Bob Dylan - 'Modern Times'

Bob Dylan's last two albums, 'Time Out of Mind' and 'Love and Theft' were critically acclaimed, and 'Modern Times' continues that run, sounding like a mix of those two albums. Dylan's writing here is full of elusive meanings without becoming too obscure – in other words, he writes like he usually does. The album starts dramatically with the bluesy Thunder on the Mountain, but there's some of that trademark folk peppered in here too, and some ballads. It's a real mix of various Dylan styles, and repeated listens can only pay off. Interestingly, Dylan vaguely touches base with contemporary politics with songs like Workingman's Blues #2 and The Levee's Gonna Break. There's a world of clever wordplay too: "the world of research has gone berserk" Dylan sings, "…too much paperwork." The Dylanologists will have a field day, but then they always do. Better yet, this is a relaxed but great album anyone can enjoy. Vintage Dylan. [Keir Hind]