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Dylan's Voice/ Better Now?

I have been listening to Modern Times for the past couple of months in my car. I am sort of responding to another person comment in another thread, that to him Dylan sounds like a dead frog. He said he could not listen to any Dylan recordings after a certain year, in the late 60's or 70's.
I think Dylan's voice is like a fine wine, it just keeps getting better as it ages. I love his voice on his last few albums. I like the grumble, croakiness, of his "frog" voice.
To me, there is way more interest, depth, and soul to his voice in his latter recordings.
Where do you stand regarding Bob Dylan's voice. Is it shot? Tolerable? or fantastic?
Todd
toddnkaya
jdoris
972 posts
 
I'm with Muncybob: the late Dylan vocals have me looking over my shoulder for the Angel of Death. He didn't have far to fall, in a way, but his brilliant stylings used to compensate; now, not so much. IMO, of course.

By the way, if you're like me, and often like other people doing Dylan, you'll enjoy the pleasantly eclectic "Chimes of Freedom" tribute.
audiofeil
4,011 posts
 
The voice it has been changin'
ghosthouse's avatar
ghosthouse
4,319 posts
 
I remember the first time I heard a cut from Time out of Mind on the radio. Kind of shocked me. Wondered if he'd been taking voice lessons from Tom Waits. BUT - that was/is a great album, some of his strongest songs, I think. I got used to the singing and actually came to like it. I guess you could say his voice is an acquired taste. Definitely agree with Todd and Mapman - it's in character and suits his ("anachronistic") style.
learsfool
1,215 posts
 
I think you will find that among musicians, Bob Dylan's is not and has not ever been considered a very good voice at all. This does not mean, however, that he is not expressive. He is certainly considered a much better songwriter than he is a performer.
donjr
1,335 posts
 
I agree with you. He's at his Johnny Cash stage, although Johnny sounded worse and Dylan sounds better. I saw Modern Times while I was in Chicago for work several years ago. Bob was the headliner and Elvis Costello opened the show. I swore I would never waste my money on a Bob Dylan show again but this was a fine concert indeed, and his band was simply amazing. Bob Dylan is a cool dude. I read an interview he did where has mentioned that he took a vacation to Neil Youngs home town in Canada so he could see the house Neil grew up in. When I read that, I realized that Bob Dylan is a lot more like you and I than I ever knew.
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