Listening to Skylar Spence’s excellent album “Prom King,” it’s clear that the 22-year-old singer-songwriter (real name: Ryan DeRobertis) is a devout student of pop music. The record is a glitchy and ebullient collection of bouncy electro-pop that looks back to golden eras of funk, house and disco while remaining firmly of-the-moment. There’s so much happening throughout its 11 tracks, from the ‘80s-tinged maximalist dance smash of “Can’t You See” to the introspective synth-pop of “Affairs.”
What I’m trying to say here is that Skylar Spence does not sound at all like Bruce Springsteen. With that in mind, it’s not terribly surprising that Derobertis has never heard “Born to Run,” the Boss’ classic third album from 1975, in full. “I’m not too sure I’m going to like this one,” he admits. “I’ve tried listening to Bruce Springsteen. There are a few songs from him that really get me from his early stuff, like his debut album ‘Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.’ I’ve given the big hits a chance and tried ‘Nebraska,’ and it was not my cup of tea.”
For this edition of Blind Spots, we listened to “Born to Run” backstage at Schubas before Skylar Spence’s headlining set. Read Derobertis’ instant reaction below, which includes some cameos from opening musician Thirsty (who is definitely not a Springsteen fan). Be sure to check out “Prom King” here. Skylar Spence will be in town Jan. 28 to play a DJ set at the Mid, and Bruce Springsteen will take on the United Center on Jan. 19.
1. “Thunder Road”
Josh: What do you think of this one?
Ryan: I’m somebody who needs to spend a little bit of attention to look at lyricism and stuff like that. If I’m there, it might hit me like a freight train, but musically this is definitely not the stuff I was raised on.
Josh: Totally. And Springsteen is the artist that you need to hear the lyrics. What were you raised on?
Ryan: All new wave and synth-pop, like Depeche Mode.
Josh: Did you have a preconceived notion of Bruce Springsteen growing up?
Ryan: My dad hates Bruce Springsteen because of how big “Born in the U.S.A.” was when the time new wave was happening—Duran Duran was putting “The Wild Boys” out at the time. That was the stuff he was more drawn to, and so am I.
Josh: Do you think Springsteen was viewed as an ‘80s Nickelback around that time for some fans of new wave, like your dad?
Ryan: I wonder.
Thirsty (who was opening for Skylar Spence at Schubas): This shit sucks, why are you listening to it?
2. “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out”
Ryan: I could have easily picked “London Calling,” which I only heard when I was like 5, but that would have been way too long. I’m glad this is a short album.
Josh: I agree. This is called “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out,” which is the other single to “Born to Run.”
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Ryan: I like this significantly more.
Josh: It has a little swing to it. All of these songs were written on piano, and you can totally tell with the way it’s being played. It’s funny to think that his label was thinking of dropping Springsteen before this album. Sorry for being music trivia guy–I did research this record before this interview.
Ryan: No, man, take me on the journey. It’s hard to really relate to his voice. The emotion is there, but there’s a lack of clarity.
Josh: It’s the same reason I could never consider myself a Pearl Jam fan—Eddie Vedder throws his voice around too much to these throaty and almost froggy levels.
3. “Night”
Josh: Have you seen the Onion headline, “Report: Saxophone Still An Okay Vehicle For Self-Expression”? I always think of that article whenever I hear the sax.
Ryan: It’s so weird to think of all the contexts of that instrument. From like jazz, pop-rock, New Romantics and stuff—everything in between. Whether you like it or not, it’s here. In these interviews have people generally liked these canonical albums?
Josh: Most people have hated them, to be honest. The most vitriol was for “Pet Sounds.”
Ryan: Who the fuck hated “Pet Sounds”? That album changed my life.
4. “Backstreets”
Josh: You’ve probably heard this one before?
Ryan: No, I haven’t. Like you said earlier, you can totally tell this was written on piano.
5. “Born to Run”
Josh: There are only four songs on each side, so this next side barrels out with “Born to Run.”
Ryan: I was “meh” on “Backstreets,” but this one will totally get you going.
Josh: This song is more fun though. You hear this song for the first time, you feel like you’re a New Jersey kid trying to skip town.
Ryan: My deal is the earliest memory I have of Bruce Springsteen is his cover of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” so when you hear this it’s kind of like he’s doing that hokey pokey Christmas music with the bells. I think that ruined it for me.
6. “She’s the One”
[I can’t explain why or how but the conversation briefly shifted to the merits, or lack thereof, of NBC’s “The Slap”]Josh: It’s interesting because Springsteen wrote “Born to Run” when he was just 24, which isn’t so interesting because you were how old when you wrote “Prom King”?
Ryan: I was 21. I don’t know, man. It’s hard for me to picture this song being a youth statement. In 2015, we’re so far removed from this kind of music that it doesn’t sound like a 24-year-old made this.
Josh: It certainly doesn’t.
Ryan: There’s something here that doesn’t jive with me. I can’t really put my finger on it. I think having the musical background where my first contextualization of hearing the saxophone was in a George Michael song rather than this. Where hearing this you could think it’s kind of hokey. I’m sure someone raised on Springsteen hearing George Michael sax would think, “Are you kidding me?” It’s two different schools of thought approaching music, and there’s not much middle ground.
Josh: That’s really interesting to hear.
7. “Meeting Across the River”
Ryan: This right here though. This is the song I’ve most compositionally enjoyed so far.
Josh: This is called “Meeting Across the River.” This is where the album slows down a little bit.
Ryan: Hmm. It’s one of those sine curves, you know? I definitely enjoy it musically. It’s pulling me two different ways when he starts singing though. If we have a big lyric book out to follow along, I’d be more into it.
Josh: Especially with a writer like Springsteen. When I interviewed Split Single’s Jason Narducy, who’s never heard Bob Dylan’s “Highway 61 Revisited,” it was the same problem: If you’re not paying close enough attention to the lyrics, you’ll be missing out.
Ryan: Yeah, exactly! Whether you like it or not, the lyrics are worth checking out. I have the same opinions about Dylan where there are songs that totally move me and some that don’t. I remember listening to “Blood on the Tracks” with a friend and loving “Tangled Up In Blue,” and then for the rest of the album we’re thinking, “OK, he’s done four verses, where is this one going?”
Josh: It’s very linear songwriting.
Ryan: It’s a trip. It requires a different kind of appreciation.
8. “Jungleland”
Josh: Last song on the record, and you might have heard it.
Ryan: I haven’t actually. Wait, I think I do!
Thirsty (entering backstage): Why would you think someone who’s been on tour would want to listen to Bruce Springsteen?
Ryan: No, dude! I was the one who wanted to go in and listen to this.
Thirsty: I don’t know, man, this sounds like torture to me.
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Ryan: It’s actually been really fun to talk about how much I don’t like it. Wait, I do know this song.
Josh: What do you think?
Ryan: Coming from a musical theater kid, this song is a little theatrical for me. In the way that I’m picturing a stage with middle school-like scenery and somebody on a train or something like that. [Laughs]. This is a little I-V-IV for me as well.
Final verdict:
“I was one of those kids really into [the website] Rate Your Music and wanted to digest all the music that was rated as the greatest of all time because I thought it would make me a better musician,” Derobertis explains. “With some records like the Velvet Underground and Nico, I remember thinking ‘What is this?’ and then it just clicked.”
It’s safe to say that Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run” did not instantly click as he notes, “Some albums demand more attention and time.” “My taste in music tends to go a little jazzier, so the straightforwardness of this record is a little jarring to me, which is why I’m more of a fan of his first album. I enjoy the songwriting as far as that goes: It’s not like people were doing this though at the time.”
“I’d rate this album a two or a two and a half,” he says, using the RedEye 4-star system. “Someone is going to kick my ass for saying that.” Derobertis knows that this’ll be a controversial opinion, saying, “I can picture myself breaking someone’s heart and saying that this is a drink-alone-at-the-bar-kind-of-record.”
***Please note, Internet commenters, if you even got this far, that not everyone needs to have the same music taste as you do. It’s OK. It’ll be OK.
[email protected], @joshhterry
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