What me and my band are basically doing is uncovering them. I don’t see myself as covering these songs in any way. No separate tracking, and, for the most part, mixed as it was recorded. That’s the key to all these performances.
“I’ve wanted to do something like this for a long time,” wrote the singer, “but was never brave enough to approach 30–piece complicated arrangements and refine them down for a five–piece band. This stemmed from Dylan and his band being recorded in a straightforward, old–fashioned manner, resulting in a sonic warmth and intimacy that perfectly complements the late–night melancholy of the songs and performances. Many reviewers also noted the compelling general ambience and “amazing” sound of the album. Another is the minimalist and sensitive arrangements, played by Dylan’s live band, with the occasional addition of some understated horns - there are none of the orchestral or big–band arrangements that were the essence of Sinatra’s approach. The surprising depth and quality of Dylan’s vocals is only one of several factors that make Shadows In The Night such a distinctive artistic success. “It shouldn’t work,” wrote one critic, “but Shadows In The Night is quite gorgeous.” Uncover Versions Perhaps because he’s singing more softly and not straining his voice, the 73–year old Dylan manages to hold the often elaborate tunes quite beautifully, and the fragile and wavering quality of his singing only adds to the poignancy of the songs. However, as so often happened during his long and chequered career, Shadows In The Night confounded expectations. To tackle 10 classics of the Great American Songbook armed only with this weapon seemed a bridge too far, and many feared the worst. Dylan’s gritty, nasal voice has always been the antithesis of Sinatra’s mellifluous crooning, and over the last couple of decades, has deteriorated to the point where it’s at times little more than a tuneless rasp.
The news that Bob Dylan was set to release an album of Frank Sinatra covers left many people scratching their heads. So good, in fact, that it didn’t need mixing! Bob Dylan’s album of Sinatra covers is an unlikely triumph.
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