Bruce Springsteen is once again proving that he has no intention of slowing down. Just when fans were gearing up for the release of ‘Tracks II: The Lost Albums,’ a sprawling seven-disc box set, the legendary rocker has already set his sights on its successor. In a recent interview with The New York Times, Springsteen revealed that ‘Tracks III’ is already in the bag, ready to take listeners on another epic journey through his storied career.
Scheduled to dive into the vaults that date back to his 1973 debut, ‘Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.,’ ‘Tracks III’ promises to be a treasure trove of previously unreleased material, stretching all the way to sessions recorded as recently as 2024. “It’s basically what was left in the vault,” Springsteen said, teasing fans with the prospect of five full albums’ worth of music.
For those who remember, the original ‘Tracks’ was a groundbreaking release in 1998, featuring demos, alternate versions, and unreleased songs spanning Springsteen’s career up to that point. It offered gems from the iconic years of ‘Born to Run,’ ‘Darkness on the Edge of Town,’ and ‘Born in the U.S.A.’ The package wrapped up with an outtake from ‘The Ghost of Tom Joad’ in 1995.
‘ Tracks II’ is set to shake things up with a different format, presenting Springsteen’s songs as seven distinct LPs. This new collection kicks off with the ‘LA Garage Sessions ’83,’ recorded shortly after the release of ‘Nebraska,’ and continues to the contemporary sounds of ‘Perfect World.’
Working alongside his longtime collaborator Ron Aniello, who has been by his side since 2010, Springsteen has painstakingly remixed the original recordings. Aniello assured fans that while some instrumental parts were added, Springsteen’s vocals remain untouched, preserving the authenticity of each era.
With a career that shows no signs of waning, Springsteen’s latest projects only add to his prolific output. Following his 2020 album ‘Letter to You,’ and the 2022 soul covers album ‘Only the Strong Survive,’ he also released a four-track EP, ‘Land of Hope and Dreams,’ featuring live renditions of beloved tracks and a Bob Dylan cover.
Hinting at even more to come, Springsteen expressed his relentless drive to create: “I’m a better man when I’m working,” he said. “I feel like I’ve got plenty of work left in me, and our band does too. Our band’s in great shape, and we carry on.”
As anticipation builds for ‘Tracks III,’ fans can only wonder what other surprises The Boss has in store.
