Dylan at 68

Bob Dylan's new album, "Together Through Life", may be even better than his last ones, which all in all were amazingly good for a rock star who is now 68 years old.  The first thing to say about this record is that it sounds great, thanks to an inspired band which includes an accordionist and a trumpet player. The music is not infused with nostalgia... It is just straight rhythm n' blues, and it rocks. The songs are good too, maybe even great, only time will tell. Dylan still sounds genuine, not like a caricature of himself. To justify the outrageous price of the CD, it comes with a DVD with the demo track of Blowing in the Wind, recorded in 1962 - Bob Dylan looks like he is barely out of school but already sounds like a wise old man -  and an extra CD of the radio program he now hosts, The Theme Time Radio Hour. Here we have Bob Dylan as the literate historian and witty connoisseur of american popular music. I say: let him record more records, but also let him write more books. I read Chronicles I when it came out and I have been waiting impatiently for the next installment of his autobiography. A sacred monster, still alive and kicking.