(***) August 29, 2006. 32nd Studio Album.
Another pleasant, consistent album from Dylan’s late period, Modern Times debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard charts and continues his roots/blues/rockabilly sound. Self-produced and backed by his touring band, the album is clean and open, maybe a bit too much at times. The songwriting and vocalizations are strong, although musically it can get a bit monotonous. Two songs, “Spirit on the Water” and “Beyond the Horizon” are almost interchangeable, but they give Dylan the chance to showcase the sentimental, crooner side of his personality. It’s the songs that stray from this mold, the stark “Nettie Moore” and album closer “”Ain’t Talking,” which separate them from the rest. The killer cut though is “Workingman’s Blues #2,” which stands among the great Dylan songs from any era.