For "Chronicles," Dylanesque used the same producer and live-in-studio techniques to once again achieve that '60s vintage analogue sound.

On this second effort the band delved later into the Dylan catalogue, with 6 of the 11 tracks coming from Bob's mid-'70s period. The album leads off with the two vocal tracks from the "Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid" soundtrack, Billy and Knockin' On Heaven's Door. A nice touch to do them together. The remaining five tracks are '60s era Bob, including the traditional Pretty Polly, performed by Dylan in his Gaslight days. This and two other tracks, Forever Young and The Times They Are A-Changin', are performed solo by leader Michael Crimmins.

The mostly acoustic album stays close to Bob's original arrangements, with enough variation to keep things interesting. The overall result is a very warm, intimate sounding recording. The entire album is well done, but if I had to pick favorites they are the rarely covered Billy, and a nice rendition of Oh Sister.

Dave Plentus
Dylan Cover Albums, U.S.A.

Tracklisting:
Billy • Knocking On Heaven's Door • Pretty Polly  • Meet Me In The Morning • Mr. Tambourine Man • Forever Young • Oh Sister • Honey, just allow me one more chance• The times they-are-a-changin• Tomorrow Is A Long Time • Senor

"The Basement Fakes" by U.K. tribute band Dylanesque is a tribute to Bob Dylan.
A tribute in every sense of the word. The title is a nice echo of Bobs own album "The Basement Tapes". The album isn't as the title suggests a copy of bobs own album, here we find tracks that cover songs from six different bob Dylan albums.

Dylanesque have some startling new arrangements to offer here alongside songs that are faithful to the originals. The album was deliberately recorded in analogue to give it more of a sixties feel. there are no overdubs, except blues harp on "catfish" and in the main the ghost vocals were used to retain an authentic live sound. The second track on "the basement fakes" features "bob" alone in the studio, in an effort to recreate the arrangement and feel of "fourth time around" as played by Dylan at his legendary "Royal Albert Hall" gig in 1966.

The opening track "it takes a lot to laugh, it takes a train to cry" takes its arrangement from Dylan's "concert for Bangladesh" appearance 1971 rather than from the album it first appeared on "highway 61 revisited". The nice thing about Dylanesque here is that they get to the very essence of the man by recreating his works, Bob himself is never known to repeat himself. This of course would not work for another artist normally, but here the vocalist has the very throat required, an almost eerie "flown in specially" presence! Dylanesque go as far as to feature one track that Dylan is only rumoured to have played!  The band admit that nobody does Dylan like Dylan, but they hope that if you are interested in cover versions you will at least give them a listen. DO THAT NOW on this very page!

Bert Canning