Monday, August 15, 2016

Dylan Cover #243 Sarah Chesler "Jokerman" Live

In this ongoing Monday Series we will be exploring various artists versions of Bob Dylan song's. Today's tune is live a cover by Sarah Chesler playing "Jokerman"
Thoughts on Original:
From the first time we tackled a cover of this tune:
The kick-start to his "back to rock and roll" album Infidels, "Jokerman" is a monster. A torrent of images, symbols, thoughts, proclamations, fears and fables; it feels like a dam was broken in Dylan's brain and all of these things just poured out. Musically it moves along but doesn't add much to the towering wordplay as the tune is dominated by the lyrics which seem almost never ending; Dylan has penned wordier tunes, but few feel as heavy as this. Flawed, but reaching for something, it is a not a great Dylan song but it is one that lets us peak into his brain a bit. For more on this tune, check out this post.
Cover:
Thoughts on Cover Artist:
Have never heard of Sarah Chesler. From her facebook page it mentions she makes pop/jazz music and that is certainly the vibe of this Monday's cover. She plays in both Sweden and Connecticut so fans on both sides of the Atlantic can catch her.
Thoughts on Cover:
An energetic if a toch sterile of a take on the tune. It retains that sense of 80's cheese to it, but it is such a weird song to begin with that kind of oddness is fine. She and the band cut out a few verses, but overall the tempo and pace work well.  

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