Together Through Life

The new Dylan came in the post this morning. I've listened to a couple of tracks. Bright horns, the voice all croony and beat up- like someone tied Bing Crosby to the tail of a Ford and dragged him along a dirt road for a couple of hours.

Dylan is a great artist in what Kenneth Clarke called the "old age" phase of his career- where he's doing what he chooses to do and doesn't give a fuck about fashion or what anybody thinks of him (not that Dylan ever did). Some of what he comes up with may be little more than hawking and spitting and scratching around in the dust, but- rough with the smooth- you're hearing what a free man sounds like- and there aren't too many of them in any generation.