Love Sick by Bob Dylan (CD, 1997)

Columbia (USA)

4988009876092

17050127527

Bob Dylan

CD

1997

Love Sick

45 mins 41 seconds

Rock

Personnel: Bob Dylan (vocals, guitar); Larry Campbell (guitar); Bucky Baxter (mandolin); David Kemper (drums). Photographer: Mark Seliger. For anyone who witnessed a Bob Dylan show during the late '90s, two things were clear. One was the obvious fact that the singer's glory days were well past him. He seemed a ghost of the man who, at his peak, recorded Bringing It All Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited, Blonde on Blonde, The Basement Tapes, and John Wesley Harding (a string of albums to rival anything in popular music before or since) in just three years. But the surprising thing was what a consummate performer he was so late in his career. On the best nights, there was an undeniable passion in his voice. Live Dylan performances both before and after Time Out of Mind (1997) found him embracing his phenomenal back catalog while digging up traditionals from blues, bluegrass, folk, and country music à la Good as I Been to You (1992) and World Gone Wrong (1993). The two discs of this Japanese import Love Sick single collect seven live tracks that present an accurate cross section of the type of material you may have heard on any given night. The sound lies somewhere between quality bootleg and a more professional soundboard transfer. Disc one has a reworking of Time Out of Mind's "I Can't Wait," which has an unexpected reggae influence and a new guitar hook that charge the song beautifully. The band's traditional repertoire is represented by "Roving Gambler," a tour highlight. In this acoustic setting, Dylan's strengths as a singer (even in 1997) become more apparent. Lastly, there is a version of the legendary Infidels outtake "Blind Willie McTell." Disc two is less satisfying. Lacking a strong melody, "Cold Irons Bound" wears out its welcome over almost seven minutes. Dylan's deficiencies are too evident. The best performance is reserved for what may be the weakest song. The pleasant "Born in Time" (from Under the Red Sky) is given an affectionate, understated performance. Dylan's previous live outing (MTV Unplugged from 1995) was heavy on his most familiar material, so the song selection here is refreshing. Dylan fans will surely be more than happy to get ahold of this tour document. If you are a more casual listener, however, this import might be a little too expensive. ~ Nathan Bush

2

USA