Engineer Says ‘People Broke Down Crying’ After Hearing Bob Dylan’s New Album

According to the engineer who worked on Bob Dylan’s upcoming album of Frank Sinatra tunes, ‘Shadows In the Night,’ the record is something truly exceptional, even bringing those who've heard it to tears.

“People broke down crying, listening to the record,” engineer Al Schmitt said in an interview with Something Else! “It’s like nothing you've ever heard Dylan do.”

Dylan recorded 23 songs for ‘Shadows In the Night,’ of which 10 will appear on the final album. Schmitt added that the choices are “obscure songs that are great songs.” He also said that Dylan brought a straightforwardness to the recording process that adds to the finished product’s appeal.

“He liked the acoustics. He said, ‘Boy, this one sounds really nice. Where would I be singing?’ I said, ‘Right where you’re standing.’ So, that’s where the mic went,” Schmitt explained. “And then it was his band. We had an acoustic guitar, an upright bass, light brushes on the drums, an electric guitar and a steel guitar. No headphones, everybody around him. When he couldn’t hear enough of the rhythm guitar, we just moved him closer. Everything was live … There was no tuning, and there was no fixing. Everything was what it was. That’s part of the charm of the record.”

And after his more than 50-year career, even Dylan himself said he had never heard his voice “sound this good before.”

‘Shadows In the Night’ arrives Feb. 3. You can pre-order the disc here.

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