A ridiculous notion has spread in recent years that Down in the Groove is the worst Bob Dylan album. Far from it. Between Silvio, Death is Not the End, and not being Knocked Out Loaded, this is not the worst Dylan album. Alternate versions of the songs he released just a few years before the proposed comeback of Oh Mercy may go a long way in convincing people of that. Dylan clearly had a few conflicting ideas for Down in the Groove, and you can hear exactly that on this alternate version. Listed as an Argentinian cassette and that is likely the source for this one, these alternate versions are a welcome listen. You’ll not hear all that much difference if you haven’t treated yourself to Down in the Groove listen in recent times, but that’s well worth doing before and after this. Songs like Let’s Stick Together are a touch different to what released at the time. It’s these little differences that feel like Dylan had an album of quality on his hands, but that he dropped it a little too far.
Two different songs feature on this alternate versions cassette, with Got Love if You Want It and The Usual featured here. The latter may be a surprise given its inclusion on Hearts of Fire, while When Did You Leave Heaven, the second song heard on this cassette, has a beating heart stylishness to it. That slowed drumming and the hope heard in Dylan’s voice makes all the difference. Despite the hate Down in the Groove gets, presumably over the lyrical choices and post-Knocked Out Loaded sound, there are some joys to have with this one. Dylan touring with Grateful Dead over this period helps tremendously, and he sounds keen to find those catchy, repetitive hooks that bring out at least a listenable quality which his other works at the time didn’t quite have. Got Love If You Want It is a simple rocker with a little of that innovative, previous generation’s old-school style. Throw a harmonica on that and you’ve got an entertaining instrumental break.
The Usual has hints of Gotta Serve Somebody to it. Between the groovy instrumental work and Dylan’s lower octaves and tempo, it feels as though he’s about to throw himself into righteousness once more. Instead, he uses a few surprising instrumental breaks and the pop tone of the times to craft a quality bit of what would become soundtrack work. Great fun to be had with Dylan across this album. He enters into a period where the dated synth tone of Empire Burlesque is even less fashionable. But on Ugliest Girl in the World, it works quite well. An underrated gem in Silvio isn’t changed all that much but the sheer volume of renditions available to that song mean it’s easy to find more than a few versions out there. Most of them are from the various times it appeared on stage, and much of it is of great quality.
So too is Down in the Groove, though. An album that has been unfairly sidelined as this apparent moment where Dylan lost his ability to write, record, and read the mood of the room. It’s not as though the two albums preceding this, or the live album immediately after with Grateful Dead, are all that better. This is the best of a bad bunch and the alternative versions found on this cassette are a worthy listen. Supplementary material to a criminally underrated piece of work. You don’t have to like that, but you do have to accept that there are some outstanding songs on Down in the Groove. Even the worst Dylan albums feature that much, though Down in the Groove has a better batting average than most. This alternate versions collection has some exceptional instrumental twists and tests that are worth hearing even if you’re not the biggest advocate for Down in the Groove.
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