7 GREAT BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN TRACKS TO TEST YOUR SYSTEM

Recent Springsteen biopic Deliver Me From Nowhere seemed like a good excuse to dig out the Boss. He's a What Hi-Fi? test room staple, and here we've gone for a blend of classic Bruce and a few lesser-known gems to get your system pumping its metaphorical fist.

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BORN TO RUN (BORN TO RUN, 1975)

Born To Run captures a yearning to escape the pressures of life, emotively summed up by the recurring line, “We gotta get out while we're young / ‘Cause tramps like us, baby, we were born to run.” Your sound system will get a run for its money with the addition of subtle tinkling high frequencies that must be balanced against the lively guitar part, as well as the driving drum beat. Then there's the excellent sax solo, adding to the painful joy of wanting to be free. If you want to challenge your hi-fi setup while being unable to stop your foot tapping, this is the track for you.

THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD (THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD, 1995)

The title track from Bruce's 11th studio album draws heavy inspiration from John Steinbeck's punishing opus The Grapes of Wrath, as well as Woody Guthrie's subsequent musical spin on the novel, The Ballad of Tom Joad. Springsteen's recording has all of the downtrodden, rust-laden melancholy you'd expect - Steinbeck’s novel was perfect fodder for Bruce's small-town, working class sensibilities - melding quiet desperation with simmering rage. Also check out the live version performed in 2008, with Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello providing second vocals and, in his signature style, shredding his axe with righteous fury. Goosebumps.