Sorry, yes, the Dylan release is part of his Bootleg series of material from the vaults. The thing I'd say is he pulls most of this stuff from his best work of the last couple of decades. The songs are mainly tracks from Oh Mercy, Time Out of Mind, Love & Theft, and Modern Times. These are all excellent late period Dylan albums and some of the best "rock" records of their time.

Granted, I know some people don't dig his voice...it is a bit of a rasp & croak deal now but damn, if he don't know how to put it to good use. He even croons a bit on his recent records to let us know the well is not dry.

His last release of "new material" was Modern Times in 2006 and in my opinion that record was one of his best ever, so for what it's worth I think the guy has been on a roll and is somehow still in his prime. I think the fact is there are not very many people capable of making a record like Modern Times and if you compare it to records by other "rock" guys old enough to collect social security...well, Bob leaves them eating his dust.

I will say I've been listening to the new Ray LaMontagne record too and what I find is that while Ray writes nice songs and has a great voice...well...his stuff gets a bit dull after a while. I'm not saying he's not good but I am saying I don't need to hear another plaintive love song from the guy for the rest of my life. I like when he and Ethan Johns (who in truth seems about as responsible for there being more than one record from this guy as Ray is himself) go in a different direction.

Dylan is never boring, at least in my opinion, and his records don't grow old and stale (at least to me) and the key to that is the songwriting. He just writes better songs than most people can as does David Baerwald.

Listen to Modern Times and tell me that's not one hell of a record. If you don't dig Dylan's voice put on Bootleg 5: Dylan Live 1975 with the Rolling Thunder Revue and listen to him and the band tear through the opening track "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here with You" and tell me he does not put what he has for a voice to good use. Listen to that whole disc and tell me the cracks, the whines, the rasp and imperfections don't add up to a sound that screams this guy really means it. It's a human sound, imperfect and very soul stirring because of it. If Ray could write a song as good as a Dylan outtake like "Dreaming of You" (the video I posted) he'd really be on to something.

Ed is right when he says that old tune might be the best he's heard this year...old, new, borrowed, or blue Bob Dylan is a hell of a songwriter like you said, MB...and his voice is unique and maybe is one of the best at letting you feel the mileage, the wounds, and the damage done.