Silence Down Below

(The following is an update of my progress through the Dylan catalog. Parental discretion should not be necessary.)

New Morning — The main impression I got from this album was a feeling of the kind of happiness and hope that sometimes follow a painful experience—like the rainbow after a thunderstorm or the first time you smile after some hardship, dried tears still stiff on your cheeks. There's no question that this is generally a bright album by Bob's standards, but I think the particular post-pain feel that I was picking up was because of the themes of renewal and new beginnings ("New Morning", etc.). In that context the more overt declarations of love start to sound a little deliberate, as if compensating for some recent emotional damage and trying to put it to rest.

I was ready to get onboard with an all-piano album from the get-go, but it took a while for me to get used to Dylan's playing; the constant triad plunking wears on the ears. Eventually he won me over, as always, with the sentiment of the songs (bittersweet musings on the passage of time, the joys and responsibilities of family life) and the uncharacteristically gruff voice delivering them. I would be remiss if I didn't say anything about "The Man In Me", an old favorite of mine from the Lebowski days of old. It will always hold a special place in my heart for its contribution to that film, but even after trying to listen to it in its original context with new ears, I still think it stands above the rest of the album—dense, orchestral, and emotionally raw. But, oh, what a wonderful feeling.

Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid — Instead of picking up this album, I listened to it in its intended form, as the soundtrack to the movie. Dylan's sound lends a certain easy country swagger and whimsy to the atmosphere that serves the film well. The problem I had was with this music being appropriated to Billy the Kid for purposes of romanticizing his story and building his mystique. I would like to think that I learned my lesson about that kind of legend-building/historical oversight with Che Guevara but I loved Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid so who knows. I blame Paul Newman and his dreamy eyes

Planet Waves — And I thought Bob's love talk was overt on New Morning. I've never heard him more emotionally direct than on this album. By "Never Say Goodbye", he's practically a troubadour; "The Wedding Song" rockets him into a love-fueled orbit. For as much as I like vague, cryptic, symbolic Bob, I'm more of a heart on my sleeve kind of guy myself, so when I say I'm with it, know what a strong place that comes from.

The sound is more distinctly 70s but The Band is rockin' here. The little instrumental touches make all the difference, like the accordion on "On a Night Like This" and the funk guitar riff on "Tough Mama". A couple of lines feel a little forced but anyone who rhymes "the hills of old Duluth" with "a long forgotten truth" gets a pass from me.

Note to future Ivan and Veronika: start preparing now to hear your father sing "Forever Young" to you, weeping shamelessly, at some milestone celebration in your future, be it confirmation, graduation, wedding, etc. I'll let you two argue over who gets the acoustic version and who gets electric.

Note to Dinka: start preparing now to hear your husband sing "Never Say Goodbye" or "The Wedding Song", again weeping shamelessly, at some celebration of our marriage in the future. Here are the downsides for you: "Never Say Goodbye" — extended guitar solo with band; "The Wedding Song" — harmonica.

Get ready, family.