Bob Dylan – Highway 61 Revisited
I was always one to criticize the deification of Bob Dylan, but this album has me all but converted as of late. There’s just so much meaning and emotion and urgency in every song - things I often find to be lacking in most modern music. The jagged edges of his voice and the slightly off-pitch melodies that had so often put me off on many other Dylan songs make the songs on this album even better for some reason. “Tombstone Blues” sounds like the American addendum to the Book of Revelations. “From a Buick 6” has a defiant swagger about it that makes you want to pick up your step to walk in time or press that gas pedal down just a little further. Every song on the album is rock solid and the stuff of legend. Highway 61’s significance is unfathomable. It should be seen as a prerequisite for anyone interested in rock ‘n roll.

Tombstone Blues

Cold War Kids – Robbers and Cowards
I’ll admit that lead singer Nathan Willet’s high, piercing voice made getting into this band a little trying at times, but somewhere down the line it all just came together for me. So many of the things that are so closely linked to the origins of rock ‘n roll, such as blues and jazz, are clear and identifiable on this record. This band has a way of sounding stripped down and complicated all at once. This ‘evolution through devolution’ songwriting approach makes Cold War Kids one of the most unique of the rising indie bands. Their influences range from the Velvet Underground to Radiohead, Bob Dylan to Billie Holiday. I especially recommend the songs “We Used to Vacation,” “Passing the Hat,” and “Hospital Beds.” Cold War Kids will be playing Chicago’s Metro on December 7th.

We Used to Vacation