I'm currently listening to "Oh Mercy", which I suppose is the first volume of Dylan's latter-day renaissance. I particularly enjoy Lanois' injection of a dreamy atmosphere in "Most of the Time". I like "Modern Times" even better. This is indeed the house band in the "Bar at the End of the Universe".

Sure, Dylan is analyzed ad nauseaum, but I simply enjoy listening to these records. I will also add the Bootleg Series vol 8, which stands well on its own.

yeah, good Dylan is 62-67, 74 and 89-08 IMHO... great artist anyway. I'm reading his Chronicles right now.

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bassplayer617
I'm currently listening to "Oh Mercy", which I suppose is the first volume of Dylan's latter-day renaissance. I particularly enjoy Lanois' injection of a dreamy atmosphere in "Most of the Time". I like "Modern Times" even better. This is indeed the house band in the "Bar at the End of the Universe".

Sure, Dylan is analyzed ad nauseaum, but I simply enjoy listening to these records. I will also add the Bootleg Series vol 8, which stands well on its own.

what i like about #8 is that it can pretty much be enjoyed as an "album" rather than a patchwork of disparate songs. it was smart to include primarily songs from the three recording sessions - gives it a homogeneous feel.

i don't think there's another active artist out there who can produce a 3cd set of outtakes that would represent most artists' masterpiece....

The new Bootleg series volume is pretty enjoyable. The version of "Mississippi" that was recorded for Time out of mind is sublime, as is "Girl from the red river shore". I also loved the acoustic reading of "Most of the time" (which for some reason reminded me of "When the ship comes in"?). "Can't escape from you" is also beautiful. If I was to criticize I would say the second "Mississippi" doesnt add much. We probably didn't need two versions of "Dignity" either. Also, including a ropy live version of "Cocaine" seems a bit bizarre. And seeing as he saw fit to include some previously available soundtrack stuff (the gorgeous, thought provoking "'Cross the green mountain" ) the collection would probably have been enhanced by including "Red cadillac and a black moustache", "You belong to me" and even "Things have changed".
I also noted that, despite the extensive sleevenotes there appear to be no songwriting credits listed anywhere. I know he wrote the bulk of stuff here, but aren't "Miss the Mississippi" and a couple of others covers/traditional numbers.
I base my observations on the 2 CD set. I cant remember what is on the 3rd disc of the rip-off version - but thats another minor sore point.
Anyway...fantastic stuff, but possibly could have been better.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2008-11-15 22:11 by letitloose.

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T&A

i don't think there's another active artist out there who can produce a 3cd set of outtakes that would represent most artists' masterpiece....

Let alone TWO collections of them.....

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Gazza

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T&A

i don't think there's another active artist out there who can produce a 3cd set of outtakes that would represent most artists' masterpiece....

Let alone TWO collections of them.....

please. i'm just trying to deal with a little bit of "awe" at a time.....

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letitloose
The new Bootleg series volume is pretty enjoyable. The version of "Mississippi" that was recorded for Time out of mind is sublime, as is "Girl from the red river shore". I also loved the acoustic reading of "Most of the time" (which for some reason reminded me of "When the ship comes in"?). "Can't escape from you" is also beautiful. If I was to criticize I would say the second "Mississippi" doesnt add much. We probably didn't need two versions of "Dignity" either. Also, including a ropy live version of "Cocaine" seems a bit bizarre. And seeing as he saw fit to include some previously available soundtrack stuff (the gorgeous, thought provoking "'Cross the green mountain" ) the collection would probably have been enhanced by including "Red cadillac and a black moustache", "You belong to me" and even "Things have changed".
I also noted that, despite the extensive sleevenotes there appear to be no songwriting credits listed anywhere. I know he wrote the bulk of stuff here, but aren't "Miss the Mississippi" and a couple of others covers/traditional numbers.
I base my observations on the 2 CD set. I cant remember what is on the 3rd disc of the rip-off version - but thats another minor sore point.
Anyway...fantastic stuff, but possibly could have been better.

'Things Have Changed' has already been issued on a greatest hits compilation which came out a few months later. Taking a song from a big selling album and putting it on an album of 'rarities' - surely no self respecting artist would do something like that!

Agree with some of the others you mention, but I suppose considering the price of the package, the less 'released' songs the better from the point of view of the collector.

I'd have personally liked him to have included "Catskill Serenade" from those Bromberg sessions

and what about the "long" version of Highlands???

Long version? What happens in that one that doesnt take place in the 'short' 17 minute one?

Does he get off with the waitress? Does he get bitten by the mangey dog? Or is it the other way 'round?

we may never know! don't you remember the interview with bob at the time of toom's release talking about highlands? said something about lanois convincing him not to go with the long version of it....

Jim Dickinson (in the recent UNCUT special)

There is for sure something about the recording process that makes Dylan uncomfortable. I think it might have something to do with his own personal history. I think, maybe, some of his stuff he’s been dissatisfied with, and has felt manipulated. I mean, it’s curious to even say the words: that someone could manipulate Bob Dylan. But I saw them try during those sessions. I mean, management would talk to him about the radio. Can you imagine talking to Bob Dylan about *getting on the @#$%& radio*? And yet, they did. And they almost acted like they thought they were fooling him. But my humble opinion – when you’re on a Bob Dylan session, you should be on the page with Bob Dylan.

I remember, when we finished “Highlands” – there are two other versions of that, the one that made the record is the rundown, literally, you can hear the beat turn over, which I think Dylan liked. But, anyway, after we finished it, one of the managers came out, and he said, “Well, Bob, have you got a short version of that song?” And Dylan looked at him and said: “That *was* the short version.”

that's the one. so, again i ask....whither?

I got into Dylan through the Traveling Wilburys, so naturally, I prefer his newer stuff.

"Down in the Groove": let it stay there!
"Oh Mercy": we all want mercy in the end
"Under the Red Sky": we all want a piece of the pie
"Good As I Been To You": the emphasis is on been
"World Gone Wrong": record done right
"Best Of Vol. 3": it's worth it for the inclusion of an Oh Mercy outtake, the 1994 "original" of Dignity and for the pearls from the crappy mid-80s albums which this is able to replace
"Time Out Of Mind": drifting through the episodes
"Love And Theft": don't steal, buy this
"Masked And Anonymous": all the Dylan band performances in the movie should have been on the soundtrack album instead of what is there, but I like the Los Lobos song
"Modern Times": no need to confess again, he says

"Bootleg Series 8": a missed opportunity because it doesn't collect all of his movie songs from that era in one place, but only different versions of them - but probably not a missed opportunity for the label

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billwebster
"Bootleg Series 8": a missed opportunity because it doesn't collect all of his movie songs from that era in one place, but only different versions of them - but probably not a missed opportunity for the label

Surely the whole point of the Bootleg Series project is to release previously unreleased material (hence the title), not to compile official, but hard to find songs.

Given the choice of 40 unreleased and largely unbootlegged songs or 40 songs which can be found on i-tunes if you looked hard enough, its a no contest?

Apart from a Nashville Skyline fixation, my Dylan listening habits seem to be very much on a par with that of Bassplayer's.

As a consequence, the latest edition of the Bootleg Series is like manna from heaven; a testimony to the old adage that the true genius of any song can only really be discovered when it remains brilliant, irrespective of the style or manner in which it is performed.

I put Dylan's last 4 albums right up in the mix with anything he has done. Wish I could say the same for my other favorite artists.

Dylan's made all of one poor album in the last nineteen years - Under a Red Sky (and that isn't without its moments, but then even Knocked Out Loaded and Down In The Groove have their moments). The rest have ranged from masterpieces (Time Out Of Mind) to jaw-droppingly good (the remainder).

My secret wish is to have "Under the Red Sky" re-recorded with any of the bands that made or toured on the last two albums. It seems like "Red Sky", "Down in the Groove" and both the solo records "World Gone Wrong" and "Good as I Been to You" were steps towards what he finally accomplished on "Love and Theft" and "Modern Times." I love all stages of Bob, but, to me these last three and latest Bootleg are unbelievably great records.

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Barn Owl
the old adage that the true genius of any song can only really be discovered when it remains brilliant, irrespective of the style or manner in which it is performed.

rather turgid phrasing for an "adage," no?... I've certainly never heard the thought put that way!


on another note, I remember when there was a buzz around "Dignity" in the mid-90s. I didn't get the interest when I heard the song, and I still don't see why 2 versions needed to be included on the latest comp.

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cc

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Barn Owl
the old adage that the true genius of any song can only really be discovered when it remains brilliant, irrespective of the style or manner in which it is performed.

rather turgid phrasing for an "adage," no?... I've certainly never heard the thought put that way!


on another note, I remember when there was a buzz around "Dignity" in the mid-90s. I didn't get the interest when I heard the song, and I still don't see why 2 versions needed to be included on the latest comp.

Owls and alcohol don't mix too well!

Apologies if I didn't quite get my point across (adages or otherwise), but some of Dylan's songs are THAT good, that I am more than happy to listen to any justifiable number of re-arrangements without ever getting bored.

In this respect, Bootleg Series 8 strikes a nice enough balance for all listeners, casual and fanatical alike.

When I heard he was going to release some of the rarer "movie-songs" I wondered why he excluded "Waitin' for you". Is this available at all?

It is of course easily accessible as part of the famous 5 London concerts quite exactly three years ago. Only live performances of this song existing, I believe. It's a nice song, bit unusual because of the waltz-rhythm thing but as I imagine the studio version of the song it would have fitted the BS8.

>I wondered why he excluded "Waitin' for you". Is this available at all?

You mean aside from the soundtrack to DIVINE SECRETS OF THE YA-YA SISTERHOOD? That's actually a good soundtrack above & beyond that song.

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Glam Descendant
That's actually a good soundtrack above & beyond that song.

Yes? I thought about buying it once because there are many well-known artists on it but I must have had second thoughts. I might try to find it, then.

sisterhood is a nice soundtrack collection - dylan's song is decent, but hardly the best tune on it.....