The Best of the Animals

Oh, never had their version of Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood before. As it is, it rips Elvis Costello's and Yusof Islam's versions to confetti. Who could beat that strange time signature, that wailing, that simultaneously elating and depressing organ? I don't think any other cover should be attempted, after hearing the definitive version. The other songs some I have and some I don't.

One sadly missing classic is For Miss Caulker, which is probably the best white blues-soul around. It does have the anthemic I'm Gonna Change the World, without which I think U2 probably wouldn't have had an early career. I also woulda liked some New Animals' songs, especially Sky Pilot. But no, it's all by the "classic" line-up from the 64-66 era. Nothing from the reunion albums as well.

Dylan - Tell Tale Signs (Bootleg Series Vol. 8)

I got the twin CD version. Looked around for the triple CD version but can't find it. Mainly got this on McJohnald's positive review of it. And it doesn't disappoint. The Oh Mercy alternate takes are better without the typical Lanois pea-soup fog layers. And Modern Times mostly comprises pretty banal generic blues-influenced songs, I think, but the out-takes and alternate takes, stripped totally bare, are pretty refreshing and direct.

A couple of the out-takes of Time Out of Mind aren't as good as the official songs, but they'll do. My fave song here is the collab with Ralph Stanley on The Lonesome River, you coulda sworn he was meant to sing bluegrass all his life.

On the down side, Ring Them Bells (the live version) is sung in spurts of machine-gun rap and totally spoils the elegiac beauty of the studio version. A few of the songs done for soundtracks aren't very good, either. All in all, a pretty good continuation where Vol. 1-3 left off.