Bruce Springsteen Talks New Album And His Take On Patriotism

Bruce Springsteen is not happy about the economy. The one nice thing about being a musician is when a musician gets pissed, they can put that anger into music. Which is exactly what Springsteen has done with his upcoming work, Wrecking Ball, an album filled both anthems of protest and celebrations of hard work. Springsteen addressed some of the issues he sees with America in a recent press conference in Europe.

The 62 year-old musician can still give one hell of an interview and he did so in France, giving a unique viewpoint on why his music works so well.

"Pessimism and optimism are slammed up against each other in my records, the tension between them is where it's all at, it's what lights the fire."

The talk turned more pointedly political, with Springsteen bemoaning the Bush years and lauding many of the institutions Obama has been able to put into place during his tenure. The economy is still a fragile and frustrating issue for Springsteen, however.

“What was done to our country was wrong and unpatriotic and un-American and nobody has been held to account. There is a real patriotism underneath the best of my music but it is a critical, questioning and often angry patriotism. “

You can check out the full interview over at The Guardian, or just wait to hear what Wrecking Ball is really about when it drops on March 5.