Fifteen Years and Counting

Springsteen is becoming the Patrick Ewing of rock. The Knicks legend had some great years, but I remember him just as much for all those years, way past his prime, when he played shitty basketball on rickety, worn-out legs. And so it is with the Boss. He released Lucky Town in March 1992, so he’s past his 15th anniversary as a washed-up icon. I just listened to his latest, Magic–a huge misnomer. Just more of that bland, crowded-stage sound, with Springsteen trying to yell something inspirational above all the racket. Sure, he’s still good in the big venue, blasting out the old anthems to baby boomers in bandanas. But when it comes to his post-glory-days stuff, best to combine it all in a medley, combining a trip to Youngstown, cable TV, 9/11, and something from this latest release.