "Darkness on the Edge of Town," "The River," "Cover Me." I can't put these CDs in the player without first listening to "Spirit in the Night,"--this is the best version of the song I've heard anywhere, even surpassing the time I heard it live. Not to be forgotten are "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out," "Born in the U.S.A." and most especially, "The Promised Land." Although the second CD drags a bit (I could do without "Cadillac Ranch" and Bruce's version of "This Land is Your Land") discs one and three make up for the loss.

If you've ever been to a Bruce concert, listening to these CDs are the closest you can get to being there once again. If you're a casual fan of the Boss, there is no better CD to buy than this set: you really get the most for your money, and these songs will transport you back into Bruce's heyday. In my book, no CD set comes as highly recommended as Live/1975-85.