Bob Dylan
Modern Times- Sony BMG
Rating: 3/10
It shouldn’t come as a surprise to most Bob Dylan fans that there really isn’t anything too modern about Dylan’s most recent record Modern Times. Beyond his actual music, Bob Dylan could have made a career out of being a sarcastic, deceptive asshole . Modern Times is just another chapter in the long book of Dylan.
In a sense, Modern Times picks off where Love and Theft, Bob Dylan’s last studio album, left off. The lead track on the album, Thunder on the Mountain begins with what sounds like the end of a Grateful Dead jam. Instrumentally, Thunder on the Mountain emulates Love and Theft’s nitty-gritty blues sound. Lyrically however, Thunder on the Mountain contains a lot of directed social commentary, a lyrical component not found in any of Dylan’s most recent works. One interesting, yet awkward lyric on the opening track references the song Ma Rainey by the depression-era blues legend Memphis Minnie. In Dylan’s lyrical jigsaw however, he rearranges the lyrics to include Alicia Keys rather than the tune’s original character Ma Rainey.
Bob Dylan’s Thunder on the Mountain:
I was thinking about Alicia Keys, couldn't keep from crying When she was born in Hell's Kitchen, I was living down the line I'm wondering where in the world Alicia Keys could be
I been looking for her even clear through Tennessee
Memphis Minnie’s Ma Rainey:
I was thinking about Ma Rainey, wonder where could Ma Rainey be
I been looking for her, even been 'n old Tennessee
Despite the awkward tributes to Memphis Minnie and Alicia Keys, Thunder on the Mountain is by far the best track on Modern Times.
The album quickly degenerates after the opening track. The second track, Spirit on the Water sounds like it was taken right out of a Peanuts episode. The song, which lasts seven painful minutes, contains only one guitar riff which flows in perfect harmony with Dylan’s old and congested voice. Lyrically, Spirit on the Water is laughable; near the end of the track, Dylan’s epic blues poem concludes with the line: You think I’m over the hill/ You think I’m past my prime. If there’s one thing Dylan got right with this album, it’s that he is indeed past his prime.
Next is the album’s token ho-down track Rollin and Tumblin’, followed by the semi-decent When the Deal Goes Down where Dylan manages to channel some of the same wonderful visual imagery that made him such a famous poet.
In the still of the night, in the world's ancient light Where wisdom grows up in strife My bewildering brain, toils in vain Through the darkness on the pathways of life.
Unfortunately, after the lyrical breath of fresh air, Dylan returns to the blues shitshow that is Modern Times. Someday Baby, the first single on Modern Times, really sums up the entire album; a generic blues guitar riff with stolen lyrics. In this case, the lyrics in Someday Baby were stolen from Trouble No More by The Allman Brothers Band.
Dylan’s Someday Baby:
Don't care what you do, I don't care what you say
I don't care where you go or how long you stay
Someday baby, you ain't gonna worry po' me any more
The Allman Brothers’ Trouble No More:
Don't care how long you go,I don't care how long you stay,
It's good kind treatment, bring you home someday.
Someday baby, you ain't gonna trouble poor me, anymore.
After making a career for himself with his deep and meaningful lyrics, Bob Dylan is tarnishing his reputation.
To say that Modern Times is a complete failure for Bob Dylan would be a gross overstatement. While the album lacks originality, swagger, and a “modern sound,” it does contain a few more tracks worth listening to. The album’s finale, Ain’t Talkin', is a deep, piercing tune with lyrics that recall Dylan’s protest classic Masters of War. While many of the tracks on Modern Times contain unoriginal or stolen lyrics, Ain’t Talkin' captures Dylan at his finest.
Well, the whole world is filled with speculation
The whole wide world which people say is round
They will tear your mind away from contemplation
They will jump on your misfortune when you're down
On this track, Dylan’s works his old, weathered voice to near perfection in an attempt to capture the grim mood of modern times.
In a nutshell, Modern Times begins and concludes with solid tracks that in many ways capture the mood of our tortured society. The problem with the album is that the body lacks the same substance Bob Dylan has been able to create in his previous efforts. To me, it seems Dylan has lost his edge and has turned to making music out of habit and greed rather than writing tunes out of true artistic passion.
No matter what Bob Dylan does at this point in his career, he will always be remembered as one of the greatest American rock and roll legends. But when you listen to Modern Times, you realize that sometimes even the greatest performers are mere mortals. Even Michael Jordan and Lance Armstrong, two of America’s most dominant athletes, were forced into retirement. In my parting words to Mr. Dylan, I quote his song Thunder on the Mountain:
The writing on the wall, come read it, come see what it does say.
Modern Times- Sony BMG
Rating: 3/10
It shouldn’t come as a surprise to most Bob Dylan fans that there really isn’t anything too modern about Dylan’s most recent record Modern Times. Beyond his actual music, Bob Dylan could have made a career out of being a sarcastic, deceptive asshole . Modern Times is just another chapter in the long book of Dylan.
In a sense, Modern Times picks off where Love and Theft, Bob Dylan’s last studio album, left off. The lead track on the album, Thunder on the Mountain begins with what sounds like the end of a Grateful Dead jam. Instrumentally, Thunder on the Mountain emulates Love and Theft’s nitty-gritty blues sound. Lyrically however, Thunder on the Mountain contains a lot of directed social commentary, a lyrical component not found in any of Dylan’s most recent works. One interesting, yet awkward lyric on the opening track references the song Ma Rainey by the depression-era blues legend Memphis Minnie. In Dylan’s lyrical jigsaw however, he rearranges the lyrics to include Alicia Keys rather than the tune’s original character Ma Rainey.
Bob Dylan’s Thunder on the Mountain:
I was thinking about Alicia Keys, couldn't keep from crying When she was born in Hell's Kitchen, I was living down the line I'm wondering where in the world Alicia Keys could be
I been looking for her even clear through Tennessee
Memphis Minnie’s Ma Rainey:
I was thinking about Ma Rainey, wonder where could Ma Rainey be
I been looking for her, even been 'n old Tennessee
Despite the awkward tributes to Memphis Minnie and Alicia Keys, Thunder on the Mountain is by far the best track on Modern Times.
The album quickly degenerates after the opening track. The second track, Spirit on the Water sounds like it was taken right out of a Peanuts episode. The song, which lasts seven painful minutes, contains only one guitar riff which flows in perfect harmony with Dylan’s old and congested voice. Lyrically, Spirit on the Water is laughable; near the end of the track, Dylan’s epic blues poem concludes with the line: You think I’m over the hill/ You think I’m past my prime. If there’s one thing Dylan got right with this album, it’s that he is indeed past his prime.
Next is the album’s token ho-down track Rollin and Tumblin’, followed by the semi-decent When the Deal Goes Down where Dylan manages to channel some of the same wonderful visual imagery that made him such a famous poet.
In the still of the night, in the world's ancient light Where wisdom grows up in strife My bewildering brain, toils in vain Through the darkness on the pathways of life.
Unfortunately, after the lyrical breath of fresh air, Dylan returns to the blues shitshow that is Modern Times. Someday Baby, the first single on Modern Times, really sums up the entire album; a generic blues guitar riff with stolen lyrics. In this case, the lyrics in Someday Baby were stolen from Trouble No More by The Allman Brothers Band.
Dylan’s Someday Baby:
Don't care what you do, I don't care what you say
I don't care where you go or how long you stay
Someday baby, you ain't gonna worry po' me any more
The Allman Brothers’ Trouble No More:
Don't care how long you go,I don't care how long you stay,
It's good kind treatment, bring you home someday.
Someday baby, you ain't gonna trouble poor me, anymore.
After making a career for himself with his deep and meaningful lyrics, Bob Dylan is tarnishing his reputation.
To say that Modern Times is a complete failure for Bob Dylan would be a gross overstatement. While the album lacks originality, swagger, and a “modern sound,” it does contain a few more tracks worth listening to. The album’s finale, Ain’t Talkin', is a deep, piercing tune with lyrics that recall Dylan’s protest classic Masters of War. While many of the tracks on Modern Times contain unoriginal or stolen lyrics, Ain’t Talkin' captures Dylan at his finest.
Well, the whole world is filled with speculation
The whole wide world which people say is round
They will tear your mind away from contemplation
They will jump on your misfortune when you're down
On this track, Dylan’s works his old, weathered voice to near perfection in an attempt to capture the grim mood of modern times.
In a nutshell, Modern Times begins and concludes with solid tracks that in many ways capture the mood of our tortured society. The problem with the album is that the body lacks the same substance Bob Dylan has been able to create in his previous efforts. To me, it seems Dylan has lost his edge and has turned to making music out of habit and greed rather than writing tunes out of true artistic passion.
No matter what Bob Dylan does at this point in his career, he will always be remembered as one of the greatest American rock and roll legends. But when you listen to Modern Times, you realize that sometimes even the greatest performers are mere mortals. Even Michael Jordan and Lance Armstrong, two of America’s most dominant athletes, were forced into retirement. In my parting words to Mr. Dylan, I quote his song Thunder on the Mountain:
The writing on the wall, come read it, come see what it does say.
1 comments:
Nice review, i totally agree with you about this cd. I think a lot of people just say they like it because its Bob Dylan and they feel obligated to like it. i like that you stepped up and actually gave Dylan a bad review, since so many people seem afraid to do it.
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