The last ânewâ music we got from Bob Dylan was a 2015 album of Frank Sinatra covers titled Shadows of the Night. It was great; donât get me wrongâa nice, smoky take on Olâ Blue Eyesâ depthless croon. But Dylan is first and foremost a songwriter, a lyricist of near unprecedented talent, and his fans want to hear all those sharp wordplays at work. Last month when Dylan announced a new record, Fallen Angelsâostensibly his first LP of originals since 2012âs TempestâI could almost taste his biting wit.
Today Dylan aired the first track from Fallen Angels, and what do we get? Another Frank Sinatra cover. Again, Iâm not really complaining because I think Dylan does Sinatra authentically and Sinatraâs songs are ripe for rebirth. His latest cover, âMelancholy Mood,â has a sultry, Tom Waits meandering down dark Parisian streets vibe. Plus the lyrics are on par with Dylanâs own wordsmithing:
âI search for a trace / of a lingering kiss / a warm embrace / but love is a whimsy / and flimsy as lace / and my arms embrace / an empty space.â
The 1939 cover will be included on the new record, which means, theoretically, this could be another Frank Sinatra covers album. Thatâs unlikely, though, and Iâm quite certain that the next taste of Fallen Angels will be something weâve never heard before.
Dylan is currently touring through Japan, and heâll head stateside in June, joined by Mavis Staples for a two-month tour that hits many of the countryâs greatest outdoor venues. Thereâs no release date for Fallen Angels yet, but you can bet itâll drop sometime this summer.
What do you think of the new track? Let us know in the comments.
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HT: Vulture
IMAGE:Â Pennebaker Hegedus Films Inc/Ashes & Sand Inc/Criterion Collection