Old Bob part I and Number 69

Old Bob Dylan recently released a new CD, Modern Times (2006). I have a strange kind of fanship of Bob Dylan in that I'm not a huge fan of his earlier, seminal work. That's not to say I don't get a lot of enjoyment out of "A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall", "Masters Of War" or "Lay Lady Lay" as I love those songs. It's that his music is so revered and iconic that I can't relate to it. Song like "The Times Are A-Changin", "Blowing In The Wind" and "Postively 4th Street" are so strongly tied to their timeperiod (late 60's) that I can't relate to it now. So, funnily enough I find I'm a bigger fan of his more recent work, such as the excellent Love And Theft (2002). Now, he's released Modern Times.

Modern Times is like the ultimate Eric Clapton album without the guitar solos. Loose, shuffling blues grooves dominate this album. The early media push highlighted two strong tracks, the IPOD commercial "Someday Baby" lightly boogies its way by with a good sense of fun. "Thunder On The Mountain" name drops Alicia Keys while it bounces along to its shambling beat. The Robert Johnson "Rollin' And Tumblin" strongly resembles the Johnson covers Eric Clapton recently delivered.

With Dylan, lyrics are important and the story is no different here. My personal favorite is the song "The Levee's Gonna Break", a humorously sardonic song with lyrical imagery remiscent of Hurricane Katrina. "When The Deal Goes Down" and "Ain't Talkin'" shows off Dylan's darker, more serious side.

The only song that didn't quite work of me was "Spirit On The Water" because its about 7 minutes long but I thought it should end at 4 minutes. Too much of a good thing I guess.

Overall, this is another strong late career album from Old Bob Dylan. I give it a 9 out of 10.

Another downbeat folk rocker comes at Number 69:

Tracy Chapman (1988)

When Tracy Chapman debuted in 1988, she exploded all expectations of a dead genre (folk rock) while being an african american woman who was talented but not particularly sexy. Like many debuts where the artist gets some good attention from the label, Chapman was able to cherry pick her best songs from a few years work and have a compatable producer. The detailed approach paid off for her debut album, which features strong songwriting, smooth flowing production and impassioned vocals.

Chapman's low, quavering voice gives emotional resonance to songs ranging from simple folk ballads ("Baby Can I Hold You") to laid back protest rock ("Talkin' Bout A Revolution). The subject matter varies from materialism ("Mountain's O Things"), the death penalty ("For My Lover") and ghetto life ("Across The Lines"). Her big hit song, "Fast Car", encapsuled everything Chapman did so well. The lyrics told an engaging story of a woman with too much work and responsibilities in her life slowly watching her options fade away with time. The feeling of being trapped is almost palpable in the verses while the strumming guitar in the lifting chorus give a sense of short lived freedom.

The success of the album in 1988 underscored the public's need for music with some depth after years of empty synthesizer pop. Though Chapman herself has remained consistent in her work, she never sounded as good as on her first album.