With its premiere on premium cable channel Showtime this Friday, Lost Songs: The Basement Tapes Continued takes one of the most influential artists of all time, Bob Dylan, and gives new life to his old work, a concept which will no doubt make its mark on the music industry in a legendary way. It has no set theatrical release date yet, and it’s doubtful if it will ever get one, but that doesn’t make Lost Songs: The Basement Tapes Continued any less of a film worth going out of your way to see.
Lost Songs is a musical love letter to Dylan and his writing, and the brainchild of musician and producer T Bone Burnett. After coming across newly discovered lyrics from Dylan written back in 1967, which were famously called the “Basement Tapes” (written shortly after his motorcycle accident and infamous Woodstock performance), Burnett decided to turn these words into songs. Assembling today’s top folk musicians from across the board, they call themselves “The New Basement Tapes.” Elvis Costello, Marcus Mumford (Mumford & Sons), Jim James (My Morning Jacket), Rhiannon Giddens (Carolina Chocolate Drops), and Taylor Goldsmith (Dawes) use these lyrics as inspiration for creating original songs in their own signature styles, respectively. Bringing their unique strengths and songwriting abilities to the Capital Records recording studio, the band is given the challenge of making a record in two weeks. Let the chaos and creativity begin.
Johnny Depp even makes a cameo on the electric guitar in the song “Kansas City”- one of the films more memorable songs which you can (and should) watch here.
There is no shortage of inspiring moments in the film. To start, we as the audience are given a private look into the writing and recording process, which is not as glamorous as one may think. Director Sam Jones doesn’t hold back in capturing the stress Mumford endures to write the perfect song or the emotional heartbreak Rhiannon feels as the song she was working on falls flat during the recording. The pure talent in the room is mesmerizing; everyone plays multiple instruments on the record, and seeing them effortlessly move from one instrument to the next will leave anyone awestruck. Johnny Depp even makes a cameo on the electric guitar in the song “Kansas City”- one of the films more memorable songs which you can (and should) watch here.
For all of its musical talent, the film isn’t just a spectacle of performances; Jones carefully balances the recording process with the true Basement Tapes back story with the aid from a rare and exclusive interview from Bob Dylan. While he isn’t shown on camera, he narrates to the archive of pictures Jones supplies of Dylan and his band in the 60’s.
The camera is a quiet observer that gives the film the right amount of dramatics in an organic way. Absolutely nothing is forced or contrived; the tear Marcus Mumford sheds after playing is real! That’s the overflow of emotions one can expect to feel after watching this film; it touches the soul deeper than you’d think. Lost Songs: The Basement Tapes Continued conquers many things in its seemingly innocent production. Not only does it highlight the great and everlasting influence of Bob Dylan in the music industry, but it also personalizes the modern musicians who participate in making this film, and gives the audience the opportunity to connect with them on a deeper, more emotional level. The last line in the trailer states, “What is a song? A song is limitless,” and no truer words have been spoken after watching this intimate and powerful documentary.
