Bob Dylan The Band

The Basement Tapes makes me feel warm and comfortable, like putting on a warm flannel blanket on a chilly night. The songs are relaxed and low-key, with an unpretentious style that invites the listener into this timeless collection of real Americana tunes. Many of the songs feel like they could have been written in the 1800's, they have such a timeless quality. As far as the actual music, most of the songs are generally what you could call folk-rock, in that eclectic style The Band did so well. The singing is relaxed and pleasant, with none of the vicious snarl that Dylan had used when he moved from acoustic folk to electric. I think a lot of the charm of this album is because the musicians believed they were only recording rough demos that were never meant for public release. Hence, there was no pressure to be perfect. But what perfection they achieved in their relaxed, low-fi setting. If you like The Band, you will like this album. If you like Dylan, you will like this album. Even if you don't like The Band or Dylan, you may still like this album, which stands as a unique musical accomplishment.

The 1974 live recordings celebrates the 50th anniversary of bob dylan’s return to touring that year. Featuring all professionally recorded shows from the artist’s 1974 performances backed by the band, the collection will be available as a deluxe box set across 27 cds. The 1974 live recordings offers fans 417 previously-unreleased bob dylan live tracks – including 133 recordings newly mixed from 16-track tape, and every single surviving soundboard recording – along with new liner notes by journalist and critic elizabeth nelson.

The 1974 live recordings celebrates the 50th anniversary of bob dylan’s return to touring that year. Featuring all professionally recorded shows from the artist’s 1974 performances backed by the band, the collection will be available as a deluxe box set across 27 cds. The 1974 live recordings offers fans 417 previously-unreleased bob dylan live tracks – including 133 recordings newly mixed from 16-track tape, and every single surviving soundboard recording – along with new liner notes by journalist and critic elizabeth nelson.

Recorded live at Boston Gardens, Boston, Massachusetts, January 14, 1974 (afternoon show).Soundboard recording.

This is a Record Store Day exclusive release of the original 14 track acetate sent to artists to consider recording these Dylan compositions recorded during the (in)famous "Basement Tapes" sessions.

Dylan made his way to New York City in January of 1961, immediately making a substantial impression on the folk community of Greenwich Village. He began visiting his idol Guthrie in the hospital, where he was slowly dying from Huntington's chorea. Dylan also began performing in coffee houses, and his rough charisma won him a significant following. In April, he opened for John Lee Hooker at Gerde's Folk City. Five months later, Dylan performed another concert at the venue, which was reviewed positively by Robert Shelton in The New York Times. Columbia A&R man John Hammond sought Dylan out on the strength of the review, and signed the songwriter in the fall of 1961.