TheMaker

Nobody who prefers this record to L&T and/or TOOM will feel that way in six months. Bet on it. The songs just aren't there. There are four tunes that give the best of L&T a run for their money, but the abundant blues re-writes, asides from their obvious toe-tapping quality, just sit there, saying nothing.

Bob, but Wilco's live show is so much better than the old bean's at this stage of the game.

I'm with Lou. There's something to be said about idols, feet of clay and blah blah blah, but this isn't exactly enlightening stuff. We've all been here, and I feel hungover just watching this clip.

To me, it feels like an album of love songs based on blues cliches. He brings a light, expressive touch to much of the material, even on the darker songs (i.e., Ain't Talkin', Nettie Moore). There's plenty of playful L&T-style non sequiturs here.

Out of curiosity, is the Oink version 192, or higher? I know I'm being a pain in the ass about this, but I've seen a few versions floating around, though none of them can compete with an official CD release.

I can't choose between XO and Either/Or. Figure 8's a close runner up.

Nettie Moore, Spirit on the Water, Workingman's Blues #2, and Ain't Talkin' are all as good as L&T at its best.

The unevenness of MT really confounds me. I love it, don't get me wrong, but I maintain that it's merely a very good Dylan record. It's no classic, but I enjoy it on the same level that I enjoy New Morning and Planet Waves.

Blast. I was hoping that a 320 kps rip has surfaced!

At any rate, I think this record isn't nearly as strong as L&T or TOOM, if only because Dylan doesn't seem to have much to say this time out. The four blooze rockers are mostly disposable, and the love songs are very straightforward.

That said, the production is very impressive, and he's wrung expert performances out of his current road band that I frankly didn't think possible. His singing is also much more expressive and better controlled than on the last record (although he generally sounds quite geriatric and growls like a werewolf on some of the rockers). Also, the handful of songs that are great tend to be friggin' brilliant. Nettie Moore is astonishing; I'm loving the minimal arrangement and haunting strings. Workingman's Blues has a great melody and fantastic words that seem to operate on a number of levels, and Ain't Talkin' is a sinister song that slithers along like a snake through a swamp (woo, I made a rhyme without even trying).

So far I'm really enjoying it - it's downright brilliant by any other artist's standards - but I don't think it's worthy of the last two. To paraphrase Jeff Daniels' character in The Squid and the Whale, "Minor Dylan, not to be taken seriously."

I hear that. At the time I figured I wouldn't mind my decision to skip these shows since the album was getting an official release, but no, the exact opposite of that is how I feel now that I've listened to the set.

Just picked this up and am listening to it for the first time.

Holy shit.

That's my review. Possible album of the year candidate.

Ooooh shit! Guelph, here I come. It's nice not having to go all the way to the Big Smoke or Buff for shows all the time.

Bump!

I already have this, but I sincerely hope three people take you up on this offer. One of the best concert DVDs in existence.

Probably around 0.01%, give or take.

God, there are so many, but this cynical take on the human condition cuts me to the bone every time I hear it:

"Every moment of existence seems like some dirty trick."

I like the record better than The Love Below/Speakerbox(etc.), but it's still kind of all over the place. PJ and Rooster is one of my favourite songs of the year. I'd been looking forward to hearing it since the movie trailer debuted something like 10 months ago.

finally a good collabo by williie. well, recently anyway

It sounds to me like you definitely need to hear his and Lucinda Williams's version of Overtime.

Hopefully. I have the worst luck with Waits. Not only are most of his dates either an ocean away or on the opposite side of the continent to me, when he finally springs a surprise club date on us, it's within three hours' drive of me and after I've blown my summer concert budget.

ARRRRRGH. TOM. JESUS.

I'll always love him, but I think he does this to torture me. Personally. Yep.

I'm so off Waits right now. Jesus, buddy, TOUR. Don't fuck around in a bunch of clustered cities in the heartland. Fucking TOUR.

Okay, the Good Part is a five-year-old song. We should really post a sticky...

"Don't let anyone change your bag."

Yeah.

Yeah.......

Maybe the next-next album will be great.

Underrated? Uh, no. Overrated? Uh, yeah. Their last two records were great, I'll say that. A shame they've decided to pack it in just as they're hitting a stride.

I stopped taking her seriously when she said that "Chicago" was "inarguably" Sufjan's finest work. Not only is that a subjective call, if I have anything to say about it, nothing else Sufjan has recorded approaches the brilliance of Casimir Pulaski Day.

(Oh, who am I kidding? I never took her seriously.)

Does anybody know if this has leaked yet? I've noticed tracks hither and thither on MP3 blogs, so I'm thinking it's gotta be out there...

Much props to these Blueroom guys. This is literally the first video webcast I've ever been able to play without either a billion interruptions or a complete inability to stream video. Good audio, good video. Thumbs up and looking forward to Wilco on the weekend.

RDM might be my favourite 'Hawks release, but Smile and Sound of Lies are a bunch of poop.