Review: Bob Dylan's latest!: 'Modern Times'

Subject: RE: Review: Bob Dylan's latest!
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 30 Aug 06 - 04:35 PM

What are you talking about PDQ? My response at 4:21 was to the guest, my response at 4:23 was to you and it had everthing to do with what you said.

Subject: RE: Review: Bob Dylan's latest!
From: pdq
Date: 30 Aug 06 - 04:32 PM

Sorry Ron, but your post has nothing to do with what I said, but "I appreciate your efforts".

Subject: RE: Review: Bob Dylan's latest!
From: IrishDave
Date: 30 Aug 06 - 04:31 PM

Havent heard the album yet but really lookin forward to it.
2 great reviews on it from the New York Times and USA Today on http://expectingrain.com

Subject: RE: Review: Bob Dylan's latest!
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 30 Aug 06 - 04:26 PM

PDQ, I think you are making too many generalizations. Frankly, I don't think the singer-songwriters you mention have been ignored. I listen to them and I think many others listen as well. I have not spent the last five years waiting for a new Dylan CD, nor do I study and debate him (except for this thread).

Many people are interested in his music as they are the music of others. While you are certainly entitled to have an opinion, there are others out there.   He is not a prophet, and I do feel sorry for people of the older generation that started that crap. He is a wonderful songwriter, innovative, and interesting.   I am guessing you listened to the new CD since you made such definitive statements.

Subject: RE: Review: Bob Dylan's latest!
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 30 Aug 06 - 04:21 PM

Maybe it is just me, but I have no clue what you are talking about. Sorry. I appreciate your efforts.

Subject: RE: Review: Bob Dylan's latest!
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Aug 06 - 04:01 PM

Subject: RE: Review: Bob Dylan's latest!
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Aug 06 - 03:53 PM

Subject: RE: Review: Bob Dylan's latest!
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Aug 06 - 03:51 PM

If you have never considered religion as an option you may not be a wafler. If you have considered pragmatism, for instance and then find your self to be half pragmatic, half atheist then you vaccilate between two different philosophies, contrasting and opposing. So with the religion. dylan is not necesarily devoid of religious believes as he seems to implement ecclesiasticism in almost every album ever after Shot of love. But what a Dylan we see later,he defines deity through his vague eyes colored by his experience, and I am scared to think about the divinity that way. We might all have our own divinity then, if the divine is to be measured according to our standards. Isn't that scary? With this let noone understand that I am trying to say he is not known by the Divine. But only, he is different that Dylan lately describes it, not because I think so (that would be me doing the same, reducing Divinity to my own experience and the imperfect faculties of my brain) but because everything in nature suggest so.
Philosopher

Subject: RE: Review: Bob Dylan's latest!
From: pdq
Date: 30 Aug 06 - 03:43 PM

Bob Dylan has "sucked all the air out of the room" for over 40 years. Thousands of fine singer-songwriters and neo-folksingers have been ignored while learned people hold their breaths waiting for Bobby's latest work. They study and debate him as if he were a prophet.

Do yourself a favor and spend that 'CD mad money' on "Picnic" by Robert Earl Keen, Jr., or anything by Laurie Lewis or Mike Cross. Come to think of it, how about....

Subject: RE: Review: Bob Dylan's latest!
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 30 Aug 06 - 03:24 PM

Let's cut the philosophy and get to your point.   Are you saying that because he has not embraced religion he is troubled? If I have not embraced a religious philosphy then I am troubled???   If we question religion, we are flip-flopping?

Subject: RE: Review: Bob Dylan's latest!
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Aug 06 - 03:17 PM

To incontrovertible disputers,
Iconoclastics, like the persona of Bob Dylan, seem to cement their fame on controversy, no matter what message they are trying to convey, whether they are appealing to the public conscience or to an indicisive indvidual. The only things that matter to critics is that he has made himself a name, but now carried on his old glory he is reeling and tumbling on the merits of his old glory. Dylan a poet? How do we define a prophet? A self-sufficent bard that is conscious only of himself and elevates himself above the rest of the people thinking he is on some exulted plato, untouchable, moralizing and setting dogmas in the things he knows nothing about. His lirics for my does not hold any poetic value, they are rather vague, desultory and lead to nowhere. Only he can interpret his own songs but sometimes I wonder even that, he rambles and talks about milion events in one single song. About his apparent, flip-flopping, It was seen throughout his whole carries. Supposedly takes his own course but actually embraces what is pupular. The albums I like the most, Shot of love, Saved and Slow train comming are for me his greates work in his career, he was never so clear and defined, nor before nor after. When i said he is a troubled individual that's exactly what he is, and this is not necesarily something negative, just hope he will find an embrace of a clear philosophy, that leads into eternity. He is master musician, no doubt about it, but his last album does not affirm that,
Philosopher

Subject: RE: Review: Bob Dylan's latest!
From: donovan
Date: 30 Aug 06 - 10:37 AM

I'm the same

Subject: RE: Review: Bob Dylan's latest!
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 30 Aug 06 - 09:25 AM

"He is a deeply troubled individual, flactuating between his love for God and doubt"

I'm not sure if I could possibly read such messages into his music. From what I've seen, publicly, he seems to be having a good time and not letting himself be bothered with such thoughts. I'm not sure where our guest is getting these interpretations, but I don't think anyone should try to guess what Dylan "meant". The songs speak for themselves. His radio show speaks for itself.

As he said on one of his shows a few weeks ago "I never trust a man that doesn't get choked up watching Old Yeller".   Words to live by!

Subject: RE: Review: Bob Dylan's latest!
From: Peter T.
Date: 30 Aug 06 - 07:18 AM

I think it is interesting that Dylan is reworking these older forms that were, in a large sense, "read out" of the music scene for many years, but I for one don't find his reworkings that compelling. The energy (if there is any) is in the originals. It is a strange kind of parasitism: the first time around (when Dylan did this trick with folk music) Dylan took the originals and made something absolutely new and energetic with them. Here Dylan seems to be coasting on the energy of the originals. The originals are just so much more interesting.

yours,

Peter T.

Subject: RE: Review: Bob Dylan's latest!
From: erinmaidin
Date: 30 Aug 06 - 05:00 AM

I don't think Dylan is alone in his confusion and doubt about a higher existence. Again, I find his voice represents "everyman". I think it would be hard to reach an age, particularly with people in the same generation as himself, without accumulating a lot of questions.

Subject: RE: Review: Bob Dylan's latest!
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Aug 06 - 04:20 AM

Bob is trying to reintroduce himself through some good lyrics and predictable music. there are few musical miniatures in almost every song, adding some spice to the modest tune. He is a deeply troubled individual, flactuating between his love for God and doubt. Hopefully he will finally make up his mind and come wih a clear message on the next album. His voice is a bit better.
philosopher

Subject: RE: Review: Bob Dylan's latest!
From: erinmaidin
Date: 29 Aug 06 - 08:40 AM

:)

Subject: RE: Review: Bob Dylan's latest!
From: David C. Carter
Date: 29 Aug 06 - 08:37 AM

I take back just about everything I said yesterday.Just took it out in the car for a long drive,it's beautiful.Yes,he's having a good time,so was I!

David

Subject: RE: Review: Bob Dylan's latest!
From: erinmaidin
Date: 29 Aug 06 - 08:36 AM

David Carter, I'm trying to come to grips with "nothing outstanding" and then later on "brilliant"....is there something more outstanding than brilliance?

Subject: RE: Review: Bob Dylan's latest!
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 28 Aug 06 - 07:59 PM

XM just presented the world broadcast premiere of the entire CD.

It is fun!!   Great songs!!!   Dylan sounds fine, and happy.

I love the Hawaiian tinged "Beyond the Horizon" - Dylan channeling the spirit of Rudy Vallee! "Nettie Moore" sounds like the old Bob we know and love. "Workingman's Blues 2" is another song that grabbed me. "The Levee's Gonna Break" has a nice rockabilly beat, and "Ain't Talkin" may be my favorite song on the CD - although I've only had this one chance to listen to it so far.

I was expecting another rocking CD, based on the hot performance he gave with the latest version of his backup band last year, but this was different. Dylan is exploring roots music, again, and it really works this time.

Most people his age seem to be ready to hang it up and resign themselves to sitting around and making crotchity comments on Mudcat, but Dylan is still out there having fun. His radio show is a hoot, he is enjoying himself, his love of music is obvious and he honestly doesn't give a rats patootie what anyone thinks.

Subject: RE: Review: Bob Dylan's latest!
From: GUEST,bluemountainbluebird
Date: 28 Aug 06 - 06:53 PM

Haven't heard it yet but reviews were glowing. He seems to have been on a roll since Time Out Of Mind and has always been my creative hero. I expect it will be a great CD, are they playing it on WFUV yet???

If Dylan had never written anything after Blonde on Blonde he still would be my hero, but this 'mid life' renaissance he's had just makes me feel proud.

Subject: RE: Review: Bob Dylan's latest!
From: David C. Carter
Date: 28 Aug 06 - 06:50 PM

Bought it today,nothing outstanding.The band don't get to do very much.It's too contained,nobody cuts loose.It sounds too predictable,no surprises.Dylan's words,as usual are great,but nothing happens.But then again,others have done far less and been praised better.There is some good music"Rolling&Tumblin'" is brilliant,and a couple of other things too,but,well,what are we expecting.Maybe too much!
I don't know. Yes, the last song is good,makes you want to start again.Was hoping for more,but then again!

Subject: RE: Review: Bob Dylan's latest!
From: GUEST,woodsie
Date: 28 Aug 06 - 10:36 AM

Well to be fair "Rollin & Tumblin'" has, apart from the first verse a completely new lyric by Dylan.

Subject: RE: Review: Bob Dylan's latest!
From: the one
Date: 28 Aug 06 - 10:10 AM

even dylan must some day have to stand naked,but dont fear if you hear an awful sound to your ears ie [modern times]

Subject: RE: Review: Bob Dylan's latest!
From: GUEST,johnmc
Date: 28 Aug 06 - 08:59 AM

Is it true that "Rolling and Tumbling" is attributed to His Bobness?
Read this in a review.

Subject: RE: Review: Bob Dylan's latest!
From: GUEST,woodsie
Date: 28 Aug 06 - 08:46 AM

I've listened to it several times now - awful. He should retired gracefully. His last decent release was Oh Mercy.

Subject: RE: Review: Bob Dylan's latest!
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Aug 06 - 05:09 AM

can't wait

Subject: RE: Review: Bob Dylan's latest!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 27 Aug 06 - 07:09 PM

Like Bob sez, awful.

~S~
(just kidding)

Subject: RE: Review: Bob Dylan's latest!
From: erinmaidin
Date: 27 Aug 06 - 06:57 PM

We picked it up in DunLaoghaire, here in Dublin, yesterday. Maybe it was released over here earlier? Honest to God, Amos...he's quite mellow, at times sounding much like Willie Nelson (altho' many would say that's not a vocal aspiration either). I quite like your analogy tho'. It reminds me of something a Dub fella said years ago when hearing a friend of mine playing hammered dulcimer. He said it sounded like two skeletons er..."making love" (use your Dublinese here) on a tin roof during a thunderstorm.

Subject: RE: Review: Bob Dylan's latest!
From: Amos
Date: 27 Aug 06 - 03:25 PM

That's a surprise -- are you sure he didn't hire a stunt-larynx? Last time I heard him sing, about a year and a half ago, he sounded like a gravel truck copulating with a Quonset hut.

And don't get me wrong--I actually enjoy his recordings.


A

Subject: RE: Review: Bob Dylan's latest!
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Aug 06 - 03:17 PM

how did you get it? I thought it wasn't available until 28th 29th?

Subject: Review: Bob Dylan's latest!
From: erinmaidin
Date: 27 Aug 06 - 06:41 AM

Am listening to, for the third time since purchased yesterday, Bob Dylan's latest release. Love it! Band sounds great, solid, fluid, steady..Dylan's voice sounds better than ever (altho'...ya know...)and the lyrics are crystal clear, poignant, sensitive and direct.
Anxious to hear other opinions...