NILS LOFGREN

Old School

[Vision Music]

Among his fine work in Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, stewardship of Grin and work alongside Neil Young on classics like Tonight’s the Night, Nils Lofgren once simultaneously enjoyed a prolific solo career. But as his day job as an E Streeter has taken up increasingly more of his time, devotees have been left hoping he’d step out more on his own—and Old School should satisfy those Lofgren loyalists. Boasting guest stars Paul Rodgers, Lou Gramm and Sam Moore, the new album integrates relentless rockers with bittersweet balladry. The focus frequently veers toward regret and reflection, given the wistful tributes to vanished icons (“Miss You Ray,” “Ain’t Too Many of Us Left”), unblemished looks at the difficulty of aging gracefully (“60 Is the New 18”) and an angry indictment of entitlement (“Old School”). Lofgren’s ever-expressive vocals and riveting melodies keep the tunes grounded and easily accessible, while allowing plenty of sentiment to shine through. –Lee Zimmerman