Whatever critical position you take to discuss the record, it is hard to see an answer as to: how or why it has generated such glowing reviews. It seems, it is only the ‘why’ it has generated those reviews, that has a discernible answer. Bob has (rightfully) reached the highest cultural plateau we have, the ultimate modern renaissance icon: performing artist, recording artist, author, DJ, producer and artist. An Oscar, Grammies, doctorates abound in recognition of his genius: so how is a humble rock critic qualified to tell the worshipful audience that the beloved genius has made his most uninspired album in decades, and spoil the happy ending this narrative is meant to have.
Well all apologies, but this narrative has only one analogue: The Emperor’s New Clothes. There is little point to digging over the landfill of reviews already written, except to pose one question that just might encapsulate them all. Uncut, the UK music monthly sees fit to decorate Together Through Life with 5 stars, its highest commendation. This surely presents the question: then how might it judge the exquisite emotive transcendence of Blood on The Tracks, or the mordant glory of Time out of Mind? Are there special stars that I don’t know about, or are you really going to tell me this throwaway, lame dog of an album is a defining icon of popular culture, invested with the same magnitude of inventive genius as the other two: as a certain Harry once said: ‘don’t piss up my back and tell me its raining’
The first listening, the impression of this album, is that the optimistic promise of the reviews were not misplaced, the promised Chess influence is evident as a guitar snarls agreeably in one speaker, while in the other a mariachi trumpet plays the most interesting instrumental motif on the entire album. Bob growls and grumbles and at a push you can believe that is indeed the blood of the land apparent in that there voice. It’s all good you think, till the lyrics startle your thinking ears to hear a couplet so profoundly obvious, constructed with the sort of crass trite rhyming that Dylan himself did much to extinguish decades earlier.
A couplet that betrays an authorial thought that must run something like: ’it’s just a three minute song, any old rubbish will do’. And that couplet is ‘down every street there’s a window, And every windows made of glass’. Well technical advances not withstanding, what else do they make windows from? Is it just the singular window of the first line? Is it a metaphor for a window to the soul? Oh, if only. This is the man who used to find ways to write rhymes like skull and Capitol, this is arguably America’s greatest living poet, not some garage punk making a record with his mates. Yet here we have an album with the lyrical sophistication of a ‘speak and spell’ book: its like Van Gough throwing away his chromium yellow and replacing it with custard.
Article comments
1 - Duane Barlow
Great review, thank you!
2 - michael
Bad Dylan records have a habit of sounding a whole lot better years later in the context of what else was around at the time.... I think your comments whilst valid maybe say more about you than Dylan
3 - Bill
You're right. "Together through life" is a disaster. It really stinks. And I,too, am a lifer when it comes to my appreciation for Mr. Dylan and his contributions to pop music. He's #1.
4 - Thad Williamson
maybe just a little harsh, an over-reaction to what I agree have been inexplicably positive reviews. Unlike Down in the Groove, however, this is listenable. (And "Dylan" I don't think was so bad at all if you understood it for what it was, a bunch of outtakes thrown together by the record company to fulfill a contract. I think "Knocked Out Loaded" is a better choice for the worst 3 Dylan records.)
I do take issue with the put-down of "It's All Good." No it's not a great song but it's not bad and is fairly entertaining.
Given that the lyrics are generally uninspiring and uninteresting (Robert Hunter being the thread connecting this with DITG), what's more disappointing is that the music--not just the melody, but the arrangement--is just so dull. The accordion on "if you ever go to houston" plays the same thing over and over the whole song, no variation, plus it's mixed to loud and drowns out the vocal.
I have hope that some of these songs will sound okay in concert. It has happened before with Dylan. Plus, the Theme Time Radio Hour and the video interview on the deluxe package are both pretty sweet.
Overall though, a disappointment.
5 - Nigel Simons
An unbalanced love of Brownsville Girl saved it from that top 3, but a good point, and I nearly put Knocked Out in there in spite of BG.
All the comments to this piece have been fair and measured, which is not what you would expect for a negative Dylan review. I just found it interesting that non of the many rabid Dylan fans I know thought it as good as promised by the reviews, and were mostly disappointed.
I just hope no new Dylan fans buy this number one album with the awesome reviews and wonder what all the fuss is bout, and miss out on the greatest body of work in popular music.
I'd also argue that any artist has highs and lows in their work, and one gives a perspective on the other. Even the bard wrote a few plays that are not that well thought of, which leads to Timeon adds to the genius of Lear type arguments.
Its when the lows are celebrated more than the highs that I start to get a bit worried that all perspective is lost.
Now, how long to wait for the next one?
6 - jay
The man has seriously lost his mojo. Perhaps he should treat his wife better.
7 - jonnyra
I find the album quite good. You can trash it all you want...your choice. I have been a lifelong Dylan fan and while I would not rank with his greats (you know the list) to trash TTL like this is just childish. I listen, I groove and I listen again. And will keep doing that for a while me thinks.
8 - michael
Look , it's not Highway 61 but it's not that bad,in fact I don't agree at all that it's in his worst three (if there ever was a worst three) ....the guy's 68 years old and he's just scored a No 1 ....we're not going to see the likes of him again and when everything's tallied up 50 years from now everyone who made these derogatory comments are going to be doing their best to deny it...by the way my fav Dylan albums are jwh ,Street Legal and infidels...I know they're not his best albums but theyre the ones I'd crawl across cut glass for
9 - Garry
I thought it must have been just my wife and I being out of synchronicity with the rest of the world, listening perhaps through "knowing" Dylan super-fan superior ears. I too am worried that Bob might believe the reviews and he will have no direction home for his next album