The following excerpt is from an interview Bob Dylan had with the Los Angles Times in conjunction with the recent release of his 42nd album, “Love & Theft”.

La Times Question: So, how do you feel personally? There’s a lot of spirit in the new album. Do you feel pretty good about things?

Dylan’s’ answer: Any day above ground is a good day.


Bob Dylan may be the most analyzed artist of the modern pop era. His career has defined generations of music fans, and his importance in rock pantheon of greats can not be overstated.  Dylan’s lyrics have been critiqued by literary scholars.  He had been the unwilling spokesman for the 1960’s protest movement and released landmark album after album in the 60’s & 70’s (Bringing It All Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited, Blonde On Blonde and Blood On The Tracks to name a few). He has written songs that have been covered by U2, Bob Marley, Jimi Hendricks, Eric Clapton and the Rolling Stones to name a few.

That being said, it is fair to say Dylan had had some uneven moments in his career in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. Relegated to near-irrelevant status by the media during this period, Dylan let loose with the artistic masterpiece of “Time Out Of Mind” in 1997, which won the 1997 Grammy for album of the year. As the release of “Love And Theft” neared, the question on everyone’s mind was: Does Bob Dylan have another great album in him?

The answer is a resounding yes.  If you are a fan of well-crafted folk music with blues and country influences, buy this album immediately.  There is no pop slickness to “Love And Theft”, just straightforward folk/country/blues songs. It is almost as if Dylan is saying ‘Here is the album I wanted to make, if you like it great, if not, it’s your loss”.

The overall sound of the “Love And Theft” is more optimistic than the introspective “Time Out Of Mind”.  standout songs on the album include “Mississippi”, “Lonesome Day Blues” and “Honest With Me”.

Sample lyrics from “Mississippi”

"I was raised in the country
I been working in the city
I been in trouble ever since I put my suitcase down

I got nothin’ for ya
Had nothin’ before
Don’t even know if i had anything
For myself anymore"


Sample lyrics from “Lonesome Day Blues”

(Standard blues riff + Bob’s Whiskey voice)

"Today has been
A sad n lonesome day

I’m just sittin’ here thinking
With my mind a million miles away

The road is washed out
Weather not fit for man not beast
Funny the things you have the hardest time parting with
Are the things you need least"


Bottom line is you need to buy this album. Look for “Love And Theft” to be hailed as one of the best, if not the best, album of the year. Sliceboy rating: 4.5 planets


Track Listing:
1. Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum
2. Mississippi
3. Summer Days
4. Bye And Bye
5. Lonesome Day Blues
6. Floater (Too Much To Ask)
7. High Water (for Charlie Patton)
8. Moonlight
9. Honest With Me
10. Po' Boy
11. Cry A While
12. Sugar Baby


SliceBoy Rating:  4.5 out of 5 Planets


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