Ever since the release of 1997's stunning Time Out Of Mind, much critical ado has been made about the modern-day creative resurgence of Bob Dylan. The recent five star notices his new album Tempest has received from the likes of Rolling Stone and Uncut isn't likely to quiet that talk any time soon either.
But in doing your Google due-diligence searching for Tempest online, you are more than likely to come across reviews proclaiming this album "Dylan's best since Blood On The Tracks, Blonde On Blonde or (fill in the blank here)."
It's not, and any such comparisons are beside the point anyway. At this late stage of the game, Bob Dylan isn't any likelier to record a sequel to Highway 61, than Bruce Springsteen is for Born To Run. His voice is probably no longer up to the task of duplicating that kind of a sound for one thing.
Still, there is no denying that Dylan's most recent, post-millennial work has been among the best of his entire career. Since the release of Time Out Of Mind, the closest thing to a clunker in the bunch was probably 2009's Together Through Life, and even that album has its share of near-classics like "Forgetful Heart." More often though, there has come amazing work that ranks right up there with his best, including at least one genuine masterpiece in 2006's Modern Times.
Tempest mostly falls into the latter category, and is an album which over time could well prove to be regarded as another latter-day masterwork.
All of the elements for a great Dylan record are certainly in place here. You've got your epic storytelling, in the form of "Tin Angel" and the opus title track. There's pointed political commentary (albeit couched in metaphoric allegory) on "Early Roman Kings." There's also plenty of Dylan's trademark biting lyrical venom to be found on tracks like "Pay In Blood" and "Narrow Way."
But as far as the songs themselves go, Dylan mines much the same territory he's been exploring on much of his most recent work here. Nothing really stands out as anything particularly revolutionary or "new" - at least not in terms of any truly original sounding melodies.
If anything, the songs on Tempest rely heavily on the more tried and true, and otherwise traditionally familiar. In much the same way that "Rollin' And Tumblin'" and "The Levee's Gonna" Break" gave a post-modern spin to a pair of traditional blues standards on Modern Times, Muddy Waters' "Mannish Boy" gets a similar, if slightly more up-tempo facelift here on "Early Roman Kings." The epic storytelling about the sinking of the Titanic heard on "Tempest," likewise takes its musical cues from something that sounds (most eerily, in this case) like a post-depression waltz.
Article comments
1 - atomicsynth
Bob Dylan's PR Machine is alive and well. This is why his work garners "5 star reviews".
The truth is that if Bob Dylan were a nobody you browsed on youtube you wouldn't pay the least bit of attention to his "visionary-ness" that has been so hyped from the 60's on.
2 - Glen Boyd
Something is happening here, but you don't know what it is, do you Mr. Jones?
3 - don
Its always a joyful event when Dylan brings out a new record, its really hard to compare albums, they're all good in their own way. Really great vocals on "Soon after Midnight", some of his sweetest vocals since Nasville Skyline, then he turns on the croak on tracks like Three Roman Kings and Pay in Blood, effortlessly. Maybe not as good as the classic electric trilogy from the sixties, name me an artist who could follow those records, but these days, Bob is still on top of his game and Tempest just gets better with every play.
4 - davidw
The album is the weakest in the recent spate of albums. Better than Knocked Out Loaded or Under the Red Sky. There's some nice traditional ballads, and Roll On John is excellent. But the music overall is hurried and and boring.
5 - thrasher
Nice review Glen. I haven't gotten my copy as of yet but looking forward to its arrival any day now!
6 - Ayla Sitzes
This album is dark and amazing. He delivers through some of the most powerful, deep songwriting ever! I love his video for Duquesne Whistle too!
7 - TimTH
Narrow Way: “It's a long and narrow way, if I can't work up to you, you'll surely have to work down to me someday”... “Look down angel, from the skies, help my weary soul to rise”... “I heard a voice at the dusk of day, saying 'Be gentle, brother, be gentle and pray ...”
Pay in Blood: “I've sworn to uphold the laws of God, you can put me out in front of a firing squad ... Man can't live by bread alone, I pay in blood, but not my own ...”
“Dylan is communicating the fact that it is Christ’s blood that pays for the sins of the world, not the blood of any mortal man,” see 'Dylan, Depression and Faith'