Deep Covers

First the good news... a new and triple album from Bob Dylan. Then what seemed like not such good news... it's all covers. Again. 'Shadows In The Night' and 'Fallen Angels' were both brilliant records. But with Mount Sinatra climbed, the expectation was that, as after those other writer's block classics 'Good As I Been To You' and 'World Gone Wrong', Dylan would get back to Dylan.

However, after a listen to 'I Could Have Told You' from the new album, with its exquisite musical backing from Dylan's road band and a vocal that no one else could come close to for feeling and meaning, you realise that he had to do this...

King George

According to Keith Richards, Charlie Watts once thumped Mick Jagger when Jagger referred to Charlie as "his drummer". Quite right too. But I suspect George Recile may not take such great offence at being known as "Bob Dylan's drummer".

He has served on Bob's Never Ending Tour for years and years (as have the rest of the Dylan band) and but when they pitched up at London's Albert Hall this week for five nights, they sounded as fresh – and hot and cool – as they ever did.

Recile, with his ability to switch from a delicate waltz to hard rock, from swinging jazz to a pin-drop-quiet ballad, is the perfect drummer for Dylan, always propelling the music forward but never playing too loud or too much. His two-handed New Orleans rhythms are a delight to watch as well as hear.

And Bob? Like all the reviews have been saying, he has found a new and remarkable voice to deliver his Sinatra-esque ballads as well as his tougher-edged material. His genius is undimmed.

Long may he sing... and long may George Recile play the drums.