Enough material for hundreds of parts, not just two, but it is up to the bootlegger, not the coffee-hogging journalist profiting from these musical riches. Stick on a bit of Bob Dylan in the morning, and life does seem to get better. November frost is best shaken by the dulcet tones of a gruff-sounding, pre-Time Out of Mind Dylan. You can get that and then some with The Bootleg Series Vol. 16 1/2: Never Ending Memories Pt. 2. Quite the mouthful, but then so is Simple Twist of Fate, and you won’t hear Dylan complaining about the slick wordplay in his performance on this bootleg. Sharp minds hunting down the very best editions of Dylan’s live performances from the Never Ending Tour are musical angels. Truly great effort on their part brings about a rewarding listen. Never Ending Memories Pt. 1 builds on the strength of the first release. Songs here are not featured because they’re rarities, but because they are truly unique experiences.
Beyond deep cuts and on-stage trickery, these are strong offerings from a decades-long tour. The so-called Never Ending Tour has become a legend in its own right. An artist cannot just tour for the sake of it. There needs to be a term or name to tie it all together. Dylan tours as and when he wants, with a collection of songs that are never the same. There is some layer of satisfaction to giving these constant shows a name, but then they are all so different. Be it the soft rock highs of his mid-1990s to early 2000s run, or the sluggish, slowed tempo lulls of his Shadows in the Night days, there is much to love about each, differing year. You can hear those changes throughout this compilation. A smart placement of a 2009 performance of Gonna Change My Way of Thinking and Where Teardrops Fall from 1995 highlights this. Two excellent performances at either extreme of the instrumental style Dylan has toyed with.
Crucial changes to the guitar, how much presence it’s given in the song, and how long Dylan is willing to break from line to line, are the major differences. Huge changes once more are heard with Forgetful Heart, a moment where Dylan lingers on the “every little detail” line as the subtleties of a softer instrumental and string section flow. It’s an incredible interpretation of the Together Through Life track, a beast of a song when performed live. This is for the deep cut lovers. Simple Twist of Fate and Visions of Johanna are the most recognisable pieces here, and with The Mighty Quinn closing out the bootleg with those two popular songs, the hits are left for the end. It’s like an encore built into the bootleg, and it’s a smart way of keeping listeners around for the final moments.
You don’t need much of a reason to stick around for Never Ending Memories Pt. 2, though, it’s a strong bootleg. One of the best in class for those wanting to hear Dylan tackle the deeper cuts of his discography. He does this on occasion, sharing some truly thrilling moments on stage, like Driftin’ Too Far from Shore and Million Miles. Consistency is crucial and thankfully the tapes used here are all in excellent condition, manipulated slightly by modern tech to bring a layered feel to each song. The segue from track to track is a nice touch. This sort of care in the bootleg community goes a long way in making these pieces feel valuable, and that’s exactly the case for Never Ending Memories Pt. 2. Brilliant performances the whole way through, and a chance to observe some of the best deep cuts of all.
