So much has been written about DA Pennebaker’s seminal 1967 documentary, Don’t Look Back, it’s nearly impossible for someone, especially this someone who wasn’t even alive when Bob Dylan was really stirring things up, to write something that hasn’t already been said. Fortunately for me, earlier this past month the film was lovingly remastered and re-released on DVD so there’s all sorts of new stuff to talk about.
The two-disc 1965 Tour Deluxe Edition includes not only the remastered film, but also commentary by the filmmaker and Dylan’s road manager, Bob Neuwirth, plus five additional audio tracks and the original companion book edited by the director to coincide with the film’s release. If that wasn’t enough, there’s also an alternate version of the “Subterranean Homesick Blues” video and a flip-book taken from the video. But wait! There’s more! There’s also a new Pennebaker documentary called Bob Dylan 65 Revisited.
Needless to say it’s pretty spectacular.
For the younger folks unfamiliar with Dylan’s earlier work, you may recognize “Subterranean Homesick Blues” as the video that INXS shamelessly ripped off for their video for “Mediate.”
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Here’s one of my favorite scenes from the movie, when Dylan has a little fun with Time magazine writer, Horace Judson.
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For you indie fans out there, here’s a track to get you further in the mood.
- Listen to Like Dylan in the Movies by Belle & Sebastian
Buy the 1965 Tour Deluxe Edition of Don’t Look Back
from the Public Radio Music Source.
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Watch Episode 1 of This American Life for free.
Things have gone a bit differently for Jeff Tweedy and Jay Farrar since Uncle Tupelo split in 1994. While both artists have found critical success since the break, Tweedy with Wilco (Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and A Ghost Is Born) and Farrar with Son Volt (Trace), only Tweedy has truly found popular success (Yankee Hotel Foxtrot sold over 500,000 copies and A Ghost Is Born won two Grammys).
Despite Farrar’s recent distaste for the term alt-country he has remained true to his roots during the course of his career. His current effort, Son Volt’s The Search, returns to the early brilliance of Trace but adds new layers of sound (notably keyboards and horns) to Farrar’s pointed lyrics about the current American malaise.
Probably one of my favorites of the Year of the Pig thus far (along with Arcade Fire’s Neon Bible – review coming soon, I’m enjoying it too much).
- Listen to Slow Hearse
- Listen to The Picture
- Listen to Methamphetamine
Buy The Search from the Public Radio Music Source.