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The relentless drive behind the sound of Bob Dylan’s last twelve years is arguably as passionate as his most definitive work from the 1960s. In this, the fifth decade of his career, Dylan gravitates towards ideas more grim than optimistic. On Together Through Life, Dylan sounds like the ghost of his own legacy, uncharacteristically looking back and coming to terms with his mortality. The album was inspired after he wrote the song “Life Is Hard,” a mandolin driven, midnight sulk for the new movie My Own Love Song by Olivier Dahan. The track, which finds Dylan describing his own difficulties with the past (“I feel a chilly breeze / in place of memories” and “I passed the old school yard / admitting life is hard”), sparked the rest of the material on Together Through Life. The songs are threaded together with the idea that love is all we have left after so many letdowns – a subject which Dylan would know best at this age. “Beyond Here Lies Nothing,” the album’s raggedy opener, features Los Lobos’ David Hidalgo on accordion and a creaking Dylan proclaiming that there is nothing else but “mountains of the past.” “My Wife’s Home Town” gloomily examines the economic crisis from the vantage point of a car cruising past the turmoil. The album strongly stands by its title, reminding us that the absence of caring and meaningful relationships can make life unlivable. The collection does reinforce the mysterious cloud that has hung over Dylan’s latest work; however, it also shows that Dylan has not finished his dialogue with our society. There’s something to be said for a songwriter remaining at the forefront of popular music 33 studio albums into his career – and most likely beyond.

Ciara
Fantasy Ride

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Atlanta-born R&B singer Ciara delivers her third radio-friendly album with obvious detachment. Originally intended to be a three-part album and serve as a “fantasy” platform for her super heroine alter ego, Super-C, the idea was scrapped by her label La Face and the final product became Fantasy Ride. However, it is difficult to decipher how a concept album would’ve emerged from the tracks presented — a lack of direction which is ultimately the album’s greatest flaw. Despite these incoherencies, mega-hit makers and former collaborators The-Dream and Christopher “Tricky” Stewart (Rihanna’s “Umbrella” and Beyonce’s “Single Ladies”) anchor the work with the futuristic serpentine-like “Lover’s Thing” and the robotic “Like A Surgeon.” The songs doubly display the songwriting duo’s affinity for creating ultra catchy hooks and catering to the artist they are working with; in this case, Ciara, who swoons like the R&B princess she is. The album also includes appearances by Justin Timberlake on the disco tilt-a-whirl “Love Sex Magic,” domestic abuse troubadour Chris Brown on the high-energy duet “Turntables,” a slick Missy Elliott on the begging-to-be-choreographed “Work,” and fellow ATL native Young Jeezy on the heart-felt “Never Ever.” Although Ciara exudes life and glamour with her fierce, sassy vocal delivery, these songs are largely forgettable when placed against the ever-shifting backdrop of contemporary R&B. For Ciara to become the pop super heroine she’d like to be, she’ll have to do better than rely on notable guest appearances to get the masses’ attention.

Download These Songs

Conor Oberst & the Mystic Valley Band
“Slowly (Oh So Slowly),” on iTunes

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The sheepish Bright Eyes front man gets his Springsteen on with this alt-country jingle, which packs enough euphoric organ to “take you out to the ball game.” Very different from his more emotionally driven work; this time Oberst has got rural America in his rearview mirror.

The Cool Kids
“Gone Fishing Mixtape,” on Coolxkids.com

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The Chicago hip-hop throwback duo gives away some of their latest work for free. Produced by Don Cannon, the mix is caked with 80s drum machine sounds and references to 90s Nike boots. Check out “Hammer Bros,” “Cinnamon,” and the “Pennies” remix, with Ludacris and Bun B.

St. Vincent
“The Strangers,” on iTunes

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The Dallas/Brooklyn multi-instrumentalist charms and scares with her pristine voice, eerily singing “paint the black hole blacker” while a psych ward of an orchestra spirals into oblivion. Take a listen if you enjoy Feist and PJ Harvey.