Bob Dylan – I Was So Much Younger Then Vol. 2 Review

A promise of the “earliest and least-known recordings” is reason enough to get your hands on I Was So Much Younger Then Vol. 2. Where the first of the two volumes compiled somewhat recognisable material, the second bootleg instalment of Bob Dylan’s early years is a real deep cut collection. McKenzie tapes, folk festival appearances, and performances that dedicated fans may know of but have never heard. Brace yourself for some lacklustre tape recording quality, but that is an inevitability of these early years tapes. It is worth pushing through the grain and piercing volume of those harmonica spots for an insight into the early years of an artist on the cusp of creating a whole new way of attaching yourself to, and engaging with, popular music. These are the rough workings, the blueprints to a man who would go on to be called the voice of a generation. He may disagree with the moniker, but you can hear why he received it on I Was So Much Younger Then Vol. 2.  

Some will tire of the dire quality of songs like Hard Times in New York and Don’t Think Twice It’s All Right but the double bill of McKenzie tapes is a valuable listen. Historical interest and importance overtake general enjoyment, but it’s worth experiencing all the same. You can get to grips with early years material and songs which stuck around Dylan’s setlist in the decades to follow. Hard Rain, This Land is Your Land, and House of the Rising Sun are a range of materials which showcase not just Dylan’s importance in these early years, but his influences, too. Woody Guthrie tracks and traditional tracks which would make a name for The Animals are wonderfully compiled here. Better quality tracks of each do exist, but none from the days of the folk boom, when Dylan was swaying audiences with no more than an acoustic guitar and a harmonica.  

Twenty-eight great moments from the McKenzie tapes, which you can source elsewhere should you so choose. The real meat of this compilation is the Indian Neck Folk Festival performance and the Les Crane show. The latter is a wonderful moment where you can hear Dylan slip into a confident, comfortable style which would be found on his studio albums afterwards. It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue and It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding) are essentials here. Two great songs performed well at a time when every appearance from Dylan plugging this music mattered. The Oscar Brand Show is another brilliant moment from Dylan, though it’s the Girl of the North Country performance which stands out most of all. Crucial to all these tracks, be it the McKenzie tapes or a Steve Allen interview and performance, is that it gives us insight into how Dylan was presenting himself and his music at the time.  

He now has the luxury of not needing press. Dylan could release a record without any promotion and it would likely top charts. It would certainly be well-received by fans. That’s a far cry from the constant touring, promotion, and playing he had to do in the early years. Hearing that is a real treat, and I Was Much Younger Then Vol. 2 is an incredible time capsule experience. The early years are being picked through well, by many bootleggers, but these are the essentials. A nice compilation of radio and festival appearances which give as much insight into Dylan’s early years as his first few albums do. Definitely for the hardened fan, and a listen made more for historical interest than entertainment, but it’s still an interesting document to connect with.