Bob Dylan hit a stride like no other after the release of Time Out of Mind. We have several projects to thank for this revolutionary new sound. From those MTV Unplugged performances to the rock bottom Dylan hit preceding that music channel performance. What it sparked is nothing short of masterful work and a reinvigorated stage presence which addressed the loose and lacklustre playing style which had plagued Dylan earlier in the decade. This neat mix of best-of songs only adds fuel to the burning, post-Time Out of Mind spectacle. It certainly is a parade of all-time greats, from the joyous jam of opener To Be Alone With You to covers of Gordon Lightfoot and the Grateful Dead backlog, Rare Performances from the Vault is an unofficial bootleg worth delving into.
Fine fan recordings make this compilation a real treat. Slick quality and no notes of jagged or ear-piercing quality to be found. Just a steady set of interesting live productions which are dependent on the Bucky Baxter and Larry Campbell guitar pairing. The depths of their instrumental quality are clear throughout. Crisp performances from both across a stretch of shows where Dylan appeared to be not only experimenting with his tracklist but also changing the foundations of his most established songs. A break from that comes in the form of I’m Not Supposed to Care, a dastardly and mean-toothed cover of the late, great Gordon Lightfoot. Few voices can put those songs into a flash new context, but Dylan is outstanding here. Rare Performances from the Vault depend on this constant reworking. A man satisfied with what he has written, what he has been influenced by, but still creating on the fly.
Established songs are not a rite of passage. A Glasgow-based performance of Boots of Spanish Leather proves this. Some of the best moments on this Rare Performances from the Vault set are found in the adaptations of early years material. Tears of Rage is outstanding. A blistering track where those riotous expectations are mellowed. Still, the fires burn, but with a new perspective. Charmed as it is, the key is Dylan’s new vocal range – a style which would split listeners forevermore. But if the intent is to re-evaluate the classic moments of a career stretching back forty years at this point, distance in vocal style is crucial. Pair that daring change with some blistering instrumental work from Baxter and Campbell, both men filling in the gap Charlie Sexton leaves on stage, and Rare Performances from the Vault becomes an essential live bootleg.
Mixed in are a few Time Out of Mind rips too, with Love Sick proving a real highlight here. But the dominant part of this set is refitting the acoustic joy of Dylan on the stage. For too long he batted around electric fuzz and what defined him in the 1960s was, ironically, what redefined him in the 1990s. It just never quite clicked when he was roaring through Blame it on Rio, where the buzz of instrumental explosions overtook any lyrical nuance. Here there is plenty to love. Keep an ear out for Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright, an absolute powerhouse here and all because of a few brief, steady acoustic flickers. An outstanding collection of live performances can be found here. Time Out of Mind was a revelation for Dylan and his presence on stage, a lucky break for listeners at home, decades later.
