Anyone who thinks Jakob received this critical acclaim merely because he is the heir apparent to his father's talent, need think again. The younger Dylan and friends were able to turn out a masterful piece of work despite constant scrutiny and incredibly high expectations. Sure, his voice, especially on songs such as "Invisible City," sounds eerily like Bob's, but so what? Springsteen, Petty, and about a thousand other people have imitated the elder Dylan over the years. In Jakob's case, it's not imitation so much as heredity.

This album spawned a number of hits, including "The Difference", "6th Avenue Heartache", "Three Marlenas," and "One Headlight." Unlike many "hit" songs, these four tracks hold their respective edge, and lose none of their power even after being played to death. (For the record, "Headlight" was recently included on a list of the top 100 pop songs of the past 35 or so years, as compiled by Rolling Stone magazine and MTV, placing the Wallflowers in the company of the Beatles, the Stones, Petty, Springsteen, and Old Man Dylan. Take this with a grain of salt, though - there are also a lot of duds on that list.) No matter - "One Headlight" is musically tight and lyrically flawless, obviously deserving of mention on any list of great Rock songs.

Three Marlenas" is a wonderful ballad. "Heartache" is about as good a Rock and Roll song as has been released in the past decade, and "The Difference", with its big sound, strong backbeat, and the great line "Sometimes old men die with little boys' faces," is superb.

But wait - that's only the beginning. There are seven other tracks on this album, and all are excellent. It's a safe bet that you'll not once skip a song while listening to this disc. You're more likely to repeat one three or four times before moving on. "Josephine", "Laughing Out Loud", "God Don't Make Lonely Girls" and, my personal favorite, "Invisible City", all rival the four songs mentioned above.

Dylan's vocals are solid on the upbeat numbers, and especially moving on ballads ("Marlenas" and "City" are good examples). The backing band is strong, the production superior.

This is not a one - shot deal by the genetically gifted son of a Rock legend. It is a mature, elaborately crafted recording by a band that has been out there, paid its dues and is reaping its well - deserved praise.

For anyone who has lived in a vacuum for the past four years and hasn't heard this recording, go ahead and take advantage of the wonders of modern technology. Click on any song and listen to a 30 - second sample. That will be enough to hook you. I guarantee it.