Jakob Dylan, Bob’s son, is making his solo debut at 38 with ‘Seeing Things’. Previously frontman of jingly-jangly guitar combo The Wallflowers, Jakob’s found a new, grittier voice with age.
Jakob solo is darker, moodier and altogether more interesting than in his Wallflowers days. Yet his voice lacks the grand scale of emotions, the mocking undertones, the venom and the sheer disdain that can make Dylan senior so entertaining. Instead you get a workmanlike approach, more Springsteen than bohemian bard, if you like.
I’m sure Dylan junior hates being compared to his iconic dad all the time. But that’s the lot he chose when he embarked on a career as a singer playing acoustic guitar.
Incidentally, Jakob plays the guitar like he sings - Accomplished and somewhat sober. Producer Rick Rubin distills a scratchy earthiness out of Jakob’s guitar that adds an edge to his fairly dry style of playing.
Only twice does ‘Seeing Things’ come to a point where emotions run free - In the ecstatic guitar picking on ‘All Day And All Night’ and the barely under control vocals on ‘I Told You I Couldn’t Stop’. If this is Jakob letting go, the album could have used more of the same.
When Rubin adds a backing band doing a Country shuffle on ‘Will It Grow’, ‘Something Good This Way Comes’ and ‘Costa Rica’, the album takes on a hint of a party lilt which contrasts nicely with Jakob’s quieter solo material.
‘Seeing Things’ is a confident album and Jakob never whinges or drones on morosely. But Dylan jnr stays within his comfort zone and as a result the album ultimately lacks bite.
Listen Here to ‘Seeing Things’ and download the album from iTunes. You just pay the regular iTunes price - We don’t charge you anything extra.
We say: 
Hey, vinyl collectors! You can now add ‘Seeing Things’ to Dylan senior’s albums in your collection:
