Together Through Life (Deluxe Edition) CD + DVD

Bob Dylan | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 28, 2009)
• Original Release Date: April 28, 2009
• Number of Discs: 3
• Label: Columbia
• ASIN: B001VNB57C
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (58 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,858 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Beyond Here Lies Nothin'

2. Life Is Hard

3. My Wife's Home Town

4. If You Ever Go To Houston

5. Forgetful Heart

6. Jolene

7. This Dream Of You

8. Shake Shake Mama

9. I Feel A Change Comin' On

10. It's All Good

Disc: 2

1. Roy Silver - The Lost Interview (DVD)

2. Don't Take Everybody To Be Your Friend (M.Gabler/R. Tharpe) - Sister Rosetta Tharpe(Theme Time Radio Hour "Friends & Neighbors")

3. Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend (L. Robin/J. Styne) - T Bone Burnett(Theme Time Radio Hour "Friends & Neighbors")

4. La Valse De Amitie (O. Guidry) - Doc Guidry(Theme Time Radio Hour "Friends & Neighbors")

5. Make Friends (E. Mcgraw) - Moon Mulligan (Theme Time Radio Hour "Friends & Neighbors")

6. My Next Door Neighbor (J. McCain) - Jerry McCain(Theme Time Radio Hour "Friends & Neighbors")

7. Let's Invite Them Over (O. Wheeler) - George Jones & Melba Montgomery (Theme Time Radio Hour "Friends & Neighbors")

8. My Friends (C. Burnett/S. Ling) - Howlin' Wolf(Theme Time Radio Hour "Friends & Neighbors")

9. Last Night (W. Jones) - Little Walter(Theme Time Radio Hour "Friends & Neighbors")

10. You've Got a Friend (C. King) - Carole King(Theme Time Radio Hour "Friends & Neighbors")

See all 14 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Deluxe: Special 2CD/DVD limited edition package in a jewel box with slipcase includes:
- Together Through Life collectible poster
- Together Through Life sticker
- Bonus CD of Bob Dylan’s 60-minute Theme Time Radio Hour "Friends & Neighbors” episode
- DVD of “Roy Silver – The Lost Interview”

Together Though Life, produced by Jack Frost, was prompted by the composition of a new song, “Life Is Hard,” which was written for a forthcoming film by French director Oliver Dahan (La Vie En Rose). Bob Dylan’s latest studio album was recorded late last year and features 10 new songs including "Beyond Here Lies Nothin'" and "It's All Good." This will be the 46th release from Dylan, following his Platinum album Modern Times which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 chart in 2006.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

100 of 106 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bob's On A Roll, April 28, 2009

By 

Elliot Knapp (Seattle, Washington United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Together Through Life (Deluxe Edition) CD + DVD (Audio CD)

He's pushing 70 and has artistically and financially earned a peaceful retirement several times over, but Bob Dylan has found it in his heart to generously present us with another album of new material. What's more, in my opinion it's even stronger than 2006's Modern Times.

Whereas Modern Times found Dylan mining similar subjects and moods to those explored in Love and Theft and Time Out of Mind, Together Through Life distinguishes itself by consisting pretty much entirely of love songs. It's still Dylan, though, so these aren't sappy or hackneyed--the words are full of wry frustration, sensuality, compelling nostalgia, and some of the purest heartfelt devotion the man has ever committed to tape. The album's opener and de facto 'single,' "Beyond Here Lies Nothing," kicks things off in a relatively heavy fashion, as pounding toms and dirty guitar licks frame Dylan's shadowy descriptions of consuming love. It's immediately evident that Dylan the producer isn't sticking with the same old formula--he's increased his acoustic instrumentation, including mandolins, violins, banjos, and especially an accordion, and to great and organic effect. The accordion's cheerful, liquid, flitting timbres really complement the laid-back nature of this set of songs, and it strongly recalls Dylan's days with The Band (which never hurts, so far as I'm concerned).

Anyone who's still contending that Dylan's voice is shot needs only to listen to the down-tempo, mandolin-drenched "Life Is Hard," one of Dylan's most successful torch songs, to hear how much heartbreaking emotion he's still capable of wringing out of his own words, even cooing wordlessly toward the song's end. Likewise, "I Feel a Change Comin' On" serves up Dylan's most heartfelt expressions of tenderness since Time Out of Mind's "Make You Feel My Love." Worry not, though--Dylan's nostalgia is leavened by his characteristic wit and inimitable strangeness. "My Wife's Home Town," with its "I just wanna say that hell's my wife's home town" refrain, contains plenty of tongue-in-cheek mock self-pity and Dylan's chuckling at the end of the track is worth the album's price alone. The album's closer, "It' All Good" takes some extremely effective ironic liberties with the titular saying, and the bluesy "Jolene" follows suit, surprisingly containing one of the best guitar hooks in his recent history. Dylan's fascinatingly surreal blending of American culture, mood and geography also pops up numerous times, especially on the downtrodden "If You Ever Go To Houston," and we get to see more than a few mysterious characters as the album unwinds. Finally, "Shake Shake Mama" has one of Dylan's most addictive vocal melodies backed with some gnarly guitar bends--I can imagine that this song will be a total crusher live.

Throughout, Dylan's production remains top-notch. The sound is warm and organic; on Modern Times I felt that the sound lacked a certain grit or oomph to back the harder-edged tunes with the energy they deserved, but here Jack Frost (aka Bob) has hit a sweet spot that better matches the mood of the material, letting the accordion swirl and the electric guitars growl dirtily. It sounds even better if you crank it up a few notches--a hallmark of good mastering. While a couple of songs tread sonically very close to earlier territory ("This Dream of You" almost sounds like an outtake from Desire, and "Forgetful Heart" would fit inconspicuously on Time Out of Mind), the strength of the songwriting here and the love song concept makes Together Through Life an eminently satisfying listening experience that sounds fresh even alongside his most recent work. Overall, while Modern Times had a couple tracks that didn't really click for me, I can't spy a weak song in this set.

As far as the bonus material goes in this "deluxe" version, it's about the same as earlier deluxe editions--nothing essential or earth shattering, but certainly of interest to fans and collectors. The second disc is a Bob Dylan Theme Time Radio Hour (a program that's really worth checking out for the great music and Dylan's entertaining commentary), and the third is an interview outtake from No Direction Home. Unless you're a really big fan, you're probably ok with the standard version, although the deluxe one isn't much more expensive. As far as I'm concerned, Dylan has produced so much great material in his career that he really doesn't owe us anything new. But if he wants to keep putting out albums this great, who am I to say no? Here's hoping the next one is just as good.

35 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Strengthen the things that remain ..., April 28, 2009

By 

Preetam Datta (Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Together Through Life (Deluxe Edition) CD + DVD (Audio CD)

Everyone is commenting how the latest Bob Dylan album has a Mexican bar feel - I would not know as I have never been to a Mexican bar.

Together Through Life - Dylan's 4th masterpiece in a row is a less polished more immediate endeavor than its predecessors - especially Modern Times, which had struck a chord with critics & listeners alike (and Alicia Keys I am sure) as an instant classic. This one is deliberately imperfect (made for an imperfect time in our history I guess), forcedly rushed & more Basement Tapes than any other Dylan record since or before. As if a citizen of a once powerful nation - who is saying he has had enough & just says what he wants to say. When I listened to Time Out of Mind, Love & Theft & Modern Times - they all had this aura of a classic - production compared to the best in the world - lyrics, music, craftsmanship, orchestration - all just came together. This one, on the first go, is more `live' - more in your face - as against studio. Lyrics are simpler (co-written with Hunter) - it is as if he is trying to reach the masses - devils & saints alike - and he is attempting to be more direct, both in delivery & use of words. It is like the old man of the family, at the head of the table, whispering words of wisdom to get better - and no one really cares about.

The singing, the uttering of words, the impeccable timing of the verses and the click-clack of the rhymes is all God's work - Dylan grabs you at the first go. It appears he has been thinking more about singing than ever before and the result is obvious - this is one of the best sung Dylan albums. For the sixties, everything Blonde & Blonde & before - that was sheer talent - the words, the voice, the feel, the urgency & the absolute & utter sense of timing .., this one the other hand is created carefully even with a feel of being urgent & immediate, a maestro in his golden years preserving his glory. I have not heard Dylan `sing' any better in a long time - this is as good as it gets.

Compact discs usually don't pronounce the same warmth as wax of the olden times for the most part & one thing that has really fascinated me is how much Jack Fate has converged the sounds of CD & Wax over the past three records - this one is perhaps the best - perhaps even better than Modern Times - this one sounds as warm as any Vinyl would do. This is just my first take - I will let my listener friends decide for themselves.

Thirty years after the year of the Slow Train, the man still stands alone in some deserted rail station, somewhere in Southern Texas, and murmurs, with more conviction & urge than ever before; listen to him sing again, `when you gonna wake up, & strengthen the things that remain,' albeit in different words.

Would there be another one? I do not know, & neither do you - one can only hope -

And if this is the last one, once again, from the bottom of my heart, Thanks Mr. Dylan - just for being there ..

Oakville: Toronto: April 28, 2009

27 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Do You Really Need a Together Through Life Sticker???, April 28, 2009

By 

Lightman (New York) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Together Through Life (Deluxe Edition) CD + DVD (Audio CD)

This is one of the items in the goody bag that comprises the "Deluxe Edition".

I got it, but I don't need it. Nor do I need the poster and the forgettable DVD extras.

But the album itself - that's another story.

Dylan continues to reinvent himself. This time the cagey old trickster has morphed into an amalgam of equal parts Howlin Wolf and Leon Redbone.

Yikes!!

The lyrics on Together Through Life are the result of a collaboration between Dylan and Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter.

Long ago Dylan wrote, "Louise holds a handful of rain tempting you to defy it".

Not quite as long ago but almost, Hunter wrote, "It's just a box of rain, I don't know who put it there. Believe it if you need it or leave it if you dare".

And today, here's what they come up with together:

Well I didn't come here dear with a doggone thing
I just came to hear the drummer's cymbal ring
There ain't no way you can put me down
I just want to say that hell's my wife's home town

How come?

Our song writing duo is quick to provide an answer:

Well there's reasons for that and there's reasons for this
I can't think of any now but I know they exist
I'm sittin in the sun till my skin turns brown
I just want to say that hell's my wife's home town

You know what? This ain't half bad...

Here's some examples of yet other memorable lyrics -

Well, I'm movin' after midnight
Down boulevards of broken cars
Don't know what I'd do without it
Without this love that we call ours
Beyond here lies nothin'
Nothin' but the moon and stars

If you see her sister Lucy
Say I'm sorry I'm not there
Tell her other sister Betsy
To pray the sinner's prayer

I must be losing my mind, you're the object of my desire

Brick by brick they tear you down
A teacup of water is enough to drown

And these are from the song I like best - Forgetful Heart.

Forgetful heart like a walking shadow in my brain
All night long I lay awake and listened to the sound of pain
The door has closed forevermore if indeed there ever was a door

You know, as I listen to this CD, I get the feeling that Dylan's really having fun. In a couple of places you even hear him chuckling in the background. These songs are some kind of easy going, post modern, existential Americana.

Yup, for sure - that's it...

And the sound is absolutely amazing. Producer Jack Frost is some kind of a genius. Wait, does this guy really exist? Who is he anyhow? Anyway, the music is tight, together, all at once happy and haunting. Especially David Hildago's accordion.

What you see is what you get - as announced by the last number, "It's All Good".

No, really it's great.

Five stars.