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MAGIC is Bruce Springsteen's new studio recording and his first with the E Street Band in five years. It's a solid rock/pop offering; Springsteen has left the folksy styles of THE SEEGER SESSIONS and TOM JOAD behind (for now) and from the first notes it's obvious this album is intended as a sequel to THE RISING solid rock & roll, a sound throughout that makes you want to get up and dance (or jump up and shake your fist), and like RISING, deeply layered with commentary about current events.

This layering makes MAGIC arguably one of Springsteen's best efforts, and what amazes me is that it is both familiar AND fresh. Many of the tracks feel like they could have been unreleased cuts from previous albums such as BORN IN THE USA, THE RIVER and BORN TO RUN; in fact, MAGIC not only uses classic lyrics from the older albums, but there are definite musical homages from JUNGLELAND and many others. This album is recognizably Springsteen but brand new.

Springsteen's songwriting on MAGIC is infused with subtle (and sometimes obvious) outrage at what has happened to his beloved America in 2007. As the five-star review in Rolling Stone so eloquently stated, "[Springsteen] makes no direct references to Iraq, Bush or the so-called Patriot Act. He doesn't need them."

I've read reviews commenting about those references that Springsteen infused in MAGIC, but to be absolutely honest, the first two times I listened to the CD, I didn't catch any of it. My friend David - also a Bruce fanatic - was incredulous I missed them, but on closer listen and careful reading of the lyrics, the message IS there, screaming at you. I usually "get" what Springsteen is saying in his music, but the first pass or two this time around, I missed it. Shame on me-MAGIC is layered with commentary about America 2007 and Springsteen isn't happy about what's happened to his beloved country.

1. RADIO NOWHERE

With the Tommy Tutone-ish opening riff, the E-Street Band is back! "I was trying to find my way home" the song begins a common theme in so much of Springsteen's work.

"Is there anybody alive out there?" Is there any concert where Bruce hasn't called out that very question? He's looking for a connection. Classic Bruce. Sort of a follow-up to 57 CHANNELS (AND NOTHING ON), RADIO NOWHERE is a powerhouse anthem and an obvious indictment of the homogenized, generic wasteland of corporate driven contemporary radio. "I Just want to hear some rhythm / I want a thousand guitars / I want pounding drums." Great to hear Clarence's

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