has never been away, so why does 2008's feel like a comeback album? Because this, his 14th album, is a return to straight-ahead modern country after several years of detours, including a late-night saloon album produced by ( ) and an austere collection of spirituals ( ). Even his last full-fledged country album, 2004's , felt a little understated and modest, adjectives that can't quite be applied to , even if it bears 's unmistakable mark of casual authority. That casualness can disguise his ambitions, especially on an album as shining and snappy as this. It's only upon close inspection that the audacity behind becomes apparent: it's 's first album of all-original material, and at 17 tracks it's the effective equivalent of a double-album in country music, where all albums outside of 's mammoth triple-disc are brief and to the point. Unsurprisingly given its length, drifts amiably and takes its time, lingering on its ballads and gliding through the faster tunes, sustaining a cheerful mood. It's so easy to enjoy that it takes a bit of attention to dig out the true gems lying here, and there are many: the brisk bluegrass strut of brought down to earth by 's phrasing; the slightly gangly, tongue-in-cheek Western swing of which finds a more straightforward cousin in ; the gentle roll of as sweet and light a song as has ever cut. These are the exceptions on an album that feels big and bright, a throwback to the days of '80s new country, especially on a zippy duet with that finds its flip on a piece of soft rock that could have fit onto the airwaves during the prime of urban cowboy. And that is the sly genius of -- it demonstrates that is as comfortable with the poppier side of country as he is with the harder stuff, and he can deliver it without seeming as if he's pandering, a feat that is almost as impressive as those generic detours he's taken in the past few years. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine