Bob Dylan

In a world of Brittany Spears, belly buttons and boy bands, it’s gratifying to hear the sound of a 60-year-old legend’s heart beating, strongly and forcefully.

Following the critical acclaim of both the now four year old “Time Out of Mind,” and the single release “Things Have Changed” from the “Wonder Boys” soundtrack, Bob Dylan has followed up with “Love & Theft,” a collection that sounds, well, to paraphrase a famous Elvis Presley line, like nobody.

And, that’s about the finest observation that can be made about this incredible set.

“Love & Theft,” the 43rd album of Dylan’s almost 40-year recording career, is an amalgamation of styles, ranging from the folkish blues of “Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum,” which leads off the record, to the Fifties rockabilly of “Summer Days,” through the Leon Redbone-ish, Thirties sound of “Floater,” to the country blues tinged “High Water (For Charley Patton.”

For “Love & Theft,” Dylan finally eschews the usual stellar lineup of guest and studio musicians for his longtime, tight road band, consisting of multi-instrumentalist Larry Campbell, guitarist Charlie Sexton, bassist Tony Garnier and drummer David Kemper. Accordionist Augie Meyer adds the additional flourishes. On his vocals, Dylan alternates between his croaky growl that he pushes to a cracking point at times, but frequently, and thankfully, slows it down in places to the almost sweetness of his “Nashville Skyline” voice to further flush out the, as always, amazing lyrics.

At a time when most musicians in their 50s and 60s are a mere shadow of their former selves, Dylan continues to reinvent, push and expand the envelope. “Love & Theft” is another revelation in a career full of them.