Letters…
PLuS the Uncut crossword
Thank you for the Uncut CD this month – it has gone straight into the car’s CD collection for repeat listening. I know that I am biased as a Dylan aficionado, but it is the best Uncut CD that I have heard – and I have had most of them since the beginning. Keep up the good work – it is always appreciated in my house! Philip Evans, Brighton
…I have subscribed to Uncut for a good few years now and have thoroughly enjoyed being introduced to a huge range of new artists (new to me, that is) by listening to your monthly free CD. The December edition gave me an entirely new experience, though. I have been reintroduced to the works of Dylan, an artist I used to admire but have stopped listening to in recent years. I was obviously not in possession of the best material – the tracks on your Dylan album are priceless. My wife will not be happy with the increased household expenditure on Dylan CDs. Dr Brian Lewis, via email
…Been an Uncut subscriber for many years – only missing a few editions from the very start – and, like many of your readers, have been introduced to numerous new acts thanks to the amazing free CDs. However, it is always good to revisit old friends. Michael Bonner said that the December 2018 Dylan CD was probably one of the best the team had ever worked on, and never a truer word has been spoken. As a man in his sixties, I have been a big fan of Dylan for many years and have many of his albums that I’ve introduced my now 36-year-old son to over the years, but the quality of some of the tracks on Best Of The Bootleg Series are incredible. The version of “Born In Time” is worthy of special mention – and I fully agree with your track-by-track guide that it is far superior to the version on Under A Red Sky. More importantly, my 15-year-old son is now hooked on Dylan as well – job done! Donald Muir, Belfast
…As a recent subscriber, after many years of being a regular buyer, I feel compelled to express my dismay at the latest edition, and to pitch in on the ‘cover star and free CD’ issue. On seeing the cover, my heart sank… on seeing the CD, I was flabbergasted. Surely the Dylanologists out there will have bought the interminable Bootleg Series by now? And as one of those who doesn’t give a flying one about his music, I feel I’ve been robbed of a CD of new music.
I’ve loved the fact that Uncut has championed Americana, and I’m grateful for the many acts you’ve introduced me to, so how about some of those older, newer, and rising faces being on the cover? Lucinda Williams, Laura Cantrell and Courtney Marie Andrews, not to mention the exceptional Brandy Clark and Ashley Monroe, instantly spring to mind.
I guess I’ll continue to subscribe, and whoever is (or isn’t) on the cover will be immaterial to the rest of the magazine’s content. Glad I’ve got that off my chest, though! Bob Hawkins, via email
Thanks, everyone who has taken the time to write in about the Dylan CD. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, but for those of you who prefer our “new music” CDs, rest assured that normal service will be resumed as soon as possible. We hope this month’s glance back at the highlights of 2018 will underscore just how strong the year has been for brilliant new music. I can report, too, that the start of 2019 looks equally promising, with amazing new LPs from Steve Gunn, Jessica Pratt and Cass McCombs. (MB)