Live performances as voted on by constant listeners of Bob Dylan are, in some way, an essential listen in of themselves. Expecting Rain: Volume Two compiles the brain trust on the forum of the same name and has them rush through the mid-1990s, a period of peculiar song choices from Dylan. He was going through the motions yet completely evolving his sound and preparing for a career comeback which still lasts today. Part of this may be the legendary status, but another aspect is the considerable trust built back through performances like these, the sense of purpose found on songs like Desolation Row and It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue, once more. An unplugged version of Desolation Row opens this compilation, a familiar sound to those who are following an MTV Unplugged listen with this compilation. What a riot it is.
Clear vocals, a collection of impressive instrumental work and, ultimately, the sort of constant change Dylan liked to apply to the best of his discography. There is sincerely no greater experience than hearing a Dylan track for the first time. While it may be impossible to chart those first encounters with Highway 61 Revisited again without blunt trauma to the head or hypnosis, stumbling on a resolute and entirely remodelled live version is just as rewarding. A trio of those unplugged performances are a welcome introduction to what becomes an extraordinary compilation of special appearances and concert dates from across the globe. Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door is a real delight and brings the MTV Unplugged rips to an end. But what follows is some of the most astounding work Dylan put out during this period. Essential efforts from a titan of the stage, with Mr. Tambourine Man and Shelter from the Storm standing out most of all.
Eight-minute renditions of It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue aside, what becomes very clear from these recordings is Dylan’s rebirth as an artist with a contemporary edge. He was no longer shuffling the deck with predictable tone or tempo, but roaring through as an artist willing to challenge his material. As much can be heard on the barely audible but still brilliant It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue. Crucial to this change, this elevation of long-played songs, is a focus on the quieter moments, those lines and lyrics which punch a little harder when they are backed by a harmonica solo. Shelter from the Storm gets into the gritty details of this with a euphoric presentation of the razor’s edge, the fine line Dylan had walked for so long after the release of Blood on the Tracks. He makes good on the journey here with an endlessly satisfying cover.
Additions like Born in Time and Restless Farewell provide new meaning to contemporary tracks of the time which, in their studio versions, arguably offer little. Born in Time, the Under the Red Sky rip, is mired by obsessive star power on the album version but in a live environment, slots right into place. Expecting Rain: Volume Two, is an understanding of Dylan not as a writer who hit a slump but as an artist struggling to compose a new instrumental step. His lyrical choices rarely wavered in this period and despite a sense of self-doubt, there are some roaring, brilliant performances. Compilation closer Dark Eyes, has Dylan collaborate with the legendary Patti Smith. Simply phenomenal, each live version here can be called one of the very best in form for Dylan.
