Bruce Springsteen has reason to be upbeat: His Magic tour was an exuberant, yearlong house party, he's got a date with the Super Bowl in January, and his presidential candidate did all right. That a hopeful new single precedes a new E Street Band album that arrives just after Inauguration Day is probably not much of a coincidence. With its rich pop sound, fiercely adhesive hook, whistle breakdown and army of "la la la's," Springsteen and producer Brendan O'Brien seem to be picking up right where "Magic" left off. Even if it is lyrically one of the Bruce-ier Bruce offerings in recent memory, it's sure to sound pretty fantastic on tour. —Jeff Vrabel