Quote:
Originally Posted by Lisnaholic
That was an interesting comment, Mucha. It made me think of 2 things:-
1. Let me introduce you to something you may have heard of, but not experienced yet: old age !
Bob is no longer the angry, energetic powerhouse of ideas that he used to be. At age 80, that kind of intensity has probably disappeared for good - and with such a career behind him, it's not like he has to prove himself to anybody anymore.
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Yes, I haven't experienced "old age", I'm 21 as of now.
Still, there are things (music/movies/literature), that I find "inspired", that were not made by people of my age.
Look, just to make an example:
Keith Richards newest album ("Crosseyed Heart"), made me often feel like...I could understand what's it like to be old(?). I know who Keith is when he's my age, I know who he is, when he's my parents age. And then, thanks to "Keith evolving" I know what's it like to be him – still having the ideas, the verve, or whatever – when he's old.
Keith didn't age to my ears. He ad grown up (or "aged up"). He had understood who he is now, and what he was before, and now he's making music that is serene (in the sense that he knows he's old, but also he has the spirit to do things – I'm not sure if this is clear. It's kind of central to what I'm talking about).
With Dylan, I can't feel this. I just know he's old. But I don't feel it. I know he's eighty: and that should be the strong point of the albums.
Not the weak one.
But it is.
The weak spot is that he's 80 (like with McCartney – especially "McCarney III").
While it should be the strong spot.
And here with Dylan's albums, all I can hear is him being "weaker at making music".
I'm not one of those purists, who'd say that Dylan's only good when he's 19-21 and acoustic.
Far from it.
It's that his albums/songs have (in my personal opinion) less vigor, less internal energy. They are more like "trying to play that one song, that was to hard for you until now".
And I just don't find joy in it.
And don't get me wrong: I really like the track "I contain multitudes". But that's the thing: I really love the track the was one of the main singles. And no the other way around.
It just doesn't feel to me like "The Dylan" I'm accustomed to.
Or something.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lisnaholic
2. Is it me or is it Bob? Someone sent me Tempest when it came out and I thought, "This is good!" and yet I haven't played it since. Same with Rough and Rowdy Ways. That's a total contrast to how I used to feel about his albums coming out. So yeah, either Dylan or me have lost some of that excitement.
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You know what...I've known many albums that came to me "right away", and also many of those that "came in time".
But I don't think there as a Dylan album after
Oh Mercy, that actually managed to "come afer some time". It's truly just like he'd had burned out himself.
I can always be proved wrong on this field, though.
[If you have something, that you think could change my mind – then send it right away; I'm truly open here]