Tempest by Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan released his 419th ( joking, kind of ) last week. Bob Dylan at 71 years old still has a great deal to say. Reading his recent Rolling Stone interview Dylan laments his fans and followers looking to him as an answer, being seekers, when at the same time he is clearly still on a mission of seeking. In his most recent interview, in which Dylan is obtuse in the extreme, he predicates his theory on transfiguration and how that connects him to a sixties Hells Angel leader who died in the early sixties named Bobby Zimmerman.

Frankly not a great deal of it makes sense. One thing that does make sense is listening to every new thing Dylan has to say when he releases an album. This album received a five star review from Rolling Stone. As my wife says however that has much to do with him being Bob Dylan.

So is this an album of five stars. No. It is, however, an album with some very strong new music. Dylan's voice is now a raspy growl. My daughter said he sounds like he needs to clear this throat. Whatever melody was in his voice years ago is now gone. Still if you are a Dylan fan his singing voice has never been his major selling point for you.

The songs Narrow Way and Long and Wasted Years are both well written songs with stories to tell. Dylan is superb in these rambling songs.

Still when this album is spoken of in the Dylan catalog the last four songs will be subjects we discuss. Early Roman Kings is typically strong Dylan song while Tin Angel is nine minutes of violence and bloodlust through a Dylan growl. The centerpiece of the album, and at fourteen minutes, the ballast of the whole album is the title song. This will be known as the Titanic song. 45 verses of the sing song story of the famous ship that went down Dylan combines famous shout outs to historical figures, and an only as Dylan could, combination of fact and fiction. As Dylan said he is less interested in history as it was than as it should have been.

As great as that song is, and it is classic Dylan, the final song on the album is perhaps the best song. Titled Roll on John it is Dylan's tribute to his friend John Lennon and it is a wonderful song. In the middle of the song when Bob starts a verse with " I heard the news today oh boy" you can feel his heart rend. This is a fantastic song that would be rendered less effective were it sung in any clear throated voice.

All in all a strong album, better than his last couple of entries. Dylan is always worth listening to.