* * * JACKSON BROWNE, “Looking East” Elektra

As the official Baby Boomer balladeer, Browne has chronicled the growing pains of a generation that’s gone from post-adolescence in the Nixon years to middle age with one of its own in the White House.

The lesson is that little has changed, and fittingly, the best moments on “Looking East,” Browne’s first work truly reflecting on his and his peers’ entry into mid-life, slot nicely alongside his prime ‘70s work. He’s a bit more comfortable now, but still on a quest for inner peace (the frisky title track) and romantic stability (“Baby How Long”).

“Some Bridges” even recalls that classic “Late for the Sky” sound. But guitarist Scott Thurston and bassist Kevin McCormick’s production, while cozily familiar, is never mired in nostalgia.

One song drags the album down: “Information Wars,” a broadside quoting corporate jingles in a typically inelegant if well-meaning attempt at social criticism. Any intended irony is buried in an avalanche of cliches. Singing about society, Browne is preachy and paternal. Singing about himself, he’s a brother and a friend.