I’ve always kind of thought that Bob Dylan’s better work was behind him. Not because he’s digressed as a writer, but more because everything that he does is compared to his impeccable past. No one can compete with stuff like “Like a Rolling Stone,” “Masters of War,” “Blowin’ in the Wind” or “Just Like a Woman,” even Dylan himself.His latest, Together Through Life (Columbia), doesn’t prove me wrong, but that being said, it’s a very, very strong album. Many criticize Dylan’s singing voice, saying that after years of wear and tear from recording and touring it’s become a distraction. Who ever listened to Dylan for his singing voice anyway?
It was always about content with Dylan. Speaking up for the little guy, talking up social injustice, lamenting about the pain of a broken heart, his is a voice of truth. If anything, now you can hear the pain and troubles of a life that has lived through quite a lot.
While this album is more about relationships (with the exception of “I Feel a Change Comin’ On”) than his previous two releases, his motivation has never been clearer. Again, self-produced by Dylan using the moniker Jack Frost, it’s a throwback album in that it’s a simple 10 tracks coming in at 45 minutes.
Using his touring band is a smart thing to do here simply because they know the intricacies of Dylan’s work. They make it happen in a real way without getting in Bob’s way, but still leave an imprint of their own. One of the few guests here is David Hidalgo, the singer/songwriter of one of America’s few still standing “roots rock” bands, Los Lobos.
Hidalgo’s brilliant accordion work makes this sound like, at the very least, a Los Lobos album. At its very best it sounds like something that would be playing in the background of a Texas corner bar, while guys like me are crying in their beer over heartbreak.
Standouts include “My Wife’s Home Town,” “Beyond Here Nothing Lies,” “It’s All Good,” “This Dream of You” and “Shake, Shake, Mama.” Dylan is not the guy he used to be, but none of us are.
What Bob Dylan is and what makes Together Through Life one of the year’s best is because he’s not trying to be anything but himself. He’s one of our country’s great singer/songwriters who does it day in and day out.
I’m not so much into artists taking a break from their full-time bands to create a little side project, simply because they rarely, if ever, follow through with it. The latest such effort is Tinted Windows (S-Curve) manned by Fountains of Wayne bassist Adam Schlesinger, Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha, Cheap Trick drummer Bun E. Carlos and Hanson vocalist Taylor Hanson.
Don’t get me wrong, the record is a killer CD. It’s filled up and down with power cord guitars doused with a heavy dose of pop. In fact this sounds more like a Cheap Trick record during their In Color days than anything Smashing Pumpkins, Hanson or Fountains of Wayne ever attempted.
The fun they had in recording it sure comes through on the CD’s 11 cuts. And why not, with the tracks coming in at two and three minutes, obviously producer Iha isn’t interested in trying to solve the economic crisis here.
The problem I have with these side projects is like Green Day’s Foxboro Hot Tubs, after an album they go back to their day jobs. This is a fun album, which is lacking in today’s musical landscape, I guess we should enjoy it while it’s here. Standouts include “Cha Cha,” “Take Me Back,” “Dead Serious” and “Kind of a Girl.”
Steve Earle’s professional life has been just as rocky as his personal life. The guy has gone through six record companies and seven wives.wow! I guess whatever goes on behind the scenes is in part what motivates an artist one way or another.
His latest album is a pretty good one, though probably his least commercial effort to date. Townes (New West) is a dedication to Earle’s friend and mentor, singer/songwriter Townes Van Zandt. It’s 15 of Earle’s favorite Van Zandt written tracks with sparse musical accompaniment. This is a good thing on many levels, but mostly because it puts the emphasis on Van Zandt’s lyrics.
With a commercially checkered past, Townes is a surprising choice for Earle to follow-up last year’s Grammy winning Washington Square Serenade. Fans of Van Zandt, though, will find this album an amazing collection of excellent songs interpreted in Earle’s unique way.
On an album full of standouts, pretty much everything here is worth mentioning, though it should be noted that “Lungs” was produced by The Dust Brothers (Beck, Beastie Boys) and features former Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello on guitar.
Steve Earle’s Townes is another great record that might not end up a #1 album. But as sure as death and taxes, it will deservingly make my top five albums of the year.
