Bob Dylan's Tempest

[Heysaboda]

The new song is great.  It still harks upon the the musical themes and styles from the Love and Theft/Modern Times period so I hope the rest of the album expands a bit further away from that...

I agree, but to me, both Dylan's voice AND his band "sound" better than L&T and MT (which I enjoyed).  The song Duquesne Whistle, and the the arrangement suit his voice really well, and the band texture is very rich.  Very retro sound, which also suits Bob's voice.

[Justin]

From the early reports of the album already leaking (and I think also legally streaming online?) this one is to be a stunner.

And just like I did with TWGMTR I only heard one new song from the new video out but I shall refrain from listening to anymore until the CD is in my hands...can't wait!

[pixletwin]

I listened to the iTunes stream yesterday and I really dug it. The song about Lennon is the album closer and it does the job wonderfully.

[GhostyTMRS]

Well, here's the 2nd of two albums I'll be buying in 2012.

[Sheriff John Stone]

Just got home from seeing Dylan in Hershey, PA.

He's still got it. There was another change in the "never ending tour". Bob spent a large part of the show BEHIND A GRAND PIANO! Yes, and it was very prominent in the mix. Somehow Bob re-arranged a lot of the songs to integrate the piano. Dylan also played electric guitar on a couple of songs and exchanged some solos with Charlie Sexton.

Highlights were the opener, "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight", "Tangled Up In Blue", a rocking "Highway 61 Revisited", "High Water" with Donnie Herron on banjo, and a touching "Simple Twist Of Fate". Dylan is still doing his song and dance to "Ballad Of A Thin Man".

No mention of Tempest. Actually, no mention of anything, other than introducing the band.

[cablegeddon]

Imus called it unlistenable this morning. I'll wait until it's on spotify or youtube

[jeffcdo]

Imus, the last time I caught his show he was repeatedly interrupting his co-hosts blathering on about the greatness of Kenny Chesney.

[Wirestone]

Well, Imus should know unlistenable.

As for the album, it's easily the best since Love and Theft, and possibly better than that.

[cablegeddon]

All I'm saying is, I'll be a little hesistant when I'm listening to this album for the first time.

[hypehat]

You fool, listen to this album. It's a lot better than Together Thru Life. Kinda like the relentless chug of it. Tin Angel grabs me.

[Justin]

I'm digging the album so far...sounds great.

[hypehat]

I think the main advantage over Together Through Life is that Dylan's actually writing the lyrics. I love something like Long & Wasted Years, which only he would write. He also delivers it like a stand-up.

[MBE]

I think the main advantage over Together Through Life is that Dylan's actually writing the lyrics. I love something like Long & Wasted Years, which only he would write. He also delivers it like a stand-up.

I liked Time Out Of Mind, Love and Theft, and Modern Times, but felt so so about Together Through Life. Picked the new one up but do not have time to sit with it for about a week. How would you all rank it starting from Time Out Of Mind.

[hypehat]

Er....

Well, I'm still getting used to Tempest, so

Love & Theft
Modern Times (Those two are interchangeable, mind)
Tempest
Time Out Of Mind
Christmas In The Heart
Together Through Life?

[meltedwhiskeyinmyhand]

Well, Imus should know unlistenable.

As for the album, it's easily the best since Love and Theft, and possibly better than that.

Imus seems like a great source for music recommendations!

[Outtasight!]

I rate Love and Theft as one of Dylans greatest albums so time will tell if Tempest beats that one. I was so so on first listen as I found his voice jarring at times and the variety of songs bewildering but it is now making a lot more sense on 4th listen and I get what he's trying to do with the vocals and am rapidly warming to them. There are more melodies than I was expecting but less Charlie Sexton. I reckon my list will settle like this but it is possible that  L&T and Tempest may change places.
L&T, Tempest, Modern Times (love the vocals on that one but the band sounds flat in comparison to L&T and Tempest), Time Out of Mind, Together Through Life (a serious drop in quality from the others in songwriting, production and vocals), Christmas in the Heart.

[Chocolate Shake Man]

I know that people like to characterize this contemporary Dylan phase as beginning with Time Out of Mind, but I'm curious (being somewhat of a novice to post-Street Legal Dylan) if it were possible to suggest that the beginning of this phase really started with World Gone Wrong or even Good as I Been to You?

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

Together Through Life is awesome!

Yes, the writing isn't quite as good as what came directly before, BUT it's fun hearing Dylan and his band jam with the Los Lobos Guy and Mike Campbell. The whole album, to me, feels like a bunch of guys who just set up their instruments and had a go at it. Kinda Dylan's "Black N Blue" if you will..... Beyond Here Lies Nothing is kick-ass Dylan, I think. Great lyrics (Robert Hunter aint no slouch himself) and wonderful imagery. Great band interplay too....

Jolene, It's All Good and Forgetful Heart are all awesome too.....

[Wirestone]

Hmmm ... I'd probably rank them like this.

Love and Theft
Tempest ties with Time out of Mind
Modern Times
Christmas in the Heart
Together Through Life

Tempest could move up. But it's less of a self-conscious concept record than L&T and TOOM -- it's the most diverse sounding record of the group.

I'm also one of the two or three people who really like the Christmas album.

[hypehat]

I do love the Christmas album, because it sounds like the greatest party I wasn't invited to.

As for the World Gone Wrong/Good As I Been argument - you could, as it kinda brought in Dylan finally just resigning himself to making folk/blues records again as opposed to recording albums with Don Was or name producers (although I think the best of his late period records aren't JUST that). And, almost to readapt himself to the form, he records a bunch of the standards. And his current aesthetic as some old gothic dandy wearing bolo ties and cowboy hats started then.

Over analysing Dylan is somewhat of a guilty pleasure. 

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

Tempest is $5 on amazon digital right now, BTW

[Heysaboda]

NOT ONLY IS THIS THE FABLED “BEST ALBUM SINCE BLOOD ON THE TRACKS” IT IS DYLAN’S BEST ALBUM, EVER, AND IT IS THE BEST ALBUM BY ANYONE, EVER, IN THIS WORLD, IN ANY WORLD, IN THIS GALAXY, IN ANY GALAXY.  BETTER THAN ABBEY ROAD AND PET SOUNDS.

THAT IS ALL YE KNOW, AND ALL YE NEED TO KNOW.

ALL THESE WORLDS ARE YOURS EXCEPT EUROPA.
ATTEMPT NO LANDINGS THERE.
 

[Lonely Summer]

I will get the vinyl, soon. Not listening online, really want to experience it all the first time when  I take those records out of the sleeve and put them on the turntable. So tired of that "best since BOTT" stuff, though. There are many great albums after BOTT - I would start with Desire, Street Legal, Slow Train Coming, Shot of Love, and Oh Mercy....before the TOOM/L&T/MT/etc albums.

[hypehat]

All you need to know is that it's the best since Christmas in the Heart 

[Lonely Summer]

All you need to know is that it's the best since Christmas in the Heart 

Oh, I believe that. Even that 1973 "Dylan" album released when Bob temporarily left Columbia for Asylum is better than Christmas in the Heart.