Bruce Springsteen: Ranking His Albums From Worst To Best

11. The Ghost Of Tom Joad

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKPvhvGKOyk Year Of Release: 1995 Key Tracks: Youngstown, Straight Time, The Ghost of Tom Joad Springsteen was a busy guy in 1995. He temporarily reunited with The E Street Band to record new material for their Greatest Hits CD, released the Blood Brothers EP and wrote and recorded his second acoustic album, The Ghost of Tom Joad between March and September. Bruce has referred to the 90s as a 'lost period' where he didn't do much work and has said that the work that he did do wasn't his best, but Tom Joad (and, to a lesser extent, Lucky Town) would argue that. The album, comprising of seven solo and five band tracks, is a worthy follow-up to Nebraska and contains several outstanding songs. The folksy album was a brave one for Springsteen and a radical departure from Lucky Town/Human Touch. Here Bruce sings in hushed tones about the plight of immigrants, the state of the economy and the struggles of every day people who are just trying to get by. Youngstown, which charts the Ohio town's rise and fall, is especially moving (and is the best song on the album). A worldwide, small venue tour followed which saw Bruce eschew the stadiums and arenas in favour of concert halls. Bruce, with his beard grown out and harmonica in hand, often had to remind the audience not to clap and cheer during the performances.