Bob Dylan
Together Through Life
Columbia
By David Chiu
Bob Dylan returns with another triumphant new album on the wave of a creative momentum that started with 1997’s comeback record Time Out of Mind. Stylistically Together Through Life is steeped in the sounds of old-time soul music from the ‘50s, pop music from the ’20s, and of course the blues. Lyrically the narrator on the new songs comes across as being on the crossroads of life. both spiritually (“If You Ever Go To Houston,” “This Dream of You”) and romantically (the slow ballad “Life Is Hard,” and “Forgetful Heart,” which is reminiscent of Love Sick in spirit). Together Through Life feels like a real blues record as one can hear in the growl of Dylan’s voice on “My Wife’s Hometown,” and the social commentary of “It’s All Good”; other tracks sound very breezy including the devil-may care of “Beyond Here Lies Nothin’” and the gospel-sounding swagger of “I Feel a Change Comin’ On”). The result is something that is very gritty, soulful, romantic and poignant.
NewBeats 