Amid a tour of Europe spawned from a selection of cancelled dates, Bruce Springsteen having the time to release an EP is a surprise. Recorded straight from the stage of Co-Op Live Arena and then released shortly after, Land of Hope and Dreams serves not just as a political statement, but a collection of brilliant songs. For those who wish they could relive The Boss’ cover of Chimes of Freedom, a classic Bob Dylan track, then look no further than Land of Hope and Dreams. It is an EP charged with political sincerity and musical class. That is what Springsteen has so often brought to his audiences, and yet it remains a surprise when he does so. Those who say musicians should not use their platform to profile the problems of the world are cowards, nothing more, nothing less. Land of Hope and Dreams is as honest as it gets from The Boss.
A minute-and-a-half introduction sets the scene of Land of Hope and Dreams. Its purpose, like all great art, goes beyond idle entertainment. Springsteen has expressed his fears for a country gone wrong in his songs more than once. Only the cloth-eared can ignore that part of Born in the U.S.A., and they still do. This half-hour EP is a collection of the very best moments from the Land of Hope and Dreams tour, all ripped from one of three dates in Manchester. There is a sentiment here to be shared with the UK, too, though the focus is on Donald Trump. What music can do for the fight against authoritarianism is clear, with the title song as punchy and as powerful as the My City of Ruins performance that follows. Futility is easy to give in to in times like these, and part of this Springsteen release must know it. Goading a reaction out of a sitting President and at the same time highlighting a still-relevant song from a previous decade is a masterstroke from Springsteen.
But it is easy to highlight and hard to change. All a performer can do is point to the actions and consequences. Hope and pray, the latter done with Long Walk Home, is what Springsteen can do. Artists can only hope their highlighting of issues is enough to bring on a strong enough reaction to topple this problem or tackle that heartbreak. Land of Hope and Dreams offers a sincere half-hour with The Boss, and the live performances on the tour of the same name are of an exceptional quality. What Springsteen hopes to highlight in the days of division is unity. James Baldwin’s quotes are just a snippet of what the world needs, and those who find this preachy are missing the purpose of art and performance. This is the platform of an all-time great, used as a way of hoping people come together and see sense.
Until people can rise up beyond the issues which are there to intentionally divide, the world has no chance. Springsteen makes this clear on My City of Ruins, a magnificent performance filled with the brass and electric guitar work which has defined his tours of late. Pair that with Chimes of Freedom, a monumental cover of the Dylan classic, and the EP spreads its purpose, message, and hopes as clearly as can be. A crucial late-stage release from Springsteen, better experienced live if you can, but this sampler is a brilliant piece. Chimes of Freedom has never sounded better in the voice of another performer than it does here, with Springsteen giving it his all towards the end of his marathon show. He does not just perform; he profiles the very real issues of the world, which are closing in fast.
