The Greatest Albums of 2006

#8 - Bob Dylan's Modern Times

The reason why I’ve got Bob Dylan’s Modern Times on the Greatest Albums of 2006 is quite simple: Taut control. Never is this quality more clear than in the opening track, Thunder on the Mountain, which begins in a state of absolute confusion; instruments swell and clatter over one another, strings seem to breathe in and out, the song is simply existing. And then, Dylan’s mastery kicks in and suddenly a rhythm is found. The song begins to move forward. He explodes with energy. In those first few notes, the virtue of Modern Times becomes abundantly clear.
Modern Times never struck me as an effort to forward the craft of songwriting, nor did it strike me as an effort on Dylan’s part to live up to the unimaginable legend he has become. Rather, the album seems to exist solely as an exercise in sheer songwriting capability. A presentation of what has already been developed, it is a nicely written letter to us, his listeners, in which Dylan muses somewhat conflictingly on the value of legend. That is what resonated with me so deeply on this album: his outright contempt at the idea of proving himself all over again. And yet, he also seems brimming with the energy to do so.
Just reason on the lead track, in which he jeers at us, “I’ll say this, I don’t give a damn about your dreams”. He continues later with, “I’ve already confessed, no need to confess again”. He might as well be telling us to get lost. But the counter-balance to this venomous lyricism of course comes in the form of the melody itself, seemingly a straight rip off of “Johnny B Goode”.
Yes, to me Dylan is praising and cursing the past all in the same breath. He’s borrowing it, reinventing it for the standards of today. Maybe Modern Times exists as a continuation of great songwriting long past, and maybe it simply exists as a way for him to tell us to forget what’s come before. Maybe neither.
Modern Times gets it right because it’s deliciously crafted. It isn’t edgy, and it certainly isn’t unexpected. You can see each track coming from a mile away. Spirit on the Water utterly echoes long before Thunder on the Mountain is over. And by the time he gets to Nettie Moore (a fantastic track I must say), Dylan’s ode to the old masters, using the very songs they created, is clear. But it’s all in good form. It’s circular. It’s comforting. It is a collection of well-written songs that you could almost swear you’ve heard in one form or another. But, no matter. You could look for themes in Modern Times until the end of time. But the subtle power and grace of its songs is all that makes this album a worthy contender. This is sinewy songwriting at its finest. And it damn well knows it. -Brock

Brock and I didn't have the luxury of owning every decent album that came out in 2006 to review. And good thing! Who has that kind of time, but a well-staffed zine, be it in glossy paper, or a website? In fact, the eight albums reviewed, are a combination of both our 2006 catalogs. Pitiful, but it's what we have, and it's what you get.
Brock gave me a CD-R that was supposed to have Dylan's Modern Times burned on it. However, it did not. I forgive you Brock. It may have cost Dylan some spots on the list, not sure. -Gabe