Bob Dylan – Dylan (Best-Of Compilation) Review

How quaint a name for a best-of compilation. Not at all confusing when discussing the excessive number of singles and rarities compiled by the Bob Dylan team. Do not confuse it with the 1973 release, Dylan. Do not misinterpret this compilation as an extension of his second self-titled album, the one which ditches his forename but not his surname. A standard edition and a deluxe triple pack three times the length of the original boxset. At least there was a sense of planning on packs like Greatest Hits. But the best of compilations serve their purpose. They are stop-gaps in the quality of the past. It is more interesting to see what remains from set to set than anything, because this, the 2007 Dylan compilation, is filled with left-field interpretations of what marked the man’s best works.  

Few artists can warrant this many compilations, fewer still one this long. But the deluxe edition still has room for improvement. No Idiot Wind, not a scent of Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat, and yet Modern Times and the more elusive periods of his backlog are given their fair shot. Rightly so. A compilation which takes risks is a shock to the system, and Dylan, for all its shortcomings and snubs, has picked a wild selection of songs and tried its best to make heads or tails of it. It is far more interesting than the likes of Mixing Up the Medicine. Sometimes the obvious calls of quality are just that, too obvious. Despite the format of a best-of compilation, there is still a chance of surprising listeners in for the long haul. Hurricane and Jokerman being included alongside Simple Twist of Fate and Dark Eyes is exactly the sort of lineup which excites the dedicated fan.  

Dylan does well not to omit what can be perceived as the lesser albums. His self-titled debut includes Song to Woody and so the opener of this compilation is set. Rather telling it may be to hear it is the only song from said album, almost every Dylan piece is included here. Brownsville Girl gets Knocked Out Loaded a nod from the best of team, and rightly so. It is the only correct choice to be made from such a disastrous album. Most of the lesser albums, Empire Burlesque or Shot of Love, are included with what is arguably the best song of the bunch. Saved is tellingly absent from this one. Even Good As I Been To You made it into the collection. So, while Dylan decides to dump the Saved era for whatever reason, it is a genuine collection of nearly every album, including the start of The Bootleg Series. 

It is hard to complain about such variety. From Street-Legal being paid its dues to the stunning lack of Highway 61 Revisited songs, Dylan is a compilation willing to take risks without upsetting the apple cart. Should the title track of Dylan’s 1965 masterpiece be in there? Yes, but so too should Lay, Lady, Lay, and it is the only slice of Nashville Skyline served up here. Pleasantly surprising in the songs it includes and somewhat understandable in those it omits, Dylan is quite cool in how well-rounded it is. A definitive collection of Dylan is too easy to come by, but one of such quality is tricky. Dylan gets there well enough. Not without its faults but it is hard to complain when Blood in My Eyes is given a nod.