This guy CAN (and does!) sing Dylan!
Roland Minor | Tuscaloosa, Alabama | 03/29/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"There is an old saying in Dylan circles: "Nobody can sing Dylan like Dylan". That is not true on this live recording!
I have to strongly disagree with the previous reviews. Robyn recreates these Dylan songs and makes them his own. And believe me, this recording will not stay up on my shelf only after a couple of "spins"! (No offense!)
It is great to hear Robyn sing "Ballad of a Thin Man" and this song has to be the highlight of the CD for me. He has a very 'thick' British accent that adds to the recording and makes the song(s) sound fresh.
To be honest, I am more of a Dylan fan than a fan of Robyn's. They are both very different in their own right and I respect Robyn's music greatly. Having said that, I believe this recording will 'turn on' quite a few Dylan fans to Roybn's music (past and present).
Final word: Even if you are not a Dylan fan, this recording 'works'and is worth every penny. Just have a listen to 'Ballad of a Thin Man'!!!"
Looks Great On Paper
Carlo Matthews | Been Moving Around | 11/12/2002
(3 out of 5 stars)
"The very idea of Hitchcock doing an album exclusively dedicated to covering Dylan songs is enthralling. The fusion of the two worlds, Robyn's fabulously quirky one and Bob's effortlessly philosophical one, would seem destined to create a fascinating blend of styles and visions, populated by the classic ticks and twitches of the two artists.Strangely, the album overall fails to deliver on its promises and, instead, quickly descends into the mundane. Mostly, Hitchcock's singing is forced -- often unnecessarily urgent and loud -- lacks subtlety in reading Dylan's songs, and adds a grating, sometimes irritating edge to most of the pieces. Robyn sounds more intent on recreating Dylan -- and noisily, at that -- than on providing his own brand of interpretation. His band, which accompanies him on the second cd, come across like a truck with massive gear problems that cannot get a grip on the road--either stalling awkwardly or simply threatening to sideswipe anyone around. Despite the sensible choice of songs, Hitchcock's slipshod-ramshackle approach, unusual even in his own work, does little to shwocase his uniqueness as a performer or the compositional beauty of Dylan's pieces.Sadly, "Robyn Sings" is the sound of nuisance, with neither good ol' Robyn nor Bob coming to the fore."
The BIG picture is that this is an absolute MUST HAVE
oneflashoflight | PopTopia | 01/17/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I'm years behind on this review, but I see that this set is unjustly rated!
Assign a value between 1 & 10 on the following criteria: Robyn Hitchcock, Bob Dylan, The Importance of Good Song-writing. If your average rates 6 or higher than you must own this collection. To me:
Robyn - I love Robyn! He is, at this very moment, one of the most entertaining performers on stage and his current song-writing is LIGHT YEARS beyond Dylan's current. I am, however, not oblivious to the sub-par albums and I don't own two, and next-to-never go back to two others. He's a 9, though.
Dylan - Can't stand his voice. Past, and most definitely not present! 3 songs in and I want to destroy my ear canal with a screw-driver. "Nobody sings Dylan like Dylan"? Yeah? GOOD!! Nobody sings Tiny Tim like Tiny Tim, either! Before buying this set, I gave him a 2 mostly due to the Wilbury's stuff.
Good Song-writing is an easy 10! ANY great song should be heard by ANY means necessary. If "A Day In The Life" needs a hip-hop/rap re-make in order to reach otherwise unknowing ears, than let it be!!
So, I bought this record when it was released, and have been thoroughly educated on Dylan's song-writing talent. Over the years, I've gradually accepted his gift through covers (Wire Train, 16 Horsepower, Aztec Camera, etc...), but this set validated his legendary status in my ears.
I have given this set as a gift 9 times with 100% success: to Dylan purists, who are now Hitchcock fans...to Dylan avoiders (like my previous self) who now get it...and to fans of great song-writing by any means necessary. I play this set on a regular basis in my high-traffic, art gallery. I have, on dozens of occassions, written this set down on the back of a business card. Maybe somebody owes me some kick-back, but Dylan DEFINITELY owes Hitchcock a 'Thank You' card!
"
Track Listings (8) - Disc #1