DEEP BENEATH THE WAVES vol 7

Date: Wed, 8 Nov 1995 14:38:03 +0500
To: karlerik@telepost.no
From: xyx
Subject: DEEP BENEATH THE WAVES vol. 7

  Blub blub blub, greetings from the deep once again. Wish I could spend
more time down here, however, being that I'm at the mercy of non-Sony
entrepreneurs and those who deliver come rain or snow, my oxygen tank never
knows whether it's coming or going ("You're being obtuse," said Tim Robbins
to the warden in the classic flick "The Shawshank Redemption."). Dispensing
with the obtusity (not a word, but it sounds good), let's get to it. For
newcomers to the DEEP, the purpose of this "column" is to review new CD
releases of one Robert Blind Bob Boy Lucky Grunt Zimmerman Wilbury Dylan. 
And no, you won't find any reviews here of "Unplugged" (Sony edition, at 
least) or "Greatest Hits Vol 3." Slim pickin's in this edition. Nonetheless..
here she blows-----------by the way, I hope I have'nt lost my critical
faculties, as one poster suggested is the case with this list's members. 

"DOWN IN THE FLOOD"  1CD (Money Maker Records MR-007)  Live in Aschaffenburg,
       Germany,  Unterfrankenhalle, 15 March 1995   Total time: 76:57 
 Unusual to get almost an entire show on 1 CD, but that's what you get here,
this CD omitting only "I'll Be Your Baby Tonite." This was one of several
shows in March where the gig was only 13 songs, presumably due to Bob not
being up to snuff in the health department, flu and all that. I'll call this
show the "Sounds Like He's Congested-Give Him Some Afrin, How Does He Play
the Harmonica With Stuffed Up Nasal Passages Show." The set list is fairly
standard with a couple of surprises. Quality is very, very good, vocals
are clear, upfront and detailed, and the music is crisp and alive. Despite
the congestion, Dylan gives a fine performance, particularly on an under-
stated "Senor" that ends with a great harp flourish, a "caress those lines,"
tender reading of "Just Like A Woman" (with another killer harp run at the
end) and a monster vocal performance on "I Shall Be Released," the highlight
of the show, no doubt. Listen to him softly sing the first few lines of each
verse and then come thundering in on the closing lines in all his raging
glory. Turn it up, there's no distortion, let Jerry G. get a load of it
& pop a big smile up in Heaven. "Watchtower" sounds a bit different to me,
almost as if there's no lead, it's not bad but begs out for some razor sharp
leads to enhance it. Acoustic set is MrTMan,Masters,Boots -  all done with
the expected stately elegance we've come to expect. Tangled Up & Memphis
Blues are given standard, average treatments. Surprisingly, HWay 61 stands
out, the band is right on target - listen to this and realize how important
Bucky's pedal steel playing is to the overall sound. He drives this tune.
LARS ends things up nicely. Not a great show, IMO, but one where the band
really shines, all the subtle nuances are intact. Dylan's vocals sound a
bit different - you can tell he realizes his voice is affected - and it seems
as if he's totally aware of this while he's singing. It makes for an
interesting performance, IMO, and adds to the proceedings. As stated
earlier, very fine quality. A fine job by a label I've not heard of - nice
package, too, with a cartoon cover of crows and a funny caricature of BD on
the rear cover and on color pcture CD.
Recommended as a nice addition to Prague & Brussels to document the first
shows of Spring '95.
                                                       xyx

P.S. That was a long one. Anyone think I'm down under too long, or do
you like 'em this way? Gotta go - feel the bends coming on. I was gonna
do an oldie, maybe later.

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 T-list CDs