Joan Osborne
Dylanology Live
*** out of *****
Back in 2017 Joan Osborne released a collection directly titled Songs of Bob Dylan, (RtBE highlighted a few in our Monday Dylan Cover series) and her newest release, Dylanology Live features a selection of songs from the follow up tour. Osborne sings with dynamics and a few key guests stop by to help liven up the sound.
The live album kicks off with the country rock groove of "Spanish Harlem Incident" that feels very different from the original with nice electro keys and harmonies, but a bit awkward melody. The first song proves that Osborne is not doing a straight recreation of Dylan's music, but twisting the songs her own way, sometimes more successfully than others.
One of the best efforts is “Highway 61 Revisited” as it gets trippy with swaying drums and swirling, jammed out guitar runs that expand the tune in exciting fashion as Osborne's vocals are stout. Special guest Jackie Greene sits in for “Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" which transforms winningly into a bluesy work out with fresh organ lines while Greene also helps “Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You” duetting with Osborne and easing out some mellow country rock.
Osborne can increase the theatrics quite a bit and Dylan's "Masters of War" lends itself to this kind of treatment with powerfully strong drumming, deep bass and rising guitars while things are even more amplified for "Ballad of Hollis Brown" as the tune gets a Broadway like swelling with tension, popping drums, piano, odd backing vocals and added guitars by both Greene and Robert Randolph.
While both of those efforts go over the top, when Osborne relaxes the results can be even better as Amy Helm helps out on the stripped down and delicate "Buckets of Rain" that feels natural as the duo laugh at the end of the tune. Closer “High Water (For Charley Patton)" (one of Dylan's best late career songs) is a lot like the opener, augmented with a pumped up tempo and some slightly angular phrasing, ending on a bit of an odd note.
Overall, Dylanology Live displays Joan Osborne's deep admiration for Dylan's Catalog and the inspiration it sparks in her. These unique offerings flow with crackling energy as Osborne interprets the Bard in her unique way.
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