Maybe revisiting for -- an oddly effective reinterpretation of the 1978 classic featuring new vocals sung in Spanish by a variety of Latinx musicians over the original instrumentals -- shook something loose in , as is his purest dose of rock & roll since maybe . Where that 1986 album teems with resentment and untrammeled ire, feels exuberant; he's not bloodletting, he's tapping into a musical vein that's proved to be a vital resource throughout his career. The difference is subtle but palpable, a reflection of 's status as a rock troubadour. Here, is playing with familiar building blocks -- pumped-up riffs, fleet wordplay, an omnivorous musical appetite -- yet often assembling these elements in fresh, unexpected ways. "Farewell OK" kicks off the proceedings with a dose of pure rock & roll that suggests this album is a simple back-to-basics move, yet it's quickly followed by "The Boy Named If" and "Penelope Halfpenny," two numbers suggestive of the florid pop of but delivered with a muscular wallop. often plays upon memories of albums past, but never in a nostalgic way. isn't winking at his audience, he's drawing upon his deep musical vocabulary to create songs that recall his catalog yet feel playful and alive. Much of this liveliness is due to 's batch of original tunes being among his sturdiest of the 21st century. The key to their success, though, is that he's not writing toward a concept, he's writing songs that allow -- his longtime supporting band featuring all the original minus the bassist -- to show their sinewy skill. So much of the pleasure of lies in how deliver everything from the slow-burning ballad "Paint the Red Rose Blue" to the tight R&B groove of "Magnificent Hurt" with the clean efficiency of a rock & roll combo. have never sounded better on record -- and they've never sounded more like , either, which isn't entirely a coincidence -- and that helps give its infectious kick: it may feel like an old-fashioned album, but it sounds entirely fresh. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine