Springsteen releases Blind Spot from the vault

The influence of West Coast Hip Hop is front & centre on the track

If there’s one thing Bruce Springsteen fans know, it’s that The Boss never truly throws anything away. And with the release of “Blind Spot,” a brooding, previously unreleased track from the 1990s, Springsteen is proving that some songs just need the right moment to shine.

“Blind Spot” dropped this week as a sneak peek from Tracks II: The Lost Albums, a long-anticipated follow-up to 1998’s Tracks box set. The new collection, due out June 27, pulls back the curtain on seven full albums’ worth of unreleased material, written and recorded between 1983 and 2012. For die-hard fans, it’s like Christmas came early.

So what’s the deal with “Blind Spot”? First off, it's not your typical E Street anthem. This track feels like a deep cut from a darker Springsteen era, and with good reason — it was recorded during the Streets of Philadelphia sessions in the mid-90s. Back then, Bruce was experimenting with moodier, loop-heavy production, inspired in part by the rise of West Coast hip-hop. That influence is front and center in “Blind Spot,” where a haunting rhythm track and echoing synths set the stage for a tale of mistrust and emotional distance.

“Sometimes, the truth’s right in front of you, and you still can’t see it,” Springsteen croons in his signature weathered baritone. The lyrics are classic Springsteen — intimate, introspective, and open-ended — while the arrangement feels like a time capsule from his experimental mid-career years.

In a press statement, Springsteen said, “That was just the theme I locked in on at that moment. I don’t really know why. Patti and I were having a great time in California. But sometimes if you lock into one song you like, then you start going down that rabbit hole.” Sounds like “Blind Spot” was part of a creative itch Bruce never quite scratched — until now.

Music critics have been quick to praise the track. Consequence called it “a fascinating detour that shows just how adventurous Springsteen was willing to be,” while Pitchfork highlighted its “unusual sonic palette” as a welcome surprise for longtime listeners.

And for fans who can’t wait for the full box set, “Blind Spot” is streaming now on all major platforms — along with a vintage-style lyric video that adds to the song’s nostalgic vibe. You can check it out on Springsteen’s official YouTube channel.

Tracks II will include songs from long-rumored albums like Waiting on the End of the World, The Promise, and Songs for the Orphans, giving fans a deep dive into decades of music that, until now, lived only in Springsteen lore.

One thing’s for sure — Bruce isn’t slowing down. And if “Blind Spot” is any indication, there are plenty more gems hiding in The Boss’s vault, just waiting for their moment in the sun.

Sources:  Vinyl Me, Please, Pitchfork, LOS40, Youtube, Wikipedia, Stereogum