Bruce Springsteen is set to release an expanded edition of Nebraska this fall, exploring the album with more context and depth than ever before, with a five-disc box set featuring many never-before-heard and previously-undiscovered recordings.
Nebraska ’82: Expanded Edition is due to arrive on October 17 from Sony Music and include the E Street Band’s fabled “Electric Nebraska” sessions and solo outtakes from the era as well as a newly shot performance film of Nebraska in its entirety – and a 2025 remaster of the original album. Together, they represent a wholly unprecedented look into the sonic world of this improbable lo-fi masterpiece turned enduring Springsteen classic.
The Expanded Edition was previewed with a previously-unreleased version of “Born in the U.S.A” (which was originally written alongside Nebraska), featuring Springsteen backed by Max Weinberg and Garry Tallent in a trio rendition from late April 1982.
“We threw out the keyboards and played basically as a three-piece,” Springsteen reflected. “It was kinda like punk rockabilly. We were trying to bring ‘Nebraska’ into the electric world.”
In addition to “Electric Nebraska,” which features Tallent, Weinberg, Danny Federici, Roy Bittan and Stevie Van Zandt, the set’s collection of “Nebraska Outtakes” unearths Springsteen solo rarities including more songs from the original Nebraska home recordings (“Losin’ Kind,” “Child Bride,” “Downbound Train”) and tracks from a one-off 1982 solo studio session (“Gun In Every Home,” “On the Prowl”). Also included is a present-day performance film of the Nebraska album.
“I think in playing these songs again to be filmed, their weight impressed upon me,” said Springsteen. “I’ve written a lot of other narrative records, but there’s just something about that batch of songs on ‘Nebraska’ that holds some sort of magic.”
One week after the release of Nebraska ’82: Expanded Edition, the feature film Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere will arrive in theaters from 20th Century Studios on October 24 and chronicles the making of Springsteen’s Nebraska.
Pre-order Nebraska ’82: Expanded Edition in both 4-LP plus Blu-Ray and 4-CD plus Blu-Ray configurations here.
Source: RTT Music News
