This 20-song European import should be rated a lot higher than this, but there are some good reasons why it's not. It's essentially an updated version of the late-'70s Byrds Play Dylan LP, expanded to 61 minutes to encompass the huge number of outtakes and live tracks that weren't available, or even known to exist, when the original album was assembled. The idea is still a good one, though the execution -- at least in terms of the packaging -- leaves a lot to be desired. The CD uses the latest masterings of each song, as they stood circa the middle of 2001, and so the sound quality is not a problem; indeed, hearing all of the early-, mid-, and late-era Dylan-authored cuts by the Byrds juxtaposed in high resolution reveals the band's development and evolution (as well as several colossal wrong turns, such as the chorus-laden version of "Lay Lady Lay") in sharp detail. The problem lies with the fact that the material is assembled in a strangely haphazard order -- it starts off with the original lineup's recording of "Mr. Tambourine Man," but then jumps between years and different lineups of the group, forward a few years, then back, then to outtakes and live tracks. Coupled with the sketchy notes, the result is an entertaining CD that could have been a lot more than that. Ironically, the notes themselves allude to the special relationship between the Byrds and Bob Dylan without ever taking a closer look at it over time, and the bizarre nature of the programming results in a broad but very shallow and frustrating look at its subject, compelling though that subject remains, even when presented in this manner.
© Bruce Eder /TiVo
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