Just when we thought we were running out of things to say, we’ve gotten our hands on the much-talked about 2-disc “I’m Not There” soundtrack that features rockers new and old (everyone from indie rocker Sufjan Stevens to Woody Guthrie acolyte Ramblin’ Jack Elliott) covering Bob Dylan songs. 34 of them to be exact. Below are highlights from the two disc set. The tracklist is here in case you missed it (Oh yeah, and there’s lots more: our initial musical preview, the specific music used in the film post and director Todd Haynes’ NY Film Festival appearance).
Cold Iron Bound – Tom Verlaine & The Million Dollar Bashers
The original – a 1996 original from the late-classic Time Out Of Mind – is a rambling blues track with spectral dark lyrics. In Verlaine’s hand the song becomes an haunting, storm’s gonna come portent of death and impending misery. Haynes liked this version so much, he essentially made it the film’s foreboding thematic motif. It’s opening strains are used in the trailer and it can be heard in the film almost a half a dozen times.
When The Ship Comes In – Marcus Carl Franklin
During the New York Film Festival press conference, director Todd Haynes said he tried many of the Dylan songs with the actual actors singing (and pointed out Christian Bale’s impressive attempts), but ultimately chose to have them lip synch cover versions – except for 14-year-old Franklin. Haynes said he had the voice of an angel. He was right.
Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door – Antony & The Johnsons
Antony’s stripped-down piano version is exactly as you might think it would be – fragile, late-night and mournful with shades of pillowy tenderness.
Ring Them Bells – Sufjan Stevens
When you tackle a cover you’ve got one of two choices: a faithful rendition or veer off into open interpretation with a unique stamp. Stevens unsuccessfully tries both and we’re not sure which one fails more miserably. His ultra-wussy voice is ill-equipped to take on the gravitas of this Oh Mercy track and his sped-up, jubilant, horns and churchy ending is just Sufjan doing Sufjan. Stevens is out of his league here, but the Stereogum crowd will eat this up regardless.
Goin’ To Acapulco – Jim James & Calexico
The My Morning Jacket singer’s golden voice with Calexico’s brassy arrangements transforms this track into a sad, but somewhat celebratory funeral march. It’s weepy and gorgeous, but all is not lost.
Just Like A Woman – Charlotte Gainsbourg & Calexico
Leave it to Charlotte Gainsbourg to take back the night. In her hands, the song that has been severely maligned as sexist and dismissive sounds tender and understanding. Calexico wisely stay out of the song’s way.
Highway ’61 Revisited – Karen O And The Million Dollar Bashers
A kazoo, a transistor radio sounding vocal and an whimsical, not taking itself too serious approach; O is this group’s Cate Blanchett.
All Along The Watchtower – Eddie Vedder & The Million Dollar Bashers
What can we say, we’re not really fans of Eddie Vedder. The Million Dollar Bashers do a crack job of approximating Dylan’s backing band, but this rendition is otherwise unremarkable.
Ballad Of A Thin Man – Stephen Malkmus & The Million Dollar Bashers
Malkmus and company are note perfect here. A faithful adaptation and an inspired choice as Malkmus evasive wordplay fits perfectly as a petulant Dylan with a chip on his shoulder. The rendition simmers, but never brims over. Malkmus’ take on “Maggie Farm” is fine too, but it’s the unreleased bootleg track with himself and Lee Ranaldo (“Can’t Leave Her Behind”) that’s the other winner here.
Simple Twist of Fate – Jeff Tweedy
As you can imagine, Tweedy’s whiskey-soaked voice is extremely Dylan-friendly and with the help of some lugubrious strings, he takes a Blood On The Tracks song and gives it a Desire-era sheen. Simple, but effective.
I’m Not There – Sonic Youth
Think SY’s take on The Carpenters’ “Superstar.” While Thurston and co.’s version isn’t as sublime, noisy or heavenly as that near-perfect cover, the echoed, ghostly vocals, the fractured, near-broken stumbling rhythm and Moore’s cracked voice give this obscure b-side a wounded new afterlife.
Dark Eyes – Iron & Wine & Calexico
I&W’s Sam Beam recently told Paste that his collaboration with Calexico was all about playing with space and arrangements and the spirit of that idea is alive and well on their rendition of Empire Burlesque’s “Dark Eyes.” If one song on this collection sounds drastically different immediately it’s their take on the straightforward vocals, guitar and harmonica original. In this groups hands, it’s an almost funky, albiet dark and morose, exploration. Even the melody is twisted and minor-keyed. You’d barely recognize it, if you didn’t have the title and lyrics at hand.
Pressin’ On – John Doe
There’s a reason why only certain covers are used for the actors to sing in the film: it’s easy, they’re simply the best ones (they include the Malkmus covers and interpretations by Jim James and Calexico, Mason Jennings and John Doe). Doe brings hope, and tempered religious fervor to Dylan’s Saved Christian era. It’s mannered, bold without going over-the-top. Salvation is found and it’s no surprise this version finds its way into the film.
Fourth Time Around – Yo La Tengo
YLT are masters at the ’60s and ’70s era covers (see Fakebook and their many, many classic-era covers) and the idea of them taking on one of our all-time Dylan songs was exciting, but Georgia Hubley is horribly miscast as the vocal lead. Her stilted delivery kills this song on arrival. Shame.
Mason Jennings – “The Times They Are A Changin’ ‘” & “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll”
Could soundtrack supervisors Randall Poster and Jim Dunbar and “I’m Not There” director Todd Haynes give Jennings a more difficult task then covering such daunting and significant songs? The “topical” songs from Dylan’s seminal 1964 album The Times They Are A Changin’ are obviously more than a little well-known, and Jennings wisely doesn’t attempt to adorn then with anything extra; playing them straight and his soulful voice does a remarkable job of infusing a timeless song with contemporary energy. Christian Bale’s character sings Jennings’ ‘Hattie Carroll’ in the film.
Man In The Long Black Coat – Mark Lanegan
Lanegan was practically born to cover these types of shadowy, storm’s a brewin’ Dylan tumbleweed numbers. He sounds like a dusty outlaw, cigarrio in mouth, six guns fully loaded and his gravely voice is better suited to late-era Dylan than anyone else here. He sounds like he’s about to commit a grevious sin and then walk straight to his own funeral.
Music supervisors Jim Dunbar and Randall Poster recently talked to the Fader about their work on the soundtrack album and movie. The duo worked on the film’s music for the last two years and Dunbar unearthed the “I’m Not There” Dylan original at Neil Young’s ranch where it was accidentally stored for years without anyone’s knowledge. The two music partners, Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo and Todd Haynes were the group that settled upon Malkmus for Blanchett and Jennings for Bale in the film. “It’s always scary when you commit to something like that,” Dubar told the Fader (the piece is not online). “When you’re going to get on set and shoot these things, you don’t know until it actually starts unfolding in front of you if it’s going to work.”
