Bob Dylan’s upcoming 46th album, Together Through Life, is already making waves weeks ahead of its April release. Dylan is even offering up an authorized sneak peak at the new tracks with a free mp3 of “Beyond Here Lies Nothin.”
Dylan has been on a winning streak since the release of his career-revitalizing 1997 album, Time Out of Mind (featuring the memorable track, ”Not Dark Yet”). While die-hard Dylan fans might argue that Dylan didn’t need to make a comeback because he’d never gone anywhere, the fact remains that Dylan’s career was reinvigorated by the success of Not Dark Yet (and later, Love and Theft).
With a catalog of releases almost as lengthy as some of his more verbose lyrical turns, Dylan’s output is fairly prolific. More importantly, Dylan has managed to recapture the interest of listeners rather than merely relying on his catalog of hits to help him coast through his golden years.
If the sneak preview is any indication, it looks like Together Through Life will likely keep the singer’s fans satisfied, particularly if they have a soft spot for Tom Waits.
The opening track of Together Through Life, “Beyond Here Lies Nothin” features guest musicians such as Los Lobos’ David Hidalgo (accordion) and an understated backing band that would sound as at home in a cantina as in an arena.
At a glance, the song sounds surprisingly (or not) like Tom Waits. Specifically, the slinky south-of-the-border swing calls to mind Waits’s “Way Down in the Hole.” (Actually, it sort of reminds us of cleaned up take on Jack Oblivian’s version of the Waits track…)
Waits has some fine moments, and this is one of his finest. The similarities between the two tracks may be accidental, subtle even, but they’re there, and we like it.
Download the new Dylan, and tell us if you agree.
Bob Dylan-Beyond Here Lies Nothin mp3
For now, we’re going to turn up Jack O’s album (he just rocked SXSW) and wait for the rest of Dylan’s disc to be released in April.
