Portraits of Dylan is Joey Clark’s Cover Album Out Now
Good Day Noir Family,
Joey Clark’s Portraits of Dylan offers a fresh yet respectful tribute to one of the greatest songwriters of all time.
Portraits of Dylan is Joey Clark’s Cover Album Out Now
With a mix of psychedelic, folk, and Western influences, Clark takes a collection of Bob Dylan’s iconic tracks and reinterprets them with an intimacy and elegance that honors the original compositions and breathes new life into them.
One of the standout tracks is I Shall Be Released, where Clark gives the song a dream-like quality with a rich, almost hypnotic arrangement.
The psychedelic edge doesn’t feel forced; it adds a layer of mystery, letting Clark’s expressive vocals take center stage. The instrumental arrangements swirl in a delicate way, making this version feel as though it’s coming from a different time while still maintaining the essence of Dylan’s classic.
One More Cup of Coffee is deep and enigmatic. Clark’s voice truly shines here, carrying a vulnerability and warmth that perfectly matches the song’s introspective mood.
There’s a subtle intensity in his delivery that draws you into the song, and you can hear the emotion in every word. It’s one of those versions that might make you appreciate the song all over again, with its understated beauty and quiet power.
Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You has a laid-back, travel-worn quality, with Clark’s slide guitar adding to the song’s atmosphere of wanderlust and heartache.
This track evokes a sense of movement, not just through the music, but through the very feeling of the song—it’s a journey of emotions, a quiet sense of restlessness that slowly gives way to comfort. It’s another highlight of the album, showcasing Clark’s ability to create space for reflection while still keeping things emotionally rich.
Maggie’s Farm is where the energy picks up. Here, Clark taps into the rhythm and swagger of the original, giving it a playful, almost mischievous edge.
The song evolves with a sly, infectious groove that makes it impossible not to feel the rhythm in your bones. What Clark does so well with this version is maintain the rebellious spirit of the original, but with a lighter, more carefree touch.
It’s a fantastic take on one of Dylan’s more defiant tracks.
To Ramona, with its almost Mexican-inspired groove, provides a brief respite, a moment of light-heartedness and warmth. The melody is gently swaying, and the song fills the air with an unspoken joy.
Clark’s voice here feels like a gentle breeze, and while the track has a lighter tone, it still manages to capture that raw emotional quality that Dylan’s original offered. It’s a perfect example of how Clark can stay true to the original while making the song his own.
When The Ship Comes In closes out the album in spectacular fashion. The track feels like it’s wrapped in a timeless energy, echoing the sound of traditional Irish folk music, yet with Clark’s own stamp.
The rhythm is compelling, and the arrangement is rich in texture, bringing the album to a fitting, soaring conclusion. There’s an undercurrent of optimism and resolve in this track that feels triumphant, capping off a remarkable journey through Dylan’s catalog.
Clark has truly succeeded in giving a new coat of paint to these beloved songs while preserving the essence of what made them great in the first place.
The production on Portraits of Dylan is superb, every note enhances the emotional core of each song. It’s an album that will undoubtedly appeal to both fans of Bob Dylan and those who appreciate well-crafted, emotive performances.
Portraits of Dylan is Joey Clark’s Cover Album Out Now!
Timeless!
Joey Clark is a NH native who spent over a decade in Nashville writing and performing. “Portraits” is Joey’s forth album since returning to NH in 2015, following three albums of original music. On “Portraits,” ten Dylan classics are fully orchestrated with percussion, piano, slide guitar, vocal harmonies and more. The album has some surprising and “headphone-worthy” interpretations. For example, “One More Cup of Coffee” takes this Dylan masterpiece into a psychedelic, South-of-the-border affair. Taking its cue from a rare Dylan studio outtake, “You’re Going to Make Me Lonesome When You Go” adds drums. Fans of The Band will instantly recognize a nod to Rick Danko in the bassline of Joey’s version of “I Shall Be Released.”
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