The pain of a protracted legal battle with his former manager and the release of being allowed to record again after a three-year layoff are equally apparent from the piercing hard rock and harsh lyrical content of Darkness on the Edge of Town. Betrayal and hard work that comes to naught are the primary subjects on his mind here, evidenced by songs such as "Adam Raised a Cain," "Factory," and "Streets of Fire." Elsewhere, there are signs of hope or at least the possibility of outrunning your problems ("Racing in the Street," "The Promised Land," "Prove It All Night"). But mostly, these are songs about exorcising some serious demons, and from the sound of things, Springsteen's loud, lonesome howl and blistering guitar work went a long way toward making him whole again. This is angry art, made by someone pushed to his absolute limit and more than ready to push back. --Daniel Durchholz