Considering the power of his live performances, Masked and Anonymous feels like an odd, forgotten piece of Bob Dylan’s career. Reintroduced with Time Out of Mind and cementing his skill with Love and Theft, the reinvention of Dylan as an artist worth hearing once more for the masses was essential in rehabilitating his stage presence. It hit a peak in 2002 when he performed great shows like Red Bluff and, in general, the consistencies of his work were roundly fulfilling. Down in the Flood also received a particularly unique outing, performed live for an ill-forgotten film from the director of Borat. What a world we live in. And yet Dylan comes out the other end, the Masked and Anonymous pipeline, looking strong, sounding stronger. Down in the Flood is given the live treatment for the movie and a recent, shock remastering is a treat.
Not just because veteran guitarist Charlie Sexton is involved but because of what this release hints at. Plenty of recordings were made for Masked and Anonymous, and we can assume they are of a similar quality to Down in the Flood. Yet few made it through the release schedule and were left to rot on the cutting room floor. That is no fate worthy of a Dylan song, especially when he was hitting a new peak for his work. Masked and Anonymous has all the rumblings of what made Dylan so great. The outlaw-like experience, a swinging, sweating groove to the guitar work and a solid vocal performance. Down in the Flood is a shockingly great release, not because of how Dylan sounds but because it appears to have come out of the blue.
Holding out on recordings of a collection of instrumentalists often considered the best line-up Dylan has had on his live tours is criminal. And yet here we are. Sexton’s guitar work within this Down in the Flood working is nothing short of perfect. Featured on the soundtrack for the film but was forgotten along with the film itself. What this Down in the Flood release offers is not just another quality working of a classic song but a slim slice of hope to hear the rest of those recordings. Charles claims at least twenty songs were recorded during these sessions. Only four are out there in the wild. With the quality expected of the band in fine form and a Dylan vocal which sounds as refreshed and responsible as it gets, Down in the Flood is hopefully the start of scrubbing these tapes.
If it is not, then so be it. But the randomness of its recent release on the official YouTube channel is fascinating. This release may open more listeners to the classy recordings Dylan and the band had on their hands around this year. A fresher sound to the recording and a thudding back-and-forth between the two guitars, one rising and another creeping along underneath a loud and powerful percussion piece. Crash on the Levee is an already legendary song and the more official releases of it, the better. Down in the Flood is just that – an alert and heightened performance of a truly great song.
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