Bob Dylan is one of those beloved American treasures that you know you're supposed to love. This in spite of his nerve-agent voice, and his sometimes maddening excursions into musical areas that have a tendency to rub you the wrong way. I have a vast appreciation for his immutable place in the landscape of modern music, and a true respect for his body of work. And Speaking of lyricists--you could make a strong case for his position at the very top. This said, I really like Love and Theft--much more so than his critically lauded previous effort Time Out Of Mind. Mainly a collection of bright, blues-boppers Love and Theft is another one of those sweeping curveballs that Dylan likes to serve up, thankfully this one catches enough of the plate for this ump to call it a strike.