No matter how many songs are included in a package like this, it's always the ones that are missing that stick in your mind. For me, it's "One Step Up". For someone else, it may be "Cadillac Ranch" or "Racing In The Street", etc. Until Bruce Springsteen releases an all encompassing box set of mammoth proportions, however, we can consider ourselves well served with this 3 disc set. It presents an accurate picture of one of the most influential singer/songwriter/musicians of the past 30 years, and cleans up the sound to boot. A remastering of Springsteen's catalog is long over due; in the meantime, "Essential" does a decent job at putting a nice shine on some of the more compelling, memorable songs ever to grace a turntable, tape or CD player. For long time and casual fans alike.

THE BAND: Bruce Springsteen (vocals, guitars, harmonica, bass, recorder, mandolin)... and a host of musicians over the decades - the main players being - Roy Bittan (piano, keyboards, synth, mellotron, backing vocals), Stevie Van Zandt (guitars, mandolin, backing vocals), Patti Scialfa (guitar, backing vocals), Clarence Clemons (saxophone, percussion, backing vocals), Danny Federici (accordion, organ, piano), Garry Tallent (bass, tuba, backing vocals), Nils Lofgren (guitar), Max Weinberg (drums & percussion, backing vocals).

THE DISC: (2003) 42 tracks on 3 discs clocking in at approximately 200 minutes (disc-1 at 76 minutes, disc-2 at 77 minutes, disc-3 at 47 minutes). Included with the discs is a 42-page booklet containing song titles/credits, song lyrics, year each song was released (but sadly does not include what songs came from which albums), musicians on each track, numerous band photos, and thank you's. This compilation covers Springsteen's career from 1973-2002. Remastered sound. Label - Columbia / Sony Music.

ALBUM REPRESENTATION: Greetings From Asbury Park (3 songs), The Wild, The Innocent & The E-Street Shuffle (2), Born To Run (3), Darkness On The Edge Of Town (3), The River (2), Nebraska (2), Born In The USA (3), Tunnel Of Love (2), Human Touch (1), Lucky Town (2), The Ghost Of Tom Joad (1), The Rising (3), "Philadelphia" movie soundtrack (1), Live in NYC (2). Disc-3 contains odds & sods, B-sides, live tracks, rarities, etc.

COMMENTS: You get a lot of Bruce here. It's a great collection of songs (and a ton of music for the price). It makes his "Greatest Hits" (1995) look downright small... though don't trade in your "Greatest Hits" disc - it's worth keeping since 6 songs won't be found on this "Essential" set. THE GOOD: Many of Bruce's staples are here - "Blinded By The Light", "For You", "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)", "Thunder Road", "Born To Run", "Jungleland", "Badlands", "Hungry Heart", "Nebraska", "Born In The USA", "Glory Days", "Dancing In The Dark", "Brilliant Disguise", "Human Touch", "Lonesome Day", etc. The booklet is extensive - lyrics & photos are a definite plus (also included is a 1-page note from Bruce noting the long career he's had and the difficult task in selecting songs for a compilation). The songs are in chronological order (another plus in my book), so you can hear Bruce mature/change over the years. Glad to see "American Skin (41 Shots)" made it from "Live in NYC"... this is/was my favorite live song in recent years... and if you've seen the band perform it live or on their HBO special from 2001, (knowing the story) maybe you'll feel the same. Disc-3 is a treat - lots of unreleased material (my favorites being "County Fair" and the live "Trapped". THE NOT SO GOOD: There's no such thing as THE perfect 'best of' mix. This holds true of this "Essential" collection from Springsteen. The liner notes say the sound is "remastered" (no mention of digitally remastered), yet the first half of disc-1 still sounds a bit dated. I have to keep reminding myself that the early-to-mid 70's recording technology was not kind to some artists. As much as you get here, there are still some very key songs missing - "10th Avenue Freeze-out", "Growing Up", "Backstreets", "I'm On Fire", "Pink Cadillac", "I'm Going Down", "My Hometown", "Cover Me", "Prove It All Night", "Adam Raised A Cain", "The Ties That Bind", "She's The One", "Reason To Believe", "Murder Inc", "Secret Garden", "Better Days"... and perhaps a few classics that were not big hits like "Does This Bus Stop at 82nd Street?", "Lost In The Flood", "Racing In The Streets", "Youngstown" or "Incident on 57th Street". Only 3 songs from the classic "Born To Run" is not enough, and 3 songs from "The Rising" is probably too much. And, couldn't they find a better photo for the cover? For me, listening to Bruce was always an album experience. If you just want to get your feet wet, this "Essential" disc should do the trick. If you really want to dive in, gather up his 1st five albums plus "Born In The USA". A great collection of songs here, just not complete (4 stars).

In the days of Rock & Roll, we always have heroes when it comes to Americana in music. For some, we think of greats like Bob Dylan and hard rockers like Aerosmith, Metallica, and The Scorpions. Nevertheless, that all seems to be cliche', when it really comes down to Bruce Springsteen. His voice and his edge have made a dynamic impact for well beyond 30 years in the industry. He truly has been one of the very few icons that always remained true to the public, without the need to sell himself out like most corporate, manufactured artists there are today. Nevertheless, every time he is on stage, that is what makes him sell out.

The Essential Bruce Springsteen, is a comprehensive glimpse into Bruce's career. The 3 CD set contains over 40 tracks that really go deep into the musical depths the boss made responsible. The songs go from his early records, Greetings From Asbury Park and Born To Run, all the way to the massive 9/11 acclaimed The Rising. The album does include some great standards from the boss including Rosalita, Hungry Heart, Glory Days, Nebraska, all the way to his current hits, the Oscar-winning Streets Of Philadelphia, Lonesome Day, and his live acclaim's from his 2000 reunion tour with The E Street Band. Such as the diverse and controversial American Skin (41 Shots), which reflected on the death of a immigrant man who was killed mistakenly by cops in New York City.

The record does also have some disadvantages to this collection. The album does overlook some great Springsteen songs like, My Hometown, One Step Up from the soft-spoken Tunnel Of Love, I'm On Fire, Secret Garden from Jerry Mcguire, and Murder Incorporated from his 1995 Greatest Hits. They could've been added onto the bonus disc of leftover songs. Instead, the record has some lesser known songs to the mend such as The Ghost Of Tom Joad, and his Oscar- Nominated Dead Man Walkin', from the 1996 Sean Penn movie.

All in all, not every hits collection is perfectional, but this one is similar to recent collections by Elton John, Lionel Richie, and Donna Summer, which also includes a bonus disc. Out of all the ones that work, The Essential Bruce Sprinsteen fairs well. While some may feel a little more interested in the 1995 Bruce Springsteen hits collection, this one is a bit more diverse from the legacy of the boss.

Overall: B+

This three disc compilation piles together some of the best recordings of Bruce Springsteen, arguably one of the finest solo rock singers in the genres history. Picking two or three songs from each album, the collection is far from comprehensive but still the best compilation of Springsteen available.

It features the obvious highlights such as Badlands, The Promised Land, Born In The USA, and Born To Run - one of the greatest rock songs ever. But lesser known highlights such as Blinded By The Light and The Ghost of Tom Joad produce a more rounded retrospect of Springsteen's career.

Since the singers decision to support John Kerry in the recent election, I have noticed many of his `fans' have decided to slate him in these reviews. This surprises me. I am new to Springsteen's music but anyone who has listened to it or read his lyrics should have known all along where his political allegiance lay. Writing the theme tune to Philadelphia, a film that sympathised with aids sufferers, was a clear sign of this. Other songs, such as American Skin, about the gung ho shooting of an African immigrant by New York police is another example, as well as lyrics like `Poor men wanna be rich, rich men wanna be kings, and a king ain't satisfied till he rules eveything'.

This is a comprehensive introduction to the career of `The Boss'.

What many of these reviews have failed to mention is the outstanding remastering and mixing these recordings have undergone!

The pre-Nebraska section is eye-opening. The improvements over the standard CD releases is startling. Whether you're listening in your car, your high-end stereo or your iPod, it's obvious.

The three "Greetings" tracks are cleaned up a bit, but the "Wild, Innocent" two are flat-out revelatory. Crisp, clean, balanced. Chuck Plotkin was thanked in the booklet, and I can see why.

The 'Born To Run' songs sound as if a layer of grime has literally been scrubbed off. The strings and piano sounds, as well as Clarence's clarion sax, have never sounded so sharp.

The 'Darkness' tracks benefit from an improved drum and vocal sound, and is just overall better mixed. Same goes for the 'River' tunes, of which there are only two.

The extras disc is gravy. Why quibble? It's just a great sampler of stuff for the rabid fans (like me) out here without access to bootlegs.

What excites me the most is that this is the first sign that Bruce and company are considering remastering the old albums. If this is any hint at the possibilities, the mind reels. I can't imagine whole original albums sounding this good...they would become mandatory purchases for even those only minimally interested in Springsteen.

...could "authorized" boots be next? We can only hope.