Bob Dylan knows how to curate a compilation of rock history, and THEME TIME RADIO HOUR is an admirable attempt to consolidate his feverish ear for bluesy new torch carriers like the White Stripes and oft-forgotten reggae gems like Alton Ellis & the Flames. Disc Two, in particular, surprises by beginning with Aretha Franklin's iconic "Chain Of Fools" and leading a dizzying tour through a half-century of black American (and, in the Clash's case, black-inspired) music, leaning heavily on jazz and R&B. Its companion is a more raucous affair, thanks to the inclusion of Jack and Meg White, but also to seminal bluesmen like Otis Rush. Consider THEME TIME an expert-level Cliff's Notes for those without satellite radio.|
Rovi