Bob Dylan - Together Through Life (Deluxe Edition) CD + DVD
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Free Music Notes for Together Through Life (Deluxe Edition) CD + DVD
Free Music Review: The "old man" can still call a tune
Hit: 5 Stars
This CD has been on in my car since the day i received it.One or two of the tracks are brilliant.Free Music Review: better then the other new ones
Hit: 5 Stars
Ilike this better then the other two new ones. I hope he plays some of these this summer.Free Music Review: wonderful
Hit: 5 Stars
This may very well be the best he's ever done.
I listen to it non-stop.
Free Music Review: Album=4 Stars, Edition=3 Stars
Hit: 4 Stars
The "Deluxe" Together Through Life has the standard album plus a sticker, poster, and two bonus CDs. The sticker and poster are worthless; the former merely shows the album title, and the latter the lame cover photo. One CD is the "Friends and Neighbors" episode of Dylan's popular XM radio show. A typically enjoyable example of the program, it has an astonishing variety of music mixed with Dylan's lively, informative, and often amusing commentary and quotes. It is a good introduction to the show for anyone unfamiliar with it but of little value to those who are. The other CD is also virtually worthless -- an outtake from landmark film No Direction Home lasting only a few minutes. It has an interview with Dylan's little-known first manager, Roy Silver, and a slightly different audio take of "Blowin' in the Wind." The segment has no revelations, and it is easy to see why it was excluded, but hard-cores may find it somewhat interesting. All must decide if this makes the "Deluxe" edition worth purchasing over the standard; in most cases, it certainly does not.
As for the album itself, though not on par with his three prior later career masterpieces, Together Through Life is another worthy Bob Dylan album. Fans should certainly get his major albums first, but anyone interested in him should eventually check it out, while significant differences from his other albums mean it may possibly appeal to those not usually keen on him.
It is immediately clear that Together is far more modest than other recent Dylan albums; it lacks their epic feel and is indeed only about two thirds of their length. One might almost see it as Dylan kicking against his Grand Old Man of Meaningful Songs title. Songs are short and to the point; there is no attempt at epic or panoramic music. More notably, there are few words by Dylan's standard, and what we get is unusually simple and straightforward, stripped of imagery and grand themes. They generally focus on love and lust in familiar terms and are doubtless highly influenced by co-writer and Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter. Those who value Dylan's profundity may be disappointed and perhaps even curse Hunter; it is surely no surprise that the only song written by Dylan alone ("This Dream of You") is easily the best.
All this suggests that Together has little merit, but this is not so, though it is undeniably minor. The concision and punchiness of the words are quite intriguing, if limited, and Dylan's vocals retain their latter-day strength. One would have to look very hard indeed for another singer of his age with such emotional vitality and diversity. "Life Is Hard" has a surprisingly nimble falsetto, but his gifts, as ever, have nothing to do with hitting and holding notes or having range. Instead, his phrasing remains impeccable, and he puts the songs forth with verve and vigor few can even approach; this is particularly important, given the lyrics' unusual nature.
Music is probably the biggest point of contention. Aside from "Life Is Hard," an acoustic take on Dylan's recent Rat Pack balladry fixation, it is essentially split between accordion-dominated Tex Mex and Chicago blues. The former is a great surprise; Dylan has hardly ever used accordion, and never for an extended time, and had dabbled in Tex-Mex only on 1976's Desire. Accordion - courtesy of Los Lobos' David Hidalgo, who also plays guitar - is practically the lead instrument on several cuts. This takes some getting used to, as does the musical genre generally, but grew on me significantly, as it likely will on most. The blues entries are far easier for fans of latter-day Dylan to appreciate. If less than revolutionary, they feature some fiery playing from Heartbreaker Mike Campbell and three members of Dylan's crack touring band. A few cuts mix the two styles to interesting, if somewhat jarring, effect.
"Beyond Here Lies Nothin'" is a good example. Essentially a take on the classic Otis Rush blues "All Your Love" with accordion instead of harmonica, it is a high energy opener with several notable short guitar solos, blazing trumpet, blaring organ, and powerful drums. It is also a good introduction to the lyrical style, beginning as simply as possible with "Oh well, I love you pretty baby."
"Life Is Hard" will not convince those turned off by Dylan's recent ballads but is excellent for those who like them. With beautiful music and a supremely touching vocal, it is highly affecting despite words that are occasionally too clichéd.
"My Wife's Home Town" is another harmonica-cum-accordion blues update, this time of the classic "I Just Want to Make Love to You," and even credits Willie Dixon. Well-done if hardly world-shattering, it epitomizes Together's lyrical modesty but at least has some amusing lines. The fiery vocal improves it substantially.
"If You Ever Go to Houston" may be the most accordion-dominated track - probably too much so for many, especially as the riff is very simplistic. A Wild West ballad and Texas ode, it is one of the slightest cuts but still enjoyable.
Further proof that no one does torch songs like Dylan, "Forgetful Heart" mixes things up somewhat with dramatic, Neil Young-esque electric guitar and other musical nuances.
"Jolene" is the most uptempo song, with a killer riff and some short, incendiary guitar solos. It is nice to hear Dylan and company rip it up, though the asinine words will disappoint many.
"This Dream of You" is Together's closest thing to a masterpiece - and it is tantalizingly close. Flat out mariachi, it shows that Dylan can quickly master nearly every genre; whatever one thinks of the accordion elsewhere, here it approaches sublime, while the bittersweet lyrics and mournful croon match it. This is a piece of emotional vitality only Dylan could create and has the album's best lyrics by a considerable margin.
"Shake Shake Mama" may be the most minor cut but is an enjoyable, rollicking blues.
"I Feel a Change Coming On" is probably the second best entry. A weeper with fine lyrics and excellent, highly creative drums, it may be Together's best vocal and is a worthy canon addition.
"It's All Good" is another accordion-laced classic blues send-up, reminiscent of Slim Harpo's "Shake Your Hips" among others. The words are very good, some of Dylan's best satire in years, and possibly contain veiled political references. It is a zany, freewheelin', and effective close to an unusual album.
All told, anyone expecting another masterpiece will be disappointed, and Dylan easily has at least a dozen albums that are much better, but this is very respectable, especially considering Dylan's age and how much great music he has already made.
Free Music Review: Another Album, Another Change, But Who Cares? It's All Good!
Hit: 4 Stars
Bob Dylan has changed himself so many times, whether it's going electric, going Las Vegas, going Born-Again or going stately gentleman like in recent years, that it feels like his changes are just another part of his everyday artistic process. With Together Through Life, Dylan makes another drastic stylistic change. Vocally, the record is similar to Modern Times, since his voice is so ravaged by rampant touring that we should be happy he still has one.
However, as soon as you slide the disc into your player, immediately you can feel that things are different. The lyrics are simpler and all but one song was co-written with Dead lyricist Robert Hunter. The band behind him is different, too. He dropped his two regular guitarists in favor of Heartbreaker Mike Campbell and Los Lobos member David Hidalgo, who also added the accordion which is all over the record.
The album kick starts with Beyond Here Lies Nothin', the single, with Dylan proclaiming that "I love you pretty baby" and right away, the accordion assault starts! It's apparent that this album is allowing for his band to tear it loose. I love the line: "Beyond here lies nothing/nothing but mountains of the past..." Dylan's moving forward, by looking back, musically anyway.
Life is Hard starts off with this great mandolin that resonates throughout the track. It kind of has this feeling like "Sprit On The Water". He's reminiscing about a lost love and his vocal is nothing short of funny, especially during the verse about walking by the schoolyard.
My Wife's Hometown has a traditional Willie Dixon melody and the lyrics fit it perfectly. "I just want to say that Hell is my wife's hometown!" It's a fun line so it's obvious that Dylan and Hunter had a ball writing these lyrics, but three songs in, you wonder, where are the characters that are together through life?
If You Ever Go To Houston has a really jaunty feeling and more of Dylan going back in time, saying that he "nearly got killed during the Mexican war". The accordion is more present here than any track so far.
Forgetful Heart is already my favorite track, especially with that scorching guitar solo. It feels so un-Dylan, which is great to me, but the sing still has this animosity toward the love of the song that only Dylan could pull off.
The second half starts with the obvious throwaway of the record, Jolene, with its' simple blues shuffle and great guitar licks. Finally we get a song where Dylan is eyeballing a girl. I'm telling you right now, this is going to be a song Dylan will be dragging out on the road. Like "Honest With Me", it will all drive us nuts, but I bet this is going to be the one songs he performs over and over again.
Next is the waltz-y This Dream Of You. Again, this is like the crooner tracks on "Love & Theft" and Modern Times, but his vocal is much better. The lyrics are beautiful and I love "Shadows dance on the wall/Shadows that seem to know it all". On top of that, the guitar solo is beautiful. This is my weeding song, ladies!
Shake Shake Mama is another basic blues track, but much harder than "Jolene". It falls in the classic hall of songs about evil women that you just want to get away from! If that's not what the blues is about, I don't know anything! His vocals are so suited for this type of stuff now, it's just amazing.
I Feel A Change Comin' On was also released prior to the album by Newsweek, but this, more so than "Beyond Here Lies Nothin'", feels much stronger in the sense of an album. Behind the accordion, the key instrument on the track for me is George Recile's amazing drumming. He really pulls his weight on the track, adding fantastic cymbal flourishes that just add to how amazing it is. I don't know whether the song really has anything to do with Obama, but after listening to the songs and the lyrics, I highly doubt it. It's a song about a man feeling that there is a change comin' on in his love life, not socially around him. This isn't "The Times They Are A-Changin'" but a simple song about the beauty of knowing that there could be changes in your love life.
The rolling romp It's All Good closes the record. While probably the worst closing track in recent memory on a Dylan album, the truth is that the fun in the melody and the lyrics tells you that Dylan was tired of ending his albums with apocalyptic tracks. Time Out Of Mind ended with the mammoth "Highlands", which is hardly a positive story about a man with no point to life. "Love & Theft" closed with "Sugar Baby", a slow track about looking at society overall and Modern Times crashed and burned with the "Desolation Row" update, "Ain't Talkin'". I think it's time for Dylan to be able to end an album on a fun track.
I think in the end, the point of Together Through Life is to show what Dylan can do really quickly and really fast. The record shows that after three straight, drop-dead serious albums, Dylan took the time to have a fun record with half of his touring group and two excellent guest musicians. Mike Campbell's guitar work is excellent and David Hidalgo's accordion adds to the wonderful, old-time atmosphere spread throughout the record. I understand why there are a few unfavorable reviews, but is it not possible for Dylan to kick back, have fun and make an enjoyable record? Why does it always have to mean something with Dylan? Yes, the record is called Together Through Life, despite the fact that most of these songs deal with lost, even tortured, love, but beyond that, there are no hidden meanings. I mean, where's the meaning of "Shake shake Mama like a ship going out to sea"? Get this record now and sit back and enjoy what Dylan made. Yeah, there aren't any Blood On The Tracks here, just old fashioned, fun blues and rock and roll.