There’s no doubt that Frank Sinatra and Bob Dylan are two defining voices of the 20th century. Yet putting them together produces a rather peculiar animal. In his most recent album, Shadows in the Night, Dylan has covered ten of Ol’ Blue Eyes’ most popular songs, with a bluesy twist. Conceptually, the album is fascinating, but curiosity soon gives way to the realization that this is just a mediocre album with the occasionally pleasant highlight.
The main problem with Shadows in the Night stems from the tracks Dylan chose to cover. The original versions of nearly every song on the album tell morose stories that rely on sorrowful brass and string instruments and majestic vocals. This means that the album, as a whole, displays no evidence of sound diversity.
Dylan traps himself not only by his song choices, but also through his decision to simply tweak all of the Sinatra songs into brooding folk ballads. Songs like “Where Are You?” and “Autumn Leaves” lazily mimic every rise and fall of Sinatra’s originals with substitutions only for Dylan’s throatier work at the vocals. Dylan’s quintessential vocal style is enjoyable, yet cannot function in the same way as the voice of a crooner. His cover of “The Night We Called it a Day” suffers because he tries to flaunt a range that he does not share with Sinatra.
In Shadows in the Night, Dylan unfortunately displays a lack of ownership of his covers, but that does not discount the inherent talent of Dylan as an artist. If one looks at “I’m a Fool to Want You” or “What’ll I Do” purely as Bob Dylan folk songs, they prove to be enjoyable listens. Tracks like these two parallel a full orchestra sound with trippy guitar work that equates the rich, yet sullen music that boosts Sinatra’s voice.
Dylan is 73 years old; it’s understandable that he cannot belt like a member of the Rat Pack, but the fault lies in the attempt. Dylan should have taken these songs much farther from their original forms. Regardless of the fact that Shadows in the Night is a botched attempt, it represents a trend of legends covering legends that music fans will definitely appreciate. And maybe his next effort will be more “Like a Rolling Stone.”
Voice’s Choices: “What I’ll Do,” “Full Moon and Empty Arms”
