DEEP BENEATH THE WAVES vol 54

Subject: Re: DEEP BENEATH THE WAVES vol 54
From: xyx
Date: Sun, 13 Apr 1997 08:12:04 -0400

  Many releases to consider in the last few weeks, with several
requiring close scrutiny. Here are a couple of them.........

NORTH WIND BLOWING  2CD   (KTS 578/79)    Oslo, Norway 18 Jul 96
   Trax: 15    Total time: 118       Source: Audience       Quality: Very
Good*
With the apparent demise of KTS, this looks to be the last Dylan release
from that most brazen of labels. Perhaps advertising on the WEB and in SPIN
magazine was not the best idea. Anyway, I've listened to this disk more than
a few times in the last several weeks and I still come to the same conclusion
- there is something very ordinary about the performance, it never reaches up
and grabs me or seems to catch fire. It threatens to spark several times -
during Hattie Carroll and Absolutely Sweet Marie - but then momentum seems to
fizzle. Even one of the "all-timers,"  MyBackPages,  never really takes off.
The sound* quality, which I'd consider very good, is also lacking in
excitement. The vocals are there, the instruments are well defined, but there
is a lack of warmth and
fullness that is bothersome. It sounds clinical and cold.  Let's call the
sound emotionally challenged, eh? The odd thing is that I keep  throwing it
in the player and hoping that I'll hear something I missed that will perk
things up. Hasn't happend yet............I'd be curious to hear others
opinions.
(Oh yeah, the set list is a good one) PillBox, BlackCoat, Watchtower, 4thStreet,
MostLikely, Silvio, Tangled, Hattie Carroll, HollisBrown, SweetMarie, ThinMan,
H61, GirlOfNCountry, 12&35, BackPages).  I'd be curious to hear other
opinions on this disk and the show.

RENALDO & CLARA 1CD (Noriaa NRCD 46029)  Soundtrack from the film "R&C"
  Trax: 21     Time: 72+     Source: Video??(High gen)     Quality: Excellent
An excellent release from Japan which (I assume) contains all the music from
Mr. Bob's feature film "Renaldo & Clara." Since I've never seen it, I can't
be sure.
(Save the flames, if someone has a good copy I'd love to check it out  :-) ).
Of the 20 tunes, most are complete or almost complete, with the exception of
abbreviated/cut off versions of never performed and/or unlikely tunes: Ballad
in Plain D, Patty's Gone To Laredo, Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands. Although
some of the trax have dialogue intruding on them, notably a great version of
"One Too Many Mornings," the disk has a nice ebb and flow and fits 
together nicely. Quality is excellent considering the video source - 
in stereo w/little hiss, fine definition, upfront vocals. 
I imagine this is as good as it could get short of an
official release. For fans of Rolling Thunder, this will not disappoint.

Masterpiece/Isis/Ballad in Plain D/Hard Rain/PeopleGetReady/ItAintMeBabe/
SheBelongsToMe (nice piano led version)/LotTolaugh/IfYouSeeHer (piano
version)/ Durango/OneTooMany/RisingSun/OneMoreCup../Sara/WaterIsWide/
PattysGone../ NeverLetMeGo/SadEyedLady/Tangled/JustLike../Knockin'

xyx

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