Were you among those waiting with baited breath for Jakob Dylan's next musical move? No? Well, you probably weren't alone. After busting on to the scene in 1996 with his band, The Wallflowers, Jakob had quite a good bit of success, particularly with the single “One Headlight.” The band's first album, Bringing Down the Horse did quite well, with later material having mixed success. This is not to sell short the man's full band or limited solo material since then, but, let's face it: commercial renown has eluded him since that first glorious LP.

Fast forward twelve years, and Jakob is releasing his first solo full length. The album is, unlike The Wallflowers, fairly minimalist. In fact, most of the songs are centered around a single acoustic guitar and some electric bass (both played by Dylan), with a dash of brush-beaten drums here and a pinch of piano there. Like The Wallflowers, the album owes a debt to both Bruce Springsteen and Dylan's father – you know, Bob, the sleeping giant whining and composing in the hillside. What's fortunate for Jakob Dylan and his listeners is that there's some real stuff to enjoy here.

Wallflowers fans might scratch their heads at first listen to Seeing Things, but fans of 70's folk could very well go bananas. Jim Croce, John Denver, and Harry Chapin are apparent influences, with Neil Young and The Boss sounding out just a bit more in the record's ten tracks. Lyrically, it's just as strong as The Wallflowers' best, sounding every bit as scrappy and earnest. “War is Kind” and “Valley of the Low Sun” are the anti-war songs you'd wish Jakob's dad would've written 40 years ago, when he was trying to expunge the politics from his music.

“Evil Is Alive and Well” is absolutely haunting, and a better song couldn't have opened the album. Sure, it's more than a bit Brucey, but the New Jersey native has a debt to repay to Jakob's family, as is. Verbally speaking, it's heavy on refrains and motifs, in lieu of a proper chorus, and it plays and reads like it's fresh out of Greenwich Village, circa 1968. The song is so good that it probably isn't touched by any other track on the album.

And, for certain, this is an album that starts stronger than it finishes. The single, “Something Good This Way Comes,” while very uplifting at times, is a poor representation of this overall provocative album. If you are a fan of the single, though, you'll be sure to love “Up On the Mountain.” You can hear pieces of “Country Roads,” “Peaceful Easy Feeling,” and good, old fashioned country gospel in both its lyrics and vibe. If Dylan wants to take his music in a more upbeat direction, this might well be the way for him to go.

Will this be a breakout hit? Probably not. But who cares? This is really a fine album, but long term fans should be prepared for something very different than The Wallflowers. Good work, Jakob.

3 cheap shots out of 5 for Jakob's debut LP.
Stand Out Tracks:
"Evil Is Alive and Well"
"Valley of the Low Sun"
"Up on the Mountain"

Head on over to http://www.myspace.com/jakobdylan.