Bob Dylan – Only a River Review

The Rough and Rowdy Ways tour is nearing its end. The Outlaw Tour continued on through the United States and heard Bob Dylan perform some of his very best, wrench-clanging, instrumentally challenging works. So too does Rough and Rowdy Ways and how better to experience the spoils of this live spectacle than with Only a River, the unofficial compilation detailing the joys of a year on the road. Such are the joys of the bootleg recordings and for those who attended these shows, they can attest to the quality Dylan has on stage. It is far removed from his 1960s and 1970s period, the songs most will know. But for those dedicated to the new sound, the reflective style and the swinging twist of his recent albums, there is much to love in Rough and Rowdy Ways, and Only a River does a good job of capturing the times.  

For those who saw Dylan tour the Rough and Rowdy Ways show in those first two years after the pandemic, his 2023 tour is far different. It has a booming sound, a brighter spark to its instrumentals and feels bigger all around. There is an obvious and contemporary focus from these performances but the necessity of classic tracks in one form or another is not dumped. Dylan is capable of playing up the likes of Most Likely You Go Your Way and I Go Mine or Gotta Serve Somebody as incredible, fresh fixtures. The instrumental change and perseverance are remarkable and make all the difference for these live shows. Only A River holds firm with those changes but gives them a bigger swing, a wilder flourish is held within which holds the lyrics up to the same scrutiny as Dylan did all those years ago. This is the most important part of these Dylan performances, has the heart and intent of the song been kept intact? 

Mostly, yes. Most Likely You Go Your Way and I Go Mine is a tremendous inclusion here and had it not been fitted to Blonde on Blonde it would stick out as a shining moment of modern-day Dylan. Such is the fascination with his recent live performances, where he finds great interest in modifying or tinkering with past sounds, seeing what can fit into future performances. The constant evolution of sound is not just for the studio. It sits well with I Contain Multitudes often following – this particular recording delighted by a man somewhere in the crowd grumbling the lyrics with Dylan. It is the liveliness of these crowds in the face of what is a quiet show by usual Dylan standards which settles in as a constant surprise for Only a River.  

From the string joys of When I Paint My Masterpiece to the additional flourishes of Gotta Serve Somebody, the Only a River compilation is more about appreciating the range these songs have than anything else. For those who listened to the born-again originals, the extra tapes to follow and all the spotty instrumental sections of those recordings elsewhere, there is a new joy to be found in the modern playing skills Dylan affords his older works. They are not lost to the crashing Rough and Rowdy Ways waves and instead come to a head with the contemporary material. An intense and exciting blend of performances, compiled by and for the bootlegging faithful.