In the 1984 song 'My Hometown,' Bruce Springsteen evoked his own high school days: 'There was a lot of fights between the black and white; there was nothing you could do.' Unfortunately, Zadoorian’s analysis of racial tension doesn’t go much deeper ... The book’s final act charts Danny’s struggles with his mother, a bigot, addict and manic-depressive who, in ’70s parlance, is diagnosed with simple melancholia. Like a wistful AM radio staple, their song doesn’t end with a clear-cut resolution, leaving Danny, as ever, to dowse his sorrows in the comfort of hi-fi headphones. It’s in these small moments — a lonely boy experiencing premature nostalgia — that Zadoorian shines, ensuring that even if Beautiful Music isn’t a smash hit, it’s a passable B-side.
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