Stick a fork in Dylan, he's done.

UTRS is as different to Oh Mercy as it can be Csontos.....honestly totally different.

With OM Dylan went with Lanois created an atmosphere, had a great bunch of songs that were reflective and intriguing.

He chose not to repeat that with UTRS he went with Don Was on production and had a series of guest stars to play on the tracks-most of the songs (Born In Time and possibly another I can't recall date back to OM) were written from a different perspective indeed it has been note how much Dylan referenced nursery rhythms especially old English ones-what wasn't known at the time was that he had just had another child.
To suggest they sound like a double album on any level be it production , theme or in terms of musical approach frankly beggars belief.....

Indeed Don Was himself has reflected very recently how much he botched the production job and the subsequent album that came out of it...

The new album is a good album imho-better than the last couple better than UTRS :-) and better than the weaker output earlier in his career...I would say it's a middling/average record in his total output.

But at this stage in the game imho that is quite an achievement....personally on the live front...Dylan's last visit to Scotland was ignored by me, my first pass in nearly 25 years...I think the quality of his shows are in decline.

ben-where in Scotland? Near Rutherglen?

Have seen Dylan at his worst which can be just awful. Trust me-do not miss this tour with Knopfler. Dylan croaks thru the songs, but the band is so good that it all works beautifully.

You are absolutely right, Ben. It's my familiarity with those two that caused me to make that statement. I listened to them quite a lot in the 90's.