Bob Dylan - Tell Tale Signs :: Wessex Scene Online

Bob Dylan - Tell Tale Signs

17th November 2008
Marianne Ward

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Jan 09 - Guns and Roses - Chinese Democracy
Jan 08 - I'm Not There
Dec 05 - Bob Dylan live at the Brixton Academy
Nov 05 - BodyRockers
Oct 04 - Album Review: James Yorkston and The Athletes

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The Bootleg Series Vol 8: why did it slip Dylan’s mind not to include these visionary masterpieces in his previous albums?

In the early 1960’s along came a young scruffy boy named Robert Zimmerman with his guitar, harmonica, but most importantly, a voice. Around 45 years later and here’s that same scruffy guy blessed with on-going success as an artistic, poetic and musical legend. Bob Dylan has proven himself a master in entertainment.

Tell Tale Signs is the eighth in his Bootleg anthology series, although it could be labelled an album in it’s own right, bringing together unheard and rare tracks from 1989 up to 2006. Amongst these are sessions from ‘Oh Mercy’(1989) and ‘Under The Red Sky’ (1990), but why did it slip Dylan’s mind not to include these visionary masterpieces in his previous albums?

The most anticipated recording in Tell Tale Signs is undoubtedly ‘Red River Shore’, unravelling mystery, pleasure and pondering thoughts; ‘sometimes I think no one ever saw me here at all/except that girl from the red river shore.’

For all the Bobby D fanatics out there, the two-disc box set is essential Dylan. In the interest of the more hard-core fans, there is a three-disc box set available; selling at a pricey Ł101, however, the third CD is not a collective necessity so save those precious pennies!

The unpredictability of the world, all of it’s broken societies and political breakdown has always been a topic that Dylan has certainly comprehended with all these years; he has a way of narrating his thoughts as the storyteller, but be aware if you don’t have much time on your hands as you may lose yourself in these recordings.

There is an enchanting piano demo of ‘Dignity’ that is somewhat reminiscent of Billy Joel, and ‘Time out of mind’ suggestive of Kurt Cobain and Nirvana, so watch out for these tracks.

Dylan is currently touring North America so for those of you eager to see him perform in the UK you will just have to wait. Stay tuned online for Dylan’s theme time radio hour on XM radio every Wednesday.

Score: 90%