Modern Times (2006)

1. Thunder on the Mountain
2. Spirit on the Water
3. Rollin' and Tumblin'
4. When the Deal Goes Down
5. Someday Baby
6. Workingman's Blues #2
7. Beyond the Horizon
8. Nettie Moore
9. The Levee's Gonna Break
10. Ain't Talkin'

Notes and Reviews

The musicians: Bob Dylan (guitar), Tony Garnier (bass), George G. Receli (drums), Stu Kimball ( rhythm guitar), Denny Freeman (lead guitar) and Donnie Herron (multiple: violin, pedal steel, lap steel).



Reviews:

From Folkrockman --
"Most songs created for commercial purposes are in the two to three minute range. The first thing I noticed on “Modern Times” is that not a single song is in this range. They are all long. Once again, the quality of the music and the band here are outstanding. The album starts off with the rock number “Thunder on the Mountain” with a great beat, interesting lyrics and Dylan doin’ pretty well on vocals. I really like the guitar work. “Spirit on the Water” is a mellow, upbeat number with a country feel and nice melody. “Rollin’ and Tumblin’” is a bluesy rock song and cooks. This album is on par with “Love and Theft” and “Time Out of Mind” with the three seeming like a trilogy. The steel guitars kick off “When the Deal Goes Down” and Dylan’s voice almost seems like a “Lay, Lady, Lay” copy. Very nice song! Another driven rock tune in “Someday Baby”. It appears that Dylan is having a lot of fun on this record. I really like the piano intro on “Workingman’s Blues # 2”. Here Dylan seems to be in a bar talking to us. “Beyond the Horizon” has the steel guitar and that Nashville Skyline feel. Some think “Nettie Moore” is the best song on “Modern Times” although my favorite is the opening track. “The Levee’s Gonna Break” is a blues number making me wonder if Katrina was in Bob’s thoughts. This is my second favorite song on the record. I really like the guitar solo. “Ain’t Talkin’” with it’s minor key and violins makes this quite different than the other songs on “Modern Times”. This album is excellent and is quite an addition to his life’s work."


"Four of the 10 cuts on the Columbia release push the six-minute mark, including the nearly eight-minute "Spirit on the Water" and the nearly nine-minute closer, "Ain't Talkin'." - Jonathan Cohen

A report on Modern Times by Seth Rogovoy

Best Song: Every album's got one...
Difficult to say, obviously , but "Ain't Talkin'", "When The Deal Goes Down" and "Nettie Moore" sounds promising.
According to Alias

Favorite Lyric:

“I’ve already confessed, no need to confess again!” and
“I ain’t nobody’s houseboy. I ain’t nobody’s well-trained maid!”
-- Folkrockman

So far:
We live, we die
We know not why
But I’ll be with you
When the deal goes down