After several years at the top of the rock world, Springsteen pulled back the reins on Tunnel of Love-a lot, not just a little.
Members of the E Street Band played on the album but seldom in full-band arrangements.
Then, too, there are the deeply conflicted songs--˝Brilliant Disguise,˝ ˝Two Faces,˝ ˝Tunnel of Love,˝ ˝One Step Up˝--that may have been written in response to the imminent failure of his first marriage.
There’s more to the album than divorce-court play-by-play, however. There’s also the raw rocker ˝Spare Parts,˝ the sprightly ˝All That Heaven Will Allow,˝ and the bold declaration ˝Tougher Than the Rest.˝
Overall, these are some of his most thoughtful songs and most intimate performances.
(Daniel Durchholz)