On rolling with Bob Dylan
Many, many, many years ago, I read a rave review in the Face for an album called Introduce Me To The Doctor, by Pinski Zoo. I searched all over Liverpool for it. It was nowhere. After a month or so of obsessive hunting down, I finally got my hands on a copy in Manchester. I cradled it on the train home. I put it on the stereo; and you know what? It was the biggest load of screechy, scratchy jazz nonsense I’d ever heard. (although, there’s lots of people still rave about them, so maybe I was missing something).
I’ve had the same state of frenzied expectation since ordering Is It Rolling Bob? - a reggae tribute to Bob Dylan - from Amazon about a month ago. God knows what they were doing, but it arrived a couple of days ago. The more I waited, the more excited I got.
I don’t know why, because I’m not really into reggae that much - the only album I really like is Burning Spear, Man In The Hills. But, still, it’s Bob, and the Friday Review was quite nice about it, and I’ve been slightly short of good new stuff recently.
So, was the disappointment as big as Pinski Zoo? Nowhere near. But nor was it brilliant.
I quite like Toots Hibbert’s version of Maggie’s Farm., and JC Lodge does gives a new life to Don’t Think Twice It’s All Right. It was a good idea getting Sizzla all heated up over Subterranean Homesick Blues, but the original was ragged and wonderful enough for me, really. On the whole, it feels like it’s neither great Reggae (not like I’d know), nor great Bobby D.
They’ve also tagged on a ‘Reggae Remix’ of BD singing ‘I and I’, which frankly doesn’t sound in the slightest bit reggae like and has Mark Knopfler noodling away in the background.
Still, I’m glad I’ve got it. And unlike Pinski Zoo, I’ll be listening to my favourite bits for a while.
Reggae Reviews says it’s a worth tribute
- MusicOHM says it’s not tuff enough
There’s a dub CD included as well. Which just sounds like some random reggae sounds playing with the odd bit of vocal dropped in. Makes surprisingly pleasant background music to work to.