There will NEVER be a new album of original songs. NEVER. Nor cover songs. Dylan decided that he's done enough and has nothing left to prove, to paraphrase. I'll believe it when I see it.
It'd be a shame, one more strong all original album would be a great way to finish, but he doesn't owe anyone anything.
I have been listening to Jimmie Rodgers over the last week and had to smile when "Miss The Mississippi And You" played the lyrics, "...happy days of yore." I have to believe Dylan listened to a great deal of Jimmie Rodgers in the creation of Time Out Of Mind. He also was the driving force of the Jimmie Rodgers tribute cd and covered "My Blue Eyes Jane." Anyway, Time Out Of Mind was rumoured to be titled Stormy Season. It did contain the lyric, "I've been rolling through stormy weather." So, while the rumoured new album is probably not going to be called Days Of Yore perhaps it is reflective of the themes of Dylan's later works, his trilogy of American standards and his earliest musical heroes.
Months ago, Isis Magazine posted a short message that there are rumours, that Bob Dylan has some new Songs written. That was Long before the message About "Days of Yore".
Right, because Bob has always been 100% straight with the press and everyone else he speaks to. Have you seen Rolling Thunder Revue yet?
We know he was I'm Ardmore Studios for 3 days after he finished the Euro leg in Ireland. Hopefully one day we'll see the fruits of whatever that was all about. I'd be hopeful there'll be another album of original material in the next couple of years, health permitting but no more than cautiously hopeful. He's been in sensational form live of late but that's no guarantee. Fingers crossed tho.
A new album would mean he would add new songs into the live shows. And that would be the real treat. I love the Tempest album but even more I love how the songs from the album that he plays in concert have evolved and flourished on stage. The concert recordings make some of Tempest almost seem like a demo in comparison.
Duncan Hume of Mostly Dylan on Twitter mentions rumor of new album in the can for release in summer/fall.
If it's a new album of standards or covers I'll pass. If it's a new album of originals I'll have to give it a listen first. Whatever it is, I'm not expecting much at this stage in his career.
It's mostly the production of Tempest that gives it that feel, I think. Bob's voice sounds overly dry and not particularly well recorded, and the robotic song arrangements don't help, either. And I very much agree with you, some songs (like Pay In Blood in 2013) really benefited from a re-arrangement/re-write whilst also suiting the echo-ey atmospheric sound of the live stage.
