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Bob DylanNo Direction Home: Bootleg Series Vol.7 SonyBMG Volume seven of Sony's ongoing Bob Dylan Bootleg Series is the soundtrack to Martin Scorcese's masterly film portrait of the young singer/songwriter. Whilst the film immediately places itself at the pinnacle of all rock documentaries, this 2CD soundtrack is a chronology of sorts - an overview of his early career rather than focusing on a particular concert or outtakes from a particular album. The Dylan completists no doubt will have access to these selections already; however to have in generally excellent sound and as a musical chart by which Dylan's ever-evolving lyrical genius can be measured, makes this an important release. The first CD follows the early acoustic Dylan - from teenaged bedroom recorded dilettante to the joyously raucous psychedelic poet laying down the first take of Mr. Tambourine Man with Rambling Jack Elliott. His fascination with Woody Guthrie, Joan Baez and the protest movement are shown to be important yet passing influences in the young Bob's songwriting apprenticeship. The second shows the electric "Judas" in all of his sarcastic quicksilver wit and fury. The only recording in this generous set that has been previously available lies in the infamous 1966 Manchester performance (erroneously thought to be recorded at the Albert Hall for decades) of the mercurial Like A Rolling Stone. Yet such is the power of this performance and its importance in early Dylan folklore, that its inclusion is totally justified - particularly when one is able to view the footage that accompanies it in Scorcese's documentary. Other highlights include a live Dutch take on the overtly cruel Ballad Of A Thin Man and various fascinating alternate versions of songs from such seminal recordings as 'Highway 61 Revisited' and 'Blonde On Blonde' - often with slight lyric changes and in different tempi. Whilst an early take of 'Tombstone Blues' totally justifies the released version, those of 'Blonde On Blonde''s Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again and the sinuously sexy swagger of Leopard Skin Pill Box Hat provide intriguing alternatives to the originals, as classic as they may be.  |
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