Isis reports 35th studio recording for Dylan uses touring band, Los Lobos Mexican influences

Bob Dylan on the never ending tour April 27, 2012 in San Nicolas, Buenos Aires, Argentina (photo by Adrian Lasso, Creative Commons)

Dylan fans are getting revved up for the fall release of Bob Dylan’s latest studio album.

Recorded in February 2012 in between tour gigs, the album has 10 tracks and features the Never Ending Tour band, says Dylan fanzine Isis Magazine.

David Hidalgo who worked on the album said “It was a great experience. And different. Each one has been different, all completely different approaches. It’s an amazing thing, how he keeps creativity. I don’t see how he does it.” (Aspen Times)

Bob Dylan and band on tour April 2012 Buenos Aires (photo by Adrian Lasso, Creative Commons)

This will be a treat for fans since the band and Dylan have established a deep groove from thousands of nights playing on tour. The rapport Dylan and the band enjoy is a two edged sword. Sometimes it keeps new material from being fresh; however, Dylan is known as a mercurial artist who can change arrangements and tunes on a nightly basis. For most of the early part of his recording career, Dylan would record with a pickup band and yet produce his best work like ‘Blood on the Tracks’.

The CD was recorded in Santa Monica private studio of singer songwriter Jackson Browne. Groove Masters was also used by Dylan for ‘Christmas in the Heart’ and ‘Together Through Life’.

Adding some Tex-Mex flavor will be David Hidalgo of Los Lobos. Hildago also worked on Christmas in the Heart and Together Through Life.

‘Forgetful Heart’ 2011 Dylan concert video

David Hidalgo of Los Lobos worked on new Dylan album (Photo by fantail media, Creative Commons)

Hidalgo told the Aspen Times he “recently finished recording sessions for a new Bob Dylan album, at Jackson Browne’s Los Angeles studio.

Hidalgo, who has played on two previous Dylan albums, wasn’t expecting to add his Mexican instruments to the new project. But there were Mexican instruments around the studio, and Hidalgo, who grew up in a Mexican-American environment in East L.A., was as attracted to the accordion, and the tres — a guitar-like instrument whose six strings are separated into three groups of two — as he was to the electric guitar when he was a kid. Dylan heard those sounds, and welcomed them into his music.”

“He’d say, ‘Wow, what’s that?’” Hidalgo said from a tour stop in Fort Collins. “He liked the sound. So we’d get it in there.”

Hidalgo appreciated Dylan’s embrace of the Mexican sounds. But he has an even bigger appreciation of Dylan’s outlook on music generally. The recording session, he said, was nothing like the earlier ones he had done with Dylan. “It was a great experience. And different. Each one has been different, all completely different approaches. It’s an amazing thing, how he keeps creativity. I don’t see how he does it.” (Aspen Times)

Isis Magazine reports “we have heard the album will contain 10 tracks and is 68 minutes long. The most likely release date is September, prior to the Grammy deadline and in the run-up to the holiday season. As well as the 14 minute song, there is believed to be another that is 9 minutes in length.”

Stay tuned for more leaks.

Thanks to Adrian Lasso and fantail media for Creative Commons use of their photographs. Some rights are reserved.

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