STACK #249 July 2025

MUSIC FEATURE

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A Boss move – releasing seven new albums on the one day. LOST TREASURES

“T here are some secrets that should never be told,” Bruce Springsteen confides in Something in the Well . “I know there’s things in this world, babe, should stay locked up forever.” But 27 years after the first Tracks , Springsteen has decided to unlock his vault to deliver Tracks II: The Lost Albums – seven previously unreleased albums, featuring 83 songs. There’s also the 20-track compilation – Lost and Found: Selections from the Lost Albums . LA GARAGE SESSIONS ’83 Rough, raw and diverse. The missing link between Nebraska and Born in the U.S.A . Must hear: The Klansman , a genuinely chilling song about a 10-year-boy being introduced to the KKK.

STREETS OF PHILADELPHIA SESSIONS Haunting tales of human connection – and disconnection. Intended to be a 1995 album, but then Bruce put the E Street Band back together. Features an alternate version of Secret Garden , Springsteen’s last Top 10 hit in Australia. Must hear: Something in the Well FAITHLESS The soundtrack to a movie that was never made – a “spiritual western”. Some of the most beautiful songs of Springsteen’s career. Must hear: God Sent You SOMEWHERE NORTH OF NASHVILLE In another life, Springsteen could have been a classic country artist. Must hear: The mournful country ballad Poor Side of Town .

INYO A majestic companion to Springsteen’s 2019 album Western Stars . Must hear: Our Lady of Monroe , the story of a detective who had “25 years on the streets where the Lord does not intervene”. TWILIGHT HOURS Songs that Jimmy Webb could have written, and Sinatra could have recorded. Must hear: Late in the Evening , where “the bartender rings last call”. PERFECT WORLD A rock record. Could have been part three of Human Touch and Lucky Tow n. Must hear: The Dylanesque The Great Depression , where “some people destroy the things they build so carefully”. Jeff Jenkins

Bruce Springsteen

Photo credit: Danny Clinch Photo credit: Jenny Risher

Tracks II: The Lost Albums and Lost and Found: Selections From The Lost Albums by Bruce Springsteen are out now via Sony

Fifty years after his classic WelcomeTo My Nightmare , Alice Cooper has put the band back together. REVENGE IS SWEET

The Revenge of Alice Cooper by Alice Cooper is out Jul 25 via Rocket

I t’s a little confusing but bear with us. Before Vincent Furnier became Alice Cooper, that was the name of his band. They released their debut album, Pretties For You , way back in 1969. It stiffed. But the band broke big with 1972’s School’s Out , which rocketed into the Australian Top 5. The follow-up, Billion Dollar Babies , was just as big. After their seventh album, the band broke up in 1975, but the singer kept the name, becoming Alice Cooper. Fifty years later comes The Revenge of Alice Cooper , the band’s eighth album, and Alice’s 30th studio album overall. “It was very much like this was our next album after [1973’s] Muscle of Love, ” Alice told the music industry bible Billboard . “Isn’t that funny after 50 years?” As well as Alice, the album features the band’s original bass player Dennis Dunaway, drummer Neal Smith and guitarist Michael Bruce. The band’s other original guitarist, Glen Buxton, died in 1997, aged 49, but his work can be heard on the record – What Happened to You was based on a riff from one of his old demos. School’s definitely out. The band members are all way over the age of 18. And they’re no longer leading the Department of Youth. But the Alice sound remains classic shock rock. Jeff Jenkins

THE NAME GAME

When they started out, they were known as The Earwigs, before becoming The Spiders and then Nazz, before renaming themselves Alice Cooper. “It was kind of like the all-American, sweet little old lady name,” Alice explains.

Alice Cooper

The album was produced by Canada’s Bob Ezrin, who first worked with Alice Cooper in 1971. This is the 15th album he’s made with Alice Cooper. Ezrin has also produced records for Pink Floyd, Kiss and Lou Reed. BOB’S YOUR PRODUCER

WE’RE NOT WORTHY Alice Cooper has had eight Top 10 albums in Australia, though he’s never had a number one.

26 JULY 2025

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