Robert Johnson and Son House, Rev. Gary Davis and Mississippi John Hurt, Bukka White and Bessie Smith: over the course of her six-decade long career Rory Block has saluted them all – and even more trendsetters. Yet Bob Dylan was the artist whose oeuvre the veteran singer didn’t cover on record – until now that she relented and replies to her followers’ requests by taking a break from the “Power Women Of The Blues” series and releasing an entire album comprised of the American bard’s pieces.
The “Positively 4th Street” collection which will be out on June 28th, finds Ms Block going it alone and playing everything – guitars, bass, drums – herself to render her reading of Dylan’s lore more intimate. On this platter Rory tackles not only classics but also less popular cuts, so alongside such familiar numbers as “Like A Rolling Stone” and “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” here are choices some people may not remember, what with “Oh Mercy” and “Rough And Rowdy Ways” represented by a couple of songs each. Bringing one’s own light to Bob’s repertoire is no mean feat; however, if anybody can perform miracles, it’s Rory Block.
Positively 4th Street
1. Everything Is Broken
2. Ring Them Bells
3. Like A Rolling Stone
4. Not Dark Yet
5. Mr. Tambourine Man
6. Positively 4th Street
7. A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall
8. Mother Of Muses
9. Murder Most Foul
