A companion piece to a twenty-seven-disc set of live performances is the mint to explode large diners. Power through the series of main courses heard in those Bob Dylan and The Band recordings, the gluttonous, audio-chundering version of Mr. Creosote you are. A thin mint to follow with Lost in the Flood, a nice taster session for some, the final hurdle for others. Another platter is being prepared as we speak. Who knows what The Bootleg Series will share next? Those early days, perhaps? It would be nice to receive a seal of approval-featuring release of those first years in New York, rather than the cracked compilation YouTube playlists and the vast ocean of apartment bootleg tapes. Lost in the Flood is of a standard set by the official Dylan body, and yet seems to be a fan-made check of other tracks.
Inevitably, songs were going to slip through the cracks of such a large collection. Dylan was lost in the years leading up to this return to the stage. Between the maligned but enjoyable Self Portrait and the underwhelming cover songs of Dylan, audiences were right to be, at the very least, cautious. Pairing Dylan with The Band for a lucrative and large showcase on stage was certainly one way to counter the ongoing, seemingly spiteful reception to every work in those pre-Blood on the Tracks days. It merely took time for people to warm to what he was doing. By being so far out in front and refusing to look back, he left many in the dust. Such is the case for the greats. You can hear those major changes come to life on this collection of extra pieces, ripped from soundboards and maintaining a live quality which, during the mid-70s, is a high bar. Between the recently released collection of The Band and Dylan recordings to the Hard Rain live release, listeners are already spoilt for choice.
Lost in the Flood picks up five unique moments on the 1974 Tour, profiling them with a tad more care than they were afforded on the official release. As I Went Out One Morning and Fourth Time Around are excellent additions to the live shows, audience chatter not affecting that brilliant return to acoustic beauties on the latter song. A brilliant, different performance of A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall is borderline haunting, though that is more because of the arena acoustics than anything to do with Dylan. A lower octave for his vocals and an acoustic guitar filling the crowd, it is a defining moment for one of his most-played songs. Desolation Row is stripped of its electric excellence and filtered through that same acoustic range, giving those folk fundamentalists what they always wanted, the voice of a generation stuck peddling the same noise.
An outstanding version all the same, though. All five of the songs pieced together on Lost in the Flood are incredible for those wanting worthy, alternative versions not just to the studio recordings but to the usual live versions from Dylan during this time. Sensational work from a tour which has some rightful detractions, but is ultimately a worthwhile listen. Not all at once, not like our dear friend Mr. Creosote. Bite-size chunks, please. Do not inhale the entire 1974 Live Recordings. Detrimental to your health and hearing, that is. Feed a few different eras in there to keep it fresh. Only then can you fully satisfy the buffet, the post-meal mint of Lost in the Flood. An excellent compilation of performances, somewhat overlooked by the mighty live set, which in itself is a miraculous achievement.
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