This summer, the Voice’s “Critical Voices” feature makes it’s way to the internet in a bold new way. We’ll be doing weekly album reviews and, thanks to the glory of the internet, you now have the immediate ability to listen to the music we’re promoting (or panning).

What better way to begin a discussion on a hip musical culture than to talk about a man completely in tune with the Voice’s basic ideologies of rebellion and drug usage: Bob Dylan. His newest venture into the world of sly rock’n’roll, Together Through Life, was released this past Tuesday on Columbia Records to favorable reviews, which doesn’t really mean anything credible in the world of Bob, as reviewers like to pat this man on the back for his dying efforts as he manages to somehow continue to put out music over 40 years after the quintessential Highway 61 Revisited.

Personally, I found pleasure in the fact that hype-machine Pitchfork made the effort to avoid acclaiming his newest release, as they ultimately came to the conclusion that “This guy’s pretty OK”. That means that thousands of 18-21 year olds will simple write this off in favor of the newest obscure, lo-fi hit recommended to them by a tight-pantsed individual that smokes a few too many Camel Lights.

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