Four MTV Unplugged albums that failed to meet expectations

Bruce Springsteen - In Concert/MTV Plugged

The album's name is a giveaway for one of the problems with this album. It's not at all close to unplugged. Bruce Springsteen got the memo but heard what his acoustic versions sounded like and apparently changed his mind, asking MTV to let him switch to an electric show. MTV wanted his folky, quieter acoustic self and band playing out an intimate set with stories and great songs. But they agreed to the switched on change. 

Springsteen wasn’t backed by his customary E Street Band. He’d already decided to have a break from them on his 1992-3  world tour to promote two recent albums, Human Touch and Lucky Town. Springsteen wanted to change things up a bit with his music and band for this 1992 TV show and album to follow. Perhaps an unplugged set would have been ideal, but it wasn't to be. 

Springsteen did shake up the set, skipping a few old favorites and drawing instead from the recent albums. Those provided eight songs on the record along with three others. “Darkness On The Edge Of Town”, a very bare version of “Thunder Road” and a slightly odd bluegrass-tinged “Atlantic City”. 

The lack of the E Street band was a sore point with fans, for the tour, this unplugged show, and album. At the time it was recorded it seemed his band were still feeling their way and being over-cautious as they stepped into the big shoes. That leads to a low-key performance, a bit stark and low energy in places, and not the usual Springsteen rocking show, even if he did kill the usual laid-back concept.

It's not a bad album. Springsteen does rescue it in places with a couple of good song versions. By his admittedly high standards, it's nowhere near his best. He has so many other live albums and material available from all sorts of angles and perspectives that this is one you just don't need to get to in any great hurry, if at all.

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