i have only "The Bridge" and it being vinyl have not listened to it for a looong time.
however, i do wonder what might have been had he stayed in the E Street Band with Mad Dog Lopez and kept their boss closer to them jazzier roots he had. when i watched the 'Making of BTR' on DVD Springsteen said something to the affect of how good his previous band really was and how their improvisational abilities really broadened his early interests.
his playing on "The Wild ... " is just great.