Album Review: Bootleg Series Vol. 18: Through The Open Window, 1956-1963 by Bob Dylan

In a strange coincidence, it was purportedly in production by Legacy Recordings well before A Complete Unknown and Timothée Chalamet's depiction of Dylan intrigued a young generation of Chalamet's fans to ponder exactly where this Bob Dylan guy may have come from. But it does tread much of the same temporality as the film, except it starts and ends earlier, and shows us some things we likely never expected to see. Co-produced by American historian Sean Wilentz and music producer Steve Berkowitz, Through the Open Window features Dylan's earliest known recordings and his first live performances of culture-altering songs like "Blowin' in the Wind.

Full Review >>

Bob Dylan is one of music's most storied and mythologised figures, and recent biopic A Complete Unknown has served to turbo-charge that. With Gen Z picking up on his iconic work, new box set 'Through The Open Window, 1956-1963' has come at an apt time - exploring his earliest recordings, his apprenticeship on the Greenwich Village folk scene, and his broader breakout, it's an unparalleled glimpse into his genesis. Packed with treasures, there's so much for fans to unpack here, while the collection - in spite of its undeniable breadth - contains a remarkable sense of narrative thrust.

Full Review >>

Launched in 1993, Bob Dylan's Bootleg Series was initially a modest undertaking. Essentially a 3CD "best of" of outtakes and alternate versions spanning the years 1961 to 1991, the first instalment proved that Dylan's output had often been far greater than the music industry could manage - and that plenty of gems had fallen by the wayside in his rush to capture a moment before his boot heels once more went wandering. Comprising volumes one to three in the series, it came out in a very different market to the one that exists today, in which fans and record labels alike now clamour for an endless stream of content.

Full Review >>