Shapeshifter said:

The Drift is my album of the year so far. I haven't heard Modern Times yet - I'll be picking up a copy this weekend.

I don't think The Drift was as good as Tilt, but we're talking whiskers here.

Number23 said:

Thanks for spilling your heart.


its a matter of opinion, or for that matter a preference. That comment didn't debunk his entire career.. only my thoughs on his current sound. If your gonna get all hell bent on a silly comment such as that, your in for a long trip.


Now, go melt all over your dylan.
.
[Edited 8/29/06 14:15pm]

Shapeshifter said:

I was slightly disappointed in The Drift (see my brief comments here) at first because it seemed a little too similar to Tilt on first listen, and didn't really leave much of an impact on me. However, the Drift quickly turned into an obsession with me to the extent that I now have to say I think I prefer it. That said, I think I'm going to need a year or two before I'm ready to pass final judgement.

Sdldawn said:

simmer down... alright i do agree that dylan's voice has taken a hit in recent years and apparently he is hard to follow in concert unless you are a true fan (i do not know this because he never comes to houston! but i digress). i still like his voice, with the exception of the song 'spirit on the water' off 'modern times', where it kind of went weird, but aside from that his new (fourth voice) works. The lyrics are amazing, the melodies entrancing, and his voice compliments both of the previous elements. it works, it is classic dylan and i have to agree with shapeshifter on the fact that 'modern times' can easily get a place on my top ten dylan albums of all time.

damosuzuki said:

Note to self: NEVER argue with a Fall fan. Got to admit The Drift is one of those albums which really get their hooks in you and oull you into their strange, dark orbit. I think it may even be slightly more "up" than Tilt. The opening song certainly is. Do you rate Climate of Hunter? It's closer to that in overall tone, I think, but way more innovative. I mean, RAW MEAT as percussion.

Was The Drift marketed as POP MUSic. Someone at 4AD has a great sense of humour.
[Edited 8/31/06 10:16am]

Shapeshifter said:

Shamefully enough, I have never heard Climate of Hunter in full - I've heard the tracks that were included in the boxed set that came out last year, though, and I've enjoyed them well enough. I don't think I've gained enough of a picture of the album over-all though.

I love that raw meat percussion. I've listened to the record a few times while lightly napping, and every time that section comes along I've been jolted awake while thinking 'what the hell am i listening to?'


And I guess I just have a very broad definition of pop music.

darwinistchick said:

Dylan apparently worked on the vocals a lot for this album, concentrating on things like breathing and phrasing. The only song I find average on the album is Nettie Moore, but it has some great - and very funny lyrics. Modern Times could serve as the final part of a loose triptych of similarly themed albums. It has the great tunes of Time Out Of Mind, but not much of its despair, and it retains much of Love & Theft's playfulness. Wonder what he'll do next?

Sdldawn said:

As any fule no, Dylan's new (indeed, fourth) voice is an aching, empathically beautiful tone poem boogallo of Munch's scream, a sprinkle of Faustian pact, cooked in the fires of earthly sin for a few lemon planet twists - unflinchingly, brutally honest, terrifyingly true and torn from the frog flesh of hard-fought, hard-won hubris set free of all pretention or artificiallity. It's a sound borne of furious meloncholy, of ancient stars burning out, of their planets shattering from a coreless frost. It's a single, lost, lonely, hurting man grasping for the last flickering ebbs of light and warmth in a untangiable, trickster universe - grasping, tripping and falling one last time before everything goes dark and empty forever. You just don't get that shit from Paul McCartney, dude.
[Edited 8/29/06 12:05pm]