bob dylan shadows in the nightBob Dylan singing Frank Sinatra songs seems like an odd thing and yet on a recent tour he would perform a cover of the Sinatra song “Stay With Me” during the encore. Earlier during the nineties he also worked some Sinatra recorded songs into his set lists. He obviously has an affection for Sinatra’s songs. As such it makes sense that he has now recorded an entire album of Frank Sinatra songs. You get “What I’ll Do”, “That Lucky Old Sun”, “Some Enchanted Evening”, “I’m a Fool to Want You” and “The Night We Call It a Day”. Though if you are not a Sinatra fan or a fan of the songs of that era then you would not recognize them in the hands of Bob Dylan as such. He, as any good musician would, transforms them and makes each his own. They all become bluesy and slow. Also quite spare with the spotlight shining firmly on Dylan’s voice and guitar playing. The method of recording the album was rather unique in that it was done pretty much live with only two or three takes of each song being done. What is most amazing about the record is Dylan’s voice. It is sounding better than it has in decades. Despite being seventy-three his voice is sounding like he has worked on it to improve its quality. Less gravelly and easier to pick out the lyrics he is singing. What he uses his voice to do and what he has always been great at is tell a story. Whether he is holding a note or just instilling emotion into his phrasing it makes you feel what the song is all about. Throughout the length of his career this man has never been predictable and in his seventies it continues.