Ever since being introduced to Bob Dylan many moons ago at summer camp I have been enthralled with his music.
Whether it’s his acoustic folk ballads or his electric rockers, I love his style, sound, and lyrics. I’m also convinced the Jewish born Dylan is still a follower of Messiah. In fact I wrote a whole blog about it here. I consider his gospel albums Slow Train Coming, Saved, and Shot of Love some of the best Messianic Jewish music ever made.
This is why I was ecstatic to hear that Dylan was releasing a boxed set of previously unreleased recordings from concerts during his gospel years. The album is entitled Trouble No More: The Bootleg Recordings Vol. 13 / 1979-1981. The press release on his website states:
As the 1970s ended and the 1980s began, Dylan responded to the changing of the decades with a three album trilogy-Slow Train Coming (1979), Saved (1980) and Shot of Love (1981)-of spirit-filled songs of praise, worship and devotion. These songs were as deeply personal and packed with poetics as any Dylan had ever written, but the force of conviction and power of faith evident in these performances baffled segments of Dylan’s fanbase (just as Dylan’s “going electric” had alienated folk purists in 1965) … The live concerts from this crucial epoch in Dylan’s history contain some of the most intensely jubilant and transcendent performances of his career. Bob Dylan – Trouble No More – The Bootleg Series Vol. 13 / 1979-1981 offers fans and music lovers the opportunity to fully experience for the first time this extraordinary chapter in Bob Dylan’s musical journey.
The album will be released on CD, vinyl, and mp3 and there is even a deluxe set containing even more rare and unreleased material from that period as well as a DVD of concert footage. The album was released today and is available in stores and online at Dylan’s website and other retailers.
Source: First Fruits of Zion