Bob Dylan, one of the best guitar players and songwriters of all time, is working on a new album, and it is shaping up to be an incredible and unusual collection of recordings as far as he goes.
The legendary performer is finishing up an album of Frank Sinatra covers, set to be called Shadows In The Night. As of now, the CD is set for a February 3rd release via Columbia Records. Shadows is Dylan’s 36th album, and his first in three years. His last effort Tempest was released in 2012, peaked at number three, and was met with general praise from critics, showing that he hasn’t lost his touch.
Though the singer posted the first taste of the album on his website back in May, it was only uploaded to his Vevo about a week ago. The track, “Full Moon and Empty Arms”, was first released by Sinatra in 1946.
As of now, there is a producer connected to the project named Jack Frost, though any die-hard Dylan fan knows that “Jack Frost” is a pseudonym that the singer uses from time to time. He previously used the name back in 2001 when he released the album Love and Theft, where Frost was also labeled as a producer.
For those who are big fans of Sinatra, the idea of a covers tribute-style album being recorded by Bob Dylan may sound a bit odd, but the legend plans on making the tracks his own, while still respecting the work Sinatra put into them. Instead of working with large, full orchestras—which is pretty far from his style—Dylan is taking the time to reimagine the ten tracks on Shadows as pieces using only a five person band.
The Oscar and Grammy winner has said that he would rather not think of this as a covers album, as Sinatra’s tunes have been covered to death. Instead, he sees what he and his fellow musicians are doing as “lifting them out of the grave and bringing them into the light of day.”
Apparently, the songs are all being recorded in only one or two takes, and are being done in a live fashion. Instead of creating the songs by recording each instrument, and then adding in vocals that were tracked in a booth somewhere, everything is being done all at once. While some artists would be nervous to record in such a way (and it does make a difference, just ask any audiophile), Dylan is fearless, both as an artist and a leader of other musicians. At this point, it’s probably best just to do what he says.
