I forget which one of the Beatles answered when asked if they would still be listened to five hundred years from now that the only performer of his generation he was certain would be was Bob Dylan. I agree with that opinion, but for the longest time it looked like the jokerman was not after BLOOD ON THE TRACKS have another album that could stand comparison with his great work of the sixties. Who would have thought that when he did match that earlier work, it would be with an album that was more focused on aging and the ending of life than on anything else.

This is a somber, reflective, deeply introspective collection of songs. Rock and roll has never been a genre that has focused on death, except in the going down in a ball of flame sorta way. But here there are no balls of blame. He isn't exactly going gently into that good night, but he isn't quite raging either. While many of the songs evoke these feelings of loss and the passage of life, the highpoint is clearly the extraordinary "Not Dark Yet." No one who has read Frost's "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" knows how to spot a metaphor for dying (Frost actually denied that it was about death, but few have believed him) and it isn't hard here to know what Dylan is writing about. Shortly before the period in which Dylan was writing the songs for this album he suffered an extremely serious illness that landed him in the hospital and could easily have brought about his death. Perhaps the consciousness of how fragile his own life is is reflected in this song. He isn't in despair and he isn't welcoming death. As he sings, "I was born here, and I'll die here, against my will." But he is aware that the end is near. It isn't dark yet, but it is getting there.

But Dylan has always had individual great songs on even his weak albums. Even largely dreadful gospel album SHOT OF LOVE nonetheless had the serenely beautiful "Every Grain of Sand," one of his greatest post-sixties songs, while the slightly better NO MERCY has "The Man in the Long Black Coat." Here, however, every cut on the album is a winner, and several of them are standouts. The organ-driven "Cold Irons Bound" is one of the grittiest songs he has ever done, while "Love Sick" opens the album and sets the tone of all that follows. One of my favorites is the sadly nostalgic "Standing in the Doorway," one of Dylan's finest love songs in a long time. The nostalgia comes not over the sense of love lost, but the memory of love lost. It is addressed to a former lover who left him (standing in the doorway) and while he has gotten over the hurt and may not even feel any bitterness, he is deeply conscious that her loss left his life changed forever. The song contains many lovely lines and Dylan's voice, ravaged by decades of heavy cigarette smoking, rasps out expressively every one. On paper the lines:

Last night I danced with a stranger
But she just reminded me you were the one

but in the context of the song you hear the loss and yearning underneath. The album ends with one of Dylan's great rambling epics, "Highlands," the heart of which is an encounter he has with a waitress in Boston. Their dialogue reminds one of how very funny Dylan can be. My favorite part might be the waitress's apparent accusation of sexism after she dislikes the portrait she has badgered him into drawing:

"That don't look a thing like me!"

I said, "Oh, kind miss, it most certainly does"
She says, "You must be jokin.'" I say, "I wish I was!"
Then she says, "You don't read women authors, do you?"
Least that's what I think I hear her say,
"Well", I say, "how would you know and what would it matter anyway?"

"Well", she says, "You just don't seem like you do!"
I said, "You're way wrong."
She says, "Which ones have you read then?" I say, "I read Erica Jong!"

Dylan had never really left the public consciousness before the release of this album, but it certainly reestablished him as the dominant artist of his age. It pretty much swept the various awards the year it came out and the great news is that it truly deserved them. Will Dylan come out with another album this good (some think that 2001's LOVE AND THEFT was on that level, but I think it is a notch or two below)? I don't know. He clearly at this point is intent on getting his house in order, writing his ambitious multi-volume autobiography (the first volume was excellent) and cooperating in the superb Martin Scorcese documentary NO DIRECTION HOME. He clearly isn't turning albums out at the pace he once did, instead taking time to craft a group of well written songs. But few performers from the sixties are even turning out original material these days, instead relying on their already well-established catalog of hits (there are exceptions, like Richard Thompson, the Glimmer Twins, Neil Young, and recently Neil Diamond). But I suspect that Dylan has too much pride to not try to turn out at least one more masterpiece. I believe he wants to go out proving once again what he truly is: the dominant creative artist of the rock and roll generation.

If you're looking for the 1960's Bob Dylan style music, this is not it, but you will love this CD. The music is a little dark, but I really loved it!!! Bob has demonstrated his ability to change with time and his talent is solidly intact. My favorite song was "Standing in the Doorway." It pulled at my heart...I wanted to hug him. "Love Sick" was the darkest song, and you can feel his contempt. You'll also love "Feel My Love" in which he expresses his emotions beautifully. Buy this CD...you will love it too.

What can i say about this album?

From the dark and brooding 'Not dark yet' to the more upbeat 'Cold irons bound', this album has everything you could possibly want (or expect from a Dylan classic).

At a time when most people thought that Dylan had taken to writing nursery rhymes or reinventing folk songs from his childhood, along comes a truly unique collection of songs that re-establish him as the greatest songwriter of all time.

This album is a great place to start to appreciate the true genius of a man with a career spanning in excess of 40 years! How many of todays singers or bands will be as discussed even 10 years from today?

The opening title 'Lovesick' has you tapping along to it's rhythym, whilst the imagery takes your imagination to it's furthest reaches. 'I'm sick of love, I'm lovesick!' Dylan the wordsmith, plays with the language and moulds it in his unique way, in order to get his point across.

I would recomend this album to any and everyone, Dylan enthusiast or not, this should take pride of place in your collection.

Even Dylans voice, worn by years of relentless touring suits the album. When he sings 'I've still got the scars that the sun didn't heal', you feel his pain and truly beleive in what sings. Here is man fast approaching the twilight years of his life, and via this collection of songs he allows us to empathise with the fears and tribulations that confront him.

Don't take my word for it, get the album, sit back and be taken on a magical journey!!!