For his 24th album, Bruce Springsteen [ tickets ] joins with the E Street Band and longtime producer Brendan O'Brien, resulting in an optimistic collection of storytelling songs about love and striving for the good life.

The album opener, "Outlaw Pete," lives up to its name. At least twice as long as the rest of the songs, this grandiose track sidesteps the predominant hopeful and romantic themes. Instead, it examines humanity through a gun-slinging tale about redemption and inherent evil. Epic and poignant as it is, "Outlaw Pete" is a heavy-minded pick for the first track.

The spirited single "Lucky Day" takes things to a brighter place. With this simple, upbeat tune, Springsteen pays homage to a romance that's lasted through good and bad times, without sounding too sappy. The title track, "Working on a Dream," is, ironically, more lazy and carefree than labor-inspiring. Happy whistling interludes and "li, li, li" back-up vocals make this a stress-free conversation about moving toward a goal and relying on love to make things better. In fact, the only thing that gets overworked is the repetitive chorus: "I'm working on a dream."

Musically, "Queen of the Supermarket" is blissful and climactic, but lyrically, it couldn't be more ridiculous. It is hands-down the album's weakest moment. When Springsteen croons, "I'm in love with the queen of the supermarket/As the evening sky turns blue/a dream awaits in aisle number two," it's hard to imagine he is serious. Beauty gone unnoticed is an admirable topic, but the message gets watered down with details about bagging groceries, looking bored and wearing a uniform. Springsteen's idea of love again finds a comfortable balance between reality and idealism on the bold and choral-driven "This Life."

The bluesy harmonica fun of "Good Eye" is a welcome shift in attitude. The foot-shuffling spirit continues with "Tomorrow Never Knows," a brief tune about accepting the unknown. "Kingdom of Dreams" starts to make all these romantic songs seem better suited for retired couples sitting in rocking chairs on their front porch, reflecting on years together. Countering that complacency, "Surprise, Surprise" brings a sense of hope, although the handclaps and easygoing chorus sound more like fillers than heartfelt emotions.

"Last Carnival," an ode to late E Street member Danny Federici, is a gentle closer that highlights Springsteen's vocal warmth. Bonus track "The Wrestler" embraces a similar mood, a reflective acoustic folk tune that was written for the film of the same title. In it, Springsteen sings, "If you've ever seen a one trick pony, then you've seen me."

While hardly a one-trick pony, Springsteen seems to have focused primarily on love as a central source of inspiration for "Working on a Dream." Although the album has its share of wayward moments and standard sounds, Springsteen still makes some enjoyable pop/rock with a purpose.