Someone on Amazon 'accidentally' made Bruce Springsteen's new album, due for release in two weeks, available for purchase (mp3 download) over the weekend. Amazon has since retracted it, but the full album is already circulating over the Internet. Leaks are fairly common in today's world, but not like this. It had to be done intentionally, obviously to drum up more publicity for the album, since there was very little to begin with. Now many music and entertainment publications are reporting this mini-incident. So, thanks to Jon Landau management for giving us an early New Year's gift. I've only listened once all the way through and won't listen again till I get my hands on the vinyl. But I like what I've heard so far, for its 'un-usualness' in that there's no overlying theme that binds all the songs together (a first for Bruce in a long time), and overall musically it's quite different from what we're used to hearing from him; in a way continuing from where Wrecking Ball left off. It's too early to say whether it's as strong as Wrecking Ball or The Rising, but High Hopes is certainly much, much better than Working On A Dream, albeit nowhere near as great as Magic. And I love Tom Morello's contribution here.
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P.S. Tommy talks touring and recording with Bruce in a new Rolling Stone interview [link].
