‘Roads Rapidly Changing’ traces early days of Bob Dylan’s career

‘Bob Dylan: Roads Rapidly Changing’
(Chrome Dreams/MVD)
4 stars out of 5

I’ll be the first to concede that new documentary “Bob Dylan: Roads Rapidly Changing” doesn’t reveal too much “new” information about the legendary troubadour’s musical career — especially for those, like me, who hungrily devour any and everything about Dylan. But for those with just a passing knowledge of the Hibbing, Minn., native’s story, this two-hour film does a nice job tracing his path from acoustic folkie/voice of a generation to what became his creative zenith in the mid-1960s.

The primary focus of “Roads Rapidly Changing” is how Dylan entered — and soon dominated — the folk revival in the United States only to depart it almost as abruptly as he emerged. Filmmaker Tom O’Dell makes a correlation between the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and Dylan’s desire to remove himself as the voice of the modern protest song. While I’m not sure that’s the case, who could blame Dylan for being a little afraid during those turbulent times?

With a first-rate panel of musicians, rock critics and contemporaries, along with plenty of archived concert footage, “Roads Rapidly Changing” makes for compelling viewing. Dylan doesn’t offer his own perspective in the “unauthorized” film and that’s the one real drawback. Still, this DVD is a winner. (Jeffrey Sisk)