Xmas album: not pushing the boundaries

Thanks to Andrew Robertson in Adelaide:

“Further to Brandon Young’s comments about Christmas in the Heart, I do not think you can compare that album with any of Dylan’s albums of original music.

“Dylan’s reputation – but more importantly, his art – is based on his writing, his original music.

“Other greats in music – perhaps most notably Frank Sinatra and Ella Sinatra – were great arrangers and/or interpreters of music written by others, but that is not Dylan’s claim to fame, nor his consummate skill.

“Is Christmas in the Heart a great CD?

“I am prepared to accept that different people will have different opinions, based on personal taste – but that’s the subjective judgment.

“However I think there is also an objective judgment: no, it isn’t, it’s a Christmas album, it might be the greatest ever Christmas album, but it is not pushing the boundaries of art, as Dylan’s original music does.

“Best wishes for 2010 to all… “




xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Thanks to Brandon Young:

“Hi! I'm a huge Dylan fan. Any album any show, any period. Period.

“People who don't like Dylan's new stuff can just watch "Don't Look
Back" and count themselves with the "Judas!" sayers. History will not absolve them.

“These people have no idea what Dylan is, what his influences are and
therefore why "Christmas in the Heart" is so important.

“I'm 27 and friends who only listen to rap dig the album. Of course these people aren't indoctrinated enough to be critics, who, in our age are in every category (art, literature, morality) out if step with the vast majority of people. There are exceptions.

“I am convinced that history will look back at this album and put on
par with Nashville Skyline, Desire, Time Out of Mind and Love and Theft.

“To the nay-sayers: look into the meaning of these songs; these old
traditional songs. They are mediaeval and identify with an
older, lost secret tradition.

“Rome falls nine times a day. Your job is to notice.”