Bob Dylan - Blood On The Tracks (New York Sessions)
Blood On The Tracks is widely regarded as one of the finest ever albums. Written against the backdrop of a messy divorce in 1974, the songs are pretty much all about either anger ('Idiot Wind') or loneliness ('If You See Her, Say Hello'). After the initial sessions, Dylan decided to re-record much of the album, including all the more personal songs, giving them a more produced sheen. Some of the songs gain from this, some lose something. The sound is very different, firstly - the final release had gone through a lot of noise reduction, and some of the personality of Dylan's voice and of the guitar parts had been lost. This is restored, for better or worse, and the changes are noticeable from the very beginning of 'Tangled Up In Blue'. This version is a lot less immediately catchy than the officially released version, which went on to be one of the better-recieved singles of Dylan's later career, but I think it manages to get across Dylan's feelings about the song much more effectively. I also find the New York versions in general flow a lot better into each other, making for a more cohesive album. Admittedly, the version of 'Idiot Wind' here seems a lot less angry, which means the deprecating lyrics fall a bit flat, and 'Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts' is definitely a bit over-long, but the version of 'If You See Her, Say Hello' seems much more heartfelt and genuine. Fundamentally, after having listened to this version, I think the official release just seems to fall a bit flat.
Having said that, though, anyone who has even a vague interest in Bob Dylan, or in acoustic-based guitar music in general, should hear both the official and bootleg releases of this album. They're both absolutely essential releases, each with good points compared to the other, and it is just a question of your own particular tastes. The argument over which is 'better' has raged for 35 years already, and shows no sign of stopping.
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