The Bootleg Series Vol. 5: Live 1975-the ... - Dylan, Bob (CD 2002)

This is a must-buy for all fans of Bob Dylan, and for rock fans in general.

The songs in this album were recorded live in the Worcester area of the USA in autumn 1975, just before Dylan released what was to be on of his best albums, "Desire". It is right in the middle of one of Dylan's most fruitful and creative periods, between the heartbreak of "Blood in the Tracks" and the exotic storytelling of "Desire". After recording the tracks that would form "Desire" he decided to play live again, in a pseudo-theatrical manner, in a traveling medicine show style, with some of his best friends: Joan Baez, Ramblin' Jack Elliot, Roger McGuinn of the Byrds, T-Bone Burnett, Mick Ronson (of Ziggy Stardust fame), Joni Mitchell and the musicians that took part in "Desire". Called "The Rolling Thunder Revue", this is some of the best live music Dylan has ever produced.

By listening to this album one can surely notice that Dylan was in one of his best moments, really engaged and enjoying the music and the atmosphere: Dylan is back on stage doing what he loves and what he does best.

The songs from "Desire" dominate this album, and if you are in love with "Desire" as much as I am, you will love "Live 1975" because those songs sound even better here. They are just amazing, mind-blowing stuff. Listen to "Isis", for example, or "Romance in Durango", for gorgeous music. Listen to the long intro to "One More Cup of Coffee", the way it creates the atmosphere for the rest of the song. And Dylan' singing really comes to the fore. It's just beautiful stuff.

There are a few duets with Joan Baez that are just mind-blowing as well: listening to the two of them singing "Blowin' in the Wind" brings you straight back to the 60s, and... I wasn't even there! And what about "I Shall Be Released"? Oh my God!!! It is so beautiful that it makes all other versions of this song pointless, superfluous. Also their duet on the traditional song "The Water is Wide" is really moving.

Dylan reworks on the lyrics and the style of a few songs: for example, "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You", the one that opens the album, is no longer the pure country song it was on "Nashville Skyline": here it has received the "Blonde on Blonde" treatment and it sounds like energic and playful rock'n'roll.

We could say the same about "It Ain't Me Babe": it sounds like it comes straight out of "Blonde On Blonde" as well: this is good, pure danceable rock'n'roll.

"A Hard Rain's A Gonna Fall" is hardly recognizable, but good nonetheless. It sounds powerful, the chorus washing over you with fury and energy.

Dylan singing "Sara", "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carrol", "Mr Tambourine Man", "It's All Over Now Baby Blue" and "Love Minus Zero/No Limit" in this album is some of the best music that my delighted ears have ever heard. You listen to them and you feel moved, you feel like dancing, you feel like singing along, tapping your feet, and you feel like Dylan and the whole band are playing all this music there beside you in your sitting room.

What else can I say of an album that contains most of the songs from the wonderful "Desire", and two of the best songs from "Blood on the Tracks", plus marvels such as "Blowin' in the Wind", "Mr Tambourine Man", "I Shall Be Released", "It's All Over Now Baby Blue", "Love Minus Zero/No Limit", "Just Like a Woman" and "Knockin' on Heaven's Door? Add to this that theses Songs (yes, with a capital S) are played live, in interesting versions, and by a Bob Dylan & band at the top of their game, at their very best.

And let me tell you about the booklet, with the liner notes and the photographs, because it is worth the price of entry alone. Beautiful words written by Larry "Ratso" Sloman, who wrote "On the Road with Bob Dylan" about the Rolling Thunder Revue, which has recently been re-published. In fact, most of the liner notes are extracts from that book.

And the photographs are just great: Dylan, in his traveling gypsy style; Dylan and the band in concert; Dylan painting his face white for the concert; Dylan and Allen Gingsberg visiting Jack Kerouac's grave...

This is just beautiful! If you love Dylan buy it now! You won't regret it.