Hearts of Stone
Hearts of Stoneis the best albumBruce Springsteennever recorded. Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes were a hard-working Jersey rock-'n'-soul outfit who happened to count E-StreeterMiami Steve Van Zandtamong its alumni. Van Zandt continued to contribute to the band as a writer, producer, and musician even after he'd joined Springsteen's band, and brought his boss aboard for this 1978 triumph. (Springsteen also penned numbers for the group's good-but-not-great first and second albums.) Springsteen and Van Zandt contributed all nine songs here and the lot of them--from the brassy, tenacious opener "Got to Be a Better Way Home" to the mournful coda, "Light Don't Shine"--are winners. Van Zandt cut his ties with the Jukes followingHearts of Stoneand the group never found a new source of great material. But for one album, the lightdidshine for these Jersey journeymen.--Steven Stolder