1969: A Watershed Year For Americana Music Half a century ago, in a single calendar year, an avalanche of albums were released that would go on to have a lasting and monumental impact on what would become known as alt-country and more recently Americana music. Looking back at 1969 and pursuing the list of albums … Continue reading
Bob Dylan @ ICC Theatre, Sydney 18th August 2018 There’s a dire warning before Bob Dylan takes the stage at the ICC Theatre – “filming and photography will not be tolerated, please turn off your electronic devices”. It’s a sign that Dylan is either still extremely protective of his image and his art or those newfangled contraptions (phones) … Continue reading
This has always been one of the more fascinating periods of Dylan’s career, when he started exploring gospel music and religious-leaning song subject matter. Due from Columbia and Legacy on November 3rd, Trouble No More: The Bootleg Series Vol. 13 / 1979-1981 focuses on Dylan’s so-called “gospel years”. The Deluxe Edition features nine discs – 8 … Continue reading
Bob Dylan hasn’t released an original song in four years. Instead, on last years Shadows In The Night and now Fallen Angels, he’s paid tribute to American standards made famous by Frank Sinatra. Though these dozen tracks continue the lush, stately and intimate treatment of Shadows In The Night, the album feels like a lesser … Continue reading
The middle of the 1960s was a turbulent time culturally. Collars were loosening, hair was growing and music was changing at a rapid rate as rock ’n’ roll began to explore its possibilities aided by free thinking and stimulants. Dylan was the poster boy, the artist out front pushing the limits with a wild surrealistic … Continue reading
The personal highlight of our week was the chance to chat with Jason Isbell ahead of the release of his new album Somewhere More Than Free. From his days in Drive-by Truckers to his solo career that seems to get better and better with each release, culminating to date with Southeastern that garnered Americana Music … Continue reading
Yep, we’re a third of the way through the year already so we thought we’d have a look back at our ten favourite albums that have been released in 2015. In no particular these are the records that have regularly been on the stereo and provided many of the musical highlights of our year so far. You can hit … Continue reading
In terms of rock n roll myths and legends The Basement Tapes is one of the most fascinating. A songwriter unwillingly held up as a spokesman for a generation, and seemingly close to burning out in 1966, has a motorcycle accident and retreats to the rustic surrounds of upstate New York where he holes up … Continue reading
Bob Dylan has recorded many covers over the years but never has he arranged and performed them with such reverence and austere beauty as he does here. Produced by Dylan under his pseudonym Jack Frost and recorded live with no overdubs, the ten songs are reduced to the essence of their storytelling form. Dylan’s voice … Continue reading
In November Dylan fans will be licking their lips waiting to get their hands and ears on the next edition of the The Bootleg Series (11). The Basement Tapes Complete one features 138 tracks from the sessions Dylan recorded with The Band at Big Pink in 1967 and is compiled from the original, recently rediscovered tapes. … Continue reading
On his 73rd birthday Bob Dylan has announced he is returning to Australia and New Zealand for a run of shows many of which are in relatively intimate theatre settings. Here’s the list of dates and venues plus a listen to the new Dylan track ‘Full Moon & Empty Arms’ from his forthcoming 2014 album … Continue reading
It has been another bountiful year of releases in the all encompassing world of americana music and as happens at the tail end of the year many of us love to undergo the sometimes painful process of compiling end of year lists. Below we’ve listed our favourite albums of 2012. Hopefully there are a few … Continue reading
by Chris Familton Bob Dylan must surely be the most covered artist of the last forty years so when another compilation of versions of his songs comes along it is easy to dismiss it as another batch of standards reinterpreted. The hook with this one though is twofold. Firstly it is a fantastic cause with … Continue reading
Sony Music has announced details of 2 new Dylan releases before the end of 2010. The first and most interesting is the latest instalment in the Bootleg Series – Volume 9. Sub-titled The Witmark Demos: 1962-1964 it will be released on CD and 4 LP 180-gram vinyl. It captures Dylan accompanied only by his acoustic guitar, … Continue reading
