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At long last I hold in my hands Bruce Springsteen’s highly anticipated new album, Magic, and it’s practically a masterpiece. I had been so excited by all the buzz generated by a leaked MP3 edition of the record, though I intentionally avoided any contact with those elicit files, wanting to hear the whole thing straight through on release-day. Aside from a bit of “Radio Nowhere” played on NPR and the Today Show, I made it.

So, yesterday after work I rode my bike by the store and pulled the disc from the new release rack, priced $13.88. I raced home–mostly to beat an imminent thunderstorm–and once Mrs. Hill left for the gym I slipped it into the player and awaited rock.

I got it; Magic is loud, the signal boosted such that you must be aware of your stereo’s volume before you press play. “Radio Nowhere” was what I had heard before, a catchy, straight-up rock number. I really enjoyed the next three songs: “Livin’ in the Future” is an R&B number à la “10th Avenue Freeze Out”; and “Your Own Worst Enemy” is sung in a style more reminiscent of Bruce’s old “heroic” voice than almost anything he’s recorded in over a decade. I was less immediately impressed with “Gypsy Biker”, though after a few listens it has grown on me - ditto “Devil’s Arcade”, those two being my least favorite on the album, though both imminently listenable. “Magic” starts so atmospherically, and it has grown on me, too. “Girls In Their Summer Clothes” is lyrically the strongest on the album, and the music is great, too.

But, far-and-away my favorite song on the new album–and now must count as one of my favorite Bruce Springsteen songs ever–is “I’ll Work For Your Love”. The instant it began, with a bright piano tune, bursting into jangly pop-rock, I immediately began to smile, and didn’t stop until it ended. I love the melody, I love the words. In fact, I couldn’t like it more even it were sung by a chorus of cardinals playing harpsichords. Listen to the beginning:

Magic is a fantastic album, well worth the wait, and I easily his best album since Born in the USA, if not The River. If you aren’t automatically averse to Bruce Springsteen, I’d encourage you to buy it, and give it three listens. By the third spin, you’ll be you’ll agree with everything I have said.