The amazing thing about this album is that every song on it could have been released as a single. But it's not just a random collection of well crafted singles, these songs all blend together to examine the life of 30 something men struggling with love, jobs, government, etc. Every song has wonderful pop hooks and brilliant lyrics. Even simple pop songs like "Dancing In the Dark" and "Cover Me" are so well crafted that they can't be dismissed as just silly pop tunes. Their lyrics are simple but straightforward and backed with brilliantly balanced music.
There is nothing bad that I can say about this album. It climaxes work that Springsteen started following Born to Run. The darker lyrics, the heavier rock sound, the moody edgy singing, all those elements that were developing over the three previous albums are here and they are perfectly blended and balanced. For an artist to create a great album (Born to Run) is almost impossible, but to do it a 2nd time and 10 years later is a statement to Springsteen's genius.
