THIS IS, remarkably, Bruce Springsteen’s 24th album and he has rarely sounded happier or more at ease with the world.

Working On A Dream more or less flows from his last album, Magic, with barely a break in the song-writing or recording, again with producer Brendan O’Brian.

That album title is not a statement of grand intent or his own state of the nation address – even if Barack Obama did say he was only running for president because he couldn’t be Bruce Springsteen.

This is more of a state of the heart address, an album drenched with experience and life – the L-word features in the titles of two songs – and mostly ringing with optimism and hope.

Although this is Springsteen’s most pop-like album yet, the long and epic opening track, Outlaw Pete, doesn’t fit the general mood, sounding like the music for a Sergio Leone film about dust, revenge and mortally afflicted cowboys; but it is still enjoyable.

Musical influences from the past echo through this album with the E-Street Band: harmonies worthy of the Beach Boys resonate on the gorgeous, stand-out track This Life, while Byrds-style guitars ring and jangle on Life Itself.

The uplifting Kingdom Of Days harks back to the beautiful bombast of early Springsteen, while Good Eye is a scratchy blues, and The Last Carnival is a touching elegy to Danny Federici, the E Street Band organist, who died last year.

The occasional odd moment – such as Queen Of The Supermarket, a surging hymn to a local checkout girl, or the rather pedestrian title track – can be forgiven.

Bruce hits the spot far more often than he misses, and it is joyful to find him still exultant, still making music that matters, 24 albums down the line.