Dylan's Time Out of Mind remix is Stunning


"Time Out of Mind" was always a powerful record, despite the murky original mix.

Now, with most of the sonic muck that producer Daniel Lanois smeared onto the music scraped off and rinsed away, it's full glory is revealed. Abetted by terrific SQ, its impact is stunning.

The old mantra "original mixes are always better" is blown out of the water by this. 

For my tastes, this is one of the best releases in the Bootleg Series-- a dream come true for Dylan lovers-- and one of the best Dylan releases since "Blood on the the Tracks". 

Lyric fragments keep cycling in my head. . . 

"People on the platforms

waiting for trains

I can hear their hearts a beatin'

like pendulums swingin' on chains"  

 

stuartk

Oh, hey: Anyone who wants to hear the Spector Wall-Of-Sound applied really successfully to Rock ’n’ Roll, get a copy of Dave Edmunds’ 2nd album, Subtle As A Flying Mallet. For those unfamiliar with Dave, he is a Chuck Berry and Everly Brothers-influenced guitarist and singer (and record producer: The Every Brothers, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, The Stray Cats, Carlene Carter, etc.), but on this album he went into Rockfield Studio in Wales and came out with an amazing assortment of recordings, some songs ("Da Doo Ron Ron", "Baby I Love You", "Maybe"---a fantastic song by The Chantels, "Let It Be Me"---The EV Brothers, Dylan did it on Self Portrait, "Born To Be With You"---a Dion song) complete with an incredible recreation of Spector’s sound.

Each side of the LP closes with a live recording, Dave backed by the UK band Brinsley Schwarz (whose bassist was Nick Lowe, later Dave’s partner in the super-group Rockpile), performing blistering versions of two Chuck Berry songs: "No Money Down" and "Let It Rock". 100% American Rock ’n’ Roll! Makes The Stones sound like the wankers they are ;-) .

@cd318 

Yes-- I'd agree it's subjective. Consider the varied reactions to Giles Martin's Beatles remasters! 

@bdp24 

Another one: what's that Blues lyric... "I'd rather drink muddy water and sleep in a hollow log than (fill in the blank) and be your dog"? Something like that...

 

Oops; the Robbie Robertson album I above referred to was not a Spector production, but a Daniel Lanois. I REALLY dislike it. Though The Band greatly benefited from Robertson’s songwriting and guitar playing (but certainly not his "singing". In The Last Waltz he constantly pretends to be singing into his mic, but I dare you to find his notes. When Levon Helm, Rick Danko, and Richard Manuel are all singing together, what you hear is 3-part harmony. So what is Robbie singing? He’s not, it’s a pose. Just another Rock ’n’ Roll wanker ;-) , he needed them far more than they needed him.

While Robertson tried his hand at acting (in the dreadful movie Carny), Levon did a far better job in his acting roles (Coal Miner’s Daughter, The Right Stuff, End Of The Line, Fire Down Below, Shooter, a few others.). No one ever hired Robertson as actor after Carny. And it was Levon who was awarded two Grammy’s; Robertson none. Though winning a Grammy is not necessarily a sign of anything, winning in the Traditional Folk and Americana genres IS.

End of Levon vs. Robbie rant ;-) .

Everyone has got an opinion and for me that first solo Robbie Robertson album is fantastic.  Great songs, great performances and that Lanois sound.  Highly recommended.

@bdp24 

"... he needed them far more than they needed him". 

In terms of guitar playing, I'd readily agree but given the disparity of opinions regarding who wrote the songs, I don't know what to think.