A rejuvenated Jakob Dylan reconvenes The Wallflowers after a seven year hiatus. Maybe that is the penance to serve for trying to tackle, with some aplomb mind you, Bowie’s Heroes. The offspring of Bob, and his band are up to their – count ’em – sixth album. This recording is unlikely to be surpassed by The Wallflowers with its consistently hook-driven Americana. Clash man and gun for hire, Mick Jones, makes his finest cameo since Aztec Camera on two songs, Misfits And Lovers and Reboot The Mission. The latter tune reintroduces the band and roll calls its members, but one can only wonder how valued the drummer feels when his finest moment is that “he jammed with the mighty Joe Strummer”. Kudos for jamming with an icon but it was only a jam session after all. Anyway, this pair of songs invoke the rebel dub spirit of The Clash and the funkier moments of Big Audio Dynamite.
Some lyrical osmosis is obviously at work as Dylan junior displays some Dylan senior lyrical gifts. Have Mercy On Him Now could almost be interpreted as a request from the senior to the critics to maintain a dignified view when assessing juniors work, “Keep it simple keep it straight/ All the pitches right up and over the plate/ And even give him a break.” With Glad All Over, it seems there should be no critical slayings as this record is solid, if not ground-breaking. And ironically, the sparkling demeanour seems confined to the title as the songs are not generally glad.
Constellation Blues is a hook laden winner. It is Springsteen, Dylan senior and Steve Earle in equal measure. “You can tell a few things about the soul of a town/ From the blood of the men gone into the ground.” All the while, the ghost of Warren Zevon lurks in the shadows. It is like Jakob Dylan is holding up a mirror to the soul of Uncle Sam and does not applaud the reflection.
Love Is A Country is an interesting analogy on human relationships, resolutely concluding that, “Love is a country that won’t be overcome.” Befitting any product bearing the Dylan name, Glad All Over is a strong listen both lyrically and musically. However, while it is steeped in tradition, it is burdened by it at points because the air becomes a little stifling. Maybe seven more years is just the tonic.
BY BRONIUS ZUMERIS
Best Track: Constellation Blues
If You Like This You’ll Like These: Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Warren Zevon, Steve Earle, Giant Sand
In A Word: Reinvigorated
