Bruce Springsteen – The Promise

As Sick Boy observed to Renton one myth-making afternoon in an Edinburgh park: “Well, at one time, you’ve got it, and then you lose it,” and by God did the Boss have it back in the mid to late 70s. These 21 tracks, recorded between the ‘75 smash Born to Run and its more introspective follow up, Darkness on the Edge of Town in ‘78, leave you immediately scratching your head that they’ve not seen the light of day before now.

There’s the Atlantic City-esque sadness of Come On (Let's Go Tonight), the jaunty rock n’ roll of Talk To Me, and even a bit of light-hearted relief in the amusing Ain’t Good Enough For You. Nothing light on the original version of Because the Night – later made famous by Patti Smith – only the pure-hearted strength of a juddering rock classic. All the big-hearted Boss staples, the blue-collar-throated tales, the tinkling keys, the highway hammering drums are present and correct, and the quality is humbling throughout. This is the Boss, myth-making, even when he's not trying to. [PJ Meiklem]