Bob Dylan is still alive and kicking, especially on his latest release, “Modern Times.” Dylan picks up from where his previous album, “Love and Theft,” left off in 2001. Some would say that five years is plenty of time to write a great follow-up, but when you’re arguably the greatest singer/songwriter of all-time, the bar is set a little higher. However, even with all the expectations, Dylan still goes up and beyond, and surprises people like me every minute of the album.Far gone is the high, nasally voice of the young Dylan. As we’ve become accustomed to, the new Dylan voice is raspy and low, yet it still has a sweet tone that cuts through the masterfully stacked arrangements. The musicianship is as good as ever, and his new band shows that they belong with Dylan. Much like a good whiskey that Dylan once enjoyed, as I do myself, the taste has gotten better with age. The band is so talented that even though we know that they’re not even trying, they display great complement to Dylan.
Dylan shows off his softer side on the record, as he croons like Dean Martin. His pitch and tone are clearer than on “Love and Theft,” and it is just another distinctive characteristic that differentiates his last two albums. The lyrics are upbeat and meaningful, just like always. It will take me months just to read into and interpret all of the words. My favorite song, lyrically, has to be “Someday Baby,” because he might as well have just drawn a middle finger in place of the printed words. The third stanza says it best: “When I was young, driving was my crave. You drive me so hard, almost to the grave. Someday baby, you ain’t gonna worry poor me any more.”
Just like “Love and Theft,” “Times” follows the upbeat-downbeat-upbeat song selection. The first track, “Thunder on the Mountain,” kick-starts the collection to a point where you lose control of your foot as it unconsciously taps. We’re then whisked away back to Earth with “Spirit on the Water,” which is my favorite track. The guitar melody and jazz chord-voicings blend well with subtle upright bass and splashy drums reminiscent of old Grestch kits. With Dylan’s vocals sitting right in the middle, the song is a perfect combination of groove, tone, and melody. The other stand-out tracks are the already mentioned, blues-driven rock tune, “Someday Baby,” and the smooth, throw-back finale, “Ain’t Talkin'”.
Diehard fans are probably reluctant to consider this a great Dylan album because history has yet to tell, but I am willing to stick my neck out and say that, track-for-track, it’s one of Dylan’s best. There is a reason that this is the first Dylan record in over three decades to debut at #1 on Billboard’s top album chart. Dylan doesn’t miss a beat, and he proves that he’s still relevant in the modern era of music, especially when there isn’t really much else out there (Panic At The Disco!? Are you serious?). If you have $15 to spare, I would recommend that you invest it in an hour of music heaven.