Tuesday 5 September 2023

The Basement Tapes - BOB DYLAN & THE BAND****

Odds & Ends/Orange Juice Blues (Blues For Breakfast)/Million Dollar Bash/Yazoo Street Scandal/Goin' In Acapulco/Katie's Been Gone/Lo & Behold/Bessie Smith/Clothes Line Saga/Apple Suckling Tree/Please Mrs Henry/Tears Of Rage/Too Much Of Nothing/Yea Heavy & A Bottle Of Bread/Ain't No More Cane/Crash On The Levee (Down On The Flood)/Ruben Remus/Tiny Montgomery/You Ain't Goin' Nowhere/Don't Ya Tell Henry/ Nothing Was Delivered/Open The Door Homer/Long Distance Operator/This Wheel's On Fire

The double album The Basement Tapes was recorded in 1967 but not released until 1975. Although lacking in classic tracks it provides a snapshot of Bob Dylan’s experimentation during the overlooked period after his motorcycle crash. (US:7 UK:8)

“Dylan and The Band jam away in Big Pink and work on cobbling together a mash-up of folk-rock and more traditional strands of Americana. I think this is more interesting as a historical document than as an album to listen to in its own right; if you're extremely curious to hear how The Band came together, or what Dylan got up to between Blonde On Blonde and John Wesley Harding, then this is a fine enough port of call, but at the same time this is clearly the guys throwing a bunch of ideas around to see what sticks.”

“A sprawling double album, it can be hard to take in initially but is ultimately incredibly warm and rewarding, melding country, blues and roots music to create a slack, autumnal, good humoured representation of months spent together at a house in the woods with nothing but conversation and music for company.”

“It is notoriously Band heavy, and the songs that are solely theirs are not as strong as Dylan's ingenious compositions. Still, the tracks do fit very well together, and the effect is timeless. A stellar album, and one that will provide many years enjoyment.”

“It is a loose, sprawling album of experimentation on the part of Dylan. He seems to take a casual approach to the whole affair. Maybe its The Band and maybe it was his place in life at the time, but he produces an album rooted in Americana.”

The Basement Tapes is in an overrated sprawling mess. The sound quality is poor, and the whole thing just sounds like Bob Dylan and The Band messing around and releasing the results knowing that the product would sell.”

“A relaxing free-spirited glance at Dylan conspiring with The Band. Dylan adds a slice of slow moving rockabilly with a swing beat that only The Band knows how to do, making this synergy unique.”

No comments:

Post a Comment