Can you feel it? Yes, it's "Letter To You" fever, and it's definitely spreading.
It seems The Gray Lady (or at least Jon Pareles) is quite fond of Bruce Springsteen's "writerly" new single; Chris Jordan of APP.com is thankful to Bruce for checking in on us; Rolling Stone's Kory Grow says it's a Song You Need To Know; Dylan Jones in GQ calls it "rather brilliant" and, tracing Bruce's career, predicts the album will be "epic"; Pitchfork calls it a "heartfelt tribute to those ties that bind"; Billboard praises its "classic E Street Band energy"; Etc.
Oh, and fans like it too. Many seem to agree with Tammy here.
Of course, album anticipation is mounting as well. In particular fans have honed in on the lyrics to "Rainmaker," which are plainly visible in the publicity shot of the album booklet. Named after a 1956 Burt Lancaster movie about a con man, many who ignored the Spoiler Alerts and read the lyrics think it must be about Trump. And if not, it should be. Meanwhile, Tony Hicks at Riff apparently wants Bruce to ride in on a white horse and save him from 2020. Don't we all, Tony ... Don't we all.
But "Letter To You" isn't all that's going on in the world of Bruce Springsteen news. Some must-follow links:
• Wondering about Bruce in the snow? Danny Clinch tells the story of the album cover to American Songwriter.
• Boston Globe columnist Kevin Cullen really liked the Springsteen BC convocation speech. (Feel like reading the speech rather than watching? America magazine has transcribed it.)
• Bruce Springsteen continues his recent hobby of appearing in music documentaries, this one about Harry Chapin.
• Jay Lustig at NJArts.net continues his amazing transcriptions of Bruce's "From My Home To Yours" DJ sets on Sirius/XM, this one of Episode 13, "Summer's End."
• Finally, listen as Australian folkie Angie McMahon delivers a haunting piano cover of "The River" at Consequences of Sound.