Videos by American Songwriter
Cat Power
Cat Power Sings Dylan: The 1966 Royal Albert Hall Concert
(Domino)
3 1/2 out of 5 stars
It’s no surprise that Chan Marshall, aka Cat Power, enjoys putting her stamp on others’ material. She has already released three albums doing just that with The Covers Record (2000), Jukebox in 2008 and even more starkly titled Covers (2022).
Recording a collection of Bob Dylan songs is not a unique idea, especially since she has chronicled his songs previously. But tackling all 15 tunes (seven acoustic followed by eight electric), in strict order, from Dylan’s famous, some might say infamous, 1966 tour, and doing so live at London’s Royal Albert Hall in 2022, pushes the concept into performance art territory.
Other than the UK audience being far more accepting of Cat Power’s appearance than the notoriously defiant folkies were of Dylan’s (“Judas!”) as he cranked out his electric set with wild abandon, there isn’t much alteration in these arrangements. Marshall’s cushy, smooth, sometimes hushed style is a far cry from Dylan’s unvarnished, trebly rasp, and her backing band, while accomplished and on point, doesn’t deliver the wired kinetic dynamics of The Band. But this is otherwise a straightforward 90-minute replication of the celebrated show/tour.
Dylan’s outing supported Blonde on Blonde (1966), one of the first pop double vinyl packages, although only five selections are played from it, oddly omitting “Rainy Day Woman #12 & 35,” his “hit” single at the time.
The opening acoustic segment spotlights Cat Power’s velvety voice as she strums the skeletal guitar, singing Dylan’s often stream-of-consciousness lyrics with palpable affection for the material. She doesn’t swap genders, keeping the male singer perspective as initially written for “Visions of Johanna,” “She Belongs to Me, “Just Like a Woman,” and others. Nothing is rushed; the epic “Desolation Row” extends about a minute longer, to 12:30, but otherwise remains true to Dylan’s reading. Power also lengthens words, retaining many of Dylan’s vocal quirks from back in the day which brings additional authenticity. Her take on “Mr. Tambourine Man” feels more intimate and personal than his, highlighting her interpretative skills.
The blues rocking obscure “Tell Me, Momma,” featured on The Basement Tapes, kicks off the following, plugged-in section, amping up the energy considerably. Still, compared to Dylan howling as The Band speeds down Highway 61 threatening to careen off the road as they push him and the beat forward with garage-like intensity, the vibe is far less dangerous. Cat Power is clearly enjoying herself, even remarking “This is fun,” rather stoically if honestly between songs. But the contrast between the original gig and this one is palpable on the closing “Like a Rolling Stone.” Where Dylan spat out the words with coiled, barely contained vitriol as The Band surged alongside him, Marshall’s approach is less vigorous and forceful.
As a one-off project, this is an enjoyable romp, especially for Cat Power fans. Chan Marshall applies her stamp on material she loves, the live atmosphere enhances the enthusiasm, the audio is crisp and the show successfully accomplishes what it sets out to do.
But it’s no replacement for the real thing.
Photo by Inez & Vinoodh / Big Hassle
