Just as Todd Haynes's Bob Dylan biopic I'M NOT THERE takes an unusual approach by having several different people portraying the artist, so the accompanying soundtrack skirts expectations by sporting a wide variety of artists tackling the Dylan catalog, and including a wealth of lesser-known Dylan tunes. Over the course of two discs, Haynes assembles an impressive cast of contributors, from arena-size names (Eddie Vedder, Willie Nelson) to indie-rock cult heroes (Mark Lanegan, Sufjan Stevens) and Dylan contemporaries (Richie Havens, Ramblin' Jack Elliott).
Some of the tracks stick relatively close to the feel of the originals, like Wilco leader Jeff Tweedy's earthy, folk-rock take on "Simple Twist of Fate," while others leap headlong into reinvention, like Calexico and Iron & Wine's atmospheric, wah-wah-soaked collaboration on "Dark Eyes." In the end, one of the most significant accomplishments of this soundtrack may be the exposure of such relative esoterica as "Man in the Long Black Coat" and "Senor (Tales of Yankee Power)" to an audience outside the closed circle of devout Dylanologists. Oh, and the title track is a previously unreleased tune performed by the man himself. Take that, completists!
