Bob Dylan's Modern Times, a new Masterpiece?

Actually it's thiry years. Last time was 1976 with "Desire".

I suspect that if one were to hear this recording on a highly resolving system, the deficiency would be readily apparent.
Good luck gentlemen.

I've listened to it about 10 times so far which IMO is far too little for any final evaluation. However, at this moment I feel Highway 61, Blonde on Blonde, and Blood on the Tracks are better.
Everybody has their opinion on Dylan's best as evidenced in the two current threads, but Modern Times for me at this point is not his best. It has, however, received more hype than any of his releases I can remember.

Rock music is replete with lead singers that have limited range and/or "pleasing" voices. Dreadhead mentioned Janis Joplin. I couldn't agree more. Others include, Mick Jagger, Grace Slick (who by her own admission has only a fair voice), Eric Clapton, Rod Stewart, Phil Collins (yuk), Sheryl Crow (double yuk), et.al. Voices like Roy Orbison and Freddy Mercury are the exception, not the rule.
What most of our popular singers offer is style. Jagger is a terrific stylist but a marginal singer. So as Dread pointed out, if you're listening for vocal purity, buy Mel Torme or Nat King Cole recordings.
IMO of course.

Jsonic,
I also love Slick, Jagger, and most of the artists mentioned. I hope I get what you mean and think I do. However, my post was not meant to defend Mel Torme, Bruce Springsteen, Sheryl Crow (well I guess that's indefensible), Bob Dylan or anybody else for that matter, only to point out the differences in styles that exist among them AND their technical abilities which truly differ.
Have fun.

I also really like the album having heard it a couple dozen times now but prefer both Time Out of Mind and Love and Theft. It is not a masterpiece. It is not a great album.
YMMV

Shadorne,
If I'm not mistaken you're a digital only guy so the assumption here is your source is a cd. I've not heard the digital release so I cannot speak to its' sonics. However, like Narrod I have the vinyl. In my system it does not display any of the characteristics you describe. I'd like to hear the digital release for comparison's sake.

Shadorne, as mentioned previously I've not heard the digital version. However, after hearing the vinyl many times, I understand your concerns better.

I guess it's routine to record the instrumental portions first and "dub" the vocal track afterwards. What I'm hearing, you call it compression or whatever, is a "mismatch" for lack of a better term between the instrumental track and the vocals. I do not have any technical recording experience to better explain what I hear but there is a clearly defined difference between the instrumentation and the vocals in this release. In most recordings they are "blended" or "mixed" to sound as if the vocals and instrumentation were performed simultaneously I believe. In this recording it is very apparent the vocals were added afterwards; at least with my analog front end:

Basis 2800 Signature
Basis Vector 3 w/VTA
Zyx UNIverse X LO

All of course IMO

I borrowed the digital version this weekend and played it through my Esoteric P-03/D-03/G-0s combination. I agree with Shadorne's previous assessment and my vinyl findings. The mix is flawed.
Thank you