Retailers Hope for a Big Boost From Springsteen : Pop music: The Boss will release two long-awaited albums simultaneously in April. The works may help revive the recession-plagued record industry.

There will be two Bruce Springsteen albums this spring, it was confirmed Thursday--and retailers couldn’t be happier. They look to the works as a way to help extend the recession-plagued industry’s brisk recovery during the holidays.

“There’s no question that the excitement of two Springsteen releases will bring people into the stores,” said Mitch Perliss, who covers the retail scene for the trade magazine Hits and is former vice president of purchasing for the Music Plus stores. “It will give the whole recording industry some pizazz.”

The Columbia albums, Springsteen’s first in more than four years, are expected around April 1. They will be titled “Human Touch” and “Lucky Town.”

The collections make Springsteen the second major pop artist to release two albums at the same time. Many industry observers considered it a risky commercial step when Guns N’ Roses released two albums last fall, but both have sold well.

“I’m excited about being finished (with the albums) and am looking forward to getting out on the road,” said Springsteen in a statement released Thursday by Shore Fire Media, a New York publicity firm. There have been rumors of a June start on the tour but no plans are set.

Chuck Lee, director of music buying for the Torrance-based Wherehouse chain, agrees that the initial reaction to the albums will be strong but he wonders about the longer-term sales of two simultaneous Springsteen albums.

The big question among some retailers is the musical tone of the works. Springsteen’s last three studio albums have differed greatly in tone and in commercial impact: 1982’s stark, acoustic “Nebraska” sold an estimated 1.5 million copies in the U.S., while 1984’s energetic “Born in the U.S.A.” sold more than 11 million and 1987’s introspective “Tunnel of Love” sold about 3 million.

The albums, according to one source who has heard them, are “full-out rock ‘n’ roll.”

“Whatever he does will be a smash,” predicted Bob Feterl Southern California regional manager for the Tower Records chain. “People are hungry for his stuff.”

The song titles in the “Human Touch” package: “Human Touch,” “Soul Driver,” “57 Channels,” “Cross My Heart,” “Gloria’s Eyes,” “With Every Wish,” “Roll of the Dice,” “Real World,” “All or Nothin’ at All,” “Man’s Job,” “I Wish I Were Blind,” “Long Goodbye,” “Real Man” and “Pony Boy.”

The “Lucky Town” titles: “Better Days,” “Lucky Town,” “Local Hero,” “If I Should Fall Behind,” “Leap of Faith,” “Big Muddy,” “Living Proof,” “Book of Dreams,” “Souls of the Departed” and “My Beautiful Reward.”

The only musician featured on the two albums from Springsteen’s old E Street Band is keyboardist Roy Bittan, who also co-wrote two of the songs with Springsteen and co-produced the “Human Touch” album with Springsteen, Jon Landau and Chuck Plotkin.