Springsteen's massive, expensive Tracks II is here! Here's what people are saying

Photo by Danny Clinch

It's all over but the shouting! Actually, I've never been sure exactly what that means. But when it comes to Tracks II — the 83-song, seven-album boxed set Bruce Springsteen released today — there's bound to be at least a few raised voices as fans debate the relative worth of its various components.

Beyond the music, though, the first thing people tend to bring up when it comes to this set is the price, which dwarfs most similar collections. Take Blogness on the Edge of Town readers, for instance: 463 of them responded to our poll question "How do you feel about Bruce Springsteen's upcoming Tracks II: The Lost Albums?," and a full 40% chose "Excited, but wish the physical box was cheaper." And 15% (not an insignificant amount) responded "Too turned off by the price to think about anything else." (In case you were wondering, 27% had no concerns whatsoever.)

Here's what some of them had to say:

No way, too expensive:

“I know people who will buy it and give me the digital tracks for free. No, I don't feel guilty at all about it. Don't need more coasters. And I have Spotify Premium.” — Frank. NJ

“That is just way too much. We'll see what Spotify has.” — Kyle, Kentucky

“With such dismal record sales for the last few releases/sets you would think it would be easier for ALL fans from ALL age groups to purchase. $300-plus US dollars is extreme.” — Justin, New Jersey

“Much, MUCH too expensive. I’ve been pumped for Tracks II since it was teased, but £35 per CD is unrealistic — unless it comes with two tickets for gigs.” — Steve, Oxfordshire, England

“He's a billionaire at this point. This price is robbery. — John, Pennsylvania 

“Most of Tracks 1 was okay, but not amazing. I'm sure there will be some decent stuff here, but for the most, surely they weren't put out originally for a reason. And it's frankly too expensive to take the risk.” — Paul, UK

“I have been a huge fan, seen 18 shows, and have some of his lyrics tattooed on my ankle. Never, ever not bought a release. Had over 400 bootlegs. But starting with the ticket debacle — dynamic pricing, anyone? — I've been a lot less starry-eyed. Would I love to hear this new collection? Absolutely. Will I spend $300 for the CDs? Um, no.” — Eve, Daytona Beach, FL

Some reservations:

“[I’m] 50 yrs of age … not sure I have the time to get through so much music.” — JC

“Big price for devotees, who will buy immediately. I'll wait a year or two for a price drop, because I just can't afford these outrageous prices.” — Frank, Dublin, Ireland

No worries:

“What a gift to still be getting this amount of unheard music at this point in his career. I know it’s not the E Street Band, but Bruce’s diversity in his songwriting is what makes him the best.” — Bryan O’D , Pittsburgh, PA

"I am definitely getting it but like you, I have toyed with just having it on Apple Music but  that’s never going to be enough! I also trust that Bruce has done the right thing here and that there may be  some tracks I’m not particularly enamoured with, but that there will also be some gems that I’ve been waiting for!" — Steph, UK

“It’s very expensive, but vinyl usually costs between 25 and 30 bucks, so seven of them is 210 bucks. The book is expensive. It sounds like it’s well made, that’s probably another 60-75 bucks. So I think we’ll get our money’s worth. If you want just the digital, it's $60.” — Jesse, Dallas

“I'm retired and have plenty of time to listen, examine and analyze the entire set. Plus, I got the dough.” — Gary Hall, Michigan 

What the critics say:

Of course, now that the reviews have started to come out, maybe some naysayers will reconsider: Most have ranged from seriously intrigued to simply blown away.

Personally, having listened to it one (1) time while I was working and walking my dogs today, I have only a very sketchy (ill-informed) first opinion: first, that I could live without album 1 (just not that interesting in their current form, although I would love to hear 10 of the best given the full E Street treatment), and album 7 (felt almost strictly B-sidey).

But also, that the other individual albums seem super interesting, and in spots perhaps brilliant. More to come upon future listens, but in the meantime, here's what the professional critics have had to say:

Asbury Park Press: "Like fellow Jerseyan Walt Whitman, the Boss contains multitudes."

Washington Post: "None of this material is embarrassing, and much of it is inspired."

Esquire: "For fans, this is a historic, consistently impressive, and genuinely revelatory project. It’s also overwhelming, a needlessly unwieldy way to treat this crucial body of work."

AP: "Oddly, the one disc of strays cobbled together that feels most like an E Street Band record is the least compelling."

The Guardian: "I guess what’s amazing is that at this point it is possible for Springsteen to release all this unheard music and for it to contain music that’s not just interesting, not just decent, but contains a worthwhile number of songs that genuinely bear comparison to anything from any point in his career." (Michael Hamm, from a conversation with Laura Barton)

Pitchfork: "I’ve steadily turned to his work for meaning and guidance and shaped my life around a love of music. Would I have followed this same path if he swapped that welcoming overview for this dark unburdening? It’s impossible to say. But I do know that, 30 years later, it’s hitting the spot."

Ultimate Classic Rock: "Tracks II: The Lost Albums' alternate history of Springsteen releases is more supplemental than replacement. In the end, he made the right decisions about what and when they came out. The scope here, however, never fails to fascinate."

Rolling Stone: "Tracks II is overpowering in its sheer abundance — you can spend entire weeks exploring these albums. It’s loaded with songs that any other artists would have jumped at the chance to release—but not this guy, because good as they were, they just didn’t fit into his overarching plan of the lifelong story he wanted to tell."

NPR Music: "Most fans could find their way into the first Tracks via their favorite songs or eras, and then branch out from there. Springsteen presenting these 83 songs on Tracks II as seven sequenced records makes that process feel weightier, even with (or even because of) the expanded liner notes." (Part of an "essential listening guide.")

LA Times: "Like Tracks II as a whole, 'Twilight Hours' is about the road untaken, and it sounds both haunted and enriched by possibility."

AV Club: "Obviously, at the end of the day, it’s still Springsteen, and he can only stretch so far before returning back to the themes and arrangements that have driven so much of his music. Yet it’s striking the degree to which these albums possess their own personalities, even as musical stamps and styles—including word-for-word lyrical couplets cut and pasted into different songs, revealing an artist restlessly searching for the right sonic container to hold his imagery and emotions—retain his signature flavor."

Stereogum: "These albums cast a new light on certain eras and are often intertwined with other releases, their gestation and shelving and release spanning decades. It’s far more arcane than the first Tracks."

Mojo: "As a standalone release, like [Streets of Philadelphia Sessions] and LA Garage ’83, [Inyo] would rank among Springsteen’s best."

Louder: "This absolutely staggering collection of seven albums recorded – and in some cases very nearly put out – between 1983 and 2018 fills in the blanks and makes you wonder why lesser records were released instead. There’s nothing on 2014’s odd ’n’ sods High Hopes to match what’s here, for a start."

What are your initial thoughts? Let us know in the comments or on our social media.