Still Plenty To Protest About

The dated sixties tag of protest singer pinned on Bob Dylan is most apt when considering this album The Times They Are A-Changin'. The well known title track now sounds as dated as the idea of a protest singer, times are always changing and young rebel Dylan's now a grandad. But other tracks on the album remain searingly incisive indictments of injustices that still resonate today. There is the heartbreakingly bleak Ballad Of Hollis Brown and the icy North Country Blues which both blast the indifference of capitalism. Racism is tackled head on by Only A Pawn In Their Game and The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll and the contemporary relevance of With God On Our Side hardly needs remarking on. It's an angry record that doesn't have many light moments or much humour when compared to other albums. Even the folky Boots Of Spanish Leather tells of true love gone bad. A very fine disk but one where it is best to pick your mood before listening. Musically it is still just solo Dylan with guitar and harmonica accompaniment but he is in suitably clear strong voice given the material of most of the songs. A feature of Dylan's singing is his meticulous enunciation ( also a feature of his DJ style these days )