By the time The River was released in 1980, Springsteen was beginning to perfect the art of the darker themes as well as more upbeat songs, but it was with this album that he honed the skill of having each on one record. Springsteen himself has said that the album was a "gateway" for albums such as Nebraska and Tunnel Of Love, two hugely different records in terms of themes and sound. And it most certainly helps that the title track has become one of the most loved of Springsteen's entire catalogue; easily one of his most remarkably written and arguably the highlight of the live shows. The album is a perfect example of how to manage two opposing tones and successfully mesh them together, and truly is a benchmark for how to achieve such a thing in a single album format.
