So is this album (or any of the tracks) available to listen to in full yet? I wanna hear it….

I just heard a radio review with clips, the host referred to it as “cows screaming in a slaughterhouse.”

boy is this going to flop

So Dylan’s actually serious on this record? Damn, I thought this was going to be a subversive, tongue in cheek take on holiday classics. What a disappointment. And, for the love of god RS, if you want to maintain whatever shred of credibility you have left, please do not give this 5 stars.

ten bucks RS gives this at least four and a half. what a joke of a music publication.

miggidy, where’s your superior music publication?

Oh, that’s right. You don’t have one.

leave it to Fricke to over-analyze a lark of an album…Dylan is the Jokerman, he is a chameleon and this is his latest ruse…he also has a great sense of humor, as always….uh, Dylan, certainly not Fricke…one thing though, the music is excellent on this CD…

I’m sorry, are you not allowed to have an opinion about a music publication if you don’t own one?

That is correct, Brett.

did none of you even finish reading the article? All the proceeds go to feeding the hungry!

dylan is just great. come on . a christmas album in october .allways a twist with bobby even after 40 years. just the best ..

How was Fricke over-analyzing the album?? He was merely describing what it sounded like.

if you do not want to hear it , do not buy it and take your cynicism and go play in the traffic, i am going to buy it and regardless of any one else enjoy it,…

It’s so funny to see that after all these years people still discuss Dylan’s way of singing so heatedly. Shot as his vocal chords may be these days, he still touches me more than any “perfect” voice.

Then you’re an idiot. And why don’t you actually reveal your name and stop hiding behind “anonymous.”

the snippets ive heard on amazon were amazing. dylan sang on his last record that he has “the blood of the lamb” in his voice. when he fuses his sound with these melodies it is magical. im planning on purchasing a copy for every member of my immediate family as a stocking stuffer this christmas. ps- fricke is the man.

its dylan baby he is a genius

You people are taking this too seriously, IT’s a Christmas Record.
Something you put in once a year while you put up your tree. I don’t think anyone is trying to compare this to BLONDE ON BLONDE.
It’s a record just for the fun of it,for charity….
I’m also sick of people dwelling on Dylan’s voice. His voice isn’t the point…if you want A VOICE and nothing but a voice watch American Idol.

RS, don’t mind the Scrooge-sters:
CHRISTmas AND Bob Dylan?
FIVE stars.

hey listen its dylan its great

santa loves this album

people just don’t want to accept dylan could release a sincere christmas album, it has to be a joke or “subversive” in order to fit your narrow perceptions of dylan…dylan in 09 is much more about paying tributes to his roots than any kind of subversive “anarchy” which he never aimed for anyway, despite your faulty perceptions Brett

Yes, I think the “proceeds go to feeding the hungry” may stop this being a complete flop. The Bobcats will buy it. Everyone else will stick to the rat pack christmas. I will stick to my sufjan stevens christmas cd thank you!

I pre ordered 2 cds and I heard it online and Just the fact that Bob Dylan recorded it was enough for me. I really like the reason behind his recording it and I could have done without the back up singers but I will enjoy listening to him during these holidays. He is a grandfather after all and I think he is magical just like Christmas

I think that anyone who trots out Sufjan to show what a connoisseur of alt-rock he is needs to get a ticket out of 2004.

it’s amazing that some people who have lived timid little lives and sold theirs souls to company jobs give little or nothing to charity get so worked up when their hero behaves like an independent thinker. Live your own lives little people stop trying to live yours thru dylan.

Dylan has been exploring the canon of American music for almost 50 years. This is another–and quite interesting–area of exploration. If you don’t like Dylan’s voice, throw on your Britney or John Mayer…no one’s stopping you. But I, for one, am thrilled to hear an artist as unique and iconiclastic as Dylan doing a sincere Christmas album. That he’s donating his cut for charity just makes me that more comfortable buying several copies for friends and family members. Keep on truckin’, Bob!

dylan hasn’t put out a good record since oh, um, the 1960s. Just because the geezer wrote Blonde on Blonde doesnt mean everything he does is genius. He can’t sing and his last few albums have been incoherent messes. But these knee-jerk fans have no objectivity, so they’re not even worth listening to.

Sincerity? What a joke. This individual has no intention of being sincere. Case in point – the cover has nothing to do with the album title. Completely disingenuous – just like the “artist”.

Wow I could make a better christmas record than this (with my dad on drums, my mom on rythm guitar, and my sister on fucking bass) 5 seconds was more than enough for me, Bob Dylan can’t sing for sh#t anymore, should hang it up

If there’s anything those christmas songs could use it’s Dylan’s unvarnished voice and down-home band. Also I think he’s got a really good sense of when to do what–this is a good time in his career for this.

Big time Bob Dylan fan here. Looking forward to the album and the next tour!!!

I have changed my mind, I love it..Good job Bob-o!!!

I’m gonna wait to hear it before I call it “a joke of music publication”.

Looking forward to hearing it!

great, now i’ll have to spend the next year or so hunting down the outtake of good king wenceslas.

“ye who now will bless the poor, shall yourselves find blessing”

seems to fit the theme of this enterprise. cough it up bobby.

Bob Dylan makes a Christmas album and all of the proceeds go to feed those who cant feed themselves. What a stab to Dylans credibility and for shame that Rolling Stone would even get behind it……..
Come on people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I find it depressingly hilarious how so many counter culture heroes of the past are now snuggling up to convention by doing Xmas albums. Is it old-age sentimentalism or fear of their own mortality. Whichever the case, it’s pathetic and I, for one, feel cheated I ever believed in them.

blessing to Santa Dylan.

from your brother

blessing to Santa Dylan.

from your brother

Santa Claus.

Contrary to popular belief, Dylan never relinquished his belief in Christ after the four definitive Jesus albums in the early 80’s. Subsequent material alludes to it; it is just very subtle. Listen closely to the lyrics of “Time Out of Mind” (and others). Jesus helped him to reconnect with his Jewishness. It’s clear to me that he still maintains a close relationship with his Messiah. Thus, this new work is not at all surprising.

Come children and parents were ever you live. And admit that the snow around you is growing. And except it that soon youll be playing in the snow. If your against christmas. Then you better leave now cause your killing our fun. For The seasons they are a changin.

You people are fucking stupid. Bob is doing a good thing here and you tear the idea to pieces? You fucking selfish, self centered, self absorbed cocksuckers. How can you call yourselves music fans? You have no fucking intelligence.

I agree with Jay and I’m an atheist.
Miserable cocksuckers with nothing better to do from their high (rocking) horses

miggidy needs to get a life. no great albums since the 60’s? what marijuana cloud are you living under? or are you one of the people who believe Springsteen is “the future of rock and roll”? people should be grateful Dylan is still producing great work, because tell me who else is?

Jay…I’m sorry to say but your ‘vocabulary’ indicates (as you were saying)…no intelligence’

1) Bob Dylan hasn’t made a good album since 2001, amiright?
2) Mission of Burma still making great music. Grab that new album for proof, ya jerks.

All I can say is…a Christmas miracle on Positively THIRTYfourth Street!

I love how all these grizzled hard core self-described “counter” culture warriors are reading about Dylan’s new record on the online version of a corporate rock magazine, typing in pithy comments on their Apple computers and sending them out over the “internets.” Yeah – stick it to The Man!

Too bad you’re dissatisfied with your position and your place; don’t you understand, it’s not his/our problem?

I wish for just one time, you could stand in his/our shoes – you’d know what a drag it is to see you!

I can’t wait to add this to my Christmas music collection.

All you tie-dyed underwear wearing desperadoes, have fun in Berkeley and SoHo listening to the MC5 or Jerry Garcia solo albums on Xmas Eve or whatever miserable tunes you listen to that time of year.

Oh, and the fact that it’s coming out in October isn’t “subversive” – almost all Xmas records come out in the fall. What, are they supposed to wait until Xmas Eve?

Maybe for “Xmas in the Heart II” he’ll release it in February – that’ll show the “suits” a thing or two!

Get real! People are going to buy this lame assed album for sentimental reasons. There’s so much depressing Christmas music crap out there already. Now Dylan wants in on this? Dylan was a pretty good artist back in his day, but not good enough to pull this one off. Sorry man (Dylan), but this is a fact.

It’s for charity. Everyone take it easy.

Don’t criticize what you can’t understand, for the times they are a changin’

well done Bobby. It’s all good!

its for charity, and im sure it wont be that bad. His last great album was in the 90’s, not the 60’s!

Can’t wait to get this album. This and Sufjan’s Christmas box set will help my family get in the spirit of Christmas every year.

I can’t believe how seriously many of the responses take themselves. After all, you are on a Rolling Stone site, how serious can you be about music?

Anyone who has the nerve to come in and criticize Bob Dylan on a personal level must be desparate for some kind of validation. Did you write “Like A Rolling Stone”? then you should shut your mouth. He is an American icon, and should be spoken about with the utmost respect.

I want!

zimmy,

yup. none since the 60s. the geezer should have stopped his garbling back then. his voice is a wreck and so is his songwriting. it’s funny you mention springsteen, because like dylan, RS seems to knee-jerk 5 star reviews whenever they release another lazy effort (working on a dream was a joke). and yes, that applies to Christmas albums. The only reasonable reaction to Dylan putting out a Christmas album is sheer laughter.

Bob Dylan is the greatest musician/poet of the 20th century. If he was alive during the Renaissance, people were calling him (similar to what they called Michelangelo) Creature of God’s hands.

Talk about a throwaway effort. These are the equivalent of backing tracks off some cheesy karaoke Christmas disc with Dylan gurgling through the melody. If it was anyone else it would be trashed, but people would buy a collection of Zimmerman farts if they could. At very least he could have retooled the arrangements, maybe acoustic guitar and vocal. This should be reviewed for what it is – an embarrassment.

Stephen,
If you love Sufjan (Whom I saw in Maine this week…fantastic by the way!!!)…how could you not appreciate Dylan. Is it so far out of reach for some to think that a man who spent practically an entire decade singing to the Lord would release a true-to-heart Christmas CD? Gimme a break…this is what it is…it seems a genuine attempt to help a good cause with a “throw-a-way” holiday CD that will only hurt those cynical enough not to believe in God in the first place. Dylan is all about how he interprets a song anyway. He records five versions of the same song and most of the time they are all equally as good as the others…how can he mess up here? I know this CD will be a part of my collection…enjoy and chill out!

To Miggidy,
You don’t have a clue…Dylan’s voice and super-slick band is what makes him these days. He’s not young anymore…he’s an old man on a never-ending tour of the world, singing HIS songs the way HE wants to…when HE wants to…HOW he wants to. I just drove 2300 miles from Michigan to Maine to NYC and listened to Dylan most of the way…top to bottom…he has more balls now than he ever did. He has grown past that old Dylan and he’s his own man now, doing his own thing the way he sets it up to do and God how we would all love to be able to do that. The man is a genius and I can’t wait to see him in Detroit in November…My bro is seeing him three times in Chicago. The man is going to pass away on tour and I just hope I have tickets!

Merry Christmas, one and all!

How can people use their time to write hateful comments about bob dylan, talking about an album they haven’t heard? You jerkoffs speak about his music in general but do you own all of his albums? He did this cd for charity, what do YOU do for people in need? If you don’t like it don’t buy and shut the fuck up! Keep your lack of knowledge for your friends at work…

I hope each Scrooge gets his personal Tiny Tim this season and grows a heart. I appreciate Dylan’s spirit, voice, and band.

Interesting how when any musician steps outside of the original genre of some people’s first experiences with them, those same people automatically discount any further artistic expression as lame or unworthy. Artists are by nature CREATIVE. Let Dylan (or any other musician) do what Dylan does…express himself through music as he feels it should be done. You don’t have to listen more than once…

dylan: the most overrated artist in the rock n roll era. his songs all sound the same, and his lyrics are nonsense, not poetry. i’m sure many of his lines he simply stole from rearranging those refrigerator magnets.

he’s probably laughing to himself thinking, “i can’t believe people are buying this crap.”

for some reason, these baby boomer hippies (and the 20 somethings who wish they lived in the 60s because they could have an easier time smoking up) simply cling to his music for the sake of nostalgia. it’s a sad sad sad state of affairs.

Dylan at christmas couldn’t be better! The guy continually evolves…so happy to see this album coming out. I can’t say that enough.

Dylan at christmas couldn’t be better! The guy continually evolves…so happy to see this album coming out. I can’t say that enough.

Bob Dylan is Bob Dylan. He’s allowed to be as creative as he wants. It’s his job to make music. He’s done an excellent job of it so far–why would he fail now? We’re lucky to be alive at the same time. Anybody who’s silly enough to think this music won’t matter hundreds of years from now to real human beings is the one stuck in the past. We should honor this man not discuss whether or not his new record is a sell-out. He’s been braver than all of you put together but he’s still just a guy trying to live the best he can. I celebrate the fact.I’d rather have Bob Dylan here in the world with us on any given day than not.

Dylan can do whatever he wants…period. He has nothing to prove. I heard him do “This Old Man” for a kids record for Disney. It was great…check it out if you can find it.

I love Dylan and am so happy he’s doing a Christmas Album. I agree, Dylan can do whatever he wants. I just finsihed reading a riveting book where the 4 parts start with a few lines of older Dylan lyrics. He fits everywhere and anywhere! The book, “Goodby Natalie Goodbye Splendour” ironically is about the mysterious death of Natalie Wood and DYlan lyrics fit so eerily with the death scene information, it is uncanny. Example: “While the make-up man’s hands shut the eyes of the dead not to embarrass anyone.” I hope Dylan reads this book. It will blow his mind and it’s all backed by a certified polygraph test by the eyewitness. Natalie Wood, apparently loved Dylan, and I hope he would be proud to “assist” Natalie’s true “voice” that comes through loud and clear. She would’ve loved Dylan’s first Christmas album, as I will, too! Go Dylan!

Forget these Scrooges, Dylan’s Christmas album makes me think of hot buttered rum, snowball fights and moldy fruitcakes. And that’s a damn good thing. Looking forward to hearing this playing at this year’s holiday parties and at parties in many years to come.

This is a Christmas Cd with all proceeds going to feed the poor. What is not to like about that?

Besides being just an all-around fun record, it’s nice to see The Ditty Bops (on background vocals) getting some MSM attention.

This is a joke, right?

If you’re taking it too seriously, you’re missing the point. This fits like an old pair of your favorite slippers. This is Dylan being Dylan, having fun. He’s earned the right, right next to Frank and Dino. The production is fabulous and shows (as if anyone didn’t know) that “Jack” understands American music better than almost anyone, even Zappa. The little lyric twists are worth the trip by themselves.

I’m a Dylan fan. I like his voice. But this album is a joke. I just hope Dylan is in on it. Fricke’s review is even funnier.

This album is a joke, I just hope Dylan is in on it. I’m a Dylan fan, not a worshipper. I’m buying it for members of my family for Xmas as a joke gift so they can laugh too, which is what most people who don’t worship the icon of Bob Dylan would do when listening to it.