See, this is what I wanted when I began this little blog-based venture. That moment when I realise what a complete doofus I've been and my forehead gets a good old-fashioned slapping from the palm of my hand. It finally happened with Together Through Life, the very last LP of Dylan originals out there (as I write Tempest has been announced but not yet released).
When my pre-ordered copy arrived on the day of release I was full of expectations given what a delightful album its predecessor, Modern Times, had been. I was hugely underwhelmed. My first impression was that it was a mostly dull, laboured affair and after only a couple or three listens it was slipped back into the cardboard outer case and consigned to the CD cabinet until just three weeks ago.
Doofus.
What was I thinking back in 2009? I have absolutely no idea. This is brilliant.
It's different as well. Any idea of this being the third part of a "Love and Theft" - Modern Times trilogy should be truly knocked on the head. The pace is much slower and - even though its the Never Ending Tour regulars once again plus David Hidalgo from Los Lobos and The Heartbreakers' Mike Campbell - the sound is fattened out with the inclusion of accordion, steel guitar, mandolin and trumpet. There is certainly a more bluesy edge to the LP and, on the opening track Beyond Here Lies Nothin', a lovely New Orleans type thing going on.
There is also the return of collaboration. This time sharing the credit with the Grateful Dead's lyricist Robert Hunter. It works OK. All the songs, lyrically, move along enjoyably with some nice turn of phrase, even if it never hits the poetic heights of some of Dylan's previous work.
Talking of credit sharing, there is also a credit for Willie Dixon on My Wife's Home Town, acknowledging the fact that the melody was taken straight out of his I Just Want To Make Love To You. You have to assume this has more than a little to do with the fuss over the borrowing of melodies that was obvious yet formally unacknowledged on Modern Times. This makes it even more frustrating that he didn't just tinker with the credits on that LP and avoid all the resulting hoo-ha. Oh well, never mind.
Anyway, back to this LP and it is the music which makes this such an absorbing listen. There is a real edge to the songs, which is perhaps why it took me the best part of four years for the genius of the record to finally click. Often repetitive, often slow, the effect is hypnotic with tracks like This Dream of You or Forgetful Heart in danger of carrying you away in reverie. Life Is Hard, in particular, is audaciously slow, skillfully avoiding falling into becoming plodding, which would have been very easy to do.It is a enchanting track. We get a change of pace in Shake Shake Mama and It's All Good but the blues heart of the songs remain. The top of the tree, though, is I Feel A Change Comin' On. a beautiful piece of work with a gentle swing. Something about it reminds me of Baby, Stop Crying from Street Legal. Something about it, anyway.
The voice, though. The voice for the first time is really showing some signs of cracking. The rasp has always been there but here, on this LP, it gets pushed over the edge in one or two places. This is in no way a problem though, the downbeat, blues based songs are the perfect vehicles for a voice that sounds like it has seen the ages. It adds here, certainly. There is a question at the back of my mind as to how it would fair with other styles, but that's a topic for another time.
Overall, it isn't an obvious album. This is a really nicely crafted record with songs well worth burrowing into to get them. It does need a bit of work to get there but the reward is well worth it. This is a cracking album. So glad I finally managed to see it.
Out of five?
Five
Favourite track?
I Feel A Change Comin' On
Up next?
Christmas In The Heart
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