I CONTAIN MULTITUDES****
This track killed me when I first heard it weeks ago. It's hard not to think of "Mississippi," as it has a similar vibe, sentiment and cadence. Stunning, still.
FALSE PROPHET***1/2
I love the band on this track. Swampy and confident, with no hurry to get anywhere. What a groove. And Zimmy sounds great!
MY OWN VERSION OF YOU**1/2
Musically? Raymond Chandler. Lyrically? Mary Shelley. More pop culture references. Creepy vibe.
I'VE MADE UP MY MIND TO GIVE MYSELF TO YOU***
"Ooohs" on a Dylan record! This is a first! Bob is crooning and it's working. Like a crazy mix of a 50's pop ballad and Exotica. Again, the band is something else here. Such beautiful restraint. Great.
BLACK RIDER**
"Black Rider go back to your wife, stop visiting mine. One of these days, I'll forget to be kind. Black Rider hold it right there. The size of your cock will get you nowhere." Really. More a poem with atmospheric background music than a song. Okay.
GOODBYE JIMMY REED***1/2
Great blues thumper! A little "Groom's Still Waiting At The Altar" going on. I love this band.
MOTHER OF MUSES***
"Ring Them Bells" 2020. Lovely. Sparse. Moving. Very nice.
CROSSING THE RUBICON*1/2
Least favorite. Another basic blues, though nothing Dylan has to say is "basic." Too much of the same thing only longer.
KEY WEST (PHILOSOPHER PIRATE)****
Gorgeous. Trance-like. Melancholy. A hymn to final days. Wow.
MURDER MOST FOUL***
The one that started it all closes it all out. Mesmerizing, still. But too much for repeated spins. This will come out on special occasions, like a rare bottle of booze.
It wouldn't be a stretch to call "Rough & Rowdy Ways" a blues record. It's a dark record. The band is stellar throughout and Dylan sounds fantastic. First pass made me very happy.
10 comments:
When I first heard a snippet of “Murder Most Foul” I dismissed it and moved on. But the other day I sat down and listen to the three cuts that are available on Apple Music and found myself mesmerized. Can’t say that I would listen to murder on a regular basis but I am looking forward to listening to the rest of the album.
Do you know who's in the band?
Randy
Bob Dylan- Vocals, guitar
Charlie Sexton- Guitar
Bob Britt- Guitar
Donnie Herron- Steel guitar, violin, accordion
Tony Garnier- Bass
Matt Chamberlain- Drums
Additional musicians:
Blake Mills
Benmont Tench
Alan Pasqua
Fiona Apple
Tommy Rhodes
Murder Most Foul kind of wrecks me, even after listening to it numerous times. I agree, Sal, I'll probably pull it out only for the right mood. Looking forward to hearing the whole thing.
And I enjoyed this "first listen, first reaction" post. Not sure who else would rate a similar one, but I wouldn't mind seeing the format return some time.
Sal, you've articulated my thoughts so well after just giving this a first listen. It's his strongest work of this century. Highlights for me:
I CONTAIN MULTITUDES
MY OWN VERSION OF YOU
I'VE MADE UP MY MIND TO GIVE MYSELF TO YOU
BLACK RIDER
MOTHER OF MUSES - You're so right on with the "Ring Them Bells" parallel.
KEY WEST (PHILOSOPHER PIRATE) - I second your Wow; WOW!!
MURDER MOST FOUL - I have been captivated by this song since first hearing it several weeks ago. I find it to be a meditative experience and have played it multiple times during these past several weeks.
Looking forward to living with this record over the weekend and getting to know it better. I had tickets to see him tonight at the Hollywood Bowl but regrettably cancelled(a Covid-19 victim.) Can't wait to eventually hear these songs live.
Once again,Sal, thank you for your cogent insights.
Impressive list of cohorts - thanks for listing!
Randy
Tho I found his forays into the American Songbook more than cringe-worthy, I detect echoes of that period (woodshedding?) in this collection, and I mean that as a real compliment. He never stops absorbing and alchemizing his influences into his brilliant work. American music indeed. What a treasure to have this guy still putting out such gripping stuff into his 6th decade. And his band! Walking such a fine line of support to Bob's words, but still putting grit and emotion in every song. Amazing!
Three times through and I like it. We'll see how much as the weekend goes by, but I'm very happy with Homegrown, so...
I still like Tempest, and wasn't overwhelmed by Modern Times. Together Through Life did not sit well, but I liked Shadows In The Night.
Review coming soon to Everybody's Dummy!
I've loved everything I've heard SO much! I really can't wait to spend some real time with this!
And those "oohs" come courtesy of Fiona Apple, which means she appear son TWO instant classics this year! :)
(No, I haven't listened to her album yet.)
My first listen was very enjoyable. I thought maybe I wouldn't listen again to "Murder Most Foul" since the penultimate track "Key West" was already 9 min. But I couldn't stop myself. It would feel like listening to Blonde on Blonde and lifting the needle before "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands." In for a penny, in for a pound.
I look forward to your track by track reaction to Neil Young's "Homegrown."
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