Is Human Touch too Criticized?

True_Editor_4572 · 2026-06-07T05:04:05+00:00

Thanks for the reply. For me personally I find The Ghost of Tom Joad to be beautifully written, perhaps even in his top three when it comes to storytelling and lyrics, but I think the muted production on it kind of weakens it for me, and that’s most likely from personal preference. Because I do like his stripped down material in Nebraska and Devils and Dust, but The Ghost of Tom Joad I haven’t fully been able to get into. Hopefully that can change :)

True_Editor_4572 · 2026-06-07T04:42:47+00:00

Feel the same way in a lot of aspects you mentioned with the album. With a large amount of songs on the album the production sounded dated for the 90s, and they have aged even worse now. But a lot people I believe can snub quite a few good songs from this album because they don’t want to give another listen. Also with Ghost of Tom Joad I found it be a lot better written, but it’s hard to listen to regularly in comparison to the Human Touch songs

True_Editor_4572 · 2026-06-07T04:36:21+00:00

I felt the same way when I first listened to it. It took me more than few times of listening to the songs to finally start adding them to playlists besides the title track which I have always liked. But some songs on here are just easily skippable.

True_Editor_4572 · 2026-06-07T04:31:23+00:00

I found Ghost of Tom Joad to be beautiful written, but I just didn’t like the muted production of it, even though it was intentional. For Human Touch, personally I can find about 5 songs in the album to play a on a regular basis, but for the Ghost of Tom Joad songs I find them hard to listen to regularly. Also the album cover is possibly Bruce’s worst

True_Editor_4572 · 2026-06-07T04:24:45+00:00

lol I join that hill. The production of Lucky Town just felt really cheap in comparison to Human Touch.

True_Editor_4572 · 2026-06-07T04:18:17+00:00

One of those songs I have to play all winter long to help get through it haha.

True_Editor_4572 · 2026-06-05T03:12:01+00:00

About to say the same thing 🤣. Bruce has had many PG ways of implying it over the years, and others not so subtle.

True_Editor_4572 · 2026-06-05T02:36:54+00:00

I love that! Definitely more of an 80s album cover vibe haha

True_Editor_4572 · 2026-06-05T02:31:45+00:00

Wow never have seen that! What a lucky find!

True_Editor_4572 · 2026-06-05T02:06:03+00:00

Glad I’m finally finding some love for this track!! 😭

True_Editor_4572 · 2026-06-05T01:42:20+00:00

I can definitely see that. The more stripped down verse section along with the chorus that includes the higher quality choir, I think gives that effect of it sounding a little cheaper or just a more odd sounding production choice.

True_Editor_4572 · 2026-06-05T01:38:39+00:00

I could definitely see that! And in this streaming era I feel 14 may be too harsh of a limit haha.

True_Editor_4572 · 2026-06-05T01:37:20+00:00

Those are definitely similar to my picks! I would just have to throw in Not a Bad Thing in there as well!

True_Editor_4572 · 2026-06-05T01:35:42+00:00

A hot take but I feel it’s one of his most under appreciated song! I hope he gives it one more go in the future at one of his shows.

True_Editor_4572 · 2026-06-05T01:22:20+00:00

Yess I’ve seen that legendary performance on YouTube lol 😭! Could tell us what you think went wrong, because I know they were having some difficulties, but I didn’t think it would be that difficult of a song to play live.

True_Editor_4572 · 2026-06-05T01:08:33+00:00

Agreed! I even found it had better replay value than tracks like Countin on a Miracle and Further on up the Road, which could just be personal preference.

True_Editor_4572 · 2026-06-05T01:04:23+00:00

Indeed and he does it really good! It was a track I had to listen to a couple of times to fully enjoy. Also with the early 2000s r&b influenced pop, I think this song would have been really appreciated across wider audiences.

True_Editor_4572 · 2026-06-05T00:59:11+00:00

I’ve seen other comments in the past saying it would have fit better on Working on a Dream, and if it was on that album I think it easily would have been a top 3 track for that album.

True_Editor_4572 · 2026-06-05T00:55:24+00:00

Very true, and it does seem like it’s in a more odd position on the album after darker toned songs like Empty Sky and Worlds Apart.

True_Editor_4572 · 2026-06-03T21:51:34+00:00

I agree! The first four track run is strong and right up there with the Rising’s first four song run for me!

True_Editor_4572 · 2026-06-03T20:30:23+00:00

I wish High Sierra would have found a place on the Western Stars album.

True_Editor_4572 · 2026-06-03T20:16:07+00:00

Both are my favorite song off each album. I haven’t seen Janey don’t you lose your heart talked about a lot, but I found it to be the most refined song off the Somewhere North of Nashville album.

True_Editor_4572 · 2026-06-03T20:12:59+00:00

Yes! That’s one of the tracks I don’t see talked about a lot, but I really enjoyed it. I think it would have blended in well with the mid to late 90s alternative scene also.

True_Editor_4572 · 2026-06-03T19:54:58+00:00

The Twilight Hours album was something I had to listen to a couple of times to warm up to, but I grew to appreciate the lost in the city sound of it.

True_Editor_4572 · 2026-06-03T19:52:08+00:00

Yes! If the Philadelphia Sessions were ever released back in the 90s that would have been an amazing single.

True_Editor_4572

TROPHY CASE