Bob Dylan’s storied career has been full of surprises. There was, of course, his decision to “plug in” at Newport Folk Festival in 1965 and his ongoing refusal to play the showbiz game.
Dylan’s list of curious moments is an impressive one, from his amusing brush-off when Michael Parkinson inquired if he’d sit for an interview, to keeping his marriage a secret for six years, the launch of a whiskey brand and the surprising commercial success that was his album of Frank Sinatra covers.
There’s one more surprise for the list. A new album, Rough and Rowdy Ways, in which he explores life, death and the many detours in between. It’s his first LP of original works in eight years.
The 79-year-old Hall of Famer’s latest effort spans 10 tracks and includes the previously-released works “Murder Most Foul,” “I Contain Multitudes” and “False Prophet.”
Dylan’s most recent album was the 2017 triple set Triplicate, a 30-song compilation of “classic American tunes” which followed up 2016’s Fallen Angels and 2015’s Shadows in the Night.
For his most recent LP of original works, you’d need to go back to 2012’s Tempest.
The legendary artist recently gave a rare interview with the New York Times in which he discussed mortality and drawing inspiration from the past for his new record.
Stream Rough and Rowdy Ways below.
