Together Through Life by Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan is one of a kind, undoubtedly. He’s probably the only singer around today who can be loved and idolized by loyal fans who, at the same time, describe him as sounding like something between a growl and a tin trumpet (so says the Sunday Times). Since his career has been so extensive, chances are that you’ve liked some of his work at some stage, whether or not you’re part of his legion of fans. And if you haven’t, his new album, “Together Through Life” would be a very good place for you to start you Dylan education.

At only ten songs, the album is a slice of musical mastery, and showcases many of the genres that have influenced Dylan’s long career. For example, “Beyond Here Lies Nothin’,” “Jolene” and “If You Ever Go To Houston” have a low-down bluesy feel to them, while “Shake Shake Mama” and “It’s All Good” are infused with more jazz.

Dylan goes on to channel the grisly, sultry spirit of Tom Waits on the mellow tracks like “Life Is Hard” and “My Wife’s Hometown” and is at his most soulful on “Forgetful Heart” and “This Dream Of You.”

If you give the record a second or third spin (which it definitely deserves), you’ll soon start to notice just how intricate Dylan makes his music, and you’ll start to pick up and appreciate the stories within every tune. This is what makes him an everlasting stalwart of the American music industry and what makes the songs so interesting every time you listen to them.

Rolling Stone claimed that this album, along with 2006’s “Modern Times” and 2001’s “Love And Theft,” made up a late-career comeback trifecta that few artists have ever achieved, but I believe the twanging guitar and grisly emotion on this record rise above Dylan’s other recent work. It’s the first of his albums that I’ve enjoyed because I really believe it’s good, and not because pop culture dictated it to be so, and it’s the first of his albums I class as a “must listen.” Get it now!