The Persuasions
Knockin’ On Bob’s Door
Zoho Records
www.zohomusic.com
By George W. Harris

These guys have been around since Moby Dick was an anchovy, and they still sound great. The venerable a cappella group The Persuasions have been through a few personnel changes, and a myriad of musical trends, but they’ve stayed true to the faith. Lately, they’ve been putting out songbooks like Frank Zappa, The Beatles and The Grateful Dead, with various results. This one just might be the best of the lot, as the vocal arrangements are clever, hip and well crafted. A calypso take of “All Along The Watchtower” fascinates, while a Crescent Citified “Quinn The Eskimo” resonates. The slower tunes have a haunting romanticism that Dylan himself was never able to carry off, with “Lay Lady Lay” and “Just Like A Woman” sounding more poignant than ever. The band has done Dylan tunes in the past on their earlier discs, but this one really puts the zip in Zimmerman.