For Week Ending:
20 July 2024

Bob Dylan - The Complete Budokan 1978 (2023)

[Classic Rock]

Bob Dylan's music is often described as 'an acquired taste', but the 1978 Budokan shows are notorious for even tipping many fans of the bard over the edge. Booked for two shows in Japan (28 February / 1 March 1978), Dylan was politely instructed by the Japanese promoter to ensure he played a greatest hits package, with no obscurities. Ever the contrarian, Dylan agreed - but the show that was played was different from anything he had done before (or ever again for that matter). The two performances are often compared to the Vegas years of Elvis, full of dense big-band instrumentation of popular songs, complete with backing singers and new arrangements in different tempos and keys. After a lengthy instrumental entrance overture (that feels like it is designed for a big stage entrance) both shows are opened by obscure blues standards ('Repossession Blues' and 'Love Her With feeling' respectively), before launching into a big band version of 'Mr. Tambourine Man', complete with flute aplenty. 'Shelter From The Storm' gets a reggae make-over, and 'Maggie's Farm' is complete with a horn section, and sounds almost like a different song. Some tracks actually sound great with the new arrangements, and old classics like 'To Ramona' have new life breathed into them at these shows. More recent songs like 'Is Your Love In Vain?' are closest to the original arrangements, and are performed well. That ever present flute battles with the electric guitar and violin on 'All Along The Watchtower', and actually takes the song to places it has never been before. Toward the end of the shows we even get a Vegas-style band introduction moment, just reminding the audience of what they are seeing here. The shows were initially released in truncated form as a double album back in 1978 in Japan only (before being globally released the following year due to popular demand). This new album, with a modern mix, is both shows in entirety. The setlists are largely the same, with only a song or two different between them, so digesting both 2+ hour concerts in one sitting is unnecessary. Either way, the new version is still as divisive as the original. You either love these shows or you hate them, and no amount of remixing or repackaging is going to change any minds.

Arist Information
Bob Dylan (born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Generally regarded as one of the greatest songwriters ever, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his 60+ year career. He has sold more than 145 million records, making him one of the best-selling musicians ever. He has received numerous awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, ten Grammy Awards, a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award. Dylan has been inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame and the Songwriters Hall Of Fame. The Pulitzer Prize Board in 2008 awarded him a special citation for "his profound impact on popular music and American culture, marked by lyrical compositions of extraordinary poetic power." In 2016, Dylan was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature "for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition."

Black Label Society - Hangover Music Vol. VI (2004)

[Heavy Metal]

I can't recall the first time I had a listen to this band. In any case became familiar with their releases after forming in 1998. While The Blessed Hellride released prior to this effort I love to bits, Hangover is a very different beast. As the name suggests, it is a very dulled-down release to perhaps support the day after for some. That aside, this is actually a very ballsy effort from Zakk-man. It exposes his vocals even more so, which most would admit take some getting used to. To the point however - he blows the doors off with a mix of mellow, blues/rock sound covering some very catchy tunes. You get to hear his now familiar guitar sound that he has perfected over the years - even when you listen to Ozzy releases over the recent years you will clearly know he has left his paint mark on the release. Highlights include the opener 'Crazy Or High', but as you proceed through the album, you hit the gems such as 'Stepping Stone', 'Yesterday, Today And Tomorrow' which shows the man can hold a tune and can hold his own on the ivory which is surprising. We then have the short enjoyment of Zakk noodling in 'Takillya (Estyabon)' - very much in flamenco style. As you proceed you will find a tribute to Layne Staley and a cover of 'A Whiter Shade Of Pale'. I must admit the 65 minute effort does come to an early halt with the last few songs which does relieve it of the 'classic' title. However going back to the start, if you are after a comfy listen on a Sunday morning following a big Saturday night, this is the landing zone. It hooked me as a lifetime fan and loved having the chance to see the man handle his guitar playing live.

Arist Information
Black Label Society is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1998 by guitarist/singer Zakk Wylde.