DEEP BENEATH THE WAVES vol 57

Subject: DEEP BENEATH THE WAVES vol 57
From: xyx
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 1997 23:03:45 -0400

PLYMOUTH ROCK  1CD  (Colosseum 97-C-015)  Plymouth, MA 10/31/75
    plus Waterbury, CT 11/11/75  (Japanese release)
Tracks: 16     Time: 75    Source: Soundboards    Quality: Excellent

A truly outstanding disk that presents the complete circulating tracks
from the superb sounding Plymouth, MA board (7) plus well-selected and
appropriate filler from the long-available Waterbury, CT (9) soundboard
(find the complete Dylan set from Waterbury on the hard-to-find "Tell It
 Like It Is").  For my money, these early Rolling Thunder shows were far
 better than the 2nd leg shows of '76 ("Hard Rain" notwithstanding), as
they seem to carry an edginess and spontaneity that is not as apparent
 on the '76 gigs. Dylan's singing on the Plymouth tracks is amazing -
listen to the way he softly caresses Oh, Sister, takes you somewhere
mysterious and dark on "One More Cup of Coffee"  and breaks your heart
with his gentle vocal on "Sara." There's a calm smoothness
to the way he sings these tracks that gives them even more depth of
feeling. When he sings "....lovin' you is one thing I'll never forget," you
 can't help but feel his pain. Just Like A Woman follows and is simply the
best version I've ever heard, full of Dylan's twisting and turning of the
lyrics and with exceptionally fine back-up from Joan. As a matter of fact,
Joan shines throughout these tracks.

An acoustic "I Don't Believe You" opens it up and is followed by a
"Hurricane" showcasing Scarlet's violin, which remains prominent
 throughout the set. Just as he did with the whole of Desire, Dylan takes
you so many different places with these songs - the way he sings them, the
words, the sounds of the band - it's like being a passenger along for a
ride but you're riding inside his head, yet still able to see things with
your own eyes. I always found Desire to be one of his most interesting and
mysterious  albums and certainly the most unique in terms
of the sound and the way he sang. He was able to capture this mystery
on stage on the first leg of RT, which is what makes these songs unique.
Plymouth ends with a free-for-all on "This Land Is Your Land" and then the
great Waterbury "filler" follows- Hard Rain, Durango, Isis, Blowin', Water Is
Wide, St Augustine, Never Let me Go, Released, Knockin'.  Incredible,
upfront and true quality plus performances to match, not to mention what is
perhaps the coolest pic of Dylan to ever grace a CD cover - Bob walking down
a country road in the snow with a multi-colored coat and feathered hat. Don't
pass this one by.

xyx

1995 1996 1997 1998 T-list CDs