Bob Dylan
Shadows in the Night
Robert Zimmerman performing as Bob Dylan was plucked from relative obscurity from New York's Greenwich Village folk clubs by Columbia in 1962, recording his self-titled album that year. Mostly it was cover versions of old blues songs. By 1965, Dylan had carved a high-powered position as a politically driven songwriter, delivering acerbic lyrics in a unique style, and to a worldwide audience.
On July 25, 1965 Dylan appeared at the much-revered Newport Folk Festival. Five days earlier, Like a Rolling Stone was released. Taking the stage with Mike Bloomfield and other members of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, he launched into a raucous version of Maggie's Farm. The new Dylan had announced his coming and not everyone was pleased.
Fifty years on and with album No64, Dylan has taken yet another U-turn. Shadows in the Night is a genuine effort by Dylan to pay homage to the crooners he grew up with in the 1940s and 50s. The surprising aspect, other than the music style far removed from what we've come to anticipate, is how clear his voice sounds. Yes, there's some of the raspiness we've witnessed over recent decades, but his phrasing and musicality is much better than we may have expected.
