On Tunnel Of Love Springsteen traded in arena-rock anthems for an intimate look inward, taking bold proclamations with big ideas drenched in massive soundscapes and turning them into tidy vignettes of the challenges of mature adult relationships. Whereas Springsteen’s career had at that point largely focused on making massive statements about both the promise and disappointment of American life, Tunnel Of Love cuts those themes down to the marrow, distilling those same themes into ruminations on the promise and disappointment found in relationships. If it all feels like a quest to find himself amidst the confusion found in a relationship, it’s because it is.
The album’s pace and narrative reflects that transition. Kicking off with three songs that reflect the initial excitement of a relationship in “Ain’t Got You”, “Tougher Than The Rest”, and “All That Heaven Will Allow”, Springsteen sets the stage for a distinctly American love story before ripping out the rug from underneath you and unearthing the pain sitting underneath it all. And it quickly becomes clear that it was there all along.
And that’s the thing about Tunnel Of Love that makes it such a special part of Springsteen’s discography– these aren’t woe-is-me love songs that tell the story of a jilted lover singing through his pain and blaming the other. These are sober reflections on a man’s own failings that led to the situations he finds himself in, of trying to find yourself before you’re actually fully able to fully give yourself to someone else. No song better represents that sentiment than “Brilliant Disguise”, an upbeat thumper of a song with a massive sing-a-long chorus that subtly hides the confusion, jealousy and anxiety found within the lyrics. Springsteen’s discography is limitless in its ability to make me feel the full weight of the human condition, but there may not be a moment as good as that third chorus where he flips the script and belts out the closing chorus amidst a tidal wave of synths and wonderfully harmonized piano:
So when you look at me
– Bruce Springsteen, “Brilliant Disguise”
You better look hard and look twice
Is that me, baby
Or just a brilliant disguise?
That’s what makes The Boss my favorite artist of all-time– his ability to not just critique the institution of America, but also turn that wonderfully poignant magnifying glass on himself.
Standout Songs: “Brilliant Disguise”, “Walk Like A Man”, “Two Faces”, “One Step Up”, “Tougher Than The Rest”
