Bob Dylan – The Bromberg Sessions Review

Traditional folk covers from Bob Dylan are no shock. They certainly gave listeners a left-field experience when he shunned original material for a series of covers, but their purpose is greater than just interesting listening experiences. They moved Dylan to the other side of the studio so he could get to grips with mixing and production ahead of Rough and Rowdy Ways. But there was still the same passion, it can be heard in the earliest moments of his career to the contemporary covers provided on the stage. The Bromberg Sessions, an unofficial collection of great recordings from the period of artistic doubt. Dylan suggested he had given all he had, written everything there was on his mind – and the lacklustre response to the likes of Under the Red Sky may have triggered this thought process. Whatever the case, he dabbled in covers of classic songs, and in turn found new life in his work.  

It was no quick process – these tapes are just a slice of what would be seven years without any fully-fledged Dylan originals. As Good As I Been To You now feels like a knock at audiences who wanted the classic Dylan sound but were nowhere close to getting it. The Bromberg Sessions tell a different story. Bromberg even wrote two of these songs. A release seemed inevitable, and it is clear to hear why. Cover collections are now a necessity of the Dylan discography but cold feet and a sudden twist stopped Dylan from putting all but two of these songs out there. The Bromberg Sessions are excellent, though. Catskill Serenade is a thing of beauty. A triumphant Dylan, knocked by a self-conscious bout, hits back stronger when up against it. An incredible treat to hear this, and The Bromberg Sessions are one of the many casualties of a flippant Dylan in the 1990s. This and Supper Club appear to be the two great losses. 

The Bromberg Sessions in particular is a heartbreaking loss because Dylan plays out these covers with a bold sincerity. At a low ebb, he finds favour in the honesty of other words, pieces like Polly Vaughn act as placeholders for his experiences which he did not feel up to the task of writing. Bold instrumentals and a heartfelt feel through The Dillards classic. Crisp recordings of these songs are wonderful and it does seem strange they were never released. Miss the Mississippi and You is one of the all-time great covers from Dylan, a mellow appeal and flourish of vocalised heartbreak. But with a bed of warm instrumentals backing it and some sharp work from Bromberg which is not too far off the sound Rough and Rowdy Ways would lean into, it is hard not to love.  

Just when you think the road has run out for quality bootlegs, something like The Bromberg Sessions comes through. Stunning work and in its current form is as good as, if not better than, some of the cover albums already out there from Dylan. From upbeat thrills on The Girl on the Greenbriar Shore to the revisit of his fundamental artistry on 32-20 Blues, Dylan seemingly lacked confidence at the time and shelved this exceptionally open and honest collection of covers. A sad shame they never heard the light of day, but The Bromberg Sessions are a thrill to listen to. A neat selection of deep-cut cover songs, two of which were released on the various compilations to follow these recording sessions. Dylan regained his confidence but appears to have left essential works like Golden Vanity behind.