Western Stars

Described by its makers as a "cinematic retelling" of Bruce Springsteen's acclaimed 2019 album of the same name, Western Stars features the singer/songwriter playing the entire record live in a converted barn on his New Jersey ranch. Each of the 13 tracks is buffered by footage of the Boss looking weather-beaten as he surveys vast plains of wilderness complete with galloping horses, while ruminating on love, family and his musical past. The performance footage is mesmerising, as Springsteen articulates the intimacy of lyrics imbued with themes of a mythic West, despite sharing the stage with a full electric band and a 30-piece orchestra. However, the linking sequences veer toward the visual clichés of vintage Marlboro cinema adverts, coupled with fortune-cookie wisdom noticeably less eloquent than the words of the actual songs.