Bruce Springsteen’s new single “We Take Care of Our Own” is his best record … ever. Anthemic, moving, emotional, and just plain sensational. It could well be the first great record of this nascent year.

I have a funny dynamic with Springsteen. When he first hit, and hit big, I had a real hard time getting beyond all the hype. Remember, he was on the front covers of both Time and Newsweek, on Oct. 27, 1975.

The media just adored him, probably due in no small part to the fact that a former media-darling, Jon Landau, was his manager. However, when I finally saw him live and literally felt Madison Square Garden shake.

I was hooked. He was just an amazing live act; riveting on every level. From that point on I took his very seriously and when he wrote and performed the Tom Hanks movie “Philadelphia” about a lawyer with AIDs, I was hooked.

I must admit all these years later, I have always been terrifically impressed by how earnestly he approaches his craft. Numerous interviews, maybe even a few too many, stress just how serious he is.

No question, this latest release is everything and more; the only thing missing was Clarence Clemmons’ saxophone. He died last June, at 69, from complications related to a stroke. I hear on his forthcoming tour, the area where Clarence would have stood and performed will be kept intact. Bruce Juice for sure.

The Boss kicks off the tour March 18 in Atlanta and will hit 15 cities. Bruce will be touring, as always, with the E Street Band. Check out the tour schedule here.

The new album Wrecking Ball will reportedly include a number of songs that take aim at the economic injustice that led to the financial meltdown in 2008. Much of the album was already written before the Occupy Wall Street movement erupted.

Springsteen debuted the first single off the album, “We Take Care of Our Own,” earlier this month. It’s a moody ballad heavy on orchestral accompaniment. The lyrics question the loss of the nation’s soul. The album includes collaborations with Rage Against The Machine’s Tom Morello and Pearl Jam’s Matt Chamberlain.

The album will be released March 6. You can pre-order it now from amazon.com by clicking the link above.

Names in the News

Jacqueline Boyd, Susan Hathaway, May Pang, Bruce Grakal, Todd & Lisa Cuddy, Priscilla, Tony King, Mark Alpert, Bill Schill, Bruce Carbone, Nate Alpert, Florence Welch, Gillian Armstrong-Strong, Jane Blunkel, Donna Dolenz, Steve Walter, Larry Stevens, Victor Kastel.