While Bob Dylan’s latest effort is indeed titled “Modern Times,” very little of the album can be considered “modern.”

In fact, it does an incredible job recalling Dylan’s fantastic late-60s/early-70s work. Rather than attempt a take on the current scene, Dylan wisely recreated the music he is most known for: warm, plain and smart twang rock.

Opening with the churning boogie of “Thunder on the Mountain” (a tune that would not be out of place on a Fats Domino record), Dylan leads a whirlwind narration amidst a rollicking shuffle that manages to name-drop Alicia Keyes before segueing into the lower-key lounge workout of “Spirit on the Water.”

This is easily the best Dylan’s voice has sounded in over 30 years, and the quality songwriting gives him the opportunity to really portray his psychic wounds. The production on “Modern Times” is also superb, and the vintage sound Dylan achieves is astounding,

Dylan returns to his country-rock phase on the yearning “Rollin’ and Tumblin'” and “When the Deal Goes Down,” providing the perfect foil for the weeping pedal steel and gentle acoustic guitars he helped bring to the mainstream more than 40 years ago.

While the entire album consists of quality songwriting ,”Rollin’ and Tumblin’,” along with “Someday Baby,” are the real standouts and make “Modern Times” a worthy recording based on the strength of those tracks alone.

The songs on “Modern Times” are some of the best Dylan has recorded in over three decades. The only thing missing from the nostalgic aspect is the hiss of vinyl.

Keith Beebe is a music critic for the Northern Star