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 | Title : Bob Dylan Live 1975 (The Bootleg Series Volume 5)
Author : Bob Dylan - Rolling Thunder Revue
Release Date : 20021126
Binding : Audio CD
Regular Price : $19.98
Amazon.com Price : $13.75
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Editorial Reviews :
One of the many oddities of Bob Dylan's long and unruly career has been the rather cursory recording treatment given his stint as ringleader of the Rolling Thunder Revue. It's a shortcoming that's rectified with the release of Live 1975. Prior to the appearance of this two-disc (plus bonus DVD) collection, Rolling Thunder's eclectic road show was chronicled only in the infrequently screened, Dylan-directed Renaldo & Clara film and the bafflingly brief and one-note 1976 live set, Hard Rain. In contrast to its predecessor, this set, culled from four appearances made in November and December of '75, captures the breadth and subtleties of Dylan's Rolling Thunder performances. 'Tonight I'll Be Staying Here with You,' formerly a coda from Nashville Skyline, is given a rather incongruous bite here, while 'It Ain't Me, Babe' is colored brightly by multi-instrumentalist David Mansfield along with erstwhile David Bowie guitarist Mick Ronson, the sparkplug of the gratifyingly ragtag group that coalesced on short notice. Solo acoustic performances weave through caterwauling full-band treatments of songs old ('The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll) and new ('Hurricane' and four other selections from Desire, which wouldn't hit the racks until early '76). While the contributions of a number of caravan cohorts and guests are left out, Joan Baez shares the spotlight with Dylan on four numbers, most notably on the rarity 'Mama, You Been on My Mind' and the traditional 'The Water Is Wide.' But despite its cavalcade trappings, it was Dylan's show, and this collection demonstrates finally just how close to his '60s peak the '70s Dylan was.
Buyer Reviews :
There is a small period of time, by my estimates between 1974-1976, in which Bob Dylan's voice actually sounds good! He has never had a good voice; the one studio album he released in which I think he sounded good was 'Nashville Skyline' in which he deliberately altered his voice considerably to sound 'un-Dylanesque.' Even between 1974-1976, on his studio albums 'Blood on the Tracks' and 'Desire,' he sounds better-than-normal-Dylan but his voice is still a weak point.
But this is not so on 'Live 1975: The Rolling Thunder Revue.'
Dylan sounds excellent: he actually PRONOUNCES his syllables (I didn't think he had EVER done this). And moreso, he sings with FEELING, as if he really has something to say and wants us to hear it and to feel what he is feeling.
A quick run through of the highlights:
'A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall'/'Hattie Carrol' - Dylan completely revamps these songs from previously solo acoustic ballads to full-band rock ballads. No other artist has reinterpreted his own work as much as Dylan, and these are two of his most successful examples
'Romance In Durango' - This live track is miles better than it's album counterpart. I always considered it one of the weakest tracks on 'Desire,' but here it is incredible; One of my favorites.
'Isis'/'Hurricane' - Live tracks that certainly equal or better their album counterparts. I like Dylan's singing on 'Isis' better here, but I miss the frequent violin solos after each verse on the album version. 'Hurricane' live tears the roof off; better than I had ever expected.
'Mr. Tambourine Man' - When I saw the track listing, I was NOT looking forward to ANOTHER 'Mr. Tambourine Man,' but this track is nothing short of excellent. Similar to, yet so different from, his 'Live 66' version. I listen to this one over and over...
'It's All Over Now Baby Blue'/'Love Minus Zero'/'Tangled Up in Blue'/'Simple Twist of Fate' - Bob runs through some 'Blood on the Tracks' and 'Bringing it All Back Home' cuts, and again sounds great; my personal favorite is the improvements made on 'Simple Twist of Fate'
'I Shall Be Released'/'The Water is Wide'/'Mama You Been On My Mind'/'Blowin in the Wind' Bob duets with Joan Baez on some of his own classics and some traditional folk numbers. She does an amazing job of keeping pace with Bob (no easy task given his unpredictable vocals). 'The Water is Wide' is a gem; a painful song of hope.
And the rest of the tracks are nothing short of great as well. Best Bob live album? Take your pick between this one and 'Live 66.' ...
(by stevenuccj)
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