Springsteen conveys a timeless world of perpetual youth, where all the archetypal characters of the rock 'n' roll world find a home. In the process, he makes that world seem vital again.

His lyrics are central to this conception. He works with a continuing cast that populates the same desolate streets of the "runaway American dream." It is a dream where escape comes hard, in cars and back streets, perhaps in a fleeting snatch of some half-forgotten rock song. There is much to say here, but little to talk about: Springsteen paints vivid characters, but the situations are stock, the action often stale; many songs suggest a soapy retread of West Side Story….

[There] is something troubling about the trajectory of Springsteen's career. In the search for superstardom, the safest bet is to latch onto something comfortable, familiar—and Springsteen's characters and melodies are nothing if not familiar...