The Dylanisms come at you pretty hard and quick on these demos that were originally recorded in the mid-‘70s and stayed shelved until now. Sammy Walker, a Georgia native, basically disappeared to the Catskills after releasing a few records in the ‘70s and getting dropped from his label. He’s since moved to the mountains of Western N.C. The semi-pinched vocals, the fingerpicking and the harmonica flourishes all justify the “next Dylan” pronouncements that greeted Walker’s 1975 debut, which was produced by Phil Ochs. The enormity of the Dylan debt and influence creates a little anxiety in the listener: One wants a little more distance from the inspiration. But, 40-plus years later, the songs also now suggest a secret kinship with The Tallest Man on Earth, both in tone and in the lyrics that return to images of the natural world—animals, storms, trees, and crops. Walker’s fingerpicking is crisp and skillful, and his lyrics are less caustic than Dylan’s, which will make him a little easier to like for some. Certain topical tunes, like “Talking Women’s Lib,” haven’t aged well. But Walker’s songs about wandering lovelorn and weary, or about the dark grandeur of nature, have an enduring strength.