

By 1997, fans were wondering whether Bob Dylan had anything left in his artistic tank, but a near-fatal illness had clearly inspired him, resulting in a dark, moody album filled with resignation and visions of mortality. The spare and loose “Trying to Get to Heaven” and the mysteriously beautiful “Not Dark Yet” are album centerpieces, while “Til I Fell in Love You,” with its droning organ, tells us that new love isn’t without deep tensions and anxiety. The haunting Daniel Lanois production captures Dylan’s mood, and his croaking vocals, perfectly.