Bob Dylan's Modern Times, a new Masterpiece?

You guys just don't get it. My vocal tastes are my own. I loved joplin, Jagger and Slick and never liked Springsteen. You guys act like our sensibilities have to match up. Mel Torme has no bearing on whether or not I like Old Bob Dylan's voice or the deteriorating Garcia's. Voices are subjective. What my dislikes are have no connection to the soft-ass artists I supposedly should be listening to if I don't go with the general consensus. Chaq'un a son gout!

"Modern Times hit number one in its first week."

So did albums by Eminem and Fifty Cent. Justin and Brittney sell lotsa records too. Mass appeal is almost a reverse indicator of quality in America where Budweiser is the king of beers. I saw Bob Dylan perform live at Radio City for David Letterman's 10th anniversary show. This was over 10 years ago maybe 15. He couldn't sing at all and was almost unintelligible. I have heard his later albums and his denigrated vocals no longer work for me. When I listen to music the vocals are the one thing I can't get past. Springsteen has written some great songs but I hate his voice and can't listen. I'm sure Bob still writes some gems. I'll wait for someone who can sing to cover them before I buy them. It's all personal taste and early Dylan captures a time in music and America that I was lucky enough to live through and am still able to revisit through those early records. The same goes for the current output of The Stones, The Who, Clapton. The most maddening thing is groups who replace lead singers while retaining their original name. the Doors with that Ian whathisface from the cult? Freddie-less Queen with Paul Rogers? And worst of all "The Dead" who dropped the Grateful out of re$pect for Jerry. Do all the commercials you want guys. You earned the rights to that money. A graceful and timely exit is all I'm asking for.

Ben Campbell:
You are partially right. I am adding nothing to this debate regarding Modern Times. Your allegiance and hero worship of Bob Dylan is well-founded but blinds your objectivity. I have never bought a Patricia Barber, Diana Krall or Jacintha record and don't intend to. I am a classic rock listening MOJO- reading purist. I am simply stating that when an artist's voice goes , I can't listen to his/her music any longer. If Dylan came out with Blood on the Tracks today and Blonde on Blonde next year I couldn't listen to them. Look , for you it's Dylan for me it was the Grateful Dead. Jerry Garcia's voice started to go around '76 and although I went to shows from the late 70's to early 80's I knew the best years were in the past. Ben IMHO opinion you skirted the issue. I love early Dylan stuff . I'm not feeling what he's done for the last few albums due to the change in his voice. Dismissing my point by saying "Dylan isn't for everyone". is way offbase.

Audiofeil,

The point I'm making is that no matter how good a lyric is and I acknowledge plenty of artists whose voices I can't stand have written great songs, I can't listen to their music. The flip side of the coin is I can't listen to a beautiful voice sing music I'm not into. So audiophile darlings like Jacintha, Nora, Diana, Mel Torme and tony Bennett don't do it for me either. A voice like any other body part deteriorates with age . I'm not gonna take up much more space here in deference to Ben Campbell who is correct in saying this thread is about Modern Times.