I'm a bit strange I suppose when it comes to the Beatles and these "upgrades". I just don't like remixes like these of what I consider to be well nigh perfect albums in the first place. I have the mono box and that'll do me. I know there are outakes etc as well but again they don't make me want to part with any money for them, nor would I listen to them a lot.
Before I could truly digest this set, the Let It Be set comes out and while I'm still chewing on them both, the 40th Anniversary Tattoo You set is coming out in two days.
I need a new Bruce boxed set to get them off my mind.
Its always been my least listened to mid/late Beatles record so I was keen to hear what might have been had Spector been kept out of the control room. Much better is my conclusion. The Glynn John’s produced Get Back lp & ep are excellent. The studio rehearsal/out-take double is, as you might expect, something of a mixed bag. Interesting to hear but, certainly for the 2nd lp, unlikely to be listened to regularly here.
It's a good set, but with the Beatles, it usually is dependent on the level of love I have for the original album, unlike Dylan or Bruce where every set is essential. This one, I could have been satisfied with just getting the Glyn Johns material.
Having made my way through the 5 discs, I can say that Infidels coulda/shoulda been up there on the list of Dylan's very best albums. Empire Burlesque could have been SO much better regarded. Shot of Love was never going to be great, but it sure had a lot of potential. Disc one, the rehearsals, is a knockout. I had high hopes for this box, and I was in no way disappointed.
I heard the full-band Blind Willie McTell on a bootleg many years ago, and had the same reaction I have to it now. A pleasure to hear, interesting. But I much prefer the other take.
Hearing 'new' versions of Blind Willie McTell is a revelation. Like someone on SHF said, several versions of this classic is a problem Dylan fans once only dreamed of having.
But... Listening to the take above back to back with the BS V3 version we all first heard way back when... The drums just don't work for me. The first released version is still the one for me. Maybe I'll soften with more listens but man, that 'original' version should always be in any Essential Dylan playlist.
@Jerseyfornia Somehow I'm just seeing this now, and I'm beyond delighted! That is often a Top 10 Favorite (not Best) Dylan song for me, and hearing it without the bombast is just delightful.
I mean, Blind Willie McTell wasn't even released until the original Bootleg Series and the version here blows even that masterpiece away.
Every alternate version of When The Night Comes Falling From The Sky is superior to the mess on Empire Burlesque. I know Bob didn't want to use a take that sounded too Springsteenesque, but those are the better versions.
I've complained to myself about the sheer volume of some recent boxed sets, but I could happily spend weeks with this one.
I've been sifting through this set for four days. My early impression is that this is one of the best releases in the series. The 80s output of more than one classic artist are easily criticized compared with what they did before and after, but this set plainly makes the point that some bad production choices were made and some wrong versions released. Bob might have had his renaissance sooner than we thought had some of these versions been on the albums.
I find I listen most to the Bootleg Series volumes that deal with the less 'successful' periods. The Rolling Thunder and Royal Albert Hall sets are some of the best music made by anyone, but I keep going back to Another Self Portrait or the gospel box. This one falls easily into that category.
So what do you want to hear in the future? After all these great box sets, I still have a wish list. The second half of the Rolling Thunder tour, the tour with Petty and the Heartbreakers, and, I swear, the tour that gave us At Budokan.
@Bill Zebub I'd like to hear the outtakes and alternates from the three albums not covered on Tell Tale Signs, but released in that time period. Under The Red Sky, Good As I Been To You and Love And Theft.
I apologise for the hijack but I'm using this thread as an excuse to repost one of the best covers of a song I've heard in years... Jokerman by John Cruz.
@riverdude4 So far, I only listened to the alternate versions of When The Night Comes Falling From The Sky. Damn, I love that song. I'm trying to save the rest of it for my first campfire of the season tomorrow night, but temptation is strong. I think I can last until I go to bed in an hour, though.
I've read Dylan recorded some (all?) of the songs from TOOM with another band before going into the studio with Lanois to start all over. There were several finished songs left over from the Lanois sessions, but I'm pretty sure they ended up on the excellent Vol 8: Tell Tale Signs.
I’ll probably settle for the double vinyl set. Not my favourite period and yes, £120 seems a bit rich for a CD set that will be ripped and listened to only very occasionally.
He performed lots of songs from Empire Burlesque on the tour with Petty and the Heartbreakers, judging from the one show I saw. Maybe they didn't want too many discs in a box that touches on one of Bob's less popular eras. Or maybe that tour will get its own box. Hope so.
Now then, when will Dylan start releasing complete shows from the Never Ending Tour? Say, once a month (or so), ala Bruce.
I'm a bit strange I suppose when it comes to the Beatles and these "upgrades". I just don't like remixes like these of what I consider to be well nigh perfect albums in the first place. I have the mono box and that'll do me. I know there are outakes etc as well but again they don't make me want to part with any money for them, nor would I listen to them a lot.
Before I could truly digest this set, the Let It Be set comes out and while I'm still chewing on them both, the 40th Anniversary Tattoo You set is coming out in two days.
I need a new Bruce boxed set to get them off my mind.
Having made my way through the 5 discs, I can say that Infidels coulda/shoulda been up there on the list of Dylan's very best albums. Empire Burlesque could have been SO much better regarded. Shot of Love was never going to be great, but it sure had a lot of potential. Disc one, the rehearsals, is a knockout. I had high hopes for this box, and I was in no way disappointed.
I heard the full-band Blind Willie McTell on a bootleg many years ago, and had the same reaction I have to it now. A pleasure to hear, interesting. But I much prefer the other take.
Hearing 'new' versions of Blind Willie McTell is a revelation. Like someone on SHF said, several versions of this classic is a problem Dylan fans once only dreamed of having.
But... Listening to the take above back to back with the BS V3 version we all first heard way back when... The drums just don't work for me. The first released version is still the one for me. Maybe I'll soften with more listens but man, that 'original' version should always be in any Essential Dylan playlist.
Was any of the already officially released material remixed to get rid of the 80sness? I read a bunch of the press releases but wasn't clear on that.
I mean, Blind Willie McTell wasn't even released until the original Bootleg Series and the version here blows even that masterpiece away.
Every alternate version of When The Night Comes Falling From The Sky is superior to the mess on Empire Burlesque. I know Bob didn't want to use a take that sounded too Springsteenesque, but those are the better versions.
I've complained to myself about the sheer volume of some recent boxed sets, but I could happily spend weeks with this one.
I've been sifting through this set for four days. My early impression is that this is one of the best releases in the series. The 80s output of more than one classic artist are easily criticized compared with what they did before and after, but this set plainly makes the point that some bad production choices were made and some wrong versions released. Bob might have had his renaissance sooner than we thought had some of these versions been on the albums.
Wow!
I apologise for the hijack but I'm using this thread as an excuse to repost one of the best covers of a song I've heard in years... Jokerman by John Cruz.
Paid £17.99 on Amazon for the full thing on mp3. Sounding great so far.
I've read Dylan recorded some (all?) of the songs from TOOM with another band before going into the studio with Lanois to start all over. There were several finished songs left over from the Lanois sessions, but I'm pretty sure they ended up on the excellent Vol 8: Tell Tale Signs.
An article in Rolling Stone is already pegging Time Out Of Mind to get the treatment following this release.
That's a whole lot of cash. But the price often goes down, and sometimes plummets, as they get closer to the release date. And after.
I’ll probably settle for the double vinyl set. Not my favourite period and yes, £120 seems a bit rich for a CD set that will be ripped and listened to only very occasionally.
Looks great but £120 is too dear.
Considerable to excitement in this house at this news.
He performed lots of songs from Empire Burlesque on the tour with Petty and the Heartbreakers, judging from the one show I saw. Maybe they didn't want too many discs in a box that touches on one of Bob's less popular eras. Or maybe that tour will get its own box. Hope so.
Now then, when will Dylan start releasing complete shows from the Never Ending Tour? Say, once a month (or so), ala Bruce.