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Cheat Sheet: Bob Dylan's Best Reissues, Boots, Anthologies and Rarities

by Justin Farrar

Very few artists in the history of rock 'n' roll have generated as many meaningful archival releases, anthologies and rarities packages as Bob Dylan. This can be attributed to a few things. To begin with, the guy is a tireless and unpredictable studio rat capable of committing hours and hours of music to tape, only to never release it officially. Or if he does, he waits years to do so.

The most overt example is the Basement Tapes. Recorded in Woodstock, N.Y., in 1967 with The Hawks (who would eventually morph into [The Band]), they contain some of Dylan's greatest tunes, from "Tears of Rage" and "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" to "Too Much of Nothing" and "Nothing Was Delivered." Yet an official version didn't emerge until 1975 (after several years of illegal bootlegs slipping into the market). And even then, a slew of tunes were conspicuously absent, two of which -- "I'm Not There" and "Sign on the Cross" -- have taken on wildly mythical status through the decades.

Another factor contributing to this singular status is Dylan's legacy as a stage performer. Not only has he delivered some of his most potent rock 'n' roll in the live setting, he has a gift for making a concert (or an entire tour, sometimes) a unique historical event. The Bootleg Series, which started appearing in the early '90s, has done an excellent job of chronicling this side of him. Vol. 4 - Bob Dylan Live 1966 is just as central to understanding his initial burst of electric folk rock as Highway 61 Revisited and Blonde on Blonde. In fact, it's the first thing I go to when I'm in the mood to crank the violently wild wail that was Dylan's music during 1965 and '66. The arrangements are glorious and overblown, plus the band (The Hawks once again) rocks hard. Yet another example is Vol. 5 - Bob Dylan Live 1975, a document of the star-studded Rolling Thunder Revue, quite possibly the heaviest and most emotionally harrowing tour of Dylan's storied career.

For this Cheat Sheet, I've also included several titles from Columbia-Legacy's 2010 reissue campaign of Dylan's first eight albums in mono (as well as the excellent introductory collection The Best of the Original Mono Recordings). At first blush, these might seem necessary for audiophiles only, but if you've never heard Blonde on Blonde in mono, do yourself a huge favor and check it out. It's rich and punchy and vibrant and balanced in ways the stereo mix simply is not.

And now on to Bob Dylan's best reissues, boots, anthologies and rarities.

Blonde On Blonde [Mono]

Bob Dylan

Dylan's on a lyrical bender on this album, unleashing line after line of accusatory, unyielding prose that has moments of spot-on brilliance pitted against some ramshackle blues. Sure, he could have used an editor, but "Stuck Inside Of Mobile...," "I Want You" and "Obviously 5 Believers" are just a few of the many faultless tracks here.

The Bootleg Series Vol. 5 - Bob Dylan Live 1975

Bob Dylan

After spending the first half of the 1970s releasing a string of decent but not classic albums, Bob's second great awakening kicked off with Blood on the Tracks and reached a deafening crescendo when the Rolling Thunder Revue hit the road in '75. Though Dylan delivers plenty of acoustic gems, the highlights here ("Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You," "It Ain't Me Babe," "Isis") are all about The Man exploring a pulverizing and densely layered brand of hard rock obviously inspired by glam.

I'm Not There

Various Artists

If you love Dylan like a fat kid loves cake, the bonus cuts of Basement Tapes-era Bob singing the title track and an updated "Trouble In Mind" are like 18K golden icing with diamond sprinkles. But even the most hardnosed Dylan disciples are going to find difficulty dismissing some of indie rock's finest covering Bob's best here. Jim James' haunting version of "Goin' To Acapulco" is worth its weight in said icing and Stephen Malkmus turns "Ballad Of A Thin Man" into something more haunting than Pavement could have ever pulled off. Oh, and Chan fans: the Cat Power track is godhead.

Dylan

Bob Dylan

So what does this thorough, comprehensive, chronologically sequenced Dylan comp offer that others don't? Fifty-two songs and a Mark Ronson remix of "Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I'll Go Mine)." His replacing of the song's original snare drum with a bionic bass-thumping backbeat gives this 1966 classic a 1992 warehouse rave sensibility. Purists needn't worry much, though -- the rest of Dylan is pretty sweet. It flows with the predictable picks that made Dylan an icon, as well as less obvious numbers like "Blood in My Eyes" and the Roger McGuinn-bashing version of "You Ain't Going Nowhere."

The Basement Tapes

Bob Dylan

Four sides of hard-drinking heartbreak, late night desperation, and exuberant self-destruction. Basement Tapes is de facto proof that crappy recordings can be better than those made in a studio -- and also that Dylan is God, Robbie Robertson is the filthiest guitarist since Mickey Baker, and Richard Manuel's voice is the damned saddest thing there ever was.

The Bootleg Series Vol. 4 - Bob Dylan Live 1966

Bob Dylan

The first disc is a historical snapshot of Dylan's acoustic set during his '66 tour: solo with an emphasis on newer fare rather than older protest anthems. Good stuff -- but it's on disc two where things get heavy. This is the infamous Judas fiasco, yet misguided indignation from the crowd ultimately takes a back seat to Dylan and his backing group (who would morph into The Band) inventing a new rock 'n' roll: harder, slower, meaner and way more lathered in feedback than anything previously heard. We wouldn't get another chance to hear this Dylan until the Rolling Thunder Revue a decade later.

Biograph

Bob Dylan

Sprinkled with rarities and demos amid the more well-known tracks, Biograph is one of Dylan's most rewarding releases. Not only does the collection unveil unheard moments of brilliance, but it also places his known tracks in a new context, allowing you to marvel at how he evolved from one song to the next. Not a chronological release, but a well-thought out mix.

Highway 61 Revisited [Mono]

Bob Dylan

Hands down one of the most important rock records ever, featuring Dylan moving even further away from his street folk start. Large doses of country and blues lay the foundation for his visions of total loss, bitter comeuppance, and pure, last-ditch defiance. A defining moment in rock music that affected pretty much everyone who heard it in 1965.

The Bootleg Series Vol. 9 - The Witmark Demos: 1962-1964

Bob Dylan

The thing about Bob Dylan that fans tend to ignore is that the square, cigar-smoking industry suits immediately recognized his creativity and songwriting talents. The pre-fame Dylan cut these bare-bone demos in order to get his songs covered by other, more popular acts. And, boy, did people flock to cover many of them, while others became Dylan classics and some remain intriguing rarities. A number of tunes, such as "Bound to Lose, Bound to Win," are just fragments, but the entire set becomes more than just a fascinating listen as it emits a casual but energetic buzz.

The Bootleg Series Vol. 7 - No Direction Home

Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan's ascension from a student of the burgeoning folk-blues sound of the early '60s to the verbose, inspired songsmith wizard on 1966's Blonde On Blonde is chronicled here. With a bounty of unheard tracks, alternate takes and live sessions, Dylan's brain-rattling brilliance is on full display.

Playlist: The Very Best Of Bob Dylan '80s

Bob Dylan

Let's face it: the '80s was a strange decade for Dylan. It began with yet more sacred music (Saved), closed with a stunner (Oh Mercy) and boasted titles in between that range from very good (Infidels, Empire Burlesque) to utterly mediocre (Knocked Out Loaded). This collection does a fine job of spotlighting the best material from all these records, but what makes it a truly interesting listen is the inclusion of several outtakes and alternate versions. Probably the best is "Blind Willie McTell." For reasons that have never been fully explained, Dylan left this stunning ballad off Infidels.

The Best Of The Original Mono Recordings

Bob Dylan

If you aren't up to plowing through Bob's first eight albums to see how the mono versions differ from their stereo counterparts, then this best-of collection is for you. Because every one of these 15 tracks is a classic, you should detect the myriad differences between mono and stereo immediately. Take "Like a Rolling Stone" for example: Bob's voice/harmonica and Al Kooper's organ move to the middle of the overall sound, while the bass, drums and guitar push to the front. For those who have a hard time dealing with Dylan's nasally howl, these mono recordings will make more sense.