A tribute album for 50 years of Bob Dylan and 50 years of Amnesty International -the organization that fights for human rights throughout, is 76 songs,four CD worth of Dylan covers. And to put it bluntly, I am a little disappointed. I would give it a grade of "B+" because it is a worthy cause, but without the cause I'd give it a "B". Why? Here is one reason. If you're gonna have Joan Baez sing Dylan, have her sing "Love Is Just A Four Letter Word".
I know Dylan's music very well… like basically everything, and I think I could compile a better album than this just using old covers. Anyway, here is every song on Chimes Of Freedom reviewed and graded.
1. One Too Many Mornings – Johnny Cash – From the Nashville Skyline sessions, Cash and Dylan's voices sound like whiskey and a cat being raped. Grade: B
2. Leopard Skin Pill-Box-Hat – Raphael Saadiq – Sounds like Jimi without the guitar. Grade: B
3. Drifter's Escape – Patti Smith – I wished she'd done "Dark Eyes" but Smith is a poet and she absolutely gets that this is a poem more than a lyric. Grade: A-
4. Ballad Of Hollis Brown – Rise Against – Walking blues. Grade: B-
5.Blind Willie McTell – Tom Morello – Why do it when you can over do it. Grade: C+
6.Corinna Corinna – Pete Townsend – Not bad, the guitar is pretty, the harp solo more so, but I'd have loved to hear him tackle something off Highway 61. Grade; B+
7.Most Of The Time – Bettye Lavette – I am not a fan of the soul singer, something about her voice I can't hear at all. And I don't like the rearrangement. Grade: C-
8. This Wheel's On Fire – Charlie Wilson – Search out the Julie Driscoll Cover. Grade: B
9. Simple Twist Of Fate – Diana Krall – Lovely version of the song leans heavily on her piano -like Krall's "A case Of You" did years ago. Grade: A
10. You Ain't Goin' Nowhere – Brett Dennen – Brett is a talented fellow and he does what he can but since Dylan's original was a casual enough take, he really has nothing to add to it. Grade: B
11.Love Sick – Mariachi El Bronx – What is this? It isn't mariachi and it isn't very love sick either. Grade: D+
12. Blowin' In The Wind – Ziggy Marley – Terrible, terrible version. Just because Papa is a genius… Grade: D+
13. Changing Of The Guards – The Gaslight Anthem – You are Bruce Springsteen and I demand my $200. Grade: C-
14. Not Dark Yet – Silversun Pickups – Lacks the gravitas vocally, but aurally it is like a mural of end. Grade: B
15.Ypi're A Big Girl, Now – My Morning Jacket – Yeah, lemme tell you, compared to their "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You" cover, it's like bringing a knife to a gun fight. Grade: B
16.Boots Of Spanish Leather – The Airborne Toxic Event – Shallow but sturdy. Grade: B
17. Girl from The North Country – Sting – And now we know why she left him. Grade: F
18. Restless Farewell – Mark Knopfler – At what point is Mark gonna stop making every song an outtake from "Local hero". Grade: B
19. Outlaw Blues – Queens Of The Stoneage – Really good blues rocker. Grade: A-
20. Rainy Day Women # 12 & 35 – Lenny Kravitz – Credible take. Yeah, I'm shocked myself. Grade: B+
21. One More Cup Of Coffee – Steve Earle – I didn't like it on Desire either. Grade: C
22. Heart Of Mine – Blake Mills – The bloke who used to be in Dawes, as orchestrated by Jimmy Buffett on valium. Grade: B
23. You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go – Miley Cyrus – Pot and heartbroke rewards Miley with a seriousness she couldn't pull off when she was Hannah. Grade:A
24 Lay Down Your Weary Tune – Billy Bragg – Sounds like Billy Bragg singing Bob Dylan/ Grade: B
25 .License To Kill – Elvis Costello – What is it with Elvis and the 80s? Grade: B
26. Lay, Lady, Lay – Angelique Kidjo – African diva dodges the sexuality question. The wus. Grade: B
27. Ring Them Bells – Natasha Bedingfeld – Why do all the Oh Mercy covers suck? Grade: B-
28. Love Minus Zero/No Limits – Jackson Browne – Sure, he has a pretty voice. The last thing this song needs is a pretty voice. Grade: C+
29.Seven Curses – Joan Baez – A curse on the person who convinced Joan to cover this. Grade: B-
30. No Time To Think – The Belle Brigade – Always a toughy, just because it is so wordy and goes on for year. These guys harmonize on it! Grade: B+
31. Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You – Sugarland – Oh no you won't. Grade: B
32. Mr. Tambourine Man – Jack's Mannequin – well, I guess it always had its nursery rhyme side. Grade: B
33.4th Time Around – Oren Lavie – Since Lennon can't cover it… this is a really excellent tale with all the fun taken out and a drugged out uncertainty replacing it. Grade: B+
34. All I Really Want To Do – Sussan Deyhim – I see one Israeli, one irania… anybidy from Syria in the house? Grade: C
35. Make You Feel My Love – Adele – Not bad, suits her fine. Grade: B+
36. With God On My Side – K'Naan – Er, this isn't "With God On Our Side". Grade: Incomplete
37. I Want You – Ximena Sarinana – International singers all get together to kill off Dylan song's in the name of justice. Grade: D+
38. She Belongs To Me – Neill Finn – I see, power pop Bobby. Grade: C+
39. Bob Dylan's Dream – Bryan Ferry – Ferry has done albums worth of Dylan covers, this is alright. He sound so sincere. Grade: B
40. Tomorrow Is A Long Time – Zee Avi – Here's a question, if they could use Johhny Cash why couldn't they use Elvis Presley? Grade: B+
41. Just Like A Woman – Carly Simon – He wrote it for Warren Beatty, right? Grade: D
42. The Times They Are A-Changin' – Flogging Molly – An Irish jig. Grade: B+
43. Buckets Of Rain – Fistful Of Mercy – Dhani Harrison doesn't help. Grade: C
44. Man Of Peace – Joe Perry – Not bad straight up rocker. Grade: B+
45. It's All Over Now, Baby Blue – Bad Religion – Didn't these guys give us an interview a couple of years ago? They maybe shoulda slowed it down a touch. Grade: B
46. Desolation Row – My Chemical Romance – They actually covered this to better effect on the "Watchmen" soundtrack. Grade: C+
47. Knockin' On Heaven's Door – Redone – I dunno, it isn't bad but with Warren Zevons terrific apocalyptic (actually life ending) cover, Lady Gaga's producer isn't in the same planet. Grade: B+
48. Abandoned Love – Paul Rodgers – This is the vocal performance of the abum. Grade: B+
49. New Morning – Darren Criss – The Glee kid… I guess it is harmless. Grade: B
50. The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll – Gage The Elephant – They are really quite gentle here and because time has changed the grief, maybe gentleness isn't a terrible idea. Grade: B+
51. It Ain't Me Babe – Band Of Skulls – The worse song on the album? It whines and whines and whines. Grade: F
52. Property Of Jesus – Sinead O'Connor – Followed by the best song on the album. Grade: A
53. Shelter From The Sun – ed Rowland and the Sweet tea Project – Brutally weak. Grade: D+
54. Don't Think Twice It's Alright – Ke$ha – Think twice. Grade: C
55. . Don't Think Twice It's Alright – Kronos Quarter – Complelely lovely string quartet version. Grade: B+
56. I Shall Be Released – Maroon 5 – This is a joke, right? Grade: F
57. Political world – Carolina Chocolate Drops – Another lousy Oh Mercy cover. Grade: C+
58. Like A Rolling Stone – Jeff Beck – The guitarist ain't bad. Grade: B
59. Bob Dylan's 115th Dream – Taj Mahal – Funny stuff. Grade: B+
60. Senor – Dierks Bentley – Nice fiddler but it is one of Dylan's worst song. Grade:C
61.One Of Must Know (Sooner Or Later) – Mick Hucknell – If Rod Stewart sung this, it would be sung. Grade: C
62. I'll Remember You – Thea Gilmore – The Brit chick contingent makes its presence felt. Was Laura marling busy? Grade: C
63.John Brown – State Radio – Awful blues by wimps Grade: D+
64. All Along The Watchtower – Dave Matthews Band – My bad, this is the worst song on the album. Grade: F
65. Subterranian Homesick Blues – Michael Franti _ Jazz? Rap? Acid? Put em all together and it still sucks. Grade: D+
66.Mama, You've Been On My Mind – We Are Augustine – the bland leading the blander. Grade: B-
67.Tryin' To Get To heaven – Lucinda Williams – Will she wake the fuck up? Grade: D+
68. Quinn The Eskimo – Kris Kristofferson – Will somebody please switch Kris's pot for speed? Grade: C-
69. Gotta Serve Somebody – Eric Burdon – Too bluesy. Grade: B
70. I'd Have You Anytime – Evan Rachel Wood – Terrible jazzy version. GradeC
71. Baby Let Me Follow You Down – Marianne Faithfull – a) Dylan didn't write it and b0 Marianne oversings it. Grade: B
72. Forever Young – Pete Seger – wow, how ironic. Grade: B
73. Chimes Of Freedom – Bob Dylan – yeah, I know it's a great song. Grade: A+
74.When The Ship Comes In – Outernational – Yeeeeeeah! Are old pals nail it as a graceful rocker and the drums are like waves on the bow. Grade: A
75. Song To Woody – Silverstein – These guys have a way with a cover because the lead singer is great. Grade: A
76.Man In The Black Coat – Daniel Bedingfield – And another crap cover of an Oh Mercy song to end the proceedings. Grade: C-