AllMusic calls Little Steven Van Zandt a “renaissance man and champion of the rock & roll underdog … one of rock’s most colorful figures.” In addition to his multiple lengthy stints in Bruce Springsteen’s bands going all the way back to the late 1960s, Van Zandt has worked with Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes; written for Gary “U.S.” Bonds; formed Artists United Against Apartheid, which produced the all-star Top 40 1985 single “Sun City”; intermittently fronted his own band, The Disciples of Soul; and was a featured actor on the groundbreaking TV drama The Sopranos.
With a sound that stands somewhere between that of his longtime employer Springsteen and one of the several pop phases of rock chameleon Elvis Costello, Van Zandt’s “A World of Our Own” (2019) starts big — and stays there. Rather than relying on burgeoning dynamics or lyrical arc to build interest, Van Zandt uses modulations to propel the listener through a wall of sound.
Starting in A major, the tune shifts to C major at 1:35, then to G major at 2:02. At 2:35, we’ve arrived back to A major, but by then, it feels like a new chapter rather than a return.
Many thanks to perpetual mod submitter JB for this contribution!
modulationoftheday.home.blog 