The idea here - by the way, thanks for coming - the idea here is that I and my fellow contributors will post periodically - that is Andrew (me), as well as Scott, Brenda, and Darren - every so often we'll post reviews and news and whatnot - you know, editorial style - reviews of whatever pop media strikes our fancy as it occurs to us, but that we either haven't the time for, or else simply doesn't bear mentioning on the weekly show.
We at the Order of the Mighty Goose remain committed to broadening your horizons, Dear Reader, and so to that end I present the first of many installments of Hey! Guess What CD I Just Bought?! - "No Direction Home: The Soundtrack":
No Direction Home is the soundtrack to the 2005 Martin Scorsese-directed television documentary of the same name, and the seventh installment in the Bob Dylan Bootleg series. Like the documentary, this two disc set spans Bob Dylan's early years, from 1959 to 1966.
However, it's an odd soundtrack in that it doesn't feature the actual music from the film. Instead, No Direction Home is a compilation almost entirely composed of unreleased track dug up during the making of the film. From one of his earliest known recordings of an original song, to some of his most controversial live performances, this collection mirrors the story of the documentary while shedding even more light on Bob Dylan's transformation from folkie to bona fide rocker.
But, it's not a hodgepodge of unlistenable home recordings and sub-par outtakes. In fact, this album features some really stellar tracks, such as a visionary performance of This Land is Your Land, and an alternate take of It's All Over Now, Baby Blue which I even prefer over the original release. Other highlights include a rockin' Maggie's Farm, recorded at the infamous Newport Folk Festival, and the first full take of Tambourine Man, supposedly the one The Byrd's were given as the basis for their hit single.
Every track is a solid example of Bob Dylan at his best, and this set serves as as good a Greatest Hits you'll ever find, a perfect introduction for new listeners, and a definite must-have for fans.
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