Chrissie Hynde - Standing in the Doorway: Chrissie Hynde Sings Bob Dylan

by Nick Dent-Robinson

published: 5 / 7 / 2021

Chrissie Hynde - Standing in the Doorway: Chrissie Hynde Sings Bob Dylan

Label: BMG
Format: CD

Imaginative collection of Bob Dylan covers from The Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde

Review

Chrissie Hynde's new album comprises Bob Dylan covers. Made with Pretenders guitarist James Walbourne and producer Tchad Blake, ‘Standing in the Doorway’ avoids Bob Dylan's obvious hits in favour of well-chosen lesser-known gems from the 80 year-old legend. Despite her punk roots, Hynde has a broad musical background (she trained for years in her youth as an opera singer and has taught classical music). She is a true connoisseur of many genres of music and her past songs have embraced 1960s pop, R & B, rock, jazz and more. She was thrilled last year by Dylan's unexpected burst of lockdown energy, particularly his creative single, ‘Murder Most Foul’. “Listening to that Dylan song changed a lot for me,” Hynde says. “I was lifted out of the morose mood I'd been in during lockdown. Whatever Bob does, he makes me laugh. He's a comedian but a brilliant and original entertainer....truly inspiring.” Several of the tracks on Hynde's new album are from the 1980s – three from sessions for the 1983 ‘Infidels’ album plus two from 1981's ‘Shot of Love’ LP including an attractive homespun piano and guitar take on ‘Every Grain Of Sand’, a song Bruce Springsteen claims is one of Dylan's finest. Hynde is a brilliant balladeer with a rich voice that immerses itself so easily in a song. She is in her element on this album – not least on the title track which is from 1997's ‘Time Out Of Mind’ album. Dylan performed this song as a tearjerker but Hynde expertly transposes into an atmospheric epic. It is not yet a year since Hynde launched her last Pretenders album, ‘Hate for Sale’ - but, clearly, from this latest release, her musical hunger shows no sign of abating! ‘Standing in the Doorway’ is yet another major triumph for Chrissie Hynde!

Track Listing:-

1 In the Summertime
2 You're a Big Girl Now
3 Standing in the Doorway
4 Sweetheart like You
5 Blind Willie McTell
6 Love Minus Zero / No Limit
7 Don't Fall Apart on Me Tonight
8 Tomorrow Is a Long Time
9 Every Grain of Sand