As many will have read elsewhere Bruce is planning to release an expanded version of the Seeger Sessions album, this time subtitled American Land. It is supposed to hit the shelves on September 5. No official track list has been revealed. The only thing that's certain is that "Bring Them Home" will be on it, and a good guess would be that it also includes "American Land" since they decided to use it as the subtitle. Other than that we can hope for, and most likely expect, stuff like "How Can a Poor Man....", "Long Black Veil", "When the Saints..." and perhaps other tour regulars. The problem is, we're going to have to shell full price for these 5-6 songs or however many it will be and we will be buying the whole original album again. Personally, I've never been one to complain when Bruce has re-released stuff with previously unreleased bonus tracks, such as Greatest Hits, 18 Tracks, and Essential. After all, those releases were the result of some sort of creative selection process where a new flow was created and songs appeared in a new context. Plus compilations of an artist's or band's best or most succesful songs have just always existed and have always been justified by their ability to introduce an artist to new, potential fans.

With this expanded Seeger Sessions album it's different. For all we know it's exactly the same album again, but with a few more songs. What's the point of that if not to make a quick buck from people who are going to buy it again? Sure, those songs are important and make some fine statements about current events, but if the message was the main factor, why not release those new songs separately? Record some more Seeger songs - enough to fill another album - and make it Seeger Sessions Volume 2?

Well, of course, there's always the "if you don't want it, don't buy it" option, but I'm one of the suckers. I'm going to buy it no matter how wrong I think it is. That's just what Bruce does to me. I crave everything he releases. I wouldn't be too sure if that will be the general rule among hardcores this time around though. The Seeger Sessions project is unpopular enough as it is in certain hardcore circles, and many people bought the first edition reluctantly. They sure as hell aren't going to shell out again. Even people who like the album will hesitate a whole lot more than if it had been an E Street Band project.

I guess we will just see what happens.