Brendan O’Brien represents a tricky proposition for Bruce fans. On the one hand, as the Boss himself has admitted, the producer has helped Springsteen to loosen up and rediscover his mojo; on the other, the albums he has worked on (this is his fourth at the controls) have tended to sound flat and overly compressed. That is the case again here, but so, too, is O’Brien’s positive influence: Outlaw Pete, the eight-minute opening track, may be classic Springsteen in its epic sweep and grandeur, but the sprightly backing-vocal countermelody bears O’Brien’s unmistakable pop-smart imprint.

Elsewhere, an album that is preoccupied with questions of mortality, romantic fidelity, learning from the past while facing an uncertain future, touches base with some key Springsteen staging posts: My Lucky Day is muscular, Jersey Shore rock’n’roll/soul, Life Itself is downbeat and minimal to the point of resignation, Kingdom of Days marries a swoonsome 1950s-pop chord progression to a beautiful lyric about the passage of time, Queen of the Supermarket boasts a quintessential slow-build intro, sprinkled with Roy Bittan’s piano, and This Life could almost be a Four Seasons song, its walking bass and alternately descending and ascending key structure supporting a powerfully affirming lyric that is both deeply personal and universal.

Columbia 88697413552

Editor's choice

• The 100 Best Films of the Decade
• 70 facts you didn't know about Marvel
• The 50 Biggest Movies Of 2010