Quite a nice surprise of 60 years of uncollected Dylan. (Cassette issued in 1991; CD in 2017.) CD 1 anchored in his folky protest days: 1961-63. CD 2 covers Another Side of Bob Dylan up to his comeback Blood on the Tracks album; 1963-74. CD 3 (58 works) moves into his more sophisticated period with more rehearsed bands; 1974-1989.
There is much to delight here including rehearsal takes, ultra-rare tracks, early live recordings and demos, as well as alternate versions and many album outtakes.
On the 1st Cd, his wit is demonstrated on 3 humorous songs and his poeticness in an effective live, Beat-style reading of his Woody Guthrie ode at New York City’s Town Hall in 1963.
On the second CD, he plays a rare instrumental and plays a variety of folk-rock with various musicians including Al Kooper, Mike Bloomfield, The Band, and George Harrison (“If Not for You”).
The third CD illustrates that Dylan kept growing and expanding his musical tastes, voices, and arrangement. Back-up performers include Emily-Lou Harris, T-Bone Burnett, Mark Knopfler, Barry Beckett, Jennifer Warnes, Danny Kortchmar, Mick Taylor (of The Rolling Stones), and Daniel Lanois.
The boxset is a revelation and very representative of all phases of his career. As usual, his lyrics are a banquet unto themselves, especially on CDs 2 and 3. It is frankly hard to believe that one guy/the same guy wrote all these songs.
I’ve long been a fan, but the variety and depth here, unexpectedly, blew me away. If you are a Dylan fan, this is a must-have collection. If you are a doubter of Dylan’s talent and genius, this collection will significantly change your view. Highly recommended.