Expecting Rain

Okay...consider me heretical on this but I have to weigh in.

First off, it's disappointing to hear Bob once again return to the tired and worn blues format of writing a song, which seems to have become a songwriting (and performing crutch). For me, it's a songwriting laziness. It's almost as if from a musical perspective, he's run out of ideas in terms of creating melodies or original musical compositions. And when he does deviate from the blues format in his own songwriting, he's often lifting other people's melodies (See "Beyond the Horizon for example). Of course, there are exceptions. But I'd like to see Bob challenge himself more in terms of melody and song structure.

Now some people may just say "Well, he's a bluesman. Accept that." But this is a man who has written some gorgeous melodies through time. Too many to number. Personally, I'd like to hear more. Let's hope that Together Through Life has some more interesting musical contributions than old blues retreads, whether they be in major or minor key, or with accordion or not.

Secondly, his voice...Oh man. Where is the "dark, crystal clear voice" that one journalist who was doing an advance review heard? His voice is deteriorating before our eyes. It has been for years. And I don't need a perfect voice at all. There are some songs that suit his baritone croak these days. For example, "Huck's Tune," "Ain't Talking," etc. But for people to say that his voice sounds great on this...?

I respect Bob for not having gotten the vocal surgery to clean up his chords that so many singers in the business do. To take away all the callouses, polyps, nodes, whatever accumulate over the course of a career (and a Never Ending Tour). I agree that his life experience comes through the damage to his chords when he sings. But to say that his voice sounds good on this tune...? I think it's just sticking our necks in the sand on this one. I have always loved Bob's voice. And I think a good voice is one that transmits an energy, an emotion, a tone that helps the song. But there's a limit. So I've always been a supporter of Bob's voice. But let's get real folks...the voice don't sound too good on this recording. It sounds broken.

I imagine a torrent of complaints coming...which is okay. Bob's music has given so much to my life and I'm nothing short of grateful. And I am always pulling for the man and genius. But I had to throw my two cents in.

Fire away...

Is this available to hear anywhere???????? Or download....

haven't you already submitted this opinion to the forum? Did you feel it was worth a second airing, or is this the deluxe edition in denim? Shall we all post twice to make sure that our opinions are read

You're just saying what most people realize but don't want to admit. No harm in that.

Sorry for your opinion but I love the song. It really grows on you the more you hear it. I can't wait for the album.

I am sorry you don't like it but there is an option, Don't buy it!

I was thinking this as well. There isn't really a need to say the same thing on a new thread.

deluxe in denim lolol. there's just somethin about dylan that draws in cynics

Wow...I dig that song..I like the sound waaaay more than the Modern Times stuff!!!!!

Oops. I am new as a contributor to the forum (although have read it for years). And I didn't realize this was poor form to repost. My apologies!

From now on, each forum member will be allowed to express his / her opinion about a subject once and once only on the board.

Dylan has been retreading blues forms and stealing melodies since the very beginning. He rarely fails to create something new out of this alchemy once he filters said elements through himself. Steal a little, they throw you in jail. Steal a lot and they make you king. Beyond Here Lies Nothin' is no exception. I suggest you remove the wax from your ears and the blinders from your eyes, and listen to a lot more music.

And because Bob has been using these techniques from his earliest days as a folkie, you can not possibly feel like you have had enough of it. Pretty obvious.

the tired and worn blues format

It's not a blues format!?? for one.

Do you Rrrhumba-h?

Name another song in Dylan's canon, (especially from his early days as a folkie) that sounds remotely like Beyond Here Lies Nothin'. And it's not just because of the accordion. I hate this crap. What do you expect Bob to sound like now? Radiohead?

So many points to disagree with, so little time. I will put my arguments into a numbered list form for the convenience of my adoring public:

1. Dylan is allowed to write a simple love song. It's not lazy, any more than the songwriting on Nashville Skyline was lazy. Not everything has to be a big revelation.

2. You complain about Dylan getting stale, but I'd ask you to find an example of Dylan using this kind of arrangement before. In terms of instrumentation, you'd probably have to go all the way back to Street-Legal. In terms of rhythm and style, I can't really think of another Dylan song.

3. It's not particularly fetching melodically, I'll give you that. Still, you can look at ANY Dylan album and find songs that lack in that department. He's written some great melodies, but it's never been his strong suit. He's always been pretty basic. Take "Highway 61 Revisited" or "The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest." Fine songs, nothing special melodically.

4. What did you expect from his voice? Given the progression of things, it's acceptable on "Beyond Here Lies Nothin'." It's a little thinner in places than it is on previous songs, but it's not falling apart or anything like that. I really don't think people should use the previews of the album as anything more than amusing diversions. When Rolling Stone calls his voice "dark, clear crystal," you aren't actually supposed to believe it. His voice is what I expected it to be.

5. Bob Dylan is Bob Dylan, he's going to do whatever the **expletive** he wants. I like what he's doing. The song's different than what's on Love and Theft or Modern Times.

I agree about the vocal and the same old use of the blues also annoys me, I do miss Bob coming up with original or semi-original melodies but he's old and probably can't be bothered.

Having said that, I like the new song but already it is becoming overrated, that is the problem more for me, people deciding something is a classic right away just because it is by Bob. I'm not let down by the media reviews, the media has sucked Bob's ass ever since his time in hospital just before the release of TOOM, the press have never been accurate about Bob and they are not any more accurate than they have been.

It is a decent little song, nothing more or less.

Yeah, what he said.

herein lies the truth. If you want techno, listen to DJ Dunghamper or FXV Tuppferfuck

If you want roots music, Bob's your man - this song doesn't sound like very much of his canon. There's a bit of 'On a Night like This' and a bit of 'Groom' and a bit of 'Street-Legal' etc

I thought I read you said that he has been doing this since the very beginning.
But I'm a non-native speaker, so I probably misunderstood you.



At least we agree on that!

So many points to disagree with, so little time. I will put my arguments into a numbered list form for the convenience of my adoring public:

1. Dylan is allowed to write a simple love song. It's not lazy, any more than the songwriting on Nashville Skyline was lazy. Not everything has to be a big revelation.

2. You complain about Dylan getting stale, but I'd ask you to find an example of Dylan using this kind of arrangement before. In terms of instrumentation, you'd probably have to go all the way back to Street-Legal. In terms of rhythm and style, I can't really think of another Dylan song.

3. It's not particularly fetching melodically, I'll give you that. Still, you can look at ANY Dylan album and find songs that lack in that department. He's written some great melodies, but it's never been his strong suit. He's always been pretty basic. Take "Highway 61 Revisited" or "The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest." Fine songs, nothing special melodically.

4. What did you expect from his voice? Given the progression of things, it's acceptable on "Beyond Here Lies Nothin'." It's a little thinner in places than it is on previous songs, but it's not falling apart or anything like that. I really don't think people should use the previews of the album as anything more than amusing diversions. When Rolling Stone calls his voice "dark, clear crystal," you aren't actually supposed to believe it. His voice is what I expected it to be.

5. Bob Dylan is Bob Dylan, he's going to do whatever the **expletive** he wants. I like what he's doing. The song's different than what's on Love and Theft or Modern Times.[/quote]

OK...to respond to some of this:

1) No problem with Dylan writing a simple love song. I love so many of them whether it be "Tomorrow's a Long Time" or "To Make You Feel My Love." So that's not an issue for me at all with this song. And I wouldn't say to begin with that "Beyond Here Lies Nothing" is worthless or terrible. Why I used the word lazy about his approach to songwriting with some of these songs is reliance on 12 bar blues format. Which makes "Levee's Gonna Break" sound so similar to "Summer Days."

2) I didn't say that Dylan was getting stale. I said that Dylan should challenge himself more in terms of the music (of the words and music components) of his songwriting. What really stands out to me as the gems from the last three albums are not the blues-based ones. But "Not Dark Yet," "Trying to Get to Heaven," "Standing in the Doorway," "Mississippi," "Workingman's Blues.": Songs that just don't follow the traditional blues format. And by the way, I think this is one of pitfalls Dylan falls into live these days. Having "Highway 61" "Watching the River Flow" "Summer Days" "Levee's Gonna Break" "Thunder on the Mountain" , etc...the shows lose a dynamic quality to them. This is just my opinion. Of course there are sheer moments of beauty and brilliance too!

3) It's true that his albums usually contain some songs that "lack in the melody" department. I understand that. That is why I am hoping that the other tunes on the new album will offer some more memorable ones.

4) I guess what I expected from his voice was not a "complete recovery" but an approach to singing that plays to the strengths he currently possesses. This is what Leonard Cohen has been doing on his tour and it has been working beautifully. And I know they are different singers...

5) I like what Bob brings to the table too. And the song does have a different feel than L&T and Modern Times. I was just pointing out that with this particular song, aside from the instrumentation, it's same old, same old. All this said, the man is a genius and I couldn't even begin to express the importance his music has had in my life.

I don't think the blues format can be 'worn down', eh, ever..

Another song in Dylan's Canon that sounds remotely like Beyond Here Lies Nothin': Cold Irons Bound.

how can anyone listen to Leonard Cohen and then turn around and say Bob can't sing?

I would have loved to have set Lenny the challenge of singing Moonshiner, the rockier numbers on the RTR tours, or the lovely Dear Landlord, inter alia. Let's not think here that we must berate Dylan just to temper the fervour - it's very obvious that some posters are SO desperate to avoid the fanboy tag that they dismiss vast tracts of his work.

It's not black and white - you can't say 1980-1997 is unlistenable, unless you want to appear like a know-nothing cretin in other people's eyes. It's too sweeping to actually be a cogent opinion - reducing 100+ songs to one simple soundbite. It's impoverished thinking.

And so to say, 'Bob should back away from 12-bar' - do you not think that the blues has also given Dylan some of his greatest work since 1980?

PS I gave up listening to Big Joe Turner when he failed to deliver a single waltz - the one-trick pony!

Although it may not be the greatest song in the world I still like it & think it's a good one that bodes well for a good album. Where Dylan for me is tired is in his live shows which lack any kind of inspiriation from either him or his road band, with all feeling missing & no effort put into the performances. This track though seems to me to a jaunty number & you can tell he's trying with a decent set of musicians behind him.

Graham