Bruce Springsteen's Unreleased Material For New Album

by Matt Shine | 25 November 2013

Bruce Springsteen's new album 'High Hopes' will be a collection of rejected songs that didn't make the cut in the past.

The musical legend has revealed his forthcoming record, confirmed for release on January 13, 2014, features songs that have never been released officially, but have been put forward for consideration and/or played live.

The 64-year-old star also previewed the title track of the album with a brand new video.

The tune is a cover of The Havalinas' 90s cult classic which Springsteen initially recorded for the 'Blood Brothers' EP in November 1996.

He explained in a statement on his official website: "This is music I always felt needed to be released. From the gangsters of 'Harry's Place', the ill-prepared roomies on 'Frankie Fell In Love' (shades of Steve and I bumming together in our Asbury Park apartment) the travellers in the wasteland of 'Hunter Of Invisible Gam'e, to the soldier and his visiting friend in 'The Wall', I felt they all deserved a home and a hearing. Hope you enjoy it."

The album was a trip down memory lane for the musician, who picked a mixture of new material, covers and re-recorded versions of existing songs which he felt "deserved" to be recorded properly.

Bruce said: "Some of these songs, 'American Skin' and 'Ghost of Tom Joad', you'll be familiar with from our live versions. I felt they were among the best of my writing and deserved a proper studio recording. 'The Wall' is something I'd played on stage a few times and remains very close to my heart.

"The title and idea were Joe Grushecky's, then the song appeared after Patti [Scialfa aka Mrs Springsteen] and I made a visit to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington. It was inspired by my memories of Walter Cichon. Walter was one of the great early Jersey Shore rockers, who along with his brother Ray (one of my early guitar mentors) led the Motifs."

The 'High Hopes' tracklisting is as follows:

1. 'High Hopes'

2. 'Harry's Place'

3. 'American Skin (41 Shots)'

4. 'Just Like Fire Would'

5. 'Down In The Hole'

6. 'Heave's Wall'

7. 'Frankie Fell In Love'

8. 'This Is Your Sword'

9. 'Hunter Of Invisible Game'

10. 'The Ghost Of Tom Joad'

11. 'The Wall'