Modern Times

At a time when the majority of those his age are drifting into retirement, 65-year-old Bob Dylan has put the capper on a three-record run that ranks with the best in his storied, 44-album career. Like Time Out of Mind and Love and Theft before it, Modern Times is a rootsy, blues-soaked pool of the purest form of Americana--skipping the progressive bells or whistles for an understated backing by his touring band. Dylan's voice, which cracks, rasps and moans from the pop singer's pulpit, hasn't been this rich and emotive since 1976's Desire. And while his lyrics prolong his steadfast allusions to a higher power and his own immortality, they are not without the Dylan mirth, as when he sings of tracking pop queen Alicia Keys from Hell's Kitchen to Tennessee in "Thunder on the Mountain," the album's opener, which teams with "Someday Baby" and "Rollin' and Tumblin'" (for which Dylan misguidedly claims writing credit) as the record's most fiery numbers. Still, it's the Dylan that tells of a slave-loving owner ("Nettie Moore"), brings New Orleans to the front burner ("The Levee's Gonna Break") and plays the part of an eloquent lounge singer ("Spirit on the Water," "When the Deal Goes Down" and "Beyond the Horizon") that makes Modern Times sound just like old times. --Scott Holter

Dylan Classics and Collections

The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan

The Times They Are A-Changin'

Bringing It All Back Home

Highway 61 Revisited

Blonde on Blonde

Blood on the Tracks

No Direction Home: The Soundtrack

Biograph (Box Set)

Bootleg Series 1-3: Rare 1961-1991 (Box Set)

First new album in 5 years featuring 10 new songs

Customer Reviews:

A masterful record.
Bob Dylan has aged wisely and eloquently. His early music reflected a maturity beyond his age; his latter-day music reflects the maturity OF his age. I've never been a huge Dylan fan, though at the same time I respected his artistic talent (specifically, the impact his songwriting had on a generation of artists). I bought this record hesitantly, reading reviews, trying to get beyond the usual "legend" hype. After all, even legends falter.

Bob Dylan hasn't faltered. At least, not with MODERN TIMES.

This is a record even a non-Dylan fan such as myself can enjoy. You see, good music is good music. Now, if you ARE a life-long Dylan fan, then of course you are gonna enjoy this record. But even as a general musical record (that is, taken out of its context as a part of the Dylan catalogue), this album stands as a classic. Why is that? Perhaps because of the lyrical genius, to be expected from such an extraordinary songwriter. Perhaps it's the backing band (plus Dylan's own musical talents). What I think makes this record stand out, however, is that it is at its essence a country record. Yes, all you city-folk: this is a country record, both melodically and lyrically. And yet, it passes itself off as a rock record--and successfully so. But behind the modern sound (ignore the pun) is a country lyric, a country essence.

As for Dylan himself...he sums up this album, its predecessors and successors, in the final track, with a simple, eloquent line: "I'm burnin, still yearnin', walkin' 'til I'm clean out of sight."

Fortunately for everyone concerned, Dylan has a few more miles to go. MODERN TIMES is proof enough of that.
--2006-12-17

Robert Johnson and Woody Guthrie would be proud! Well Done Bob!
Forget the one star review. This is five star music.

This is folk/blues/country/pop/rock'nroll music only Bob Dylan could create.

It is wonderful.

I have just finished listening to the Album and I can't get the musical wheels it left turning out of my head. It really rolls along. Full of streetwise realism, down to earth straight-taking, pathos, hope, and finally a joy in the music itself.

As a fan of Bob Dylan's earlier masterpieces from the sixties I find nothing to complain about in this Album. I find a mellower tone overall and a deeper, richer and more jagged voice, but I find no loss of melody, lyrical colour or rhythmic intensity.

This is one of my favourites among the many cd's I have purchased this year.

Compared to his current peers this man is a giant. A Genius? I think so.
--2006-12-13

It's All Been Done Before
Bob Dylan is one of, if not the most, influential artists in the history of popular music. Almost every great band covers one of his songs. He has changed the face of folk, rock, blues, and pretty much any style one could think of.

This album, however, is nothing special. When it came out, Rolling Stone gave it 5 stars and everyone made it seem like he'd done it again. But to tell you the truth, he hasn't. Every single song in here can be traced back to someone else. Although blues tends to be that way already, he still doesn't have anything completely original. For example, I listen to the first track "Thunder on the Mountain", and I find myself humming "Rock and Roll" from Led Zeppelin. I realized that the drumming is pretty much the same with similar guitar work. Then I saw the track "The Levee's Gonna Break". Led Zeppelin's done that one before along with tons of other musicians. "Rollin' and Tumblin'" is just another cover of Robert Johnson's "Traveling Riverside Blues". (Note: I realize he credits himself with writing all the music when in fact I say it's been done before. Led Zeppelin did the same thing, where they took most of the music and made it their own without crediting the original artist.)

Overall, the album is solid and has that classic Bob Dylan sound. It does drag at times, but he has some great stuff in here. Buy this album, but don't think that it is in anyway revolutionary.
--2006-12-12

faith
Dylan once again shows why he is my favorite argument for the existance of God.
--2006-12-11

Highway 61 truly revisited
While this disk does not display the vulnerability of 1997 or the outright comedy of 2001, it brings the swing and blues styles there explored back to the word-play of 1966. The band bears a similar looseness, though better intonation, to the one recorded 40 years ago. "Working Man's Blues" is my favorite; it shows genuine empathy for the U.S. victims of NAFTA and the like -- with far more subtilty than 1983's "Union Sundown." It is this growing empathy in combination with the cleverness of his less mature days that keeps this listener hanging on to Bob's every word.
--2006-12-08

- Sony