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I’m Not There

VARIOUS ARTISTS

Sony

The soundtrack to Todd Haynes’ wonderfully weird Bob Dylan biopic unites old timers and indie darlings for a double-disc Zimmy homage that’s hit, miss and occasionally mind blowing. On balance, credit the artists who personalize rather than slavishly attempt to recreate the arrangements — or worse, Dylan’s distinct, underrated vocal phrasing — for making this collection that rare tribute album worth owning.

Willie Nelson’s whispered reading of the apocalyptic “Senor (Tales of Yankee Powder)” is at once frightening and hypnotic, the country legend’s weary vocals are perfectly paired with plaintive trumpet that seems to signal the Second Coming.

Speaking of Christianity, John Doe is the lone artist to dip into Dylan’s controversial Born Again phase, nailing “Pressing On” with a rousing rendition marked by a righteous, ragged vocal reinforced by a lively gospel choir. Los Lobos, which shined on the Masked and Anonymous soundtrack with “On a Night Like This,” outdo themselves on the accordion-driven “Billy 1,” an outlaw ode Dylan penned for the film Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid.

Chief Dylan interpreter Roger McGuinn sounds sublime on “One More Cup of Coffee,” his reedy tenor quivering above stirring strings and more mournful trumpets courtesy of Calexico, which appears on five tracks including the one with Nelson. Busting out the B3 Hammond, The Hold Steady slow down and beautify “Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window?” — replacing the original’s borderline misogyny with a sense of profound sadness.

And while by no means innovative, Jeff Tweedy’s “Simple Twist of Fate” finds the Wilco frontman offering a naked, pain-soaked vocal unlike anything he has done post-Uncle Tupelo. The same can be said for My Morning Jacket leader Jim James, who judiciously chose to cover The Basement Tapes nugget “Goin’ to Acapulco,” a poignant tale about visiting the proverbial prostitute with the heart of gold.

As for duds, covers queen Cat Power (Chan Marshall) apes Dylan’s trademark twisting of syllables to the point of annoyance on a sluggish “Stuck Inside of Mobile (with the Memphis Blues Again);” Yo La Tengo doesn’t have the mojo to make good on the bluesy rave-up “I Wanna Be Your Lover” (their “Fourth Time Around” is serviceable); and while Sufjan Stevens gets points for a thrilling arrangement, his tentative, boyish voice can’t carry a powerful hymn like “Ring Them Bells.”

Fittingly, Dylan’s performance is the best of ‘em all. The widely bootlegged but never before officially released title-track from The Basement Tape sessions of ’67 finds the singer improvising lyrics of longing and regret over a supreme performance by The Band led by Garth Hudson’s dirge-like organ fills. As if channeling the words from the ancient past, Dylan’s voice trembles with emotion, making it one of the most gripping records of his career.

3.5 stars

This article appears in Dec 5-11, 2007.