There are going to be millions of Bob Dylan fans that are going to crucify me for saying this, but I actually liked this album. Cover album are tricky things and don’t always work, just look at Patti Smith’s album earlier this year. When the subject is Bob Dylan the artist is always on dangerous ground given the sheer legendary status of Dylan. It is a make or break move. Bryan Ferry pulls it off beautifully.
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Bryan Ferry
|  Entertainment
 Art
"Dylanesque"
(Nonesuch)
Released June 26, 2007
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Let me put this out right away, these are not completely faithful Bob Dylan covers. Bryan Ferry puts his own style into the lyrics and gives them a whole new sense of meaning. A smart move on Ferry’s part was starting out with a little played Dylan song called “Just Like Tom Thumb Blues” if he had dived right in with something like “Subterranean Homesick Blues” he would be very quickly in over his head. With a nice down home beat and a great harmonica Ferry calmly sings out the lyrics in a style that reminded me of Roy Orbison.
Ferry left no room for fanfare debate, the name of the album is “Dylanesque” and that is accurate, Bob Dylan… but not quite. It is not uncommon for Dylan songs to be redone and re-imagined into something quite different and good. Jimi Hendrix covered Dylan so well that many forget who penned “All Along The Watchtower” and it quickly became his trademark song. Ferry may not be in the same caliber as Hendrix but he holds true to the same underlying concept.
The acid test comes about a quarter of the way through the album in “The Times They Are A-Changin’”. Ferry treats the song with respect and adds a much more upbeat rhythm to the lyrics that changes the whole tone of the song. My first response to hearing the track was rather negative, it had a very 80’s pop innocence to it that threw me off. But upon hearing it again I began to appreciate the creativity of his efforts a lot more.
I have to admit that I could not shake the overwhelming feeling that much of the album sounded like another compilation by The Traveling Wilbury’s. “Knocking On Heaven’s Door” is one of those tracks (much like “All Along The Watchtower”) that has been done so many times by so many people that no matter who does it no longer seems original. The harmonica on the track though does stand out and is extremely well done.
Any hesitation I had about the album completely faded with “Positively 4th Street”. Ferry slows down the song immensely and lets the lyrics hang in your mind that just tear through your heart with complete pain. Ferry becomes a lost and lonely man who’s bearing his soul. The piano was a change from what I was used to but it worked well giving the lyrics a much more classical mood.
Out of all the tracks Ferry seemed to be having the most fun on “Baby Let Me Follow You Down”. He turns the song into something that would fit in well at any summer festival or cookout. His harmonica really soars and the beat never lets you go.
As is customary in any good Dylan cover album Ferry finishes off with “All Along The Watchtower”. Though not nearly as moving or intense as some other bands versions of the classic song yet Ferry does it justice.
Throughout the whole album Ferry stays honest keeping the music sounding raw. Dylan should be proud.
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