From Bauhaus to Our House 2 of 3

FROM

TO OUR HOUSE

Pt. 2

See here for context and disclaimers. All quotes from Tom Wolfe's From Bauhaus to Our House. 

Quick refresher: Bauhaus (soon to be known as "the International Style") came from the compound spirit of post-WW1 Europe. "The creation of this new type of community (the compound) proved absolutely exhilarating to artists and composers, as well as architects, throughout Europe in the early 20th century. We're independent of the bourgeois society around us! (They became enamored of this term bourgeois.) And superior to it! It was the compounds that produced the sort of avant-gardism that makes up so much of the history of 20th century art. The compounds - whether the Cubists, Fauvists, Futurists, or Secessionists - had a natural tendency to be esoteric, to generate theories and forms that would baffle the bourgeoisie. The most perfect device, they soon discovered, was painting, composing, designing in code."

Tonight's installment is about what happened when the revolution came to America. (Thanks a lot, Hitler!) (i.e. many came to America to escape Nazi hostility in Europe, not like literally.)

"The university architecture departments themselves became the American version of the compounds."

Some images from Yale campus, as contributed by fellow travelers. (Louis Kahn, Richard Barnes.)

"Studying architecture was no longer a matter of acquiring a set of technical skills and a knowledge of aesthetic alternatives.  Before he knew it, the student found himself drawn into a movement and entrusted with a set of inviolable aesthetic and moral principles. (...) Faculty members resisted the compound passions at their own peril."

Louis Kahn (1901 - 1974)

"One day Kahn walked into a classroom and began a lecture with the words: "Light... is." There followed a pause that seemed seven days long, just long enough to recreate the world."

Salk Institute.

Indian Institute of Management.

Gordon Bunshaft's Lever House, "the mother of all glass boxes. She was as fecund as she was shad." She was fecund as she was shad is a hell of a sentence. I confess I'm not 100% on what he means, though I imagine it has to do with her giving birth to an abundance of glass box offspring. Such as:

The Seagram Building by Mies Van der Rohe.

"Worker housing pitched thirty stories high, and capitalists use it as corporate headquarters."

It's worth noting while we're here that the Seagram has custom-made bronze wide-flange beams stuck on the exterior to "express" the real ones concealed beneath the concrete. American building codes necessitated this adornment, and adornments as we learned last time, are of course "bourgeois." So many layers of irony here. The end result, though, were bourgeois adornments to align with the anti-bourgeois ethos of "unconcealed structure."

Now let's have a look at a compound apostate: Edward Durrell Stone. 

"Modernism's populist."

He came to prominence as a true believer:

The Museum of Modern Art (NY)

and then... something happened.

The Kennedy Center, "with a lobby six stories high and six hundred and thirty feet long - so big, one journalist pointed out, that Mickey Mantle's mightiest home run would have been just another long fly ball."

And the Huntington Hartford's Gallery of Modern Art. "Were those... lollipops?"

"To critics, he retorted that (his works) represented 'twenty-five hundred years of Western culture rather than twenty-five of modern architecture.' The man was not even a backslider. He was an apostate pure and simple. He had renounced the fundamental principles. Somehow he actually catered to the Hog-stomping Baroque exuberance of American civilization. He was actually playing up to American megalomania (and) glorifying "the client's" own grandiose sentiments."

Stone's legacy is still being discussed along the axis Wolfe maps out, which goes to show the vendetta code of any system governed by the compound clerisy. 

Before we break for the third and last part of this look at From Bauhaus to Our House, a few more words on Mies Van Der Rohe.

This guy has quite an imprint on the Chicago skyline. (IBM building digitally inserted above - not by me, from a google image search - between the Wilco and Trump Towers.)

"Within three years the course of American architecture had changed, utterly. It was not so much the buildings the Germans designed in the United States, although Mies’ were to become highly influential a decade later. It was more the system of instruction they introduced.

The teaching of architecture at Harvard was transformed overnight. Everyone started from zero. Everyone was now taught in the fundamentals of the International–which is to say, the compound–Style. All architecture became non-bourgeois architecture, although the concept itself was left discreetly unexpressed, as it were. The old Beaux-Arts traditions became heresy, and so did the legacy of Frank Lloyd Wright, which had only barely made its way into the architecture schools in the first place. Within three years, every so-called major American contribution to contemporary architecture–whether by Wright, H.H. Richardson, creator of the heavily rusticated American Romanesque, or Louis Sullivan, leader of the “Chicago School” of skyscraper architects–had dropped down into the footnotes, into the ibid. thickets."

The old federal building in Chicago (l) and the current (r). You don't get a clearer contrast than this, folks.The twentieth century in one state-emblematic reboot.

NEXT: The epic conclusion! The Structuralists, the Rationalists, and more. "They were absurd but fascinating."

Just Around the Corner from the Light of Day: In Concert / MTV Plugged (1992)

Tonight:

(1993)

Bryan: In 1993, Bruce did one of the old MTV Unplugged specials. Except he decided everything sounded better plugged in, so it was released as In Concert / MTV UnPlugged. It was received as tepidly as the double release the year before. How does it hold up? Let's have a spin. 

I’m joined as ever by Bryant, our Man in Havana. 

Bryant: And I’m Havana good time, BAH-dum-sssss!

Bryan: To Bruce and Beyond!

"Red Headed Woman"

Bryant: 2.5/5  I mean, there's no getting around it: this song is about Bruce eating Patti out. I mean, shit, okay. I won't speculate as to what the "dirty job" is that requires a redhead. This is a fun song, though, especially the Raising Arizona-style yodeling at the beginning.

Bryan: 2.25/5 There's something a little icky about it. Which is weird because if it was Skid Row or something I wouldn't think twice. There's something about objectifying (or taking you into bed with, anyway) one's wife vs. some random sex object. That said, it's a cool little tune and all. Perhaps the sentiment could have been avoided altogether and the tune kept, I don't know.

Bryant: Thinking about it, I kind of agree with you about it being icky. I mean, sure, Bruce; I empathize with your thesis here. But I dunno, man. Maybe keep that to yourself or whatever? Just a thought. That said, for all I know, it might not have a thing in the world to do with Patti. Might be an unused track from Asbury Park, for all I know.

Bryan: Oh, it’s about Patti. Confirmed from Bruce's mouth. (No pun intended.)

"Better Days"

Bryant: 2.5/5  I'm guessing this was a tiny venue, and maybe the intimacy helped the sound, or maybe Springsteen and his rented band had worked some stuff out by the time they started playing these songs live.  Whatever the case, these new songs sound quite good live, at least to me ears.

Bryan: 2.5/5 I like this song less and less as the years go by, but this is a pretty good performance.

"Atlantic City"

Bryant: 4/5 I'm guessing the E Street Band must have played the rock version of this at some point. Whether they did or didn't, this is the chronological debut of it within my personal Bruce collection, and while it's not the stone-cold masterpiece for me that the studio version is, it's still pretty fuckin' great.

Bryan: 2.5/5 Interesting as always to hear a different arrangement, but I'm not a particular fan of this one. That’s cool, though, that this was your entry point into the song. I love pinpointing that stuff back there in the origin story.

"Darkness on the Edge of Town"

Bryant: 2/5 In no way is this difficult for me to listen to. It's not BAD, dig?  But you can't ask a band of scabs to be the E Street Band. And, granted, Bruce arguably doesn't ask that of these folks, who do credible jobs in their own right and make it their own thing just enough to keep this from feeling like blasphemy. 

Bryan: 2/5 The Carlin book gives an anecdote of the E Street Band touring with Sting for a little bit and how Sting could sense Bruce just wanted to play with different folks. I think about that when I hear this. Like, I get the impulse but, are you happy now? Get it out of your system? Agree with your assessment. They do credible work and the gospel singers are nice I guess but it's not for me.

Bryant: I like that series of thoughts regarding Sting's perception of Bruce's wandering ways. It's like, for fuck's sake, man ... you get lucky enough to wind up with a life in which you get to play with the individual members of the E Street Band, and you want to NOT do that for a while?!? It's like how cats sometimes want to go outside and roll around in dirt and old leaves and whatnot. You just look at them when they finish and think exactly those thoughts ("Are you happy now?  Get it out of your system?") you mention. Dumbass cat.

"Man's Job"

Bryant: 1.75/5  I feel like a few of the songs on this album actually improve on the studio versions, and this is one of them. Still not exactly a favorite, though, and that backup singer needs to shut up.

Bryan: 2.25/5 This one's at least the equal of the studio version, even if it isn’t a favorite. The guitar sounds good - can't recall tell if it’s Bruce or this Shane Fontayne dude. Maybe the background singer is just continuing the Miami Steven tradition of warbly accompaniment. Or maybe Bruce told him, “hey! You share this mic, you sing warbly and make googly-eyes, you understand?”

"Human Touch"

Bryant: 2.5/5 I'm giving this an equivalent score to the studio version, because while I prefer the polish and passion of the studio recording, I prefer the emotion and the wrapup of this live one.

Bryan: 2.5/5 Me, too. Although I could skip it just the same.

"LuckyTown"

Bryant: 2.25/5 A little ragged in places, but this is basically a solid version of a better-than-solid song.

Bryan: 3.25/5 I seem to like this song a little more and “Human Touch” a little less than most people. Which is the opposite of my impression of the albums to which these songs lend their names.

"I Wish I Were Blind"

Bryant: 2.75/5  Here's another one that I like better than the studio version. And I like the studio version of this just fine; so this live version is thoroughly agreeable to me.

Bryan: 3.5/5 I prefer the studio myself. Such a sweet little tune. I like the solo here, that heavy kind of distorted reverb (see out-of-control solo from U2's "All I Want Is You" among others) always lands with me.

"Thunder Road"

Bryant: 2.75/5  As far as stripped-down versions of "Thunder Road" go, you don't really need another one after that one on the live box set. But the harmonica adds a dimension here that makes this one worthwhile, if nevertheless significantly inferior.

Bryan: 2.25/5 It’s not bad. In the same way I understand and approve of how he’s always going to keep revisiting “Atlantic City,” I think he should’ve retired “Thunder Road” somewhere along the way, maybe make the Live 75-85 version the definitive curtain call. I think so many versions of it dilutes it a tad.

"Light of Day"

Bryant: Okay, so ... first, an admission: I'm not sure I knew this apart from this album. Maybe I heard the Joan Jett original (or cover, however you refer to one of these songs Bruce gave away) at some point, but I don't think so. I think maybe I thought this was just a Human Town (Lucky Touch?) castoff that he decided to include on this live album. Whatever the case, I hereby award it a 4.25/5, because this shit is great. Thanks to YouTube, I also just checked out the Joan Jett video, and it's good, too. But this live version is terrific, with a classic revival-tent-Bruce sermon in the middle of it.

Bryan: 4.25/5 Great tune - might have come together a bit more as a performance. Is there an E Street Band version? The drums seem to lose it a couple times here but until I hear a better version this score is more for my love of the song more than this performance. I downloaded the movie and keep circling it. That middle section, man - Bruce as The Rev Charlie Jacobs!

Bryant: If my research has not failed me, there IS an E Street version of "Light of Day," but it's never been released, or even leaked. (I mean, Jesus, WHAT ELSE is out there?!?) Here's one with him guesting at a Joan Jett concert; it's not awesome, but boy is Joan Jett hot in it. Which is weird on account of how mannish she is. Huh. Oh, well, I stand by it, and remain determined not to examine the allure mannish women sometimes hold for me. Here's one with the Band in '88. I was thinking it was pretty good, and then Clarence comes running out in a light yellow suit doing his thing and vaulted it into a whole other category. Then Bruce screeching toward the end knocked it back down a notch. Good stuff, although the video quality is poor. 

Bryan: That E Street version rocks! Agreed on that Joan Jett performance. While we’re sharing, here's one from a couple of months ago, featuring none other than Marty McFly on guitar. (I'm sure afterwards he was told he was just too damn loud.) Good flyby review of the movie here for interested parties. This cover of "Boom Boom" was in the suggested listening on the right of that link - it's pretty awesome as well.

Bryant: I try to look at YouTube's suggestions with only one eye open, because if I didn't, I'd be afraid of doing nothing but watching Bruce performances.

Bryan: Just a few quick words on the movie from here: "In the late 1970s, screenwriter Paul Schrader began writing a script titled Born in the U.S.A., and he asked Bruce Springsteen to write a song for the film. The script sat on Springsteen’s table until one day, while working on a song called “Vietnam,” he noticed Schrader’s script, sang the title, and “Born in the U.S.A.” became the hit title song of one of Springsteen’s best-selling albums. Springsteen eventually wrote a new song for the script, which Schrader renamed Light of Day (1987)."

Still never seen it. I need to change that.

"If I Should Fall Behind"

Bryant: 3.5/5 Yet another I prefer in its live guise, although the true masterpiece version of it wouldn't show up until another live performance a few years hence.

Bryan: 3.25/5 Probably works a little better live but not by a whole bunch.

"Living Proof"

Bryant: 2.25/5 Good energy on this one.

Bryan: I’d say this is a good example of a spirited performance of a mediocre song. Or a song that fails to ignite with me, spirited performance or no. 2.25/5 sounds about right.

"My Beautiful Reward"

Bryant: 2.75/5 It's close to being as good as the studio version.

Bryan: 3.8/5 Agreed.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Bryant: 35.75 total, 2.75 average. I was worried my math was somehow going to put it ahead of the live box set or something stupid like that, but it's nearly a full point behind. It's a point ahead of Human Touch, though, and that seems about right to me. Good stuff.

Bryan: Total 37.06 Avg. 2.85 How did I end up ahead of you on this one? I don’t have the highest opinion of it, but it’s not a bad one, just nothing I’d reach for over, say, Live in Dublin or Live 75 – 85.  

Bryant: The video version apparently has an additional six songs, but since I don't have that, I can't talk about them.  I would be curious to see if this concert could convince me to like "The Big Muddy" and/or "Local Hero," though, so maybe I'll see that one of these days.  Once I do I will update us all via the comments.

PERSONNEL

I've been skipping this one lately and probably will go back to doing so. But figured this one deserved a roll-call, given the number of non-E-Streeters making their mark on the Boss discography. 

Bruce Springsteen – lead vocals, lead and rhythm guitar, harmonica

Zachary Alford – drums

Roy Bittan – keyboards

Shane Fontayne – lead and rhythm guitar

Tommy Sims – bass

Crystal Taliefero – acoustic guitar, percussion and background vocals

Gia Ciambotti – background vocals

Carol Dennis – background vocals

Cleopatra Kennedy – background vocals

Bobby King – background vocals

Angel Rogers – background vocals

Patti Scialfa – acoustic guitar and harmony vocals on "Human Touch"

UPDATED RANKINGS

Bryant:

Human Touch 1.7

Lucky Town 2.15

In Concer / Mtv Plugged 2.75

Greetings from Asbury Park 2.75

Tunnel of Love 3.35

The River 3.39

The Wild, the Innocent, and the E Street Shuffle 3.68

Live ’75 - ‘85 3.7

Born to Run 4.35

Darkness on the Edge of Town 4.4

Nebraska 4.63

Born in the USA 4.88

Bryan:

Lucky Town 2.15

Greetings from Asbury Park 2.19
Human Touch 2.84 
MTV Plugged 2.85
The Wild, the Innocent, and the E Street Shuffle 3.43
The River 3.71 
Tunnel of Love 3.8 
Darkness on the Edge of Town 3.82
Live ’75 - ‘85 4
Born to Run 4.41
Nebraska 4.5
Born in the USA 5.44