Culled from recordings of {$Bruce Springsteen}'s spring 1988 {^Tunnel of Love} tour, {^Chimes of Freedom} is a four-track EP that initially was released as a benefit for Amnesty International, appearing as he joined the fall 1988 Human Rights Now! tour. It was recorded and released quickly, easily qualifying as the speediest project {$Springsteen} has ever completed. Unfortunately, it occasionally feels a little slapdash, but it's hard to criticize a four-song live charity EP for being haphazardly assembled, since that's in its nature. Nevertheless, {^Chimes of Freedom} is a little unsatisfying, even though it's a good, brief sampler of the Boss live circa {^Tunnel of Love}. And that's part of the problem. {^Tunnel of Love} had a slicker production than a normal {$Springsteen} record, featuring synths scattered throughout the record. Those arrangements were preserved on the live version of {&"Tougher Than the Rest,"} one of the best songs from the record, and it turns a little mushy in an arena setting. Similarly, the title track has its chiming opening refrain played on synths, and consequently it sounds a little stiff and dated. These faults are balanced by the remaining two cuts, the first released version of the excellent {&"Be True"} and a reworking of {&"Born to Run"} as an acoustic {\ballad}. {&"Born to Run"} has considerable power in this stripped-down setting, and {&"Be True"} teems with life, pointing out how stiff its cousins sound on {^Chimes of Freedom}. Neither of these tracks are major contributions to {$Springsteen}'s catalog, but they're nice additions for the die-hard fans who will be picking up the EP anyway. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide