Wrecking Ball is Bruce's new album, out March 5th but which was leaked online yesterday.

Did anyone hear any of it? I heard one track - Jack of all trades which, on first hearing I have to say sounded a bit of a dirge to me. I like the single - We take care of our own but his best days just seem so far behind him now. I'm glad he still makes new music and there have been some gems recently, most notably Radio Nowhere but I don't think he'll ever come close to writing anything on a par with his stuff in the 70's and early 80's. Which is a shame cos I love him, nay adore him. Live he is incomparable but maybe once you've made it and you play the big stadiums the hunger and drive disappears.

Still looking forward to seeing him in the summer though!

Think you are crazy. His best work in 25 years.

Listen to the record as a whole, We Take Care of Our own - the next few tracks question this - do we take care of our own?, from the character getting ready to go out on a mugging spree, the character telling his partner he's the jack of all trades, so not to worry about unemployment, someone suffering depression, the character singing "if I had a shotgun I would shoot the bastards down"- talking about bankers, then Clarence on LOHAD onto the final song, which talks about people who have died fighting for their beliefs, but spirits are still here and around.

A 62 year old playing three hour concerts to stadiums around the world with new vital and relevant music, not just playing hits.

I'll take that anytime. The record will be a huge critical success, I think it will be Bruce's Graceland.

Death to my Hometown.. A song about the damage done to our cities and towns by bankers..

Oh, no cannonballs did fly, no rifles cut us down
No bombs fell from the sky, no blood soaked the ground
No powder flash blinded the eye, no deathly thunder sound
But just as sure as the hand of God, they brought death to my hometown
They brought death to my hometown

No shells ripped the evening sky, no cities burning down
No armies stormed the shores for which we'd die
No dictators were crowned
I awoke from a quite night, I never heard a sound
Marauders raided in the dark and brought death to my hometown, buys
Death to my hometown

They destroyed our families' factories and they took our homes
They left our bodies on the plains, the vultures picked our bones

So listen up, my sonny boy, be ready for when they come
For they'll be returning sure as the rising sun
Now get yourself a song to sing and sing it 'til you're done
Yeah, sing it hard and sing it well
Send the robber barons straight to hell
The greedy thieves who came around
And ate the flesh of everything they found
Whose crimes have gone unpunished now
Who walk the streets as free men now

Ah, they brought death to our hometown, boys
Death to our hometown, boys
Death to our hometown, boys
Death to our hometown, whoa!

Absolutely love - one of his best albums ever. Not one bad song on there.Can't stop listening to it. I love how it opens with a question in the first song - and then the rest of the album gives a broad range of answers. And the subject matter is so relevant to the world we live in today and the economic climate.

And I take my hat off to the guy, he's 62 - still does 3, 3 and a half hour shows and still after 40 years is trying new ground with each new record.

I think Wrecking Ball is going to be a big success for him and maybe even bring him to the attention of people who haven't taken note of him before. It's getting rave reviews and radio play.

It's a strong album, much better than Working on a Dream. I think Joanne will enjoy the songs from the album performed live this summer, including Wrecking Ball, Death to my hometown, We Take Care of Our Own, and Shackled and Drawn. To me, the studio version of Land and Hope and Dreams doesn't disappoint.

The tour won't be the same without the much missed Clarence Clemons, but with a horn section including Clarence's nephew Jake and Ed Manion on sax, Curtis KIng and Cindy Mizelle returning on backing vocals, and Bruce and the rest of the E Street Band, these shows will still be powerful.

Marshall

A look at my favorite Now That's What I Call Music! releases:
http://marshfish.hubpages.com/hub/A-...Music-releases

I don't know yet, I buy albums with money and listen to them when they come out. To me there's something a bit hypocritical about claiming to be a fan of someone then stealing their work. Kind of like saying you love your wife and then going to **** the neighbour.

Here, here... I will also be paying for his new album when it arrives.

You are correct,but in my case, I've been a major Bruce Springsteen fan since 1981. I definitely will be buying the deluxe edition of Wrecking Ball on the day it's released on March 6th in the U.S. (March 5th release date in the UK). But, I understand your feelings.

In the U.S. at least, too, several releases are previewed in total before their actual releases on NPR Radio's website. Bruce's last album, Working on a Dream, Kate Bush's 50 Words for Snow, and Paul McCartney's new Kisses on the Bottom album were streamed on the site several weeks before their actual release date.

Marshall
A look at my favorite Now That's What I Call Music! releases:
http://marshfish.hubpages.com/hub/A-...Music-releases

I know what you mean Joanne - the last Bruce album I really liked was Tunnel Of Love. After that I found his music became a bit one-dimensional. I don't think anything's equalled highs like Badlands, Nebraska, My Hometown and Independence Day for years.

It can't be worse than 'Tunnel of Love' or the musical abortion that was 'Working on a Dream'.

I don't listen to leaks but something in my gut tells me that this one is going to follow the 'Nebraska', 'Ghost of Tom Joad', 'We Shall Overcome' path and thus be flicking excellent.

I'm not going to see him live again until he plays a proper indoor gig though,

Outside shows is rubbish.

I'll definitely be buying the deluxe edition on March 5th. Can't wait to have the physical thing in my hands. It's nice to have heard it but nothing beats having it in your hands with the artwork and notes in my opinion.

Bruce is the one person who I buy albums from out of some kind of loyalty.

First saw him live in 75 when i was 18 years old, then many many times over the last 35 years.

The greatest gigs I have ever seen were the River tour of 81. The last great album for me was The Rising. He is still great live (saw him Glastonbury), but his great songwriting is long gone.

Born To Run
Darkness
Wild The Innocent
The River.

He will always be my hero and a major part of my life since I was a teen.

Havent heard any of the new album, but I will keep my fingers crossed that there is life in the man still.

On the contrary,Wembley Stadium in 1988 and the RDS Dublin in 2003,easily two of the best live shows I've ever seen.

Bruce and the e-street band at Wembley stadium 1985 was the greatest live show I have ever witnessed in my life, only a teenager then but nothing has come even close to this and I have seen over 100 concerts since!

The new song sounds like a song by The Lightening Seeds.

I will be buying the deluxe version day of release and am following him all over this summer. Stealing? NO - especially when I suspect the leaks are from within.

The word of mouth from leaks is so strong, that the leak obviously is giving this record very strong word of mouth.

They have been streaming a track a day on The Guardian website, from what I have heard it sounds his best for a long time.

I haven't listened to the leaked album, only the tracks that have been streamed each day. So far I think this is his most substantial release since The Rising. I would say Easy Money & Death To My Home Town rank up there with The Rising, Lonesome Day or Long Walk Home as some of the best tracks of his later career. I really liked Magic but despite the Bruce's political anger at the time, it definitely leant towards a more pop-rock style. Working on the Dream was even further towards pop and not as good. This album sounds like it will be more rock, less pop, while keeping the contemporary sound he's had since The Rising and mixing in different influences. The writing is top notch on the angrier tracks I've heard so far. I'll have to reserve judgement until I hear the album as a whole, but this may well rank above The Rising. That album, for all its greatness, was too long and did have a few duds on it.

I'm really looking forward to hearing the full album and seeing him on tour later this year.

Before they tour in Europe, Bruce and the E Street Band begin the first U.S.group of concerts on March 18 in Atlanta. These shows will be in arenas, not stadiums.

Also, I don't know if he's carried on UK satellite or cable, but U.S. chat show host Jimmy Fallon is doing a week of Bruce oriented shows this week. Tonight has Bruce and the E Street Band as the musical guests, with Friday's show having Bruce as the only guest. Tuesday through Thursday's shows will have a performer (such as Elvis Costello) performing a cover of a Bruce tune on the show. Costello will be performing Brilliant Disguise.

Marshall

An article on my favorite Now That's What I Call Music! releases:

http://marshfish.hubpages.com/hub/A-...Music-releases

My copy arrived today.............I never thought I would say this again, but Bruce Springsteen has made a truly great album, on only 2 hearings it's better than The Rising, and the best album he has recorded since The River.

I can't say how happy I am to say this.

Last great Springsteen album 'Human Touch' ?!!?

Great songwriting days over?

Are you joking? 'Tom Joad', 'Devils and the Dust', 'The Rising' and at least half of 'Magic' are better than 'Human Touch'

Springsteen is about to release an album which deals with some of the human consequences of the financial crisis. A lot more than many of the younger, supposedly clued in artists have managed. I've tried to listen to it through the slow drip releases and it generally sounds ok. Too early to say how it compares overall.

I am surprised that EmmyLou Harris isnt sueing Bruce Springsteen for plagarism!! She too had an album out in 1995 called Wrecking Ball!!

http://www.emmylouharris.com/elhWreckingBall.html

As far as I know there have been at least 5- 6 albums called Wrecking Ball.............you can't sue anyone for using a term as far as I know

That's right,you can't copyright a song (or album) title. Three different songs called "The Power Of Love",for instance.