Bob Dylan – Together Through Life (****) – Update

Update (5/9/2009):  Together Through Life debuted at #1 on the Billboard album charts.  It is comforting to know that good music can still reach a large audience.

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Bob Dylan understands the challenge of living in his own shadow.  In ‘High Water’ from Love & Theft (2001) he sang of himself:  “As great as you are a man, You’ll never be greater than yourself.”  He  may yet live to eat those words.

In Together Through Life (2009) Dylan continues his remarkable renaissance that began nearly 20 years ago.  No, these recent albums are not as stunningly brilliant and freakishly innovative as the work of his youth — he changed the world once and seems to have no desire to launch another musical revolution.   What Dylan does do is demonstrate a sustained depth, maturity and craftsmanship in his songs that few can match, or even aspire to.

This new album seems more casual and relaxed that much of Dylan’s recent work.  But like all of Dylan’s best work, there is always more than meets the ear on the first few listens.  Dylan is a master songwriter, and the Master crafts every note and word fully conscious of its impact.

Thematically we are reacquainted with many of our old favorites:  Angry Bob (‘It’s All Good’), Bluesy Bob (‘My Wife’s Home Town’, ‘Shake Shake Mama’), Old Cowboy Bob (‘If You Ever Go To Houston’), Forlorn Bob (“Life Is Hard’), among others.  The album has the sound you might expect from a much-better-than-average New Orleans café house band — simple, sometimes understated, but substantial.

I have probably listened to Dylan’s last album (Modern Times – 2006) more than any other album from this decade.  We’ll have to see if this new one has that kind of shelf life.  So far I like its chances.