Review: Dave Stewart’s ‘Dave Does Dylan’

When I first heard of this, I confess the thought came: Why? The Dave is Stewart, arguably most famous for not being the singer in Eurythmics, the other half of that once so shining brightly duo, all-conquering during the 1980’s, with a brief return at the turn of the century. Annie Lennox sang and he played guitars and keyboards. More recently he is possibly better known as a producer, but best-known really for being a friend and collaborator of the rich and famous, popping up on albums by Bob Dylan, Bryan Ferry, Mick Jagger and several by Ringo Starr. His Wikipedia page is quite a read.

This recording actually first slipped out in April, on this year’s Record Label Day, a limited vinyl release available only through participating stores. Now it has been relaunched. Again there is a limited-issue vinyl, but it is also available as a digital release. Again, it is a barebones set of acoustic performances, recorded on his iPhone, otherwise untouched. For a singer, and one without a voice that well-known, again creeps back that nagging why?

Well, the answer surprised me also: Because these are actually all quite good. Sure, nothing that is going to break ground and forge new lodestones, but, yes, all quite good. Faint praise? Only because there is only so much you can do with a voice, a guitar, and such well-travelled songs. Lord knows how many have trod this path before. But he has a pleasing voice and his delivery is mercifully free of the Dylan daguerro-typing that so many choose to attempt. I’d go further, his phrasing frequently offers nuances not alway appreciated in the originals. And that is better than quite good.

“OK, I’ll do it again,” pipes up Stewart as the album opens, the feel being more of contrivance than any necessity to the  whole, but, hey, it’s a nice touch. “Simple Twist Of Fate” opens proceedings, and the shimmer of 12-string is apparent immediately from his strum, over which he reveals a pleasantly smooth baritone, with the residual hint of his Tyneside roots just about apparent. By the time it finishes and moves into “I Want You”, a realisation arrives that he can do Dylan rather well. This song is particularly well suited to his comfortable as an old tweed jacket rendition.

Empire Burlesque is seldom seen as one of Dylan’s best albums, and “Emotionally Yours” certainly isn’t its best song, but Stewart gives it a lazy campfire vibe, which suits the song, having one forgive even, slightly, the hokey hookline. “Forever Young” is a bit talent show, it’s true, the top end of Stewart’s range less attractive, the same true of “To Ramona”, which has me imagining Stewart, wearing a 10-gallon hat and Nudie suit in a Nashville salute to the Bobster.

“Make You Feel My Love” is much much better, he actually singing it how it may have sounded had Dylan recorded it 20 years before he actually did. It is simple, it is straightforward yet entirely convincing. Coasting on that, “Lay Lady Lay” is a cinch. It sounds like the best demo you have ever heard, and you’d sign him up like a shot. Remind yourself quite how powerful a song it actually is.

Sounding as if he is using the same 12-string throughout, “Don’t Think Twice” acts as a further pointer that, had there not been earlier realisation, this is not going to be offering any reconstructions or revisions. Oddly, though, which must be a good sign, this was the first song where I clocked the absence of harmonica. The brief middle eight of a lovely acoustic jangle suddenly highlights the absence. Which, on reflection, can only be a good thing, so as to maintain his degree of separation.

It is perhaps that degree of separation that hinders “A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall”, it becoming all too much of a list, his smoothness not fully fitting the rage of intent in the song as sung by its author. However, it is just that timbre that gives “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” such a warm wash, not least as his voice begins to fray around the edges. Then, the relative rarity of “Spanish Harlem Incident” is charming but inessential. (Not for the first time, the feel is that this selection would be the better for some judicious pruning, lopping off around four songs. I guess the issue would be any uniformity of which four.)

Annoyingly, I would add “Shelter from the Storm” to that list, as, despite it being a personal favorite, is just too darn lackluster. But the sturdy no nonsense attack of “She Belongs to Me” makes up a little for that, another instance where his diction and delivery give the needed shine to the song, however well known and oversubscribed. Which leaves only “Visions of Johanna”, with a motto come 1,2,3,4 to beckon it in. I’m guessing it is possibly Stewart’s go-to Dylan song, and possibly the genesis of his decision to do this whole project. That possibly isn’t enough to lift this version into the best, but, it is certainly good enough. And seldom have the words been so clearly narrated, a timely reminder, if needed, of the Nobel Prize winner at his best.

“Dave Does Dylan” tracklisting: 

1. Simple Twist Of Fate
2. I Want You
3. Emotionally Yours
4. Forever Young
5. To Ramona
6. To Make You Feel My Love
7. Lay, Lady, Lay
8. Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright
9. A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall
10. Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door
11. Spanish Harlem Incident
12. Shelter From The Storm
13. She Belongs To Me
14. Visions Of Johanna