he's taking it far too easy.

It's disheartening to find the writer of "Visions of Johanna," and a hundred other cryptic, haunting songs that have inspired countless poets, coming up with titles like "Wiggle Wiggle" and "Handy Dandy." Given a tough, trash-can production by Don Was, David Was and Jack Frost, the record's trusty blues rock sounds strong; a host of rock royalty keeps things rolling – George Harrison, David Crosby, Slash, Bruce Hornsby and a truly fine Al Kooper. Dylan's voice, as dazzlingly expressive as a great bluesman's, sounds sharp, too. The drag is that Dylan doesn't have much to say – or a really memorable way to say it.

There are highlights. Dylan's trademark prophet's rage resurfaces on "Unbelievable" ("Said it was the land of milk and honey/Now they say it's the land of money"); "T.V. Talkin' Song" has a bitter wit ("Sometimes you got to do like Elvis did, and shoot the damn thing out"); "Born in Time" is a moving lament. And the anxious hymn "God Knows" ("God knows the secrets of your heart/He'll tell them to you when you sleep") recalls the bracing air of New Morning in its uncanny, soul-baring candor – it's terrific, full-bore Dylan.

For the most part, though, the record is at best workmanlike; at worst, perfunctory. Weakened by a few too many cute or softhearted lyrics ("Baby, thank you for my tea/It's really so sweet of you to be so nice to me," from "10,000 Men") and diluted by tunes that rarely surprise us, Under the Red Sky presents a kind of Dylan-Lite. A pastel version of genius isn't, of course, a bad thing – it's just that Dylan's evolving, fully chromatic splendor had made us hope for so much more. (RS 588)

PAUL EVANS