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13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great compilation including rare unrelease live performances, 8 Mar 2001
For anyone that's ever been to a Bob Dylan concert, the songs on this compilation from different eras combined with the variety of styles, make this a lovely reminder of why Bob means so much to so many. For fans like me, who don't collect every live concert bootleg, this is truly essential. 1. "Somebody Touched Me" - kicking off with the first of three tracks on this compilation to be taken from an intimate concert that Bob performed in front of c.2000 fans last year in Portsmouth, England (see also tracks 15 & 16), people could be forgiven for thinking that he'd re-embraced the God worshipping Catholicism that shaped his 3 albums spanning 1979 - 1982 with the spiritual Somebody Touched Me. This is far subtler though, with excellent backing vocals and guitar carrying this performance. 2. "Wade in the water" - an early live performance from Bob's home state of Minneapolis in 1961 of this song demonstrates how little Bob's solo style has changed when he puts his mind to it with an acoustic guitar and the mouth organ. 3. "Handsome Molly"- this is taken from a much bootlegged performance "The Gaslight Tapes" (even I have a tape, albeit this isn't on it) from 1962. Fantastic folk performance. 4. "To Ramona" - Excellent live version with a ghostly vocal from Bob's 1965 tour of the UK. This appeared last year on the re-issued/revamped Don't look Back (US) DVD. 5. "I Don't believe you" - with the Hawks backing him, a good example of why Bob shook the world by going electric. The electricity makes this track soar and dip beautifully. 6. "Grand Coulee dam" - a Woody Guthrie song, recorded in 1968 at a tribute concert for the, then, recently deceased, man who has, unarguably, had the greatest influence on Bob's career. Lovingly played here by Bob and the Band (nee Hawks) - for an old song, it sounds well ahead of it's time, the best of the current "Americana" outfits would love to replicate the feel. The Band do a fantastic job on backing vocals - the spirit of Bob's legendary "basement tape bootlegs" shines through. 7. "Knocking on Heaven's door" - 6 years later finds Bob on the road again with the Band, but nary a boo to be heard. Superb musicianship, but it sounds as though Bob was too caught up in the success of the rock movement of the early 70's with a nosier, rougher, than necessary vocal of this beautiful song. Superb musicianship though. 8. "It ain't me babe" - wonderful version of this song showing the versatility and adaptability of Bob and his band during the famous Rolling Thunder Tours of 75 and 76. Aching, loving, vocal - beautiful. 9. "Shelter from the Storm" Again, from the Rolling Thunder Tour, a fantastic, pleading, rousing version of a fantastic song. 10. "Dead man, Dead Man", Bob with the "chicks" providing backing vocals during his "religious" phase. Excellent example of this spirited period with wonderfully rhythmic keyboards carrying this song. 11. "Slow train" with the Grateful Dead. Much derided live album in Bob's canon - this doesn't sound too out of place. The mood builds with a good musicianship and a thoughtful, careful vocal. 12. Dignity - fantastic version, one of the highlights from the "Unplugged" shows. Witty song, wryly performed.. 13. "Cold irons Bound" performance taken from the Grammys performance where Bob picked up the Best Rock Vocal award for this song. Frankly, not one of the better offerings on this compilation. 14. "Born in time" - Interesting version, there's a touch of show closing Elvis in Vegas about this - not necessarily a bad thing, but, again not one of the best tracks here. 15. "Country Pie" - excellent outing for this rarely performed song. Great fun for all concerned by the sounds of it. 16. "things have changed" - a cousin of "Dignity", great lyric, great performance, with Bob taking care of his performance. All in all, whilst as an import it may be expensive, this is a nice way to celebrate Bob's 39 years of recorded live performances though it could easily have been a 10 disc box set. Let's be thankful to Sony Japan for not waiting for the 40th anniversary (can anyone translate the liner notes!?!). it may seem expensive, but it's worth it. What's happening next year for the 40th celebrations? - hopefully the remastering of all the early albums with outtakes and alternatives. Keep on keeping on Bob.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
"It used to go like that... ", 8 Mar 2001
By A Customer
Well, old Bob is nothing if not unique.Most artists would hold out, however desperately, for 10, 20, 30 years. Anything divisible by one and five (five being the average number of recipients of royalty splits). Bob, good man, goes for the snappily-titled "Live 1961-2000-Thirty-nine years of great concert performances", from now on to be referred to among Bobafficianados as L1-2TNYOGCP. And it really is at Bob fans that this Japanese import is aimed. A handful of these tracks are readily available, some are a bit harder to track down, and some qualify as right old rarities. Don't be fooled; this isn't a live-album per se. This is a collection of live tracks, and, aside from demonstrating the changes in Bob's voice and delivery, it highlights just what an oddity old Bob is. The consummate American singer, songwriter and performer, he subsumes genres to suit his needs and his foibles, with varying degrees of success. The highlights here, it may surprise some, are not the rare 1961 recordings, welcome as they are, nor the various appearances of Bob and the Band - from 1966 to 1974 - welcome as they are. No, indeed, the highlights are from last Fall. Three songs recorded in Portsmouth showing Bob and his band in full flight: "Somebody Touched Me" a lesson in gospel harmonies; "Country Pie" a dazzle of duelling guitars; and "Things Have Changed", Bob's Golden Globe-winning track, a reminder that when he cares, he can still knock out a killer track. A five star release, docked one star because Sony should just have released the entire Portsmouth shows instead. Better still, they should just release Vicar Street and The Point.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
One for the collectors BUT why on only one disc!, 2 Mar 2007
The first thing I feel I should say is, this album is by no means essential. In fact the only people I can see buying this overpriced Japanese import are those (like me) who desired it in their already bloated Dylan collection. In saying that, it's not rubbish because its Dylan and is more an interesting curios than anything else.
The album starts nicely with a mature Dylan singing Somebody Touched Me (a song about a pervert I believe... ho ho ho) with some nice backing singers along for the ride. I would presume we start here to remind us where we're up to, after that we are whisked back to 1961 and like H.G. Wells' Time Machine we bolt around the last 30 odd years. However, I think to truly show Dylan's progression (as I'm sure was the intention of this album) you really need more that one CD. It has some nice gems on it though: Grand Coulee Dam, Dead Man, Dead Man and a rare performance of Nashville Skyline's Country Pie (although not all lyrics are sung). Overall it is a nice little album that will probably rank up their with Real Live, nice but not essential.
Get it if you need it, if you don't pass it by.
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