Bruce Springsteen: "Tracks" (Columbia)

In a career spanning 25 years, Bruce Springsteen has released only 11 albums of original material. This is partly because he strives for perfection: he reputedly wrote close to 100 songs for Born in the USA before cutting that down to the 12 which appeared on the album. Tracks is made up of (in Springsteen's own words) "the ones that got away . . . It's the alternate route to some of the destinations I have travelled to on my records". The four-CD set comprises 66 songs - 56 previously unreleased masters and 10 b-sides.

Disc 1 is more important historically than musically. It includes Springsteen's first demos, recorded for John Hammond in 1972, and many early recordings with the E-Street Band. Disc 2 mixes routine fare with some gems: A Good Man is Hard to Find is lyrical and poetic, as are Shut Out the Light and Born in the USA (in its original acoustic form, an out-take from the Nebraska sessions).

Disc 3 is the high point, containing stunning out-takes from Born in the USA and Tunnel of Love (The Wish, a tribute to his mother, must rank among his finest songs). The final CD has its share of great material, though at times songs have a work-in-progress feel: Goin' Cali, for instance, sounds like a rough draft for Living Proof.

Reservations aside, there's a huge number of great songs here, and the collection as a whole is a major addition to Springsteen's awesome catalogue.