Another classic, possibly better than any album since the mid-'70s. Plenty of blues, which suits his ravaged voice well, with some South-of-the-Border flavoring. Some very strange chord progressions, like in "Life is Hard" -- at least to these musically untrained ears!
All but one of the songs' lyrics were co-written with Robert Hunter, the Dead's lyricist. All music by Dylan, with Willie Dixon on one tune. Some accordion from Los Lobos; some guitar from the Heartbreakers; same insanely good rhythm section. They rock.
There's none of the slightly canned flavor of the last album, Modern Times, and it achieves a strange, timeless glory in every song, some of which are as good as any he's written.
Dig it.