'The Boss' Is Back

There are several reasons why the July 30 release of Bruce Springsteen's new album with the E Street Band is one of the most anticipated rock music events in years.

First, Springsteen hasn't released a full album since 1992. So, a new album release by "The Boss" is a big deal for most music enthusiasts.

Then, this is first album by the Springsteen and the legendary E Street Band since 1984 when "Born in the U.S.A." hit the airwaves. Finally, the music on "The Rising" was written after Sept. 11 and deals with the tragedy and terrorism.

The Early Show talked with New York Times music writer Jon Pareles, one of the few to actually hear the entire album, "The Rising," and interview Springsteen at his home in Monmouth County, N.J.

Pareles says "responsibility" is a big theme in Springsteen's career. The rocker feels a responsibility to his fans and sees his songs as a way to dialogue with ordinary Americans, the critic says.

He also says that in recent years Springsteen had been afraid that he lost voice and he found it by re-unting with the band. The same musicians who shielded him when he found fame at a relatively young age are now giving him a foundation on which to build better music, Pareles says.

After releasing just three studio albums in the past decade, Springsteen will let the rest of the world hear "The Rising" — a collection of songs he said took him eight weeks to finish.

The album will be released July 30 and will feature 14 new songs, including the band's version of the song inspired by 9/11, "My City of Ruins," which Springsteen played on the "America: A Tribute to Heroes" telethon last fall.

Only a few in Springsteen's inner circle have heard the new album, which is extraordinary in the Internet age of file swapping music. Many artist and record labels have complained that the Internet has allowed computer users to leak songs out before their release date. In Fact, such leaks prompted Eminem to push up the release of his new album earlier this year.

Springsteen avoided this by making limiting advance copies of "The Rising."

The disc was recorded this year in Atlanta by Springsteen and E Street members Roy Bittan (keyboards), Clarence Clemons (Saxophone, percussion), Danny Federici (keyboards), Nils Lofgren (guitars), Patti Scialfa (vocals, guitar), Garry Tallent (bass), Steven Van Zandt (guitars) and Max Weinberg (drums). Pareles said in his article that the album continues the reunion with the E Street Band that began with a few songs in 1995.

Track list for The Rising, according to Columbia Records:

• "Lonesome Day"
  
• "Into the Fire"
  
• "Waitin' on a Sunny Day"
  
• "Nothing Man"
  
• "Countin' on a Miracle"
  
• "Empty Sky"
  
• "Worlds Apart"
  
• "Let's Be Friends"
  
• "Further on (Up the Road)"
  
• "The Fuse"
  
• "Mary's Place"
  
• "You're Missing"
  
• "The Rising"
  
• "Paradise"
  
• "My City of Ruins"
  

FAST FACTS ABOUT BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN

• Springsteen was born in Freehold, N.J., on Sept. 23, 1949
  
• "The Boss" hit the music industry with the release of his first album "Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.," in 1973.
  
• "The Wild, the Innocent, and The E Street Shuffle" was the follow-up release that received critical claim, but did not sell well with the fans.
  
• The band released "Born to Run" in 1974. The title song "Thunder Road" received play on the radio and brought the album to the top five.
  
• In 1978, Springsteen made his first darker album, "Darkness on the Edge of Town."
  
• "The River," in 1980 quickly went platinum in the United States and established Springsteen as an international star
  
• "Born in the U.S.A." came out in 1984. The arena rock album sold 20 million copies and was followed by a massive two-year long worldwide tour.
  
• The E Street Band and Springsteen parted ways in 1989.
  
• Springsteen released the song "Streets of Philadelphia" for the movie "Philadelphia" which won him a Grammy award and an Oscar for "Best Song" in 1994.