The Band's Robbie Robertson is to release his first album in 13 years. Although the LP includes three songs co-written by Eric Clapton, Robertson has clearly moved on from the Big Pink – How to Become Clairvoyant features appearances by Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello and Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor.

"The boys helped me out," Robertson told Rolling Stone. "I think I've written some really good songs, and ... it turned out quite extraordinary." Robertson, 67, released four solo albums between 1987 and 1998, long after the break-up of the Band. Now, almost 50 years after the group's first ramblings with Bob Dylan, Robertson has written This Is Where I Get Off, a song about his last days as the Band's guitarist and principal songwriter. Other tracks explore addiction, 60s idealism and "rock'n'roll's early reputation as the devil's music".

Clapton performs on six tracks, and there are cameos from Steve Winwood, pedal steel guitarist Robert Randolph, and Morello. Reznor appears on just one song, providing "additional textures", Robertson explained, to an instrumental called Madame X. "It's a really cinematic piece of music. I wanted Trent to contribute something, and he understood exactly what I was talking about and did something completely beautiful and haunting."

One song, When the Night Was Young, is streaming now at 429 Records, with backing vocals from Angela McCluskey. It is mellow, soulful and name-drops Andy Warhol – Pretty Hate Machine, this is not.

How to Become Clairvoyant is due out in April.