I can’t decide what to think about Joan Baez’s singing on her cover of The Stones’ country blues “No Expectations” from her 1970 album (I Live) One Day at a Time. Just when I think she’s too uptight (and in need of a few shots of whiskey with Keith), I start feeling that she’s pretty committed to the song and that I’m a judgmental sob. But whatever about all that. What I do know is that though she doesn’t cover Dylan (yet again) on this album, she does right by herself and follows his footsteps to Nashville and gets help from some of the same Nashville pros -- like Pete Drake, Charlie McCoy, and Kenny Buttrey (handing out lessons on the drums) -- Dylan was lucky enough to have join him on Blonde on Blonde, Nashville Skyline, and John Wesley Harding. These guys are seriously taking care of business. (And, to state the random obvious, after hearing this on LP and then downloading the song for posting purposes, it’s just a damn dirty shame how much texture and sonic depth is lost when you go digital.)
Joan Baez - No Expectations [buy]
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