Expecting Rain

In honour of Bob's pending birthday, and prompted by a suggestion from UkuleleElvis, please vote on which version of Bob Dylan's greatest achievement you consider the best of the best.

Poll ends on the little guy's big day itself.

Please provide comments to support your decision, if you so wish.

I will kick this off and say that while I love the NY takes, some of which are patently better than their re-recorded versions, I dont think as a whole that version of the album really works. It's too dry, too slow, too stripped bare.

No, I much prefer the half-speed master, especially compared to the version he finally released. For me, Dylan's decision to speed up the album - even by as little as 2% - had the result of sacrificing some of the record's nuance, character and beauty in favour of tempo. Without exception, I think all 10 songs suffered by being made faster.

But hey, what do I know? I'm just a genius, that's all.

Then you will be able to vote properly.

I voted for the half-speed master but it's only a minor improvement on such a masterpiece.

The original - it just is - musta listened to it 100's of times

half speed master for me.

Calling the half-speed master a different version like the New York Sessions is seems a bit rich. This poll is like asking to choose between the pea soup, the pumpkin soup or the pumpkin soup garnished with coriander.

it's the same thing as saying different mixes qualify as different versions. it's a very substantial difference.

They are 3 different versions of the album, and if you can't hear that you must be deafer than that bloke on the beach in Gates of Eden.

one pumpkin soup comes in a can and the other is made by the best chefs in paris

Although any and all versions of BOTT are beautiful, I agree with Bennyboy - and thanks again, Benny, for your assistance -

Um-m-m... his greatest achievement isn't listed here... so I'll cast a write in ballot...

Spring 2004 Never Ending Tour... though Spring 2003 through the Fall 2003 damn sure gives it a run for the money...

Might as well write 'I love water soup' on your ballot paper mate.

now? NY....

Can we vote for the SACD surroundsound version?

No.

The original is considered one of the greatest albums ever made, and that's good enough for me. The speed corrected version is more like a cool novelty, but I'll concede that over time I may come to like it more. NY takes are tantalising and sometimes better, but like benny said, I don't think they'd make as good an album as a whole.

Git.

I like the version with the special lyrics in honor of the moon landings.

Indeed.

Apologies to all you moderators reading this. I hope those sticks didn't hurt your bum canals too much when you read about my offer to provide members with links to the vinyl half speed master needledrop. Since that needledrop is effectively a copy of a record that was once available in 1981, even if it has commercially dropped off the face of the planet and reality since, I can see how such an offer might contravene the most excellent rules of this place. Far be it from me to want to educate and assist fellow members by helping them hear probably the best album Bob Dylan ever recorded, in the best way possible. That was naughty of me, I admit, and I am suitably admonished.

Now, for those of you who might have been thinking about sending me a private message to obtain the map to this mostly unheard and most delicious treasure, I can only urge you not to do that, since I am not offering to do that here. Definitely not.

do you have difficulty decided between peas and pumpkins? if not what's the problem?
I'll pick pumpkin soup garnished with coriander, and the non sped up BLOTT.

However, I figured my computer would be implanted with a virus or something if I voted otherwise.

Correct. You are a wise man.

Bravo!

I bought the half-speed mastered LP when it came out and was amazed how rich and full it sounded compared to the original LP; it really is beautifully mastered and shows up the limitations of standard vinyl IMO. The same goes for a number of these types of album, in particular a Japanese version of Moondance which was streets ahead of the UK vinyl. Needless to say I was most in demand at parties at this time. Anyhow, I digress. I hadn't noticed the speed thing at the time, but now I've listened to it again I do prefer the non-tampered-with speed of the HSM as well as the much-improved sound over the original vinyl.

Overall though I like the mix on the surround-sound version of the SACD, as you get to hear details of the music, whole instruments separated out from the mix, which you don't hear on the other versions. That's not to everyone's taste, I know, as some people like to hear the original mix; you only have to go back to the whole mono/stereo battle to the death which went on recently to realize that. The stereo mix on the SACD is also excellent, as is the remastered CD layer, which sound-wise are both as good as or better than the HSM LP. Now if I could only get my SACD player to slow down by 2% for the surround mix I'd be completely satisfied.

I like the half-speed master, but I wouldn't mind settling for the released edition, the differences are noticeable but not anything that makes it superior for me.

Now on the subject of the released version and the original New York versions, it all depends on what kind of mood I'm in. Most of the time I enjoy listening to the New York tracks on their own and I throw on the released version when I want to hear the album.

They're all pretty great.