Its like rattling on about a perfect note for note guitar solo. Its what you find personnaly as enjoyable. If its more feeling, expression and phrasing than exact technical ability then Dylan might be your man.....

Great album, with some great examples of guitar weaving.

Best blues singer, composer and player of all time was Peter Green, ca 1966-1970. No one could touch him then. Listen to those shows from the 1969-1970 US tour....unreal.

JR

My expectations for this album were high, and on first listen it seems that Bob and his band have delivered the goods again.

My only disappointment concerns the DVD that is packaged with the limited edition of the album. There are four performances: videos for Things Have Changed and Blood in my Eyes, a performance of Cold Irons Bound that was used in Masked & Anonymous, and the performance of Love Sick at the 1998 Grammy Awards. The "Soy Bomb" guy was edited out of the Love Sick performance. Someone said that an entire verse was clipped from the song.

Anyone else noticed the more than striking resemblance of Workingmans Blues to the famous Canon by Pachelbel (German 17th century composer). Looks lke Dylan is not just reworking American musical history. I love it.

[www.cduniverse.com]

esp. pay attention to the cello in WB, which is quoting literally.

----------------------------
"Music is the frozen tapioca in the ice chest of history."

"Shit!... No shit, awright!"

Funny, I was dissapointed with the bonus disk as well. I wish they could have included some recent (last 5/6 years) concert footage. I think Bob looks unconfortable and ridiculous in videos (Things have Changed not bad though). I preferred the bonus material on the last release.

"Workingmans Blues to the famous Canon by Pachelbel (German 17th century composer)."........ blimey! You know ur stuff!

yep, like Dylan does...

----------------------------
"Music is the frozen tapioca in the ice chest of history."

"Shit!... No shit, awright!"

The new album is great, and everyones saying so many nice things about Bob.
But lets not forget what a git he can be concert. When I saw him in 2001 he mangeed the vocals on at least half the numbers, not because he can't sing, but because he likes to test and annoy the audience, who invariably applaud even when the band just noodle in the key of the song, and Bob blubbers something vaguely like a song you once new.
I notice he's still doing it, I listened to a show from Cardiff recently, he destroys the arrangements on songs when he's too bored to sing properly. I dont think its experimenting its just taking the piss, which is something I must say the Stones never do.

Peter Green cant touch Don Van Vliet (Captain Beefheart)

I can understand that many people don't like Bob's vocals.
But I love them.
Clapton is a better singer than 30 yrs ago IMHO but he just can't pull off any good songs by himself anymore. I even don't like Me And Mr. J too much.

madmaxx Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Shoot me down in flames but ...
>
> Dylan cant sing for toffee.

oh, he can. Some people just cant listen for toffee, thats the trouble....LOL

Expression and feeling are more important than how many notes you can hit.

- for anyone who thinks dylan can:t sing listen to
WHEN HE RETURNS - pure emotion

Dylan's easily the best American white blues singer. I wrote an undergrad term paper about that 25 years ago. I would argue Brits like Burdon, Cocker and Stewart out-blues him on the other side of the pond....

I dunno, some stuff Johnny Cash did may not be labeled '"blues", but it sure seemed to come from his heart and his gut.

dont forget Tom Waits...........he's got them Howlin' Wolf pipes

I like Waits but his singing style is partially a parody....Dylan's is completely genuine and original.

and don't forget the "Newt"...........the one and only Mr.Bluesboy...........Mr. Wayne Newton...........come on!.....let's hear it for Mr. Showbiz

Danke Schoen indeed! But, Pat Boone really was the first one to set the blues world on it's ear a few years before. It was a shame Elvis had to come along and rip him off so blatantly....



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2006-08-30 20:31 by StonesTod.

StonesTod Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Danke Schoen indeed! But, Pat Boone really was
> the first one to set the blues world on it's ear a
> few years before. It was a shame Elvis had to come
> along and rip him off so blatantly....


what a rip-off!.....Elvis even stole Booneys' look and hip gyrations.....the nerve!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2006-08-30 20:37 by Leonard Keringer.

OpenG Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Eric can,t write a good blues tune or arrange one
> anymore IMO.Listen to his version of Robert
> Johnson's Love in Vain . A boring cover Keith and
> Jagger for example took LIV and wrote a great
> acoustic arrangement with Keith's intro and
> walkdown on the G chord etc.

I thought we were talking about blues singers but I could be wrong.

Gazza Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ablett Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > So OpenG its as good as Love and Theft? One of
> my
> > all time favs......
>
>
> Its certainly on the same level, and I personally
> love L&T
>
> I actually think its maybe more consistent. L&T to
> me has three absolute classics on it -Highwater,
> Floater and Sugar Baby. This one has more. The
> ones that instantly scream 'classic' are
> Workingmans Blues, Thunder on the Mountain and
> Aint Talkin' but there are now 2 or 3 more that
> are getting there after a few listens - Nettie
> Moore, Someday baby and maybe Rollin' and
> Tumblin'.
>
> I think if you enjoyed Love and Theft, you'll love
> this one as well.



Hi Gazza, love the newie. Wokingmans Blues is sounding like a personal top 20 Dylan song for me. Surprized you never mentioned Mississippi from L&T. Its my favourite from that album. Maybe the fact that Sheryl Crow got her mits on it first diminishes it for some folks. Anyway, loving the new one.

john r Wrote:
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> My impression (based on 4 songs) is I like it but
> not as much as the 2 predecessors...It sounds
> natural, enjoyable, but not as signicant to his
> body of work as TOOM & L&T -


I know TOOM is 'classic'
> autumnal Bob, but I prefer the unassuming quality
> of L&T.

I agree with you on both counts, John.

Bought it yesterday and was a somewhat let down during the first listen, as opposed to the last two albums which both knocked me out during the very first play.

My first impression is that in it's sound and themes, this one seems like a continuation of L&T. That's not bad, but part of what made L&T remarkable was that he made a deliberate move away from doing another TOOM.

Also, with the title Modern Times, I guess I was expecting more of a Big Statement. It just seemed more witty wordplay this time. Certainly there's enough going on in the world that Bob could write about.

I need a couple more listens.

Just slightly to digress - has anyone got or heard L&T remastered with surround sound ? Any major differences ? Any comments..?

Just heard the new Dylan record "Modern Times".....Thought I was going to Freaking DIE. What...A...Piece...of...Sh@te! To call this record a huge, hot, steaming, stinking pile of cow excrement would be kind. I can't believe there are people on this board (with presumably pretty decent taste in music) who were posting how good (even great) this record is. If you think this is a great (or even good) record I seriously suggest you soon get your head examined. Anyone who bought this collection of throwaway songs, throwaway lyrics and throwaway musicianship should get together with others and initiate a class action lawsuit against everyone involved. I'm sure any jury who is forced to listen to this crap will surely give you your money back PLUS damages.

The good side is if you suffer from insomnia just slip this baby in the CD player and you'll be out like a light in about 10 minutes. Seriously! I was thinking about brewing up some coffee just so I could get through this sombitch. What a pile of Bollocks! This baby makes A Bigger Bang sound like Sgt. Pepper! I don't know what else to say. Obviously the world is going completely insane. I give up. Rock is indeed dying if not completely dead.

I would not go nearly as far as saying it is a "pile of cow excrement " but I do agree with you , I heard it today at work and I am surprised at all the hype, it was weak and much too tame, and frankly boring.

For an album called "Modern" Times, its themes sure are timeless. On first pass, the lyrics sound like they could have been written on the front porch of a house in Mississippi 100 years ago . . . levees, thunder, spirit, workingmen.

Dylan is moving in the right direction by namechecking Alicia Keys in the opening track. But even she's been around some years. I'd like to hear Dylan sing a song about, oh, I don't know, Hillary Duff. Or Tickle Me Elmo. Or Tivo. Or blogging. Hell, I'd like to see a song written by Dylan titled "LOL."

Greg Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Anyone else noticed the more than striking
> resemblance of Workingmans Blues to the famous
> Canon by Pachelbel (German 17th century composer).
>

Bingo! I knew there was something familiar about the changes in the song. Good call, mate!

I pre-ordered the album on vinyl direct from sony and it hasn't arrived yet! I'm dyin over here...

cc Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I pre-ordered the album on vinyl direct from sony
> and it hasn't arrived yet! I'm dyin over here...

I did the same thing cc....I was a little miffed that it didn't arrive yesterday, but it did arrive today in the US mail.....can't wait til I get home to listen to it.