Performer Notes

Personnel: Jakob Dylan (vocals, guitar).
Audio Mixer: Jason Lader.
Recording information: Akademie Mathematique of Philosophical Sound Research,; Studio 1 East, New York, NY.
Photographer: James Minchin.
Although the Wallflowers are only on hiatus and not officially broken up, the first solo album by singer and songwriter Jakob Dylan is a near total change from the folk-tinged adult alternative pop-rock of his band. SEEING THINGS was produced by Rick Rubin (Johnny Cash, Neil Diamond, etc.) in his home studio in what has become Rubin's characteristic manner: as close to live as possible and stripped down to the most elemental aspects of the song and its performance; these 10 songs are the most emotionally and lyrically direct tracks Dylan has so far recorded. Comparisons to his father's BLOOD ON THE TRACKS (the 1975 album produced in response to Jakob's parents' divorce) are not unreasonable. Highlights include the centerpiece track, "Will It Grow," and the album's tender closer, "This End of the Telescope." SEEING THINGS was released as both a Digipak CD and a vinyl LP.

Professional Reviews

Spin (p.108) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "Jakob Dylan goes totally Bob on his Rick Rubin-produced solo debut, which finds the 38-year-old holding forth on love and war and evil's rude health in stripped-down acoustic ditties..."

Entertainment Weekly (p.71) - "The unplugged treatment brings Dylan's strengths as a lyricist into sharp relief on his solo debut..."

Uncut (p.87) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "[A]n austere acoustic album that could've been titled AMERICAN RECORDINGS....The tone turns revealingly personal on the closing 'Other End Of The Telescope'..."

(p.135) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "SEEING THINGS is as simple and spare as the albums Rubin has made with Johnny Cash and Neil Diamond....His best songs, such as 'Will It Grow,' have an easy, downbeat charm."

Blender (Magazine) (p.72) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "The gentle detachment that defines Jakob's worldview is his won. Treading his father's path, he's never sounded so comfortably himself."