Chimes of Freedom

1	Tougher Than the Rest 6:39
2	Be True 4:48
3	Chimes of Freedom 7:21
4	Born to Run Acoustic 5:23

Barnes & Noble

Whether it's a dead-end town (BORN TO RUN) or a dead-end marriage (TUNNEL OF LOVE), every Bruce Springsteen album has a neatly ordered narrative; the tracks he's done for fun have generally gone unreleased. So as long as he's clearing out his closet (with the four-CD set TRACKS and the single-disc 18 TRACKS), it's appropriate that he's decided to reissue the CHIMES OF FREEDOM EP -- four live songs originally released in 1988 on LP, cassette, and the misbegotten small-size CD3 format. The performances from the TUNNEL OF LOVE tour aren't among Springsteen's best, but "Tougher Than the Rest" is solid E Street fun, the unreleased "Be True" is a gem, and the tender, acoustic version of "Born to Run" shows just how powerfully an adult artist can reassess his youthful escapism. The blistering live version of Bob Dylan's "Chimes of Freedom," recorded on that fall's Amnesty International tour, makes this whole set worth it; whether it represents a continuation of the themes on BORN IN THE U.S.A. or simply a tribute to his biggest influence, it's a Springsteen side road as powerful as his best work. Robert Levine

All Music Guide

Culled from recordings of Bruce Springsteen's spring 1988 Tunnel of Love tour, Chimes of Freedom is a four-track EP that initially was released as a benefit for Amnesty International, appearing as he joined the fall 1988 Human Rights Now! tour. It was recorded and released quickly, easily qualifying as the speediest project Springsteen has ever completed. Unfortunately, it occasionally feels a little slapdash, but it's hard to criticize a four-song live charity EP for being haphazardly assembled, since that's in its nature. Nevertheless, Chimes of Freedom is a little unsatisfying, even though it's a good, brief sampler of the Boss live circa Tunnel of Love. And that's part of the problem. Tunnel of Love had a slicker production than a normal Springsteen record, featuring synths scattered throughout the record. Those arrangements were preserved on the live version of "Tougher Than the Rest," one of the best songs from the record, and it turns a little mushy in an arena setting. Similarly, the title track has its chiming opening refrain played on synths, and consequently it sounds a little stiff and dated. These faults are balanced by the remaining two cuts, the first released version of the excellent "Be True" and a reworking of "Born to Run" as an acoustic ballad. "Born to Run" has considerable power in this stripped-down setting, and "Be True" teems with life, pointing out how stiff its cousins sound on Chimes of Freedom. Neither of these tracks are major contributions to Springsteen's catalog, but they're nice additions for the die-hard fans who will be picking up the EP anyway. Stephen Thomas Erlewine