The culmination of a legacy close to 80 years in the making, Rough And Rowdy Ways, Bob Dylan’s 39th album and first new record of original material in 8 years, has been one long slow train coming. Like its maker its old and its wise, and chooses its words carefully. And the words to these songs, all ten of them, each and every one, come handed down hard carved out of stone, not one out of place.
Informed by a lifetime of rambling and observation, each word this poet puts down is nailed shut solid with intent. Each and every word heard. Often caricatured as a mumbling mass completely void of consonants, Dylan’s delivery here is well aimed and executed with not a single word out of place. Unlike much of today’s popular music, Dylan delivers his words here as if a life in song depended on it.
Dylan and the three wise men Tony Garnier (bass) Donnie Herron (steel guitar, violin, accordion) and Charlie Sexton (guitar) have all been hard at it together now for close to 20 odd years channeling intent like a four headed beast. They play like a kind of telepathy like they can read each others minds laying exacting precision with each and every beat. It’s a kind of perfection. Rough And Rowdy Ways is no exception.
10/10
Bi-Weekly Record Review 12/26