Watchwatcher Posted September 1, 2006 Report Share Posted September 1, 2006 just checking out bob's newest, and maybe raspiest... but completely enjoyable album, MODERN TIMES. it's folksy, laid back, upbeat, somehow familiar and completely lacking in pretense. kinda music you need at high volume when you're flying across the countryside in a dated convertible... just kinda rambles along, some with a nice story line, and plenty of turn-of-phrases. sometimes that's what i think bob's lyrics are... a chain of cleverly crafted turn of the phrases. i haven't listened to dylan for 20 or 30 years, so i've missed plenty... anything else in the discography i should pay attention to? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddhead Posted September 1, 2006 Report Share Posted September 1, 2006 just checking out bob's newest, and maybe raspiest... but completely enjoyable album, MODERN TIMES. it's folksy, laid back, upbeat, somehow familiar and completely lacking in pretense. kinda music you need at high volume when you're flying across the countryside in a dated convertible... just kinda rambles along, some with a nice story line, and plenty of turn-of-phrases. sometimes that's what i think bob's lyrics are... a chain of cleverly crafted turn of the phrases. i haven't listened to dylan for 20 or 30 years, so i've missed plenty... anything else in the discography i should pay attention to? I was just talking about this with the g/f.. this is my next album. Of course Dylan was always great so resurgence is probably not the right word to use here, but i DO find it interesting how a number of more veteren rockers are seeing a resurgence in the quality and commerical appeal of their work. Van Morrison, Mark Knoppler/Emmy Lou Harris, Levon Helm.... I have been stuck on a Stephen Stills album that came out about a year ago... most of these aritists have lost something off their fastball in terms of the range of their voices, but the body of their work and the depth of the songs is just outstanding, as is musicianship... these guys are all pros. In terms of a recent dylan discography try "Time out of Mind" it is great. Also, you might also enjoy the 30 anniversity collection which is a collaberation of dylan songs performed live by various artsists who have covered his older work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchwatcher Posted September 1, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2006 good stuff, thx. best description of his latest is 'tom waits on prozac' ... has all the raspy cragginess of waits, but very mellow. i've always admired dylan... kind of a thinking man on acid's musician... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
By-Tor Posted September 1, 2006 Report Share Posted September 1, 2006 I have all classic Dylan albums... never really heard his newer stuff. I think the newest in my collection is Dylan & The Dead from the early 90'S. PS: The best version of "All Along the Watchtower" comes from Dave Matthews Band. They have a phenomenal live version of that famous Dylan song. I know some people think they're posers, but they're still amazing musicians. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionsandtigers Posted September 1, 2006 Report Share Posted September 1, 2006 going to see dylan tommorow night in upstate new york, will hopefully give a review when i get back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddhead Posted September 1, 2006 Report Share Posted September 1, 2006 good stuff, thx. best description of his latest is 'tom waits on prozac' ... has all the raspy cragginess of waits, but very mellow. i've always admired dylan... kind of a thinking man on acid's musician... Tom Waits on prozac... Anyway, Tom Wiats is another example of a resurgent career... I used to see him in collage.. almost 30 years ago (OMG!!!) Oh well.. maybe I need to reinvigorate MY career....! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddhead Posted September 1, 2006 Report Share Posted September 1, 2006 I have all classic Dylan albums... never really heard his newer stuff. I think the newest in my collection is Dylan & The Dead from the early 90'S. PS: The best version of "All Along the Watchtower" comes from Dave Matthews Band. They have a phenomenal live version of that famous Dylan song. I know some people think they're posers, but they're still amazing musicians. I agree with both your comments on Dave Matthews... good musicians who produce high quality pop records and their version of All Along the Watch Tower is top shelf. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pugwash Posted September 1, 2006 Report Share Posted September 1, 2006 PS: The best version of "All Along the Watchtower" comes from Dave Matthews Band. ... and it's better than even the Hendrix version? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchwatcher Posted September 1, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2006 LnT, i'm envious, would luv to head up to fishkill. please takes some notes on your reaction to the concert and give us a review, much appreciated. edd--must have taken waits 30 years of drinking and smoking to make his voice sound like that?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddhead Posted September 1, 2006 Report Share Posted September 1, 2006 LnT, i'm envious, would luv to head up to fishkill. please takes some notes on your reaction to the concert and give us a review, much appreciated. edd--must have taken waits 30 years of drinking and smoking to make his voice sound like that?! you can call me ed for short... believe it or not, waits' voice has not changed at all in 30 years, he has always sounded like that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archibald Posted September 1, 2006 Report Share Posted September 1, 2006 Been listening to it non stop since I bought it--right up there with springsteen's "Nebraska" which has been favorite "modern" folk album for a long time. If you appreciate great lyrics check out Springsteens sadly forgotton about "Nebraska (My father's house shines hard and bright/ calling and calling so cold and alone/accross this dark highway where our sins lie unatoned") or anything at all by Paul Westerberg/The Replacements ("Jesus Rides Beside me/But he never buys any smokes"). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddhead Posted September 4, 2006 Report Share Posted September 4, 2006 ... and it's better than even the Hendrix version? honestly? i p[refer dylan's low key version to all the covers, although I do rate matthews' a second. As much as I love hendrix, for some reason, his cover of that song doesn't do it for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddhead Posted September 4, 2006 Report Share Posted September 4, 2006 I've got a few discs on the player that I've been wearing out lately. Being a guitarist I'm intrigued by the KT Tunstall album "Eye to the Telescope". I've been wearing my fingers to nubbins trying to get the chords just right for "Heal over". "Black Horse" is easy to play and what a hoot... the harder you do that one acoustically, the better it sounds. The lady's got some chops. Give her a listen! Oh, the others I'm wearing out? Sorry... Buffalo Springfield all the way... first album, "Again", and "Last time around". I just can't imagine being able to play like Crosby or Stills. Amazing. I'd give up some precious body parts to play like that. a whoa!, man you just upped the ante!!! buffalo springfield is an all time favorite of mine, as is stephen stills who imho is perhaps the most underated guitar player of all time. stills did a solo album last year.. "Man Alive" which is the best work he has done since his manassas days... you should check it out... you also might want to try the first manassas album if you have not already Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchwatcher Posted September 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2006 going to see dylan tommorow night in upstate new york, will hopefully give a review when i get back. review? or rained out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddhead Posted September 6, 2006 Report Share Posted September 6, 2006 Excellent! Thanks for the suggestion. I haven't given Manassas a spin in a long, long time. I've got "Man Alive" and it's okay... it just hasn't hit that magic spot and become "great" yet. Right now I've got "Black Queen" on and Crosby's just blowing me away. HOW does he DO that stuff?! That is actually Stills doing Black Queen... it is on his first solo album as well as live CSNY recordings. great song though.... he also did a live album that has a kick a$$ acoustic side... called Stephen Stills Live. If you like Black Queen you will love an acoustic verison of "Cross Roads/ You Can't Catch Me" Unbelieveable stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddhead Posted September 6, 2006 Report Share Posted September 6, 2006 Truly, truly unbelievable. And mea culpa... I don't know what I was thinking. Of course it's Stills. *blush* So have you tried KT Tunstall yet? Listen to "Eye to the Telescope" ... nice chops. Sounds great... I will try to get it today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cosmosblau Posted September 6, 2006 Report Share Posted September 6, 2006 Tom Waits on prozac... Anyway, Tom Wiats is another example of a resurgent career... I used to see him in collage.. almost 30 years ago (OMG!!!) Oh well.. maybe I need to reinvigorate MY career....! As a lifelong fan, it pains me to admit that Tom Waits has not made a decent record in about 15 years, since Bone Machine. In regards to Dylan's new CD, any album that is sold at Starbucks has to suck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddhead Posted September 7, 2006 Report Share Posted September 7, 2006 As a lifelong fan, it pains me to admit that Tom Waits has not made a decent record in about 15 years, since Bone Machine. In regards to Dylan's new CD, any album that is sold at Starbucks has to suck. I do not agree with that at all. I really enjoyed "Alice" and "Blood Money" less so "Real Gone" but is probably an average album, but still, I think your appraisal is unduly harsh. I think sometimes fans become take on an overly critical and at times, even arrogant posture with artists who stay on the scene for a long period of time.. it is the 'purist' syndrom; the artist is not supposed to change their perspective or style as they mature, because the fans want them to stay the same. I remember when the outcry of 'sellout when U2 cut Joshua Tree and went mainstream. Prior to that they had a very dedicated but sort of underground following... many of their fans acted as if they were personally insulted, like how dare they change. To me it is the hieght of arrogance to think the artist is recording for you alone and dare not make changes that reflect thier own situation or where they are at that particulaur point in time. Nobody stays the same, including us, why should they? Just take the album for what is... judge it on its own merits I listened to the Dylan album for the first time this morning. Generally I need to go thru a record a few times before I get the feel of it, but my initial impression was fairly positive.. not as good as Time out of Mind, but again a different kind of album with a different vibe. As to the 'Starbucks' comment, that strikes me as being extremely dissmissive and not worth further commenting on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchwatcher Posted September 7, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2006 In regards to Dylan's new CD, any album that is sold at Starbucks has to suck. ... Modern Times hit #1 on the billboard this last week, its first week out of the gates... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cosmosblau Posted September 7, 2006 Report Share Posted September 7, 2006 I do not agree with that at all. I really enjoyed "Alice" and "Blood Money" less so "Real Gone" but is probably an average album, but still, I think your appraisal is unduly harsh. I think sometimes fans become take on an overly critical and at times, even arrogant posture with artists who stay on the scene for a long period of time.. it is the 'purist' syndrom; the artist is not supposed to change their perspective or style as they mature, because the fans want them to stay the same. ..... My criticism of Waits is based upon my belief that he has not changed his perspective, and has merely rehashed the same ideas over and over since those magic three albums Rain Dogs, Swordfishtrombones, and Frank's Wild Years. Those 3 albums (and all since) were co-written with his wife Kathleen Brennan, but now I think her influence is a negative thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddhead Posted September 7, 2006 Report Share Posted September 7, 2006 My criticism of Waits is based upon my belief that he has not changed his perspective, and has merely rehashed the same ideas over and over since those magic three albums Rain Dogs, Swordfishtrombones, and Frank's Wild Years. Those 3 albums (and all since) were co-written with his wife Kathleen Brennan, but now I think her influence is a negative thing. Apologies about the presumption, but i think we are going to have to agree to disagree. It is true that Waits lyrics remain dark, but I find the more recent recordings to be focused on the real as opposed to the surreal.. More moralistic and tangable... at least that is the vibe i get. Agreed, Brennan has probably added this influence. FYI, I just visited my local starbucks (daily fix) the latte is mediocre, but the cds sold are high quality, at least some are anyway. Revolver, Who's Next, Pear Jam's latest are just a few. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddhead Posted September 7, 2006 Report Share Posted September 7, 2006 Truly, truly unbelievable. And mea culpa... I don't know what I was thinking. Of course it's Stills. *blush* So have you tried KT Tunstall yet? Listen to "Eye to the Telescope" ... nice chops. HA!! If it is any consulation to you, I am sure you play better than I sing!! BTW, went to my local Borders last nite they list 2 versions of "Eye of the Telescope" first one is no longer available, but it looks like a 'delux' version will be re-released later this month. I'll keep looking for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bearcat Posted September 20, 2006 Report Share Posted September 20, 2006 just checking out bob's newest, and maybe raspiest... but completely enjoyable album, MODERN TIMES. it's folksy, laid back, upbeat, somehow familiar and completely lacking in pretense. kinda music you need at high volume when you're flying across the countryside in a dated convertible... just kinda rambles along, some with a nice story line, and plenty of turn-of-phrases. sometimes that's what i think bob's lyrics are... a chain of cleverly crafted turn of the phrases. i haven't listened to dylan for 20 or 30 years, so i've missed plenty... anything else in the discography i should pay attention to? Get the Biograph, three-disc box set. Has a great selection of the best of Bob. --Bearcat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonthebhoy Posted October 3, 2006 Report Share Posted October 3, 2006 Having had Modern Times for a few days now I'd give it 4 stars. Never having been a great Dylan fan I have to say that this is very listenable. Some of the "old boys" like Dylan, Young, Stills in their dotage seem to be inspired by a submission to the realisation of what mortality really means and are able to muster one or two last hurrahs. True in this case although Bobby's never been stuck for a rhyming couplet or two in the past. Very enjoyable. Off to see Steve Forbert tomorrow night who has never had the acclaim he deserves. JTB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonthebhoy Posted October 3, 2006 Report Share Posted October 3, 2006 Oh and while we're on the subject of songwriters my personal favourite is someone who most of you won't have heard of................Clive Gregson. The man is a melody magician as well as a mighty fine guitar player. http://www.clivegregson.com/ JTB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.