Bruce Springsteen will release a raw, rootsy new album, Devils and Dust, on April 26th. "This is not exactly like any prior Bruce release," says a source close to the artist. "It's neither an E Street Band album nor an acoustic album. A good half of it really rocks." A tour of major cities will follow, with Springsteen potentially playing with some E Streeters.

Like 2002's The Rising, the new album — Springsteen's thirteenth studio release — was produced by Brendan O'Brien. The producer also played bass on most tracks, in a trio that included Springsteen on guitar and session vet Steve Jordan on drums. Some songs feature E Street member Soozie Tyrell on violin, and others use a full string section.

Springsteen wrote much of the material in a three-year period after 1995's The Ghost of Tom Joad (two tracks, the story-song "The Hitter" and the poetic ballad "Long Time Comin'," have popped up in live shows). But the hard-rocking, politically charged title track is new. Says the source, "It's an overview song, in the tradition of 'Badlands' and 'Born in the U.S.A.'"

This story is from the March 10th, 2005 issue of Rolling Stone.

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