Bruce Springsteen has revealed that his new album ‘Wrecking Ball’ is inspired by a “critical, questioning and often angry patriotism”.

The veteran singer held a press conference at Theatre Marigny in Paris earlier this week to unveil material from the album, which is set for release on March 5.

He explained that the songs were inspired by the economic troubles the US is facing and the issue that “no one has been held to account”.

Speaking to The Guardian, Springsteen said: “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.”

He told the conference: “I have spent my life judging the distance between American reality and the American dream.”

The album, which follows 2009’s ‘Working On A Dream’ and 2010’s outtakes collection ‘The Promise’, features an appearance from Rage Against The Machine‘s Tom Morello.

Springsteen is scheduled to deliver the keynote speech at South By Southwest in Austin, Texas on March 15, before kicking off his US tour three days later in Atlanta.

The jaunt will visit the UK in the summer, beginning at Sunderland Stadium of Light on June 21 before moving on to Manchester Etihad Stadium (22), Isle Of Wight Festival (24) and London Hard Rock Calling (July 14).