Fragments - Time Out Of Mind Sessions (1996-1997): The Bootleg Series Vol. 17

Product Information

If “Not Dark Yet” sounded like it was in the beginning stages of evaporation, “Mississippi” felt like fumes itself—far too ethereal and light for Time Out of Mind. With that in mind, the first disc in this 5CD offering is a new 2022 remix of the original release, by engineer, Michael Brauer, who says he was trying to capture something that had more of a feel of what was going on in the room, with less additional processing.

You could speed his songs up, slow them down, throw rock drums behind them or do any old thing, and the songs would remain, somehow, themselves: “Desolation Row” remains recognizably “Desolation Row” on take 5 and Take 13. Disc 5 ("bonus") disc has already attracted a lot of flack, as all of it has been previously released on an earlier bootleg series set. The 5CD Fragments contains a new remix of the entire album which presents Time Out Of Mind with a more 'natural' sound.

The series can feel overwhelming by design or aimed only at the highest-security-clearance Dylanologists, but Fragments presents us with a clear chronology: Disc One gives us the final studio album, remixed and scrubbed fresh so we can avail ourselves once more of its glorious shadows and submerge ourselves in its delicious mood. A fifth unreleased performance, Dylan's interpretation of "The Water is Wide," a traditional folk song of Scottish origin (and spiritual precursor of "Highlands," Time Out of Mind's epic closer) opens Disc Two. The compilation includes a remix of the original Time Out of Mind album, outtakes, alternate versions and live recordings. In Der Spiegel, Max Dax gave a positive review of this album, writing that the new remix unleashes "the full musical power" of Dylan at this stage in his career. I don't know if they're entirely audience recordings or a combination of sources but I would have far preferred professionally recorded versions.

For a total contrast, listen to the stunning version of the hymn-like ‘Make You Feel My Love’ (take one – CD 3 – 1997) – a song with gospel organ that’s become a standard and has been recorded by the likes of Adele, Billy Joel and Neil Diamond. The 15th installment in the ongoing Bob Dylan Bootleg Series, it was released by Legacy Records on January 27, 2023. Listening to the evolution of Time Out of Mind’s most beloved song, “Not Dark Yet,” shows how these lurching, unsteady sessions wound up yielding their particular exhausted glitter. This is one of the most highly anticipated Bootleg Series releases and it follows the evolution of songs written for the album, from intimate early incarnations in the previously unreleased 1996 Teatro sessions through incandescent live renditions showcasing Dylan and his touring ensemble channeling the songs on-stage from 1998-2001.Disc 5 gives us the original haunting take of “Can’t Wait” that raised Howard’s arm hairs: Over a hard backbeat, Dylan’s block piano chords and impressively tasty riffing from Lanois, Dylan chews the scenery with the unhinged glee of a Shakespearean actor let loose in a Hollywood blockbuster. The extra discs yield the usual Bootleg pleasures: The Disc 2 version of “Cold Irons Bound” features stunning alternate lyrics about “stones in the pathway hurled” and “clouds of blood,” while the live versions of “’Til I Fell in Love With You” and “Standing in the Doorway” inflect the songs with sinewy hints of roadhouse blues, soul, gospel.