Time Out of Mind: 20th Anniversary Edition (Limited Edition, Bonus 7") (2 Lp's)

Personnel: Bob Dylan (vocals, acoustic & electric guitars, harmonica, piano); Robert Britt (acoustic & electric guitars); Daniel Lanois (acoustic & electric guitars, mando-guitar); "Bucky" Baxter (acoustic & pedal steel guitars); Duke Robillard (guitar); Cindy Cashdollar (slide guitar); Jim Dickinson (Wurlitzer piano, pump organ, keyboards); Augie Meyers (accordion, organ); Tony Garnier (acoustic & electric basses); Winston Watson, Jim Keltner, David Kemper, Brian Blade (drums); Tony Mangurian (percussion). Recorded at Criteria Recording Studios, Miami, Florida. TIME OUT OF MIND won the 1998 Grammy Awards for Album Of The Year and for Best Contemporary Folk Album. "Cold Irons Bound" won the 1998 Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance. This album by the quintessential singer-songwriter comes after a long layoff from recording original material. Dylan's previous two albums were powerful collections of traditional songs, and the album that preceded them was full of some rather iffy original tunes, so all eyes were on Dylan to make one of his patented surprise comebacks. As luck would have it, that's exactly what TIME OUT OF MIND turns out to be. Produced by Daniel Lanois, who manned the boards for Dylan's best latter-day album, OH MERCY, this one has the kind of raw, spontaneous vibe that serves Zimmy's music so well. Loss and world-weariness abound in the lyrics, and Dylan articulates these emotions perfectly, in a manner that seems simultaneously casual and precise. Songs like "Standing In The Doorway" and "Million Miles" are bathed in sorrow and emotional desolation, but are so well-crafted that their solipsism is irresistible. An all-star cast including Ry Cooder and Duke Robillard provides the sparse, rough-edged, bluesy accompaniment that casts Dylan's compositions in the perfect musical light. Bob's back!