"Tunnel Of Love" - Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen's "Tunnel Of Love," the 1987 follow up to the massively successful "Born In The U.S.A." is an underrated masterpiece. It is one of his most personal albums, as he was in the midst of personal issues which would soon lead to a divorce with his then wife. The overwhelming theme is one of heartbreak, despair, confusion. "Brilliant Disguise," the biggest hit from the album (#5 on the Billboard Pop charts) paints a haunting picture of a man who is not sure who it is that he is in love with, or who exactly who he is: "Well I've tried so hard baby but I just can't see. What a woman like you is doing with me. So tell me what I see when I look in your eyes. Is that you baby or just a brilliant disguise".

As with all of Bruce Springsteen's greatest albums, there are scenes of heartbreaking domestic strife. The most affecting, most distraught track may be "One Step Up". "Another fight and I slam the door on another battle in our dirty little war. When I look at myself I don’t see the man I wanted to be. Somewhere along the line I slipped off track. I’m caught movin’ one step up and two steps back". The title track has always been a favourite of mine. The tunnel of love is an interesting metaphor,  as the song details a trip through a real life circus tunnel of love, as well as the turmoil that is enveloping their relationship.

I don't think Bruce Springsteen has recorded a better album than this since then, so in my books this stands as Bruce Springsteen's last great album, though other good ones have since been released.