New remix of Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I'll Go Mine): two views

Thanks to Martin Cowan:

“Sunday's Observer Music Monthly carried Paul Morley's barbed critique of the new Dylan remix. Having heard the track myself, I find myself agreeing with him”:

http://music.guardian.co.uk/rock/comment/story/0,,2144403,00.html



There’s another view:

The Dylan remix is part of a trend of record labels attempting to reach a new audience for their heritage recordings by throwing in the odd electronica remix in otherwise faithful compilation albums.

The new track on the Dylan 3CD follows recent compilations of timeless recordings by top musicians - including Elvis, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis and Billie Holiday – which have been treated to a bonus remixed track or two.

I can take them or leave them: any reinterpretation of great music is potentially interesting; some work, some don’t, but failure is no reason not to try. But I’d much prefer to listen to an electronica version of a Dylan song than yet another cover by yet another tedious, check-shirted grizzled Olde Farte brandishing an acoustic guitar.

The new remix of Most Likely You Go Your Way will have no bearing on whether I buy the new product, but I’ll give the remix at least a few hearings. As for Sony’s PR, attempting to make the remix into a big talking point – it obviously worked here, but I can’t help feeling it’s misguided – a trivial distraction from a great body of art.


Gerry Smith