At this point Dylan has certainly earned the right to do whatever he wants. But I wish he wanted more and better. The contrast between the pretty backing and the very un-pretty vocal is especially grating...
really, i am not just being contrary and i am not being a kneejerk bob guy and i think it is too early to judge the song's actual merits, but i kind of like it. as with much of bob's stuff in the last 15 years, it is an exploration of desolate hope. that existential need to continue and sort of believe even when one knows better. is the vocal pretty? no. pretty things can be fine, but pretty is not necessary for a thing to be fine. is the performance adept and able to convey what it wishes to? i think so. not catchy, not something one plays a lot, but i suspect it will grow, not diminish, without ever, perhaps, being the kind of song one throws on to enjoy.
Am I nuts? I really liked it. Sounds in better voice than on his last 3 or 4 records, more like late-period Billie Holiday than late-late-period Billie Holiday.
Actually sounds like he's doing his Nashville Skyline croon, or his septuagenarian stab at it.
Seriously, I like it. But I've thought his albums post- Love and Theft have been somewhat overrated, so maybe I'm already in a minority re: contemporary Bob.
I don't know if I'm the biggest/most unrepentant Dylan fan here, but it sounds like I might be. :) I tend to like something in all of Dylan's work. (Wellll... not Knocked Out Loaded or much of Modern Times...)
So I'll bet I'll like something in the new LP. I can't actually listen to this cut yet b/c with Dylan I like to get the eventual album, put on headphones, and listen all the way through 3-4 times before I think anything. He's the only artist I make that special effort for, to have a complete first listening experience.
Based on the comments so far though, I hope it's better than y'all think it is.......
I know people who have such an aversion to Dylan's voice, they won't even listen to "Like A Rolling Stone." I not only like Dylan's voice, I think it's got soul. I like him as a vocalist.
What I don't like about this tune is that it seems forced, almost like a photo being superimposed onto another photo. It doesn't mix well.
I'd almost welcome Dylan singing standards on an acoustic guitar. But this arrangement and sound feels wrong.
Ok...home from work and am able to give it a proper listen. Honestly? It doesn't sound as bad as it did this morning. Not something I think I'd want to listen to a lot, but it wasn't totally feculent (talk about damning with faint praise).
Couple of other thoughts....begining vocals sounded a little like Paolo Conte, which is a good thing, but the mood quickly passed. Also...here's an idea: send the backing track to KD Lang and let her absolutely crush it. The song would not be out of place on her magnificent Shadowland album.
I listened to this song once before your post, but figured I'd give it a second shot before posting my reaction. Sorry to say, my opinion hasn't changed: meh! IMO, Dylan's singing is significantly weaker than it was on 2012's Tempest, which I liked, for the most part--just listen to him sing the line, "The moon is there," (0:30) and I rest my case. OTOH, the band sounds better here than they have on almost anything else I can recall. That said, I agree with Ken D: At this stage in his career, Dylan can do whatever he pleases. He's obviously coasting here, and fortunately for him, his fans tend to be an incredibly uncritical lot.
@steves-Coasting? I'm not sure about that. Seems to me that he would like to be a modern-day crooner, of the Rudy Vallee sort, just without the classic voice. I grew up enjoying singers like Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, and Elvis Presley, and as a result, I was past forty before I began to appreciate the gifts of Dylan. What drew me in, finally, was how he expressed himself with his clever songwriting. Once you focus on his wordplay, the voice is an afterthought. However, songs such as this do not offer such an avenue. I've enjoyed most all of Dylan's material since 2001, and I'll probably acquire this one as well. I just hope there's a little more fire inside.
20 comments:
Um, no thanks on that Dylan/Sinatra cover. Does not work for me at all.
But cudos for that Julian Cope song of the day. While he has pretty much disavowed that album I really enjoy it.
Hello all...no, please remain seated,
uh-oh. We're gonna need a bigger boat.
regards,
RichD
Louis Armstong's "What A Wonderful World" it ain't. I liked the arrangement until the vocal came in.
At this point Dylan has certainly earned the right to do whatever he wants. But I wish he wanted more and better.
The contrast between the pretty backing and the very un-pretty vocal is especially grating...
The possibility exists that the record will be much better than this preview.
NAAAAAAAAAH!
Even the cover art looks like it was thrown together in 15 minutes. Is it supposed to be some sort of homage to old Blue Note covers?
It sucks!!! Makes me nostalgic for the Christmas album. (Just kidding!)
Allan R.
i'd sooner listen to Bill Dobbins!
Dylan's voice is obviously much to weak for such a spare arrangement. He needs to call up David Hidalgo again and have him fire up the old accordion!
really, i am not just being contrary and i am not being a kneejerk bob guy and i think it is too early to judge the song's actual merits, but i kind of like it. as with much of bob's stuff in the last 15 years, it is an exploration of desolate hope. that existential need to continue and sort of believe even when one knows better. is the vocal pretty? no. pretty things can be fine, but pretty is not necessary for a thing to be fine. is the performance adept and able to convey what it wishes to? i think so. not catchy, not something one plays a lot, but i suspect it will grow, not diminish, without ever, perhaps, being the kind of song one throws on to enjoy.
Am I nuts? I really liked it. Sounds in better voice than on his last 3 or 4 records, more like late-period Billie Holiday than late-late-period Billie Holiday.
Actually sounds like he's doing his Nashville Skyline croon, or his septuagenarian stab at it.
Seriously, I like it. But I've thought his albums post- Love and Theft have been somewhat overrated, so maybe I'm already in a minority re: contemporary Bob.
You guys really hate it that much?
Bruce H
I don't know if I'm the biggest/most unrepentant Dylan fan here, but it sounds like I might be. :) I tend to like something in all of Dylan's work. (Wellll... not Knocked Out Loaded or much of Modern Times...)
So I'll bet I'll like something in the new LP. I can't actually listen to this cut yet b/c with Dylan I like to get the eventual album, put on headphones, and listen all the way through 3-4 times before I think anything. He's the only artist I make that special effort for, to have a complete first listening experience.
Based on the comments so far though, I hope it's better than y'all think it is.......
I know people who have such an aversion to Dylan's voice, they won't even listen to "Like A Rolling Stone." I not only like Dylan's voice, I think it's got soul. I like him as a vocalist.
What I don't like about this tune is that it seems forced, almost like a photo being superimposed onto another photo. It doesn't mix well.
I'd almost welcome Dylan singing standards on an acoustic guitar. But this arrangement and sound feels wrong.
Hello all...no, please remain seated,
Ok...home from work and am able to give it a proper listen. Honestly? It doesn't sound as bad as it did this morning. Not something I think I'd want to listen to a lot, but it wasn't totally feculent (talk about damning with faint praise).
Couple of other thoughts....begining vocals sounded a little like Paolo Conte, which is a good thing, but the mood quickly passed. Also...here's an idea: send the backing track to KD Lang and let her absolutely crush it. The song would not be out of place on her magnificent Shadowland album.
Lastly, I DO like the album cover. Very cool.
Regards,
RichD
I liked the arrangement, it suits Bob a lot better than Frank's with the strings. Too bad Bob's voice isn't better.
I listened to this song once before your post, but figured I'd give it a second shot before posting my reaction. Sorry to say, my opinion hasn't changed: meh! IMO, Dylan's singing is significantly weaker than it was on 2012's Tempest, which I liked, for the most part--just listen to him sing the line, "The moon is there," (0:30) and I rest my case. OTOH, the band sounds better here than they have on almost anything else I can recall. That said, I agree with Ken D: At this stage in his career, Dylan can do whatever he pleases. He's obviously coasting here, and fortunately for him, his fans tend to be an incredibly uncritical lot.
@steves-Coasting? I'm not sure about that. Seems to me that he would like to be a modern-day crooner, of the Rudy Vallee sort, just without the classic voice.
I grew up enjoying singers like Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, and Elvis Presley, and as a result, I was past forty before I began to appreciate the gifts of Dylan. What drew me in, finally, was how he expressed himself with his clever songwriting. Once you focus on his wordplay, the voice is an afterthought.
However, songs such as this do not offer such an avenue. I've enjoyed most all of Dylan's material since 2001, and I'll probably acquire this one as well. I just hope there's a little more fire inside.
First he murdered Dean(Return To Me) now hes after the Chairman.The Rat Pack is not safe. Whos next, the Candyman???
The reactions are what I expected, but it`s not such an odd idea for him to do this. We`re all fans of the music of our youth.
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