MP3s & Cloud Player: The Lumineers

Product Details

Tempest
From Columbia

Price:

$5.00

Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Ships from and sold by SONY Music Entertainment Downloads LLC.
Average customer review:

(63 customer reviews)

Product Details

Amazon Sales Rank: #2 in Digital Music Album
Released on: 2012-09-11
Running time: 4106 seconds

Customer Reviews

Most helpful customer reviews
67 of 79 people found the following review helpful.

Great CD, But...
By BruBz
Great Music but don't waste your money on the "Limited Edition" All you get for the extra $7.00
is a cheesy booklet.Not even glossy photos.
Buy the basic CD. If you like Dylan you will like it.
47 of 55 people found the following review helpful.

Dylan's roadhouse blues--dark, rowdy, haunting, and among his latter-day best
By Jack Tripper
There's been no singer-songwriter in the near 60-year history of rock music who's a better storyteller than Bob Dylan. He proved it with his (now legendary) humble folk beginnings, and he continues to prove it today, as evidenced by the very dark, very epic 'Tempest,' an album that can proudly stand next to the best of his post-'Blood on the Tracks' repertoire.

After a somewhat lean 1980's and even leaner early-mid 90's as far as quality output from Dylan, he's now in the midst of a pretty remarkable 15-year renaissance beginning with 1997's near-perfect 'Time Out of Mind.' Every album in that span has been extremely well-received and critically-acclaimed, and I have a pretty strong feeling this trend will continue with his latest. As someone who's been slightly burnt-out on Dylan over the past few years, I think it's safe to say he won't be coming out of my rotation anytime in the foreseeable future.

Right out of the gate his larynx sounds utterly destroyed on the swingin,' country-jukebox dance-floor number, "Duquesne Whistle," but that doesn't take anything away from the song. In fact, it adds a certain kind of charm, giving Dylan a swagger that's been wholly earned through his 50 years of musical storytelling and lessons. His voice is one that demands to be listened to--now as much as ever. And I dare you to stay still in your seat during this track.

After bringing it down a notch with the tender ballad, "Soon After Midnight," Dylan kicks it back into first with the rowdy Chicago blues stomp of "Narrow Way," and when his weary, gravelly voice spouts "It's a long road, it's a long and narrow way," you believe him wholeheartedly. And later, when he sings "I pay in blood, but not my own" on "Pay in Blood," you almost wish you didn't believe, so convincing are his words. "Scarlet Town" is one of Dylan's most haunting, most beautifully hypnotic songs of his career, and even at seven-plus minutes, it feels too short.

"Early Roman Kings" is another blues number, copping the oft-used and instantly recognizable "Mannish Boy" riff that Muddy Waters made famous six decades ago, and to good effect, but the centerpiece of the album is undoubtedly the 14-minute title track, a 45-verse waltz recounting, in Dylan's inimitable way, the Titanic disaster of 1912. He does justice to the victims of that tragedy, putting his heart and soul into each and every verse, even while slyly dropping "Leo" and "Rose" into the song, obvious references to James Cameron's 1997 blockbuster. The first time I heard it, I thought it ran a bit long, and had to control my urge to skip ahead. The next time I just drifted off and let Dylan bring me into his world, into HIS version of the event, and the result was powerful--even moving.

The album, while mostly filled with revenge and redemption-themed songs, closes on a much prettier note with "Roll On John," a loving tribute to John Lennon. Being the last of three straight epic, somewhat meandering tracks, one would think the listener would grow weary by this point, but that could not be further from the truth. This was another one that had to grow on me--as it initially seemed directionless and weirdly sung--but I soon viewed it to be one of the most beautiful, touching moments of Dylan's entire oeuvre, even quoting Lennon himself with "I heard the news today, oh boy," referring to his 1980 assassination.

It's a fitting, perfect end to what could be argued is his most impressive and consistent effort since 2001's 'Love and Theft,' possibly even since 'Time Out of Mind' from four years prior, though not quite on the level of that, or his 60's and 70's classics, imo. But that would be asking too much. There aren't many artists who've remained as relevant as he has for fifty years and thirty-five albums, while at the same time continually putting out such strikingly original work.

My hope is that he'll continue to do so for another decade, at least. But I count myself--and the world at large--as fortunate to have had him around for any length of time at all.

4.5 out of 5
21 of 26 people found the following review helpful.

AT 71, DYLAN IS THE COOLEST GUY ON PLANET
By Mets Fan
This is one of Dylan's best albums. It rates up there with the best of his later works - TOOM, L&T, MT and easily rates up there with HW61, BOOT and BOB. Every cut on this album is great. 'Duquesne Whistle' is a great Bob Wills type of country swing - 'Soon After Midnight' sounds like a 1930's crooner song, but if you listen closely - the singer is stalking this woman. Narrow Way takes a Bo Carter/Mississippi Sheiks line "You'll Work Down To Me Someday" and builds a rocking cut that will definitely be played in many concerts of his Never Ending Tour. 'Long and Wasted Years' is talked by Bob and seems to me to be the couple from Brownsville Girl, 30-years later. 'Pay In Blood' is as angry as other Dylan classics such as "...Rolling Stone" or "Idiot Wind". One of the best songs on this album! Next is 'Scarlet Town'. I will say nothing about this song except listen to his voice and the lyrics. Haunting. An instant Dylan classic. 'Early Roman Kings' is Muddy Water's 'Mannish Boy' tune - but wow - what a great cut. Rocking, electric blues - again, destined for many Dylan concerts. 'Tin Angel' is another haunting killing song. His voice never sounded better (the rougher his voice is - the better). "Tempest' is 48 verses with no hook, telling the story (Dylan's version) of the sinking of the Titanic. It's a horror story - but his voice almost seems happy. It's one of those great Dylan curveball songs. Last cut on album is 'Roll On, John'. If you are a Lennon fan - Bob's voice and lyrics will give you chills. TEMPEST is a classic.
See all 63 customer reviews...