Salient. Newspaper of the Victoria University Students' Association. Vol 42 No. 13. June 11 1979
Records — Dylan's Heart Burns on — Bob Dylan at Budoken
Records
Dylan's Heart Burns on
Bob Dylan at Budoken
So I'll make my stand
And Remain as I am
And bid farewell and not give a damn.
B. Dylan 1964
Well, here it is you veterans of Western Springs March 9th 1978, the album you've all been waiting for has been released: Recorded in Japan just ten days before the Western Springs concert, Bob Dylan at Budoken contains a good resume of the songs performed on that tour. It also provides the opportunity to listen more closely to the radically rearranged versions of his songs that Dylan performs these days.
The Band is the same as that used on Street Legal except that Rob Stoner, and not Jerry Scheff, is on base guitar. Compared with Street Legal this live album is not only superior in terms of recording quality, but Dylan makes much better use of the talent in the band.
From the opening cut the changes in approach are very evident. This is not the man rushing through his concerts without a spoken word portrayed on Before the Flood, nor is it the [ unclear: stical] turbined figure on Hard Rain. Gone are the somewhat rough backings by The Band and the guitar cluttered sound of the Rolling Thunder Revue. Instead the songs are finely crafted and faultlessly performed. The personality of Dylan, usually so dominant, is comparatively muted. Indeed, the emphasis is on the songs, not the man or his words, and the melodic content of some of these is exploited for the first time.
These new versions can be disconcerting at first. To hear the intertwining melodies of a flute with Mr Tambourine Man, a saxophone solo in Like A Rolling Stone and most of all the harmonies of the three backing vocalists throughout, makes you wonder if this is the same Dylan who powers his way through a painful, enigmatic Idiot Wind on Hard Rain.
On some songs, notably Ballad of a Thin Man, and to a lesser extent Going, Going, Gone and Knockin on Heaven's Door, the arrangements sound a little forced and the raw emotion of the originals are lost in a myriad of instrumentation.
Overall, it is the slower ballads that benefit most from the dressing up Dylan gives them. The melodies of flute, saxophone and violin are occasionally reminiscent of Van Morrison. Such songs as Blowin In The Wind, Just Like a Woman and Simple Twist of Fate are sung with the gentlest voice Dylan has used in years. I Want You is especially good, sung with just flute, organ, and guitar, and slowed down to about half the original speed, making it a song of real longing and desire.
The other standard tracks are a superb reggae version of Don't think Twice, Its [ unclear: As] right and an energy packed, orchestral Its Alright Ma (I'm only Bleeding.) This is the first version of Its Alright Ma where the music fully compliments the mean minded set of of lyrics.
No doubt this album will, once again bring a lot of criticism and cries of "sell' out". Funny how history repeats itself Dylan was supposed to have sold out way back in 1965 when he played electric at the Newport Folk Festival, turning his back on folk in favour of rock. Then again, that is a disco rhythm in Maggies Farm, and faint overtones of disco turn up on one or two other tracks. I mean, if Dylan goes disco what hope is there? Then again, one of Dylan's greatest talents is his ability to adapt styles, using what he wants to enhance his own music Some of the song on this album are fifteeen or more years old, yet they still sound relevant and fresh Dylan has given them a contemporary sound and what is more, he has done this well. [ unclear: Bru] Springsteen would not be ashamed of the saxophone and guitar solos displayed here.
There is no point in living in the past, and Dylan knows this as much as anyone. The [ unclear: ality] to change, grow and experiment is essential for a creative mind. This is the late seventies and the New Wave is here. Dylan is too old to be a punk, he left all that behind 1966. His heart burns too brightly for him to ever be a part of disco. This is Dylan being Dylan, which is what he has always done don't have to like it, but you have got to admire the guts it must take to change these songs around so radically, and risk alienating the diehards who want the "Old Dylan' or [ unclear: ould] say the "Young Dylan".
To those of you who are Dylan freaks [ unclear: an] thought the concert was great, this album is essential. To those of you into Punk, if you haven't dismissed Dylan as a sixties has-been I'd advise you to stick to Hard Rain to the of you who know little about Dylan, this album is as good as any place to start. Apart from that, the overall quality of performance and music is enough reason to fork out the price of $14.99.
Andrew McCallum