Reassessing "Dylan & The Dead" 32 years on...

Last night over a nice "whiskey" (too bad we don't get "Heaven's Door Whiskey" here), I listened to the original CD version of "Dylan And The Dead" nice and loud. I gotta say, I really enjoyed it. Funny, but time has seemed to be kind to it. At first I remember being put off by it's sloppiness and Dylan's slurred singing and forgetting some lyrics, but last night I let that go and closed my eyes and listened and took it all in.

It's better that I thought. I'll give it a solid ***/5

His voice really does make sense on the album if you listen to "Empire Burlesque" and then "The Traveling Wilburys" and "Oh Mercy"; that's the way Bob sounded in 1987.

It was a nice reunion with an album I had more or less shrugged off for years. Now I like it.

Anyone willing to try and reassess this album?

Thoughts/opinions...?


Recorded in July 1987
Released in Feb 1989

 

I’ve reassessed this one in the Forum GD threads. I can’t remember exactly what I said about it, but the short answer is: I like it. I’m a big fan of “Joey.”

It’s a lot better than its Rolling Stone review back in the 80s.

 

New reassessment same as the original: Meh.

 

I listened to it again last week. It was hard to sit through. It’s definitely one of my least favorite Dylan albums. I don’t necessarily think it’s worthless per se, but I can’t imagine reaching for it when there are so many other Dylan albums out there.

 

I listened to it again a while ago, when my nephew was aghast that I didn’t fawn over it.

Well, it was better than remembered, but not by too much. It’s ok!

 

They already got my money, but they’re getting a reassessment of this when they pry it from my cold, dead hands.

 

Dylan has been described as "unwell" during this period, but in July '87, Garcia was on the mend and the GD would enter their late golden period from about '88-'90 (according to me). I'm glad Bob found compatriots in Garcia & Co., and I think this collaboration deserves a spin every once in a while. Bob too would eventually find his footing on the underrated Oh Mercy. Their live team-up probably would have been better received had it happened a couple years later, but it happened when it did.

I'm sorry you find this thread taxing.

 

It's interesting to note that the very month that Dylan & The Dead did 6 stadium shows together, "In The Dark" was released.
That album was huge and gave The Dead a whole new "commercial" relevance as well as bringing tons of new people into the fold.
The crowds must have been insane that month and "Touch Of Grey" must have been all over the radio right then.

 

Bob Dylan played naught a note on In the Dark. True story.

 

I'm assuming one could build a better version of this particular roadmap from "other sources".

 

My opinion is the same. I enjoyed the concerts........saw the 3 east coast ones.......but uninspiring selections for the album.

 

I went to both the Oakland and Anaheim shows, and the Northern California audience was fine, but the Southern California audience was as you say, INSANE.

I'm not a Deadhead -- my primary interest in seeing those shows was to see Dylan, who I had never seen before at that point, and he did NOT disappoint me.

 

The Club Front rehearsals have some wonderful moments.

(But most of y'all already know that...)

 

I haven't listened to this album for a long time, and did not find it engaging when I did listen to it. I'm not sure I will have a different opinion now.

In many ways it's unfortunate that this was released - there are many better Dylan performances on tours that would have made a more successful official live album than this one. This one could have been better left for the bootleggers.

 

For me it was another example, pre-bootleg series, of Dylan releasing the "wrong" live album... So we got the 76 show instead of 75, 78 instead of 79, 84 instead of 81, and 87 with the Dead instead of 86/7 with the Heartbreakers. I still quite enjoy it, but something like the Westwood One broadcast of the show with Petty knocks it into a cocked hat.

 

One of my favourite Dylan live albums.
The only song I always skip past is "Queen Jane Approximately".
4/5 for me.

 

Never felt any need to reassess, always loved it, except it should have been at least a double album.

 

Exactly my thoughts.

 

I like this album too. I always thought that there is a better album to be made by revisiting the performances but what is there is a valuable record. I am hopeful that at some point another set will be compiled to give a broader picture.

 

I always liked it, especially the live take of "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" where Bob sing every line a measure behind. However, it's basically just a Dylan album with the Dead as a backup band, and sometimes they sound like they were just going through the motions. It should have been a double album that showcased the Dead a bit more like Before the Flood did with the Band. But then, I didn't see any of the Dylan and the Dead shows. Did the Dead do any songs without Dylan, and did they do any of their trademark jamming?

 

A pair of my two favourite artistes come together and instead of a sumptuous meal produce a rat sandwich...

 

Here's my fearless prediction: Everything he did with the Dead will be released as a box set one day and it will be praised to the skies

 

Still terrible now as it was terrible then.

 

I enjoy it. Didn't hear it until many years after release (probably around 2005 or so).
As with many panned Dylan albums, I didn't get what all the flack was about.
My only disappointment in the album is Joey. I'm not a huge fan of the album, and it takes up a large chunk of the album. I would prefer 2 shorter songs.