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Apr 26, 2019 By Christopher Roberts Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen is releasing a new solo album, Western Stars, on June 14 via Columbia. It’s his first studio album in five years, since 2014’s High Hopes, and was just announced yesterday. As previously announced, he has now shared a lyric video for its first single, “Hello Sunshine.” The string-backed song features slide guitar and has a late ‘60s and early ‘70s country vibe à la Jimmy Webb and Glen Campbell. Listen below.

The album features 13 original songs by Springsteen and was primarily recorded at his home in New Jersey, with additional recording in California and New York. A press release says that Springsteen’s 19th studio album draws “inspiration in part from the Southern California pop records of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s” and that the tracks “encompass a sweeping range of American themes, of highways and desert spaces, of isolation and community and the permanence of home and hope.”

Springsteen produced the album alongside Ron Aniello, who also plays bass, keyboard, and other instruments. Patti Scialfa provides vocals and contributes vocal arrangements on four tracks. The musical arrangements include strings, horns, pedal steel and contributions from

The album also features more than 20 other players, such as Patti Scialfa (who does vocals and vocal arrangements on four tracks), Jon Brion (on celeste, Moog, and farfisa), David Sancious, Charlie Giordano, and Soozie Tyrell. Tom Elmhirst mixed the album.

Springsteen had this to say about the album in a press release: “This record is a return to my solo recordings featuring character driven songs and sweeping, cinematic orchestral arrangements. It’s a jewel box of a record.”

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