This might be the worst collection of album art I’ve ever featured in this column. Addison Rae’s debut has passable art, but Bruce Springsteen and Tyler’s art directors both mailed it in this week.
Bruce Springsteen
Inyo
2025, 6.5/10
Disc five on Springsteen’s Tracks II set, Inyo was originally planned as a sequel to 1995’s The Ghost of Tom Joad. Springsteen wrote it while driving through Inyo County, California on his way to Yosemite or Death Valley. It’s in the same vein as Tom Joad, with contemplative folk songs, although mariachi musicians flesh out some of the arrangements. There
Springsteen chose ‘Adelita’ as the lead single for the record, and it’s one of his finest story songs, telling the tale of Mexico’s female “soldaderas”, who played a major role in the country’s fight for independence. It’s focused on California and Texas, and the Mexican border, which were often in the news in the 1990s. Inyo is enjoyable, but it feels short on great songs after ‘Adelita’. Singer-songwriter isn’t my favourite Springsteen mode, and it’s best when he embraces fuller arrangements, like on ‘The Last Charro’.
‘Adelita’ might be my favourite song on Tracks II, but there are stronger albums in the set.
Tyler, the Creator
Don’t Tap the Glass
2025, 7/10
He started as a brash teenager, gaining attention with his provocative lyrics for hip hop crew Odd Future. Along the way, he’s toned down the controversy and become a critically acclaimed artist. He’s entertaining, often mixing cranky hip-hop tracks with sentimental soul and R&B.
Don’t Tap the Glass, Tyler’s ninth album, runs for less than half an hour. Often, I’d condemn an album for running less than half an hour. But in this case, it feels right – it’s unashamedly fun and trivial, and it would outstay its welcome.
I didn’t want to spend three years and try to be super innovative. […] Bro, I made an album, I was done.
Tyler, the Creator, HotNewHipHop
Tyler is charming and charismatic enough to pull this record off. The title track is fun and propulsive, built around a simple piano figure. ‘Sugar on My Tongue’ is barebones like an early Prince song.
The lack of variation and ambition is limiting, but Don’t Tap the Glass is fun.
addison Rae
Addison
2025, 8/10
Louisiana’s Addison Rae Easterling became famous as a dancer and TikTok content creator before launching a music career. It’s not a promising background, but her debut album is surprisingly strong.
With the help of producers Elvira Anderfjärd and Luka Kloser, she taps into a dreamy pop sound, inspired by Madonna’s Ray of Light. It’s occasionally brought to earth by prosaic lyrics that don’t match the dreamy music and ethereal vocals – the lyrics of ‘High Fashion’ are jarring when she sings lines like “But whеn it comes to shoes, I’ll be a slut”.
But ethereal tunes like ‘Diet Pepsi’, ‘Headphones On’, and ‘Times Like These’ are surprisingly effective, making Addison one of the year’s best mainstream pop releases.
I’d be impressed if Addison Rae can deliver another top-notch album, but Addison is a surprisingly satisfying debut.
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I guess I would have to go with Springsteen here as my favorite. Hip hop generally isn’t my cup of tea, and based on sampling a few tracks, I probably won’t further explore Addison Rae’s new album either.
While “Inyo” isn’t bad, I find the songs aren’t particularly memorable. Overall, I feel the same is true for the “Tracks II” collection overall, based on what I’ve heard. This may sound a bit harsh, especially given Springsteen has many songs I’ve loved for many years, and overall I consider him as one for my longtime favorite artists. In my case, it most comes down to his ’70s and some of his ’80s music. Everything thereafter I feel was hit and miss.
Most of my Springsteen love is centred on three albums – Wild/Innocent, BTR, and Darkness. I have been enjoying Tracks II though – my favourite record from the set should be up next week.
Great reviews as always.
Thanks for reading!
For me Springsteen would be the one I would listen to out of these…isn’t the “electric” Nebraska due out pretty soon? That will be interesting to me.
I think there’s a movie as well…
Bailey told me about that…that should be interesting.