18 Tracks [EXTRA TRACKS]

Bruce Springsteen

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 13, 1999)
• Original Release Date: April 13, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B00000IIXH
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (74 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #9,182 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

When Bruce Springsteen delved into the vaults to compile Tracks, his 1998 four-CD set of outtakes, B-sides, and rarities, it was a watershed for the Boss's longtime fans. There were a couple of notable omissions, though, including "The Fever" (covered most famously by Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes) and "The Promise," a longtime fan favorite that's never been included on any official Springsteen release. Those cuts appear at last on this single-disc distillation of the box set that's satisfying for casual fans not willing to shell out for the whole thing but essential for hardcore Springsteen followers needing those cuts to complete their collection. One caveat: "The Promise" is a newly recorded acoustic version, not the oft-bootlegged take fans had hoped for. There's a nice selection of cuts from the box, though, and yet another bonus track, "Trouble River," a hard-hitting outtake from the Human Touch sessions. --Daniel Durchholz

Product Description

Japanese miniature LP sleeve edition available at a cheaper price from the UK for a limited time only! This album was originally released in 1999 and featured 18 of the best cuts from the Tracks box set. Sony/BMG. 2008. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It delivers the goods, December 13, 1999

By	John Stodder "a.k.a. Juan La Princi" (livin' just enough) - See all my reviews

David Quantick of Emap Consumer Magazines is a very silly person. Springsteen is not capable of writing or playing a song that is "accidentally trying to put people off rock music for ever" as he snidely suggests. It's a bit late in the day for a critic to make his feeble name by slagging off world-class talents like Springsteen.

The best stuff on this record sounds like exactly what it is; songs Springsteen left off his familiar albums because they didn't fit. In the liner notes, he says he thinks in retrospect some of these editing decisions were regrettable mistakes, and he's mostly right. I'm glad to have almost all of 'em at long last.

The 4-disc box set of unreleased tracks may be too much of a good thing, but this set plays like greatest hits from an alternate universe. Go ahead, David Quantick, be enthusiastic. Springsteen has yet again improved your little world!

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Okay sampler of box set (and why Bruce just can't win), April 17, 2004

By A Customer

As everyone else has pointed out, there are three 'new' tracks here unavailable anywhere else. This has led many to accuse Bruce of ripping off his fans (with many recalling a similar sentiment surrounding the "Greatest Hits" CD from 1995, which was also padded out with 4 'new' tracks).

It's a real shame the three tracks were not included in the box set (there's more than enough room on each of the four discs on "Tracks"), but Bruce did not have any sinister motive saving them for this sampler CD. One thing to consider was that Springsteen's people were rushed to complete this set. According to a detailed article in Mix Magazine, Springsteen, Landau, and his team of engineers were working at their own pace when Sony got wind that the project was under way. All of a sudden, a huge marketing campaign was begun and a three-month timetable landed on Springsteen's lap. An insane amount of coordination and work was done to meet the deadline. At one point, they had roughly 120 to 130 tracks in consideration, eventually whittled down to 66, and I wouldn't be surprised if the rush had some impact on their decision-making.

When the box set finally came out, many, including Charlie Rose who interviewed Springsteen on his own show regarding "Tracks," asked about "The Fever" and "The Promise." Springsteen said that "The Fever" was never one of his favorites, and as much as he liked "The Promise," none of the recordings did it justice (none of this was new information or a big secret to longtime Springsteen fans). Well, the complaints were universal, and since there was already talk of a one disc sampler for the budget-minded fan (which eventually became "18 Tracks"), Springsteen thought he could use that disc as a way of appeasing fans. So, his engineers retrieved and remixed "The Fever" for CD release, and because he was never satisfied with the old recordings, went back into the studio and recorded a solo, piano rendition of "The Promise" in 1999 (months after "Tracks" was already released). How "Trouble River" figured into the mix, I'm not sure, but he was set on putting two new tracks on the disc, so why not a third?

Of course, lots of fans already picked up the box set the month it came out, so even though Bruce was sympathetic to what he heard afterwards, you can understand why so many would still cry rip-off. But, 1) again, Bruce didn't do this to squeeze money out of his fans, he did it because he was trying to appease them. 2) you'll notice on Amazon, ebay, and many other sites that "18 Tracks" used goes for a paltry few dollars, the price of a CD single or a 45, so time has righted things for those who have yet to buy it.

As for the 15 cuts taken from the box set, they aren't the 15 best. I actually like all of them, but "Thundercrack," "Roulette," "Shut Out The Light," and "The Wish" among others are more essential than "Where the Bands Are," "I Wanna Be with You," "Lion's Den," and "Part Man, Part Monkey."

Unless you're strapped for cash, go for the box set. For those who have the box set and are considering buying this for the new material, don't pay full price, get a cheap, used copy, they should be easy to find.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tracks for everyone, July 6, 2000

By	C. Smith "Chuck" (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

Let's face it: five CD's of outtakes and b-sides (the Tracks box set) is a bit much for all but us hard-core Bruce fans. 18 Tracks, on the other hand, is a more bite-sized near masterpiece. With a couple of exceptions (I'd name Seaside Bar Song and Trouble River as the two) the songs all work, and some of them rank with Bruce's best. The Promise is manna from heaven; My Love Will Not Let You Down was a highlight of the 1999-2000 tour, and Where the Bands Are has become my 5 year old's favorite Bruce song. Worth buying for even the casual Springsteen fan. Hardcore fans have to have it.