MTV Unplugged (Live)

Following two albums of solo acoustic folk songs, the timing was perfect for Dylan to do a session of MTV Unplugged, the stripped-down television concert series that was reaching its peak in 1994. At the behest of MTV execs, Dylan agreed to perform mostly songs from his ‘60s period. Following the complex and subtle undertones of World Gone Wrong, one can’t escape the feeling that Dylan is just running through the motions of “All Along the Watchtower” and “Like a Rolling Stone” for the benefit of a younger audience. However, there are moments when he shows a renewed connection to this well-worn material. The songs are elevated by a great backing band, led by the rotund upright bass of Tony Garnier. “Tombstone Blues” is properly played as gutsy honky-tonk swing, while “The Time They Are A-Changin’” is given a regal, understated waltz, markedly different from the hurried versions Dylan had grown accustomed to playing in the ‘70s and ‘80s. “Desolation Row” and “With God On Our Side” are given lots of space to breathe, and with the help of Garnier’s bass and Brendan O’Brien’s Hammond organ, Dylan discovers a new home in these old songs.