The United States of Esoterica

TB, want to read your take on the tribute album.

IMHO, I thought it was nearly impossible to fuck up a Dylan tune, but this collection only seems to prove how much of a genius Dylan is, as none of my favorite songs are worth buying on here.

The most ghastly, Kesha doing 'Don't Think Twice, It's All Right."

I was really looking forward to hearing Bad Religion do "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue." but thought it was terrible.


The ones I liked most were:
Billy Bragg "Lay Down Your Weary Tune"
Miley Cyrus "You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome"
Jackson Browne "Love Minus Zero/No Limit"
Dierks Bentley "Senor"

But, didn't like them enough to download any of them.

_________________
"I didn't need to learn what I learned today." -- Jesse Ventura.
"There is but one special interest that we should be working for, and that would solve just about all of our problems, and that is our liberty. " - Ron Paul.

First of all, before I register my qualms and complaints about the album, I will say that I always thrilled to see Bob get additional recognition as one of the quintessential musicians of all time. If this album can turn a Kesha fan into a Dylan fan, that it is a good thing.

That said ... I'd much rather have another Dylan studio album or a live album from recent years or something from his back catalog than a massive set of cover songs by artists I don't care about.

Plus, it's been said that Dylan never plays any song the same way twice, which is pretty true, based on the many versions of different songs I've heard. I think I've heard like 7 versions of "Like a Rolling Stone" from him that were each pretty unique. I'd rather hear that kind of stuff than Kesha or Miley Cyrus or even artists I like, like Tom Petty, doing his songs.

Beyond that, IMO, there has been far too much emphasis, in recent years, on the folk / early rock era Dylan stuff coming out from his camp. There needs to be more from the 70's trifecta of amazingness (Blood on the Tracks, Desire, Street Legal) / Rolling Thunder tour as well as his Christian conversion trilogy, which contained some powerful live performances. Plus, right before his revival in the late '90's, he was doing some awesome live shows which deserve to be heard more than a bunch of cover songs.

Other shit I want ...

An album containing songs from Dylan TV appearances (his 80's Letterman show contained a blistering License to Kill) & a DVD of his NBC concert Hard Rain (rumoured to be in the works). Hard Rain is out as an album, but I've seen segments of the TV special and they are cool as hell.

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"Give a lunatic a keyboard and a modem and that's what happens." -- Jeff Rense, 2.25.5

"An artist has got to be constantly in a state of becoming." -- Bob Dylan

I've been on a Dylan kick for about a month since seeing the Scorsese directed documentary "No Direction Home"

_________________
"I didn't need to learn what I learned today." -- Jesse Ventura.
"There is but one special interest that we should be working for, and that would solve just about all of our problems, and that is our liberty. " - Ron Paul.