No Direction Home released: August 30, 2005 BUY

The Bootleg Series Volume 7 collects extremely rare, and in most cases previously unheard, performances from the period covered by Martin Scorsese's landmark Dylan documentary No Direction Home, which ends with Dylan's 1966 motorcycle accident. The first half of the set presents Dylan alone with his guitar and harmonica, beginning with a 1959 home recording of a Dylan original, "When I Got Troubles." We hear early live and home recordings that already show an extraordinary sensitivity to nuance (listen, for just one example, to the touching "Rambler, Gambler"), and watch him become a powerfully original songwriter and performer in live versions and alternate takes of "Blowin' In The Wind," "Masters of War," "When The Ship Comes In," and "Mr. Tambourine Man." The high point of these acoustic performances may well be the galvanic "Chimes Of Freedom" from the 1964 Newport Folk Festival, in which Dylan's involvement is so intense he seems almost to be writing the song on the spot. The second half presents Dylan as he begins to fuse his deep knowledge of folk music with the edge and attitude - and instrumentation - of rock and roll. There are fascinating alternate takes of five songs from the seminal album Highway 61 Revisited, three from Blonde On Blonde, and two flame-throwing performances from his historic European tour of 1966. Taken all together, Bootleg 7 is a stunning vision of the development of Dylan's art in the time of its most staggering growth and change. When I Got Troubles Rambler, Gambler This Land Is Your Land Song To Woody Dink's Song I Was Young When I Left Home Sally Gal Don't Think Twice, It's All Right Man Of Constant Sorrow Blowin' In The Wind Masters Of War A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall When The Ship Comes In Mr. Tambourine Man Chimes Of Freedom It's All Over Now, Baby Blue