A surprisingly decent tribute album, thanks to compilers who used imagination and avoided usual predictable choices - Bob Dylan is such a ubiquitous presence that at this point anybody could quickly make a Dylan-tape with eyes closed and hands tied. However, guys from "MOJO" magazine cleverly interspersed some old recordings from 1960s with completely new versions recorded specifically for this release and I must say these new recordings are most welcome breath of fresh air to Dylan's songbook. Sure, there's nothing wrong with Brian Auger, The Flying Burrito Brothers or Fairport Convention but they were echoes of their own time, new recordings amassed here bring their own aesthetics and production values - sure, maybe not gigantic difference from originals but recognisable and likable nevertheless. Maybe I could do without The Hollies and Nancy Sinatra as from today's perspective they sound insincere like little satellites jumping on a trend, however new tracks are really good and interesting.
This compilation tribute somehow really came to my hands unexpectedly this morning and I found myself enjoying it very much - found myself listening familiar lyrics again, recognising little twists and tweaks that artists added, thinking how I never really enjoyed Dylan's voice but love to hear his material sung by other performers. This is purely subjective of course, but I must point at Ben Weaver, Hugh Cornwell and Michael Weston King (whose "Simple Twist Of Fate" I really, really like) as favourites. In the 1990s there was a big trend of this tribute kind of albums, where recording companies experimented with all sorts of weird choices and gimmick was to see what could established stars do with other composers, but it was a gimmick and I rarely found such interesting listening like on this CD - maybe also because I am not familiar with these new voices so have no prejudice against them.
And you know what, I'm going back to originals now.
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