Fragments - Time Out Of Mind Sessions (1996-1997): The Bootleg Series Vol. 17

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Fragments - Time Out Of Mind Sessions (1996-1997): The Bootleg Series Vol. 17

Fragments - Time Out Of Mind Sessions (1996-1997): The Bootleg Series Vol. 17

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Considering the often sombre and spectral mood of Time Out of Mind, it’s fascinating to hear how in some cases the different takes are much more upbeat and lighter than the final recordings.

Disc 4 offers live versions of all the tracks from Time Out of Mind except Dirt Road Blues, but with the addition of Mississipi, which was originally intended for the album. Disc 4 contains live versions from the years 1998-2001 - I love live Dylan but for this period, I'm primarily interested in studio recordings, but the sound quality of these recordings seems underwhelming on first listen. You could speed his songs up, slow them down, throw rock drums behind them or do any old thing, and the songs would remain, somehow, themselves: “Desolation Row” remains recognizably “Desolation Row” on take 5 and Take 13. It’s not superior to the version that made it onto Time Out of Mind, but it’s a brilliant alternative and one of the highlights of the box set, with Dylan referencing his classic mid- ‘60s electric period but throwing in some country rock too.The definitive version of “Mississippi,” which wasn’t released until 2008 and included on the fifth disc, is suffused with air and light. If “Not Dark Yet” sounded like it was in the beginning stages of evaporation, “Mississippi” felt like fumes itself—far too ethereal and light for Time Out of Mind. These are not driving rock numbers, and yet they were three or four drum kits rolling away at any point. He couldn’t work this close to his home and his family, which, by now, included six children and multiple grandchildren. The unreleased outtakes on Fragments reveal some of the extraordinary moments they littered along the path.

With that in mind, the first disc in this 5CD offering is a new 2022 remix of the original release, by engineer, Michael Brauer, who says he was trying to capture something that had more of a feel of what was going on in the room, with less additional processing. Dylan’s voice is cleaner and more audible in the mix, which will please listeners who thought Lanois’ original production was too murky and swampy, and with too many effects on Dylan’s vocals. A fifth unreleased performance, Dylan's interpretation of "The Water is Wide," a traditional folk song of Scottish origin (and spiritual precursor of "Highlands," Time Out of Mind's epic closer) opens Disc Two. The last disc you don't need if you have Tell Tale Signs, but I understand why it was included as it goes with the period, and they can charge more with another disc included. The making of this album was protracted, painful, and in all ways alive, and the album’s dour countenance was largely the product of theater and shadow.

The previous Bootleg Series, Springtime in New York, suffered from focusing on too wide a time period as well as running too short. In Der Spiegel, Max Dax gave a positive review of this album, writing that the new remix unleashes "the full musical power" of Dylan at this stage in his career. I don't know if they're entirely audience recordings or a combination of sources but I would have far preferred professionally recorded versions. This makes for a really fascinating and rewarding listen as you not only trace the evolution of the songs but can decide whether you prefer the album as released or as a more upbeat version.



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