People seem pretty bold back in the day. I remember these two former record store clerks on the radio both reminiscing about different customers who would buy a pack of fresh cassette tapes and a stack of new records every month, only to return the same records the following week.
It always fascinates me when people act this way because someone merely likes a record rather than love it. I didn't realize this was supposed to be a cult.
Whoever had the take that this album's lyrics would take a while to sink in, they had a good take there. I've listened to this album a dozen or so times. I think the thing I was missing before was that Dylan has long since dropped the personal and the overtly moralistic. I'm thinking of Dylan's lyrics and introspective couplets and mind melting aphorisms spat out like a cool hipster bluesman in a leather jacket. He's not that now. These lyrics, not withstanding their being revealed as being stolen outright from some 19th Century Yakuza poet or something, are in their own way more evolved and mature than his earlier style. I now listen to Murder Most Foul every time, and it's verses pile up like Dylan songs of old, but it's also not the same. We're not talking symbolism and fashionable, ironic neo mystic imagery, it's not "Paul Revere on a bobsled said to Marilyn Monroe" he's moved on from that too. Instead there's like a novella inside each stanza, and the sum of all the novella's adds up to a whole other type of transcendence. It feels like some ancient art which was hidden to humans for lord knows how long. It's different from even Tempest, or Joni Mitchell, or the patchwork quilt feeling of the Love & Theft > Modern Times lyrics. Different from Highlands, different from Desolation Row. If this were a different time we'd be contemplating what drug he's on while writing this. I am, as I've noted before, listening to this album not in the intended order, I've made this a bit of a habit of mine, it's inappropriate in a way, but I don't care. You know, the funny pathetic thing with the Dylan fanbase is the condescension. We say, wow, be glad he's still doing anything, we should appreciate what he's doing, but people have been betting on Dylan's best days being behind him since the 60's. He's 80 soon, but there's no reason that we shouldn't at this point expect him to outdo himself in a few years again. It's actually the only thing predictable about him.
I could not agree more with these observations about the new album. I also have been listening in 'piecemeal' and absorbing the layers of meaning in each song . I' m staying with each song that intrigues me for a while, and finding new thoughts and insights with each hearing. Right now I' m floating in the aural sea of Key West ( hope to post a few thoughts on that in the near future). And I certainly agree that there is something different happening here. With Dylan, with the music. As the OP said - some kind of transcendence . You know Bob is surely looking back on his life , as many of his fans are - and also the history that he - and we- have lived through. And all these years are filtered and sifted through a sensibility that has grown more mature. I can't even quite put it in words yet -and it's not like all the themes he's exploring are entirely new- but there's just something different in this ride. You know we often hear the word genius bandied about our icons in the media - I've heard it used to describe everyone from Ray Charkes to George Carlin. And masters of their craft these icons may be - but while it may be a metaphor ( a genius of song, of comedy, even when applied to the 'genius' masters of politics) ; the term genius describes mho the absolute truth of what Dylan must be. Some of his songs have (always ) been as clear as Johnny B Goode 's guitar ringing bell - Hattie Carroll. Don't Think Twice , the magnificent Fourth street, the earnest and doting Forever Young. Some are a bit metaphorical but not too abstract to grasp-Love Minus Zero, Landlord, Watchtower. And then there's (always ) been the poetry - Sad Eyed Lady, Johanna, Dark Eyes, The poetry is made of lyrics that may never be fully knowable - but the music illuminates the words so that the phrases become indelible , and the phrases hit you in the gut and make sense to your soul. Genius . With this album , it's almost as if he's combining the personal , the easily grasped notions of his lyrics with the abstract and the unknowable. Finally , I love what the OP said about what we can expect in the future of Dylan's creativity . The only thing you can depend on with this guy is - he's gonna knock your socks off. Or to put it in the words of our troubadour : You ain't seen nothing yet.
Listened to the new Lana Del Rey single, the spoken word over a piano backing made me think immediately of Murder Most Foul
Musically Dylan's not Blonde anymore but lyrically throughout the last few decades he keeps defying the interpreters ears. Several listens of Rowdy and I'm still picking up things. I thank Hoffmanites on threads like this who give informative information on Rowdys lyrical content. Every little bit helps.
Where is the best place to purchase an EU pressing in the US? I've already been through 2 copies of the United pressings and I think I'm done - first was warped and noisy- second was just noisy. The vinyl sounds better than the hi-res download on my system though - if I could only get a clean copy...
I wonder what the greatest number of returned vinyl copies from one customer might be. My guess is that you are far from first place.
Try In Grooves Phoenix. He showed a few he had last week on his you tube channel. Good seller. FYI I have a US edition and all is good.
Well .....no ....lol .....not who I was thinkin' of. The song was - Make You Feel My Love, and the exact quote was: "You ain't seen nothing like me yet " (And we Dylanophiles ....haven t )
Well I have both formats Of this album and the vinyl sounds somewhat better. But this CD is quite good.
Thx for the tip - I just ordered one from them and will let you know. I think you got lucky w/ your US pressing
Just bought the olive green vinyl. Much to my surprise, it looks like this when you hold it up to the light.
I have the basic black vinyl and after my second listening, I’m thinking it’s sounds really good on my system especially since I have listened to nothing but MMJ’s and Mofi 45’s for most of a month. I personally am still getting my arms around the songs and lyrics. I’m not sure but IMO opinion he is throwing in a variety of song forms and going deep. I’ve been taking my son to and from his volunteer job for couple weeks so been listening to Dylan while driving. I have been taken with the 5 songs he does on Concert for Bangladesh, in particular A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall. The lyrics could apply to now. As a side Dylan is backed by Leon Russell on bass and George Harrison on guitar, he is in good voice to me. I am still analyzing Hard Rain’s meaning after all these years so Rowdy Times has a way to go for me.
I love the sound and feel of this album. It's the only recent Dylan album I have. Where should I go from here? I just bought Tempest, Fallen Angels, and Shadows in the Night (cheap used on Amazon ). Do any of his other albums of original material before Tempest have a similar vibe to this album?
The blues-based numbers remind me of Love and Theft and Modern Times. These albums were also engineered by Chris Shaw.
Those are some of my favorite tracks on this album. I'll have to grab the two albums you recommended.
I've heard some complain about the band/music/composition on "Rubicon" though on listen number 6 or so decided it sounds delightfully and appropriately either like a blues band that's all 100 years old, or has been playing for 36 hours straight----like the blues wiiiiiinnnnddiiiing down.....very appropriate for a 2020 record.