Maybe "The Tapes" should have stayed in "The Basement"
I waited a year for this become more affordable to me. Consider myself a big Bob fan, yet paying the original $150 price tag seemed too extravagant. Packaging and promotional items are fine, it just the actual recordings that are not what I expected. Too many of the tracks still laden with static scratchiness from the original taping. BUT - in my defense for spending $75 bucks..... it was still entertaining.
This collection documents the output of Bob Dylan and The Band's songcrafting efforts during their shared time in and around Woodstock, NY, back in 1967 and '68. The collection reflects the most comprehensive treatment of this material to date, based on what could be retrieved from the many tapes created back then. The packaging is brilliant, made to emulate one of the tape boxes themselves. There is great intimacy to these songs, as if you're there in the basement of Big Pink and off to the side listening while this music is happening. Must have for any Dylan fan.