Bob, Neil etc......still relevant in 2009?

[Wild Frank]

With Dylan and Neil Young both putting out new records in the coming weeks I was wondering about people's views on who of the 'big boys' are still cutting it in 2009. I love Neil Young, but I don't think he has put out a truly great album for many, many years (Sleeps with Angels..or possibly Silver and Gold). Dylan's last three efforts have been significantly better (Time Out of Mind is great) but do they stack up against his greatest efforts of the sixties and seventies?.

 

The only guy I think that is really putting out top quality albums that are still creative, vital and comparable to anything in his past is Tom Waits. I'm not sure if anyone here would put Tom in the same league as the other two but he has been on a major run of classic albums for some time. And the recent albums are still relevant and not just a major artist 'winding down'. Toms still got something to say, perhaps more so than ever. 'Real Gone' was a pretty radical album.

 

Van Morrison is an interesting one. He could put out 'good' albums in his sleep. However, whilst recent efforts have be fine and enjoyable, they have been far from the classic efforts of the seventies (and eighties).

 

A special shout out to Nick Cave as well who seems to be aspiring to the aforementioned artists and is really on a creative hot streak as well at the moment.

 

I suppose the questions is two-fold. Who do you consider the most important artists of the past fifty years (what about Bowie? Springsteen?).....and who is still on the top of his game.

[Ghost of Electricity]

With Dylan and Neil Young both putting out new records in the coming weeks I was wondering about people's views on who of the 'big boys' are still cutting it in 2009. I love Neil Young, but I don't think he has put out a truly great album for many, many years (Sleeps with Angels..or possibly Silver and Gold). Dylan's last three efforts have been significantly better (Time Out of Mind is great) but do they stack up against his greatest efforts of the sixties and seventies?.

 

The only guy I think that is really putting out top quality albums that are still creative, vital and comparable to anything in his past is Tom Waits. I'm not sure if anyone here would put Tom in the same league as the other two but he has been on a major run of classic albums for some time. And the recent albums are still relevant and not just a major artist 'winding down'. Toms still got something to say, perhaps more so than ever. 'Real Gone' was a pretty radical album.

 

Van Morrison is an interesting one. He could put out 'good' albums in his sleep. However, whilst recent efforts have be fine and enjoyable, they have been far from the classic efforts of the seventies (and eighties).

 

A special shout out to Nick Cave as well who seems to be aspiring to the aforementioned artists and is really on a creative hot streak as well at the moment.

 

I suppose the questions is two-fold. Who do you consider the most important artists of the past fifty years (what about Bowie? Springsteen?).....and who is still on the top of his game.

I think Tom Waits does deserve to be put in the same tier as Neil and Bob, but for different reasons. I also think Bob's stuff is "relevant" (whatever that means) although it doesn't stand up to his old stuff. But hey, let's be honest what possibly could?

 

Neil, hmmm have to think on that one. Last new one i herd from him was Greenville(or was it greendale? see, i can't even remember the name!). Enjoyable, but not one i come back to.

[remphish1]

I hate to say it but if Bob and Neal where new artist who only came out a few years ago they would not be relevant. How many people are influenced by new music from these two? I am not denying their unbelievable catelog of great music over decades but take their music from 2000 and up and I don't see it being too relevant...

 

Also in the same vein I would almost say any artist established between 1950-1985 are really not writting relevant albums...

 

Example... Elton John, Rolling Stones, As much as I love REM they are not relevant now, Aerosmith....

[nodep5]

The latest Dylan album I own (outside of the bootleg series) is Desire. The last Neil Young album I couldn't live without would be Silver & Gold. Outside of the Bootleg series and and Neil's Performance Series I could do without everything in this decade.

[bold992003]

Neil is always relevant to me. You take his bad records with all the good but the one he put out with the Harvest DVD was really good. He still sounds great and has a lot of good music in him.

 

I don't think Bob is as much. He just doesn't sound that good and I really can't think of a good record he's put out since Time out of Mind...but we'll see on this new one.

[Gobias Industries]

Bob Dylan is still relevant. The man might not have the voice he used to have, but he's a damn poet still, and no one has come even close to him with regards to that. He will always be relevant until someone can displace him, which is never.

[LouieB]

The new Dylan single is pretty much the same as much of his recent work. Get a groove going and sing a bunch of nonsequitors to it. No one stays relevent forever, at some point they become revenant.

 

LouieB

[CortezTheKiller]

The latest Dylan album I own (outside of the bootleg series) is Desire. The last Neil Young album I couldn't live without would be Silver & Gold. Outside of the Bootleg series and and Neil's Performance Series I could do without everything in this decade.

Greendale would be in my top 10 Neil records of all time.

[Sir Stewart]

The new Dylan single is pretty much the same as much of his recent work. Get a groove going and sing a bunch of nonsequitors to it. No one stays relevent forever, at some point they become revenant.

 

LouieB

Yeah, Bob's last great album (so far) is Time Out of Mind. "Love & Theft" is fun, and Modern Times is okay. The new one, from what I've heard so far, seems to follow that path.

[mjpuczko]

am i the only person on this board who just listens to music & doesn't care where it fits into the annals of music history? i guess i used to but it started to lessen my enjoyment of music. huh.

[MattZ]

am i the only person on this board who just listens to music & doesn't care where it fits into the annals of music history?

 

no, there are at least two of us.

[remphish1]

You are not the only one...I listen to artist who are relevant and others who aren't. Whatever music I listen to is just music I like no matter what category it falls into.

[Wild Frank]

Greendale would be in my top 10 Neil records of all time.

I might have to re-visited 'Greendale'. It did nothing for me when first listened to it. My favourite Neil Young albums have to be 'On The Beach', 'Tonight's The Night' and 'Ragged Glory'. I also like 'Broken Arrow' but the last track ruins that album for me.

 

On a related issue, the new Archives Volume 1 looks like, in my opinion, a massive let down.

[Wild Frank]

You are not the only one...I listen to artist who are relevant and others who aren't. Whatever music I listen to is just music I like no matter what category it falls into.

I think you can do both. I don't care what category artists fall into and listen to all sorts of music, irrespective of reputation, releventness or 'hip-ness'. However, I do think you can also discuss the merits of artists as well and comment on how they fit into the history of rock etc.

 

I like 'Love and Theft', 'Modern Times' and, as I mentioned, recent Van Morrison albums, but in terms of quality they are lesser works of these great artists.

[CortezTheKiller]

I might have to re-visited 'Greendale'. It did nothing for me when first listened to it. My favourite Neil Young albums have to be 'On The Beach', 'Tonight's The Night' and 'Ragged Glory'. I also like 'Broken Arrow' but the last track ruins that album for me.

 

On a related issue, the new Archives Volume 1 looks like, in my opinion, a massive let down.

My 10 favorite Neil albums (in no particular order) would be:

Tonight's the Night

On the Beach

Time Fades Away

After the Gold Rush

Rust Never Sleeps

Ragged Glory

Harvest Moon

Greendale

Zuma

Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere

 

Toughest omissions:

American Stars n Bars

Freedom

Mirror Ball

 

Getting back to the purpose of the thread, Dylan and Neil are always relevant. Warts and all.

[mjpuczko]

I think you can do both. I don't care what category artists fall into and listen to all sorts of music, irrespective of reputation, releventness or 'hip-ness'. However, I do think you can also discuss the merits of artists as well and comment on how they fit into the history of rock etc.

 

yeah, i wouldn't disagree with that. but not listening to newer stuff from an older artist because it doesn't stand up to their previous work seems weird to me. of course it won't be like the music they were making in their prime. unless it's truly horrible (like rod stewart's work post 1980)

[Wild Frank]

yeah, i wouldn't disagree with that. but not listening to newer stuff from an older artist because it doesn't stand up to their previous work seems weird to me. of course it won't be like the music they were making in their prime. unless it's truly horrible (like rod stewart's work post 1980)

I still listen to and enjoy them, but I don't think, in the cases of Neil Young and Bob Dylan, the recent work is a good as their sixties/seventies output. I think you just listen to them on different terms. Its the same in all forms of art I suppose. I look forward to, and enjoy, each new Woody Allen movie when it comes out, but they never seem to reach the greatness of 'Annie Hall' or 'Manhatten' for example. In contrast, when a new Tom Waits or Nick Cave (or Wilco!) album comes out I listen to it with a feeling that these are artists still very much on the top of their game.

[MattZ]

not to harp on this, but I listen to stuff that is relevant to me. Anything Bob Dylan does is relevant to me. Objective relevance to the real world is not relevant to me. Unless I am arguing with my buddies over beers or posting on this message bd.

 

And, fwiw, not even Bob Dylan in his "prime" could have written a song like Not Dark Yet. I think Dylan, in some ways, is as good as if not better than he's ever been. (in some ways).

[Sir Stewart]

And, fwiw, not even Bob Dylan in his "prime" could have written a song like Not Dark Yet. I think Dylan, in some ways, is as good as if not better than he's ever been. (in some ways).

Not Dark Yet is about 12 years old, fwiw. Just sayin'.

[MattZ]

Not Dark Yet is about 12 years old, fwiw. Just sayin'.

 

Yeah. It's the best example, but you are right. I think even if you gave the 24 year old Bobby the music and lyrics to Po' Boy or Nettie Moore, we'd prefer the versions from the guy we got now. What do you think?

 

The world has gone black before my eyes.

[Sir Stewart]

Po' Boy - that's my favorite Dylan tune post-TOOM. Things Have Changed would be next.

[MattZ]

Po' Boy - that's my favorite Dylan tune post-TOOM. Things Have Changed would be next.

 

the game is the same, it's just up on another level.

 

Ya know?

 

[Wild Frank]

not to harp on this, but I listen to stuff that is relevant to me. Anything Bob Dylan does is relevant to me. Objective relevance to the real world is not relevant to me. Unless I am arguing with my buddies over beers or posting on this message bd.

 

And, fwiw, not even Bob Dylan in his "prime" could have written a song like Not Dark Yet. I think Dylan, in some ways, is as good as if not better than he's ever been. (in some ways).

That's a good point.

[Sir Stewart]

the game is the same, it's just up on another level.

 

Ya know?

 

 

I couldn't believe what I was hearing when I first heard that song - it was the first tune streamed as a preview on bobdylan.com that summer. I remember staring at my computer, frozen, like "...."

[MattZ]

I couldn't believe what I was hearing when I first heard that song - it was the first tune streamed as a preview on bobdylan.com that summer. I remember staring at my computer, frozen, like "...."

 

I know exactly what you mean.

 

My work is done here. Carry on folks.