Bruce Springsteen has debuted a second advance recording from his forthcoming archival box set, Tracks II: The Lost Albums. The song, titled “Blind Spot,” is a brooding, synth-driven tune that will appear on Streets of Philadelphia Sessions, one of seven previously unheard albums featured on the box set.
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“Blind Spot,” which is available via streaming services now, is one of 10 tracks from Streets of Philadelphia Sessions.
According to a press release about the song, “Blind Spot” reflects the main theme of the album, which “explores doubt and betrayal in relationships.”
Springsteen noted in a statement, “That was just the theme that I locked in on at that moment. I don’t really know why. [My wife,] Patti [Scialfa,] and I … were having a great time in California. But sometimes if you lock into one song you like, then you follow that thread. I had ‘Blind Spot,’ and I followed that thread through the rest of the record.”
More About the Streets of Philadelphia Sessions Album
As the press release explained, the album was previously known to fans as Bruce’s long-rumored “loops record.” Springsteen wrote the songs around the time he recorded his Oscar-winning 1993 tune “Streets of Philadelphia,” from the film Philadelphia. The track found the Boss delving into the sounds of popular 1990s music, including West Coast hip-hop.
Bruce worked on the album at his home in Los Angeles, utilizing drum samples to make his own rhythmic loops with studio engineer Toby Scott. Springsteen then added keyboards and synthesizers to help complete the tracks. Bruce was the main instrumentalist on the songs, although the members of his 1992-1993 touring band also contributed to the album, as did Scialfa and fellow backing singers Soozie Tyrell and Lisa Lowell.
Bruce finished recording and mixing Streets of Philadelphia Sessions, with plans to release the album in the spring of 1995. He wound up shelving the project when he decided to reunite with the E Street Band around that time, after a seven-year hiatus from working with the group.
“I said, ‘Well, maybe it’s time to just do something with the band, or remind the fans of the band or that part of my work life,’” Springsteen noted. “So that’s where we went. But I always really liked Streets of Philadelphia Sessions.”
Bruce also revealed that while he was doing his Broadway show a few years ago, he considered releasing Streets of Philadelphia Sessions as a standalone album.
“I always put them away, but I don’t throw them away,” he added.
More About the Tracks II Box Set
As previously reported, the Tracks II: The Lost Albums box set will be released on June 27. It features seven previously unheard full-length albums, and includes recordings spanning from 1983 through 2018.
The box set, which can be pre-ordered now, is available as a limited-edition nine-LP set, a seven-CD collection, and via digital formats. Each of the seven albums will feature its own distinct packaging. The physical versions of the box set will also include a 100-page hardcover book. The book includes rare photos, liner notes on each album, and an introduction penned by Springsteen.
Tracks II features more than 80 songs in all, 74 of which have never been heard before.
The seven albums are titled LA Garage Sessions ’83, Streets of Philadelphia Sessions, Faithless, Somewhere North of Nashville, Inyo, Twilight Hours, and Perfect World.
The first advance track released from the box set was “Rain in the River,” which appears on Perfect World. The epic-sounding rock tune was recorded in 1994 at the same time Springsteen was working on Streets of Philadelphia Sessions. Springsteen also debuted a new music video for “Rain in the River,” which you can watch on his YouTube channel.
A companion album to Tracks II, titled Lost and Found: Selections from The Lost Albums, will also be released June 27. The 20-song collection will be available on CD and as a two-LP set.
For more information about the box set, visit LostAlbums.net.
Springsteen’s Upcoming Tour Plans
Springsteen and the E Street Band will be launching a 2025 European tour in less than a month. The trek, which features 16 confirmed shows, kicks off May 14 in Manchester, U.K., and is mapped out through a July 3 concert in Milan, Italy.
The tour includes makeup dates for several concerts that were postponed in 2024, when Bruce was experiencing some vocal trouble. Multiple shows are scheduled in Manchester; Milan; Lille, France; Liverpool, U.K.; and San Sebastian, Spain.
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