Review: Willie Nile’s ‘Positively Bob’ is rollicking Dylan

Willie Nile, “Positively Bob” (River House)

There are some analogies between Willie Nile and Bob Dylan, like their early career moves to Greenwich Village, extended layoffs (Dylan’s motorcycle accident, Nile’s record company torments) and decades of excellent songwriting.

“Positively Bob” took shape after a tribute concert for Dylan’s 75th birthday where Nile’s performances of “Love Minus Zero/No Limit,” ”A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” and others were not only clear winners with the audience but also rekindled his appreciation for the Nobel Prize winner’s oeuvre.

Sticking mostly to material from the 1960s, Nile puts a rollicking stamp on two of Dylan’s most famous protest songs, “The Times They Are A-Changin’” and “Blowin’ In the Wind,” which sandwich a galloping take on “Rainy Day Women #12 & 35” and form an energetic opening threesome.

“Subterranean Homesick Blues” acquires a rockabilly identity and a rendering of “Abandoned Love,” another of those legendary tunes Dylan kept in the vaults for years, brings some well-deserved attention to a rarely versioned classic originally meant for 1976’s “Desire.”

The album is subtitled “Willie Nile Sings Bob Dylan” and strong accompaniment comes from guitarists Matt Hogan and James Maddock (himself a singer-songwriter worth discovering), bassist Johnny Pisano and Spin Doctors’ drummer Aaron Comess, among others.

There are plenty of details in Dylan’ songs even from 50 years ago or more which translate well as current affairs and Nile’s interpretations make skilful use of that timelessness.

Nile is too good and sincere to merely imitate Dylan and pays his highest compliment by performing the 10 songs as if they were his. Listen to Nile’s other albums and find the proof.