Dylan swings by with a trio of treasures
FOR a man who won the Nobel Prize in Literature four months ago, Bob Dylan has been fairly sluggish about coming up with his own songs of late.
It’s been five years since his last album of original material, although that intermission could owe more to his growing interest in jazz and show tunes than any lack of inspiration.
The sideline began with 2015’s chart-topping Sinatra tribute Shadows In The Night and continued with last year’s Fallen Angels.
Now, with his first triple album, he’s going for broke in his love of American standards, concentrating on the Thirties, but adding songs from the Forties, Fifties and Sixties, too. He’s also getting better at this sort of thing. If Shadows In The Night was sparse and melancholy and Fallen Angels a sweeter, playful sequel, then Triplicate explores the widest range of emotions yet, from rueful reflection on Why Was I Born to big-band optimism on Braggin’. There is, though, a lot to take in. Each of Triplicate’s discs (on both CD and vinyl) contains ten songs and 32 minutes of music (the optimum length, according to Dylan . . . and who are we to argue?).
The three are also themed, with the first two largely upbeat, and the last dominated by ballads.
Then there’s Dylan’s voice. A husky death rattle once described by David Bowie as being ‘like sand and glue’, it threatens to become even more jarring than usual across 96 minutes of music, although its raspy tone is offset by the sensitive work of a skilful backing band.
Dylan, 75, produced Triplicate himself (under the alias Jack Frost), and he treats the often-complex time signatures of the 30 tracks with respect. ‘These songs are some of the most heartbreaking ever put on record and I wanted to do them justice,’ he says.
The famously contrary entertainer certainly sounds engaged on album opener I Guess I’ll Have To Change My Plans, a Twenties swing number that combines lovelorn lyrics and a lively arrangement.
other early highlights include a melodramatic Stormy Weather and Trade Winds. The vocal cracks on September of My Years only add to the album’s single-take authenticity. Spirits remain high on the second disc, with the Sinatra favourite The Best Is Yet To Come a key track. A song about defying old age, it should suit the indefatigable Dylan well, although he struggles a little with its shifting melody.
The big, emotional punches are landed on the final disc, with Dylan pushing his singing voice on These Foolish Things before adding a surprisingly soft touch on You Go To My Head.
Where he goes next is anyone’s guess. Fans will want to hear new songs, although I suspect he hasn’t finished putting his spin on the standards.
WITH hits such as Back For Good and Shine giving them a robust back catalogue, Take That remain a huge live draw. Their spring tour is nearly sold out and they have moved seamlessly from boy band to heritage act.
But it’s hard to see the point of this: their eighth album overall, and the second since the departures of robbie Williams and Jason orange reduced them to a rather sorrylooking rump comprising just Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and
Mark Owen. Wonderland is well-crafted, but its predictable pop and (whisper it) boring ballads lack the rogue element that the Mad Hatter Williams might have brought.
Instead, Barlow’s bland truisms dominate, leaving us with lines such as ‘ every morning, it is a brand new day’.
MERCIFULLY, there are better moments. lucky Stars benefits from Killers producer Stuart Price’s skill with electronic dance.
Superstar, sung by Owen, adds some darker thoughts on fame. But while Take That’s arena shows will entertain, Wonderland won’t relight their fire.
BOTH albums are out now. Dylan starts a UK tour on April 28 at the London Palladium (ticketmaster.co. uk). Take That start their tour on May 5 at the Genting Arena, Birmingham (gigsandtours.com).