Search - Bob Dylan :: Masked & Anonymous

Dylan tunes: What's missing from the movie...

Craig Fisher | USA | 04/22/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"In the movie Masked and Anonymous, there are 9 live Dylan tracks used in the movie, yet only 4 appear on this "soundtrack." Songs that are MIA on the CD include 5 others (!): "I'll Remember You" and "Drifter's Escape" (both of which Dylan and the boys are filmed playing), but also absent is a killer "Blowin' In the Wind," which rolls during the final scene and the credits. Also missing are the songs "Watching the River Flow" and "Dirt Road Blues" (both were listed in the credits, but I personally did not recognize in the movie...instrumentals perhaps?). The Dylan songs that did make it onto the CD are all phenomenal (especially if you are a fan of Love and Theft), but this soundtrack really could have been something special."

Hits and waaaay long shots

R. Kyle | USA | 06/10/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Bob Dylan's songs are truly world music. They speak to all cultures, but for the most part, I like Dylan doing Dylan best. I loved all four of the new Bob Dylan songs. "Down in the Flood" and "Cold Irons Blue" are my two favorite of the four.



For me, the standout was Shirley Caesar doing the cover of "You Gotta Serve Somebody." It's outstanding and the one song that's gotten a lot of play in this house.



Los Lobos does a great job of "On a Night Like This," giving the song a romantic Latino flair singing part of the lyrics in Spanish. I probably would have liked the Jerry Garcia cover of "Senor" better, if it weren't live.



The Italian (rap) version of "Like a Rolling Stone" is a big miss for me. So's the opening "My Back Pages" in Japanese. This is somewhat anomalous since I love world music and different language covers.



Give the songs a listen before you buy this. If you're a strong Dylan collector, the CD is a must.



Rebecca Kyle, June 2008"

Periodic Pyrotechnics: Part 1

Brian Sawyer | Westford, MA | 11/26/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"[Note: this review is part 1 of 2. Since my final score for the album is 3 stars, I'm giving it 4 stars here and 2 stars in the second installment, to average out to 3 stars.]I don't know if it's hip anymore (or again, or whatever) to like Bob Dylan, but I've been an unapologetic fan for ages. I even considered taking in his latest movie after seeing his embarrassing performance in Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid. Though the universally negative reviews kept me from seeing Masked & Anonymous in the theater, I had heard that at least the soundtrack was good (as was the soundtrack to PG&BTK), so I decided to give it a listen. Here's my review, track by track.1. My Back Pages (performed by the Magokoro Brothers): An interesting Japanese take on a Dylan staple. At first listen, this seems like a throwaway novelty from a variety act, but after listening to it a few times I really appreciated it. It sounds great and works well. The only negative thing about this track (but it's a big negative) is the annoying and embarrassingly stilted preaching (imploring the listener to ask himself, "ARE YOU HUMBLE BEFORE GOD?") that begins the track. Every time I begin this album, I have to mute my CD player for about 20 seconds. I'll never be able to use this track on a mix disc. (Aside: it's amazing how many syllables it takes, in Japanese, to get out the words "But I was so much older then; I'm younger than that now." The syncopation adds to this version's charm.)2. Gotta Serve Somebody (performed by Shirley Caesar): A compelling gospel version, performed with passion and flourish. This is one of Dylan's few religious songs that I actually like (another is "Every Grain of Sand"), and this interpretation smoothes out some of the edges. While Dylan's rasp sounds more like a warning against serving the devil, the beautiful voice on this version feels like a more positive opportunity to serve the Lord, if that sort of thing interests you. (Aside: whenever someone covers this song, I always wonder how they'll handle the line: "You may call me Bobby, you may call me Zimmy." This version handles it well and actually improves upon the original verse, I think.)3. Down In The Flood (performed by Bob Dylan): A good example of how Dylan can reinvent himself and reinterpret his own songs. He takes this old chestnut and polishes it up with his current sound. This track would fit comfortably on either Time Out of Mind or "Love and Theft". In my humble opinion, this version improves on the version released on Greatest Hits, Vol. 2, but it's not as good as the version on The Basement Tapes (where it's titled "Crash on the Levee").4. It's All Over Now, Baby Blue (performed by The Grateful Dead): Such a pretty song, it's hard to ruin. But The Grateful Dead give it a shot anyway. This isn't meant as a criticism of the Dead in general. It's just that the vocals fall flat throughout most of this track. That said, it still sounds okay. It might cause you to cringe a couple times, but I don't think you'll feel the need to skip ahead.5. Most Of The Time (performed by Sophie Zelmani): An interesting take. It's quiet and slow, and the spoken-word feeling of most of it gets a little old (though the same might be said for Dylan's own version), but when she starts singing she adds some emotional weight to it. This song grew on me, I must admit.6. On A Night Like This (performed by Los Lobos): A fun, dual-language version of a fun song. Alternating verses between English and Spanish works well on an album with so many non-English tracks.7. Diamond Joe (performed by Bob Dylan): A fun, up-tempo rendition of a traditional bluegrassy number. This song will quickly have you singing along. (Note: this is a completely different song than the traditional "Diamond Joe" on Good As I Been to You)."