The Bootleg Series, Vol. 11: The Basement Tapes - Raw [CD]

Of course, much material here has been available for years, in one form or another, officially and otherwise. I have the official '74 release and a few Dylan & Band bootlegs, and I'm not an audiophile or obsessed with Dylan, but I was glad to have bought this anyway. The songs have been sifted down from the big, expensive 6-disc complete set. The rawness of the original tapes preserves them as a historical artifact which the liner notes illuminate very well.

Bob Dylan's "Bootleg: The Basement Tapes" soars with his version of original songs. The Band provides the background to Dylan's lyrics and rhythms. Here is Dylan moving away from the music of the early 60's toward the bluegrass, country songs of Nashville Skyline and after. His style of coaxing the lyrics into unexpected directions means that the beauty of this album becomes more evident with repeated listening.

I had the double album remix of this back in the day. It was always one of my favorites. This one strips away the enhancements from the old mix, bringing the tracks back to their original recorded sound. And it sounds great! Cool added tracks such as "I'm Not There". Highly recommended.

Beautifully remastered Masterpiece......could have put more on the double CD, but a great listen. none the less. Young Dylan wailing away in a basement in the woods with the genius Band....c'mon! It's a gift. ( I do hope they're paying Garth) Artboy

Like The Beatles' Anthology, The Basement Tapes gives us a glimpse of the creative process of a seminal & enduring songwriter & artist. Dylan doesn't need GREAT supporting musicians; what a treat, though, to have The Band as his backing group fleshing out his music. Every song may not be a Dylan classic, but if you appreciate his songwriting, TBT is essential listening.

This takes me back to being young and when Dylan was at the top of his game. If you like old Dylan you will like this. Great price at Best Buy plus the coupon they sent me made it all the more sweet.

But I'm a Dylan fan so I love anything out there. Best Buy is the best place to get a great deal on new releases. They're cheaper than internet or record stores.

This is a must have for lovers of Bob Dylan & the creation of The Band. It shows how The Band basically formed across these 2 discs with Dylan back in 1967. Some great rare outtakes and unreleased material. Definitely worth it for a Dylan Band fan