Author |
Message |
julia motzko
Member Username: Julia
Post Number: 24 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Thursday, August 24, 2006 - 08:49 pm: | |
Tomorrow Bob Dylan's latest album will be released! I'm excited! I have only heard a few snippets, but it all sounds fantastic. I will go and buy it the first day. Not ordering it, but going out and personally purchase it, like it should be done with masterpieces. Tell me how you like the album once you've heard it! I remember Robert Forster being guest at a Bavarian radio show in 2001, talking about 'Love and Theft' and playing "Mississippi", I think. 5 long years without a new Dylan album, and oh boy, what has happened in between! |
Little Keith
Member Username: Manosludge
Post Number: 582 Registered: 03-2006
| Posted on Thursday, August 24, 2006 - 09:06 pm: | |
It won't come out here until next Tuesday, I think. But I'll be there with you in spirit, Julia! I'm even thinking of growing a little pencil-thin mustache, in honor of the occassion. There might be just enough time, though there's always Sharpies... |
kevin
Member Username: Kevin
Post Number: 678 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Friday, August 25, 2006 - 02:32 am: | |
an early review from The Guardian Bob Dylan, Modern Times 4 stars out of 5 Alexis Petridis Friday August 25, 2006 The Guardian "With just hours to go until release, the competition to see who can slather Bob Dylan's 32nd studio album with the most deranged praise known to man is hotting up. The Americans have started strongly. US magazine Blender has ranked Modern Times alongside the work not merely of jazz giant Sonny Rollins, but of Matisse and Yeats, and has deployed the classic Dylan obsessive's strategy of lavishing superlatives on what appears to be an unremarkable lyric. "Wonderful lines galore," it enthused. "Try, 'I got the pork chops, she got the pie.'" Thus is Dylan's place among the deities of modern letters further assured. Meanwhile, Britain's best hope for a medal may lie with Professor Christopher Ricks, who famously compared the Dylan lyric "All the tired horses in the sun/ How am I supposed to get any riding done?" to Keats, Tennyson, Marlowe, Shakespeare and Browning. Or perhaps with the Sunday Times arts writer who once informed us that in any list of the greatest albums ever Dylan's entire oeuvre would occupy the top 42 places. Evidently, pipsqueaks such as the Beatles or Marvin Gaye struggled in vain to match the musical heights attained by Down in the Groove or Dylan and the Dead. What is it about him that makes otherwise intelligent men abandon all sense of rationality, and write stuff like the last Guardian review of Dylan live, which started with the critic announcing he was there to "touch the hem", then got progressively less objective? None of Dylan's peers, their influence on music every bit as tumultuous and far-reaching, can provoke that kind of effect: eyes are narrowed when Paul McCartney releases an album or the Stones tour, and guffaws are barely stifled when Lou Reed brings his t'ai chi master on stage. Dylan is held to be "still doing it for the music", but what are the rest of them doing it for? The money? A desperate attempt to bolster their meagre level of fame? Certainly, Dylan has enjoyed an artistic renaissance, in that he published a fantastic autobiography and stopped releasing records that made you want to rip your own head off with embarrassment - but that alone isn't enough to explain the mania that greets his every action. Perhaps it is linked to his 1997 brush with pericarditis and intimations of mortality; praise him unequivocally now, while he can still read it. Either way, it's hard to hear Modern Times' music over the inevitable standing ovation and the thuds of middle-aged critics swooning in awe. When you do, you find something not unlike its predecessor, Love and Theft. It again eschews the straightforward rock approach and sonic embellishments that producer Daniel Lanois brought to 1997's Time Out of Mind in favour of muted rockabilly shuffles and polite, country-inflected pre-rock'n'roll pop. Here are the kind of jazzy songs that would count as mild-mannered crooning if they were performed by Bing Crosby, but which invariably take on a slightly unsettling air when subjected to Dylan's catarrhal death rattle. Some of these are great. You don't need to believe that Dylan's artistic renaissance is the most important event in western culture since the actual Renaissance to be beguiled by the descending riff of Spirit on the Water, or Nettie Moore's insistent pulse. Like The Friday Night Project's studio audience, Dylan dingbats tend to bust a gut over things that leave everyone else stony-faced: Love and Theft apparently caused uncontrollable mirth by featuring not only the line "Freddie or not, here I come", but also - and if you don't want to die laughing, look away now - "I'm no pig without a wig". Here, though, Thunder on the Mountains is genuinely funny. "I was thinking about Alicia Keys," he sings huskily, "I couldn't help from crying" - a sentiment with which anyone who has experienced the R&B singer's sanctimonious interviews and rotten poetry ("Hello morning/ Now I see you/ 'Cause I am awake") can heartily concur. There are two lengthy epics. Workingman's Blues 2 has an elegiac, dying-of-the-light quality, bolstered by the singers' colloidal croak, and vaguely political lyrics: "The buying power of the proletariat's gone down." The closing Ain't Talkin' is a chilling low growl, full of muttered imprecations and intimations of doom. Equally, there are longueurs, songs that outstay their welcome or sound like filler, moments where you find your attention drifting elsewhere - frequently to the question of where all that crap about Matisse and Yeats fits with this largely pleasant and unassuming record. Modern Times is not one of those infrequent, unequivocally fantastic Dylan albums that allow a non-believer to grasp what the fuss is about, or at least what the fuss was originally rooted in. But that scarcely seems to matter: said fuss seems set to continue until Modern Times and, indeed, modern times are merely a distant memory" Review ends As I said in a previous post, I was worried that Modern Times is Love and Theft mark 2, I just didnt rate Love and Theft because of the 30s/40s style songs, so the following paragraph from the above Guardian review has me really worried. "Here are the kind of jazzy songs that would count as mild-mannered crooning if they were performed by Bing Crosby, but which invariably take on a slightly unsettling air when subjected to Dylan's catarrhal death rattle." Hopefully I'm wrong, only a few days to go and we will find out. My gut feeling is big disappointment for me, trumpets and hosannahs for Hardin |
Little Keith
Member Username: Manosludge
Post Number: 594 Registered: 03-2006
| Posted on Saturday, August 26, 2006 - 07:36 pm: | |
Trumpets and hosannahs for Hardin are always a good thing! |
kevin
Member Username: Kevin
Post Number: 686 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Saturday, August 26, 2006 - 09:22 pm: | |
ok, first impressions of Modern Times - I really enjoyed it - I like the sound production wise, quite lush at times, especially on the stunning(even on first listen) closing track - Aint Talkin Just Walkin. On first listen it is definately more Love and Theft, than Time Out Of Mind. |
Kurt Stephan
Member Username: Slothbert
Post Number: 462 Registered: 04-2005
| Posted on Sunday, August 27, 2006 - 02:08 am: | |
Are Bob's vocals on the new one any less ravaged than on Love and Theft or Time Out of Mind? I like those albums but find the state of Dylan's blown-out vocal chords on them a bit hard to listen to. |
kevin
Member Username: Kevin
Post Number: 690 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Sunday, August 27, 2006 - 01:27 pm: | |
Still trying to absorb it all Kurt, but just starting 3rd listen and I would say that vocally its very much the same as Love and Theft |
Little Keith
Member Username: Manosludge
Post Number: 599 Registered: 03-2006
| Posted on Sunday, August 27, 2006 - 07:12 pm: | |
I gotta say that, even a staunch supporter of the Bobster, his voice is totally shot (does he smoke?)...It's a damn good thing the music and songs on the new one are apparently so good. I'll betcha though that his phrasing and delivery are still impeccable. |
kevin
Member Username: Kevin
Post Number: 702 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Monday, August 28, 2006 - 09:24 pm: | |
Sorry to rub this in LK, but Nettie Moore and Aint Talking from Bobs new album are fantastic. My transatlantic timepiece reckons you are now approx 20 hours away from salvation. |
Little Keith
Member Username: Manosludge
Post Number: 620 Registered: 03-2006
| Posted on Monday, August 28, 2006 - 11:00 pm: | |
Oh you sadist, Kev ...I listened to Ain't Talking this morning on AOL and thought it was terrific. SOMEBODY did something to make him really angry, it seems... Hmmm...I'll go check out Ms. Nettie... |
kevin
Member Username: Kevin
Post Number: 706 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Tuesday, August 29, 2006 - 07:57 am: | |
Still not heard Modern Times enough times to say if its a Dylan classic or not. Looks like the critics love it though. http://www.metacritic.com/music/artists/dylanbob/moderntimes |
abigail law
Member Username: Abigail
Post Number: 82 Registered: 06-2005
| Posted on Tuesday, August 29, 2006 - 03:18 pm: | |
on the back of listening to the album last night and again this morning I was impressed. not as good as love & theft (which i rate as dylan's best) though nettie moore & workingman's blues stood out for me. however, as with most dylan albums i'm sure there will be many other moments that reveal themselves over the coming weeks. |
spence
Member Username: Spence
Post Number: 640 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Tuesday, August 29, 2006 - 03:53 pm: | |
Looks like I'll have to get it, enjoy these comments... http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5281096.stm |
jerry hann
Member Username: Jerry_h
Post Number: 213 Registered: 07-2005
| Posted on Tuesday, August 29, 2006 - 06:09 pm: | |
Listened to it once in the car doing visits etc, I like it, more immediate than Love and Theft,and almost has the ring of Infidels at certain times.Again Workingmans Blues and the second track which I can't remember the name of. |
kevin
Member Username: Kevin
Post Number: 708 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Tuesday, August 29, 2006 - 10:26 pm: | |
crikey, even Pitchfork like it http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/38200/Bob_Dylan_Modern_Times |
Little Keith
Member Username: Manosludge
Post Number: 630 Registered: 03-2006
| Posted on Tuesday, August 29, 2006 - 11:28 pm: | |
Holy crap! Now even I'm wondering if it can be ALL that good...we'll soon know. I picked it up at lunch and plan to immerse myself in it these evening...I sprang for the deluxe edition with a DVD - couldn't help it. |
Kurt Stephan
Member Username: Slothbert
Post Number: 486 Registered: 04-2005
| Posted on Wednesday, August 30, 2006 - 12:24 am: | |
At least no epic catastrophes have happened today--yet--to commemorate Dylan's latest release. In the States, "Love and Theft" came out on 9/11/01. I actually went out and bought it that night because I needed something else to think about besides terrorist attacks. Eager to hear you add your opinion to those of the others on the board, Hardin. The samples I've heard sound pretty much like, yes--"Love and Theft." |
spence
Member Username: Spence
Post Number: 648 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Wednesday, August 30, 2006 - 09:27 am: | |
I kid you not, i went shpooing at Sainburys last night about 8pm and there were a couple of queus and in both there were about 3 people buying the Bob album! I could see them clear as day in their hands. One copy looked like it was in a jewel case, and one a wrapover digipak thing. They must be having a run on Bob CD's, along with washing up powder and bananas! I must get out more, doh, I was out! |
kevin
Member Username: Kevin
Post Number: 709 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Wednesday, August 30, 2006 - 11:52 am: | |
Im frightened to ask what shpooing is - hopefully it is not releated to the Rod Stewart urbanlegend thing - I am wary of opening that link because I am at work and the web gestapo will be hovering! |
Jerry Clark
Member Username: Jerry
Post Number: 380 Registered: 08-2004
| Posted on Wednesday, August 30, 2006 - 12:35 pm: | |
Shpooing's what you can't help but do after 12 Bud Silver's. |
Jerry Clark
Member Username: Jerry
Post Number: 381 Registered: 08-2004
| Posted on Wednesday, August 30, 2006 - 12:41 pm: | |
Talking of legends & shopping. The ever-quotable Ian McCulloch once claimed he doesn't do shopping or any of the mundane everyday stuff. He's no good at that, but party's, boozing & premiere's he relishes. Then last year he ruined it all on The Wright Stuff. He claimed he was refused service in Tesco Metro in Liverpool because he was wearing a hoodie. |
Little Keith
Member Username: Manosludge
Post Number: 641 Registered: 03-2006
| Posted on Thursday, August 31, 2006 - 03:42 pm: | |
Ho-hum, another rave review for Bob: http://www.slate.com/id/2148563/?nav=tap3 I, btw, would agree with this reviewer: it is spectacular. |
kevin
Member Username: Kevin
Post Number: 715 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Thursday, August 31, 2006 - 04:47 pm: | |
I presume you are holding back on your "big" review of Modern Times Hardin - until you have heard it a few times? I might be wrong, but I reckon you are the foremost Dylanologist on this board. |
Little Keith
Member Username: Manosludge
Post Number: 642 Registered: 03-2006
| Posted on Thursday, August 31, 2006 - 05:27 pm: | |
Not consciously holding back, Kev...but it is a little intimidating, describing what makes it great, putting it into words...I'd probably end up typing out another long-winded diatribe...don't know what the record for longest post on this board is, but I always feel like I'm butting up against it... But yeah, maybe after a few more listens...that'll also help me peg it, where it fits in, etc...Can't decide if it's better than L&T, though I think it's a tad stronger than Time Out of Mind, imho... I'm not sure I'm the foremost Dylan expert on the board (or the foremost anything), but if that's my role, my mantle, I'll wear it proudly... Now, if he'd only give me some of his money. Are you listenin', Zimmy? You can't put a price on promotion like this... |
Kurt Stephan
Member Username: Slothbert
Post Number: 495 Registered: 04-2005
| Posted on Thursday, August 31, 2006 - 06:23 pm: | |
Yeah, Bob, just imagine how your royalties will skyrocket when all 15-20 of the Go-Betweens diehards on this board buy your album! The drive to 500 continues... |
Little Keith
Member Username: Manosludge
Post Number: 647 Registered: 03-2006
| Posted on Thursday, August 31, 2006 - 07:03 pm: | |
I don't think the Zimminator is going to need us on this one, Kurt. I think it's going to do just fine on its own, based on all the favorable notices and publicity... But still...hmmm, 15-20 ain't nuthin' to sneeze at! I'll still take a cut, Bob. As Dan Rather used to say, courage - I think you can make 500 today...now, if I can just catch that sly debbil, Kev... |
kevin
Member Username: Kevin
Post Number: 717 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Thursday, August 31, 2006 - 07:18 pm: | |
Hardin, we both know that within weeks you will overtake me. If it wasnt for your hiatus in the early summer you would be The Man, The Top Banana, The Godfather, The Boss... |
Kurt Stephan
Member Username: Slothbert
Post Number: 497 Registered: 04-2005
| Posted on Thursday, August 31, 2006 - 07:23 pm: | |
He is all those things anyway, Kev. He's also the Man of A Thousand Names... |
Little Keith
Member Username: Manosludge
Post Number: 649 Registered: 03-2006
| Posted on Thursday, August 31, 2006 - 07:46 pm: | |
Kev, you left out Big Kahuna, Grand Poobah and BMOC I am an obsessive poster, which is why I'm going to have to limit my activity to one board or the other...if everybody goes to myspace, I guess I'll follow, but I'll limit it to that...otherwise, I'm gonna have to carry my laptop with me everywhere I go to keep up! |
kevin
Member Username: Kevin
Post Number: 718 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Thursday, August 31, 2006 - 08:08 pm: | |
I dont want to put words in Spences mouth, but I would guess that he sees the myspace thing as just a nice little extra. In the same way that lots of bands these days have their sooper dooper normal websites, but also have a myspace. I dont think that people will favour one or the other, but will see this one as the main meeting place for what we've always talked about, and the myspace will be a place where we can maybe do whatever myspace lets you do - as I said earlier I dont have a clue what its capable of letting subscribers do!! |
Kurt Stephan
Member Username: Slothbert
Post Number: 502 Registered: 04-2005
| Posted on Thursday, August 31, 2006 - 08:44 pm: | |
Yes, that's probably how it will work. I don't know anything about it either, really. In the States at least, it's kind of viewed as the preferred hangout of teenage girls and sexual predators, but I know it's important to a lot of bands too. Another thing--MySpace isn't nearly as dialup Internet friendly as this site. I have a dialup connection at home and MySpace is a pain to load, what with the streaming audio, heavy graphics, etc. For a message board, this site and its simple graphics and layout are ideal. |
kevin
Member Username: Kevin
Post Number: 721 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Thursday, August 31, 2006 - 09:33 pm: | |
happy half century btw Kurt! |
kevin
Member Username: Kevin
Post Number: 722 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Thursday, August 31, 2006 - 09:37 pm: | |
half century, what am I on about? I guess its half millenium. Actually, if Jonathans watching, the one and only thing that bugs me about this board is there is no edit facility. it would be great to have that, although in saying that there is an exciting element of danger in that waht you post cannot be retracted!! |
Kurt Stephan
Member Username: Slothbert
Post Number: 504 Registered: 04-2005
| Posted on Thursday, August 31, 2006 - 09:57 pm: | |
Yeah, no kidding. I've posted so many here I wish I could get back. Still regretting saying Leonard Cohen and Nick Cave were overrated, for example! Thanks for the congrats, man. Only 220 or so to go to catch up to you. |
Kurt Stephan
Member Username: Slothbert
Post Number: 512 Registered: 04-2005
| Posted on Saturday, September 02, 2006 - 06:29 am: | |
OK, finally have my copy of "Modern Times." Three tracks in on my first listen--sounds great and, like Kevin, I'm liking it better than "Love and Theft." What impresses with his last three albums is, besides the obviously inspired songwriting, how he's taken back ownership of his music instead of half-heartedly following commercial trends or relying on overused session musicians and producers like Mark Knopfler or Don Was. He's really trying, and for a guy collecting Social Security (or at least eligible for it), that's pretty impressive. Inspiring, in fact. And he's even using those frayed vocal chords better than ever. |
andreas
Member Username: Andreas
Post Number: 163 Registered: 04-2006
| Posted on Tuesday, September 05, 2006 - 09:33 pm: | |
believe it or not, i bought my last dylan album (when it was released) 1980. it was 'saved' (in between i bought for example nashvile skyline or re-bought highway 61 revisited). since many, many years i ignored him (for sure i listened at times to his old stuff like my dylan fave John wesley harding). didn't listened to highly acclaimed 'love and theft' nor 'time out of mind'. but now is the time to bring dylan back to my mind: i listened to the snippets and thought it could be worth to buy, which i did. now i listen for the first time to it - and love it. i like this old fashioned kind of playing/music and his voice seemed not to be as bad as i have awaited. now i am prepared to visit him on his next stay in berlin. |
andreas
Member Username: Andreas
Post Number: 164 Registered: 04-2006
| Posted on Tuesday, September 05, 2006 - 09:49 pm: | |
thoughts (by listening to modern times): ... i should listen to my bob wills albums soon... |
andreas
Member Username: Andreas
Post Number: 165 Registered: 04-2006
| Posted on Tuesday, September 05, 2006 - 09:52 pm: | |
... and now is the time to say 'goodnight'..... |
julia motzko
Member Username: Julia
Post Number: 25 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Tuesday, September 05, 2006 - 10:43 pm: | |
negative points about myspace: it's owned by Rupert Murdoch, and if you don't really sympathize with him and his politics, you perhaps shouldn't be on Myspace. Plus NSA and other secret services have discovered Myspace as one big mine of information about people, their hobbies and views, who their friends are...if you think that's going too far, don't join Myspace. it also happened to persons who got fired (or not hired) because their employers discovered their Myspace sites and thought the private life of the person inappropriate. And, as important as Myspace may be for not so well-known bands to present their profiles and display some of their songs, I have read an article about well-known musicians (I forgot who it was now...) complaining about the Myspace policy that somehow the copyright, or possession of the song, is passed over to Myspace once it is up there...but please don't nail me down about that last argument, I don't remember the article very clearly... anyway, it's hard to resist it cause everyone seems to be on Myspace, but I've managed to stay off it until now. and about Bob Dylan: as much as I like the new album, I've fallen in love with his "Theme Time Radio Hour" radio show (http://www.xmradio.com/bobdylan/). I'm discovering so many great songs and old bands through him! here are the playlists (http://www.notdarkyet.org/themetime.html), you can download all of the shows as well. Dylan outs himself as a true fan of music and also is more personal than in concert or else. I love the Theme Time Intro, it transfers me to a film noirish place in the 1950s, heavy rain outside and a cool blonde smoking a cigarette with a holder... well, I can only recommend it. |
Pádraig Collins
Member Username: Pádraig_collins
Post Number: 533 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Tuesday, September 05, 2006 - 11:41 pm: | |
Julia, that was Billy Bragg. He's took down his myspace site but it is now back up; having had the copyright issue changed to make it clear it's owned by the artist. |
Little Keith
Member Username: Manosludge
Post Number: 694 Registered: 03-2006
| Posted on Wednesday, September 06, 2006 - 10:48 pm: | |
Julia, count me extremely interested. Where do you go to download his radio shows? Do you have have to be a registered XM user? I tried the link you have posted, but it just brought me to (admittedly enticing) lists...I'm not opposed to getting XM radio, but it seems problematic - you have to get the special satellite receiver, etc...and, that'd be the only thing I'd want from it... |
Kurt Stephan
Member Username: Slothbert
Post Number: 528 Registered: 04-2005
| Posted on Wednesday, September 06, 2006 - 11:32 pm: | |
If you wants your DJ Bob, Hardin, you gots to pay! That's the whole point of XM radio--another way to take your money. I'd love to hear his show but I'm too cheap to pay for cable TV, so pay radio is right out. |
Little Keith
Member Username: Manosludge
Post Number: 696 Registered: 03-2006
| Posted on Thursday, September 07, 2006 - 12:24 am: | |
Since I've gotten used to downloading I've become opposed to this "paying" thing...what a scam for the artists! Power to the people! Property is theft! And, any other commie platitudes I'm forgettin'... Reminds me of Mojo Nixon's justification for stealing cable: "they just be suckin' that stuff outta the sky!" |
kevin
Member Username: Kevin
Post Number: 762 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Thursday, September 07, 2006 - 04:29 am: | |
Looks like its a winner http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=100311738 3 |
Kurt Stephan
Member Username: Slothbert
Post Number: 539 Registered: 04-2005
| Posted on Thursday, September 07, 2006 - 04:38 am: | |
That may be a sign of the apocalypse. If you look at what else is at the top of the Billboard charts, it's impossible to fathom Dylan at #1. He knocked off somebody called Danity Kane from #1. The may just be a comment on how meaningless the charts are now. Who the hell is/are Danity Kane? |
Little Keith
Member Username: Manosludge
Post Number: 701 Registered: 03-2006
| Posted on Thursday, September 07, 2006 - 05:39 am: | |
Along with aching joints and taking longer to recover from hangovers, that must be one of the classic signs of aging: not recognizing artists on the charts...Danity Kane could just as well be Deputy Dawg...Good on the Bobster! and fuck Danity Kane! |
julia motzko
Member Username: Julia
Post Number: 26 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Thursday, September 07, 2006 - 10:38 am: | |
well of course there are ways for a Dylan fan not to pay for XM radio yet nevertheless listen to the shows... there are two fan sites where you can get almost every information about Dylan you might desire: pool.dylantree.com and expectingrain.com For example for info about his show, you can go to "discussions" at expectingrain.com and then click on "Theme Time Radio Hour". You'll also find a link there to http://mp33pm.blogspot.com/2006/07/updated-links-for-all-of-bob-dylan.html |
Little Keith
Member Username: Manosludge
Post Number: 709 Registered: 03-2006
| Posted on Thursday, September 07, 2006 - 04:27 pm: | |
Thanks much, Julia! |
Mark Leydon
Member Username: Mark_leydon
Post Number: 68 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Friday, September 08, 2006 - 01:50 am: | |
Modern Times is top o' the charts here in Australia this week as well. Go the Bobster! Actually I think its the most fun Dylan album in years. I've been thrashing in the car all week. Such a rockin' good band! Dylan sounds positively juiced (based on the lyrics, perhaps a tribute to the rejuvenating powers of Viagra!). |
Little Keith
Member Username: Manosludge
Post Number: 720 Registered: 03-2006
| Posted on Friday, September 08, 2006 - 04:15 pm: | |
Julia, I was able to find some of the "TTRH" shows and listen to them. You're right - they really are wonderful. Thanks again for spurring me to seek them out. |
Little Keith
Member Username: Manosludge
Post Number: 722 Registered: 03-2006
| Posted on Friday, September 08, 2006 - 08:02 pm: | |
I haven't been able to track down the review (for Blender) yet, but apparently Robert Christgau likes MT, as evidenced by this quote: "startling [and radiating] the observant calm of old masters who have seen enough life to be ready for anything -- Yeats, Matisse, Sonny Rollins." |
Kurt Stephan
Member Username: Slothbert
Post Number: 547 Registered: 04-2005
| Posted on Friday, September 08, 2006 - 09:19 pm: | |
Christgau gave "Love and Theft" an A+, didn't he? Unless he thinks the new one is too similar or he takes offense at the "Bob is feeling randy" lyrics, I can't see him giving "Modern Times" much lower of a grade. But it's Xgau...you never know. |
andreas
Member Username: Andreas
Post Number: 170 Registered: 04-2006
| Posted on Friday, September 08, 2006 - 11:33 pm: | |
video link 'when the deal goes down' with scarlett johansson (if anyone is interested) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBfTBagpAUY&NR |
Little Keith
Member Username: Manosludge
Post Number: 725 Registered: 03-2006
| Posted on Friday, September 08, 2006 - 11:34 pm: | |
Yeah, he could say, "startling and radiating blah blah, BUT it really sucks!", but not bloody likely...gotta see if Blender has a web site... |
Little Keith
Member Username: Manosludge
Post Number: 726 Registered: 03-2006
| Posted on Friday, September 08, 2006 - 11:35 pm: | |
too bad Scarlett don't sing, she'd be on that other list... |
Kurt Stephan
Member Username: Slothbert
Post Number: 551 Registered: 04-2005
| Posted on Saturday, September 09, 2006 - 12:36 am: | |
I want to be the dog in that video. |
Little Keith
Member Username: Manosludge
Post Number: 727 Registered: 03-2006
| Posted on Saturday, September 09, 2006 - 01:16 am: | |
It makes ya feel like Iggy Pop |
Kurt Stephan
Member Username: Slothbert
Post Number: 553 Registered: 04-2005
| Posted on Saturday, September 09, 2006 - 01:18 am: | |
I wanted to see who would be the first who'd say that. I figured it would be you or Kevin. |
Little Keith
Member Username: Manosludge
Post Number: 733 Registered: 03-2006
| Posted on Sunday, September 10, 2006 - 07:22 pm: | |
Yes, I think it's safe to say Christgau likes it: Yep, rock’s greatest songwriter. Reviewed by Robert Christgau The third in a simultaneously startling and backward-looking series Dylan began in 1997 with Time Out of Mind, Modern Times is neither as existentially bleak as that piece of fabricated folklore nor as waggish and vivacious as 2001’s “Love and Theft.” Instead it radiates the observant calm of old masters who have seen enough life to be ready for anything — Yeats, Matisse, Sonny Rollins. This is a music-first record that leavens blues shuffles with the moderate tempos and politely jazzy beat favored by Dylan hero Bing Crosby in the early ’30s. Nice though it would be for the title to indicate “current events,” the likely reference is Charlie Chaplin’s 1936 movie masterpiece. In both, a legendary entertainer does what he wants because nobody can stop him, and the world is better for it. At 65, Dylan is writing modern poetry only insofar as that tradition can encompass song lyrics. Celebrating American vernacular from folk to Tin Pan Alley, he drops wonderful lines galore. Try “I got the pork chops, she got the pie.” Or, “I can’t go back to paradise; I killed a man there.” And sneaking in “The buying power of the proletariat’s gone down” must have given him a kick. But what really gets Dylan off these days is jumping the beat by rushing the first line of the opening track’s second stanza — which happens to be “I was thinking about Alicia Keys.” Or turning Slim Harpo’s “Hip Shake” into “Someday Baby.” Or Hawaiianizing “Beyond the Horizon.” Or the descending 16-note, yes, hook that runs through “Spirit on the Water.” Though it belongs on a piano, it’s usually stated on acoustic guitar and then taken up by shifting combinations of standup bass and Dylan’s touring band. Sometimes it fades out early, but it always comes back, and you want it to — for all eight minutes of the song. |
Cichli Suite
Member Username: Cichli_suite
Post Number: 161 Registered: 08-2004
| Posted on Friday, September 15, 2006 - 07:33 am: | |
Is anyone following the discussions on the Dylan forums about the lyrics on Modern Times? Some of the lyrics appear influenced by the little known civil war poet Henry Timrod. 642512, http://pool.dylantree.com/phorum5/read.php?1,642512 I reckon Dylan jots down interesting phrases and images in a notebook and weeks or months later builds songs around them. |
Cichli Suite
Member Username: Cichli_suite
Post Number: 163 Registered: 08-2004
| Posted on Friday, September 15, 2006 - 12:51 pm: | |
The link above doesn't work for some reason. Here it is again. You'll have to cut and paste it http://pool.dylantree.com/phorum5/read.php?1,642512 |