Bob Dylan | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Bob Dylans influence on popular music is incalculable. As a songwriter, he pioneered several different schools of pop songwriting, from confessional singer/songwriter to winding, hallucinatory, stream-of-consciousness narratives. As a vocalist, he broke down the notion that a singer must have a conventionally good voice in order to perform, thereby redefining the vocalists role in popular music. As a musician, he sparked several genres of pop music, including electrified folk-rock and country-rock. And thats just the tip of his achievements. Dylans force was evident enough during his height of popularity in the 60s -- the Beatles shift toward introspective songwriting in the mid-60s never would have happened without him -- but his influence echoed throughout several subsequent generations, as many of his songs became popular standards and his best albums became undisputed classics of the rock & roll canon. Dylans influence on folk music was equally powerful, and he marks a pivotal turning point in its 20th century evolution, signifying when the genre moved away from traditional songs and toward personal songwriting. Even when his sales declined in the 80s and 90s, Dylans presence rarely lagged, and his commercial revival in the 2000s proved his staying power. For a figure of such substantial influence, Dylan came from humble beginnings. Born in Duluth, Minnesota, Bob Dylan (b. Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) was raised in Hibbing, Minnesota, from the age of six. As a child he learned how to play guitar and harmonica, forming a rock & roll band called the Golden Chords when he was in high school. Following his graduation in 1959, he began studying art at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. While at college, he began performing folk songs at coffee houses under the name Bob Dylan, taking his last name from the poet Dylan Thomas. Already inspired by Hank Williams and Woody Guthrie, Dylan began listening to blues while at college, and the genre wove its way into his music. He spent the summer of 1960 in Denver, where he met bluesman Jesse Fuller, the inspiration behind the songwriters signature harmonica rack and guitar. By the time he returned to Minneapolis in the fall, he had grown substantially as a performer and was determined to become a professional musician. Dylan made his way to New York City in January of 1961, immediately making a substantial impression on the folk community of Greenwich Village. He began visiting his idol Guthrie in the hospital, where he was slowly dying from Huntingtons chorea. Dylan also began performing in coffee houses, and his rough charisma won him a significant following. In April, he opened for John Lee Hooker at Gerdes Folk City. Five months later, Dylan performed another concert at the venue, which was reviewed positively by Robert Shelton in The New York Times. Columbia A&R; man John Hammond sought Dylan out on the strength of the review, and signed the songwriter in the fall of 1961. Hammond produced Dylans eponymous debut album (released in March 1962), a collection of folk and blues standards that boasted only two original songs. Over the course of 1962, Dylan began to write a large batch of originals, many of which were political protest songs in the vein of his Greenwich Village contemporaries. These songs were showcased on his second album, The Freewheelin Bob Dylan. Before its release, Freewheelin went through several incarnations. Dylan had recorded a rock & roll single, "Mixed Up Confusion," at the end of 1962, but his manager, Albert Grossman, made sure the record was deleted because he wanted to present him as an acoustic folkie. Similarly, several tracks with a full backing band that were recorded for Freewheelin were scrapped before the albums release. Furthermore, several tracks recorded for the album -- including "Talking John Birch Society Blues" -- were eliminated from the album before its release. Entirely comprising original songs, The Freewheelin Bob Dylan made a huge impact in the U.S. folk community, and many performers began covering songs from the album. Of these, the most significant were Peter, Paul and Mary, who made "Blowin in the Wind" into a huge pop hit in the summer of 1963 and thereby made Bob Dylan a household name. On the strength of Peter, Paul and Marys cover and his opening gigs for popular folkie Joan Baez, Freewheelin became a hit in the fall of 1963, climbing to number 23 on the charts. By that point, Baez and Dylan had become romantically involved, and she was beginning to record his songs frequently. Dylan was writing just as fast. By the time The Times They Are A-Changin was released in early 1964, Dylans songwriting had developed far beyond that of his New York peers. Heavily inspired by poets like Arthur Rimbaud and John Keats, his writing took on a more literate and evocative quality. Around the same time, he began to expand his musical boundaries, adding more blues and R&B; influences to his songs. Released in the summer of 1964, Another Side of Bob Dylan made these changes evident. However, Dylan was moving faster than his records could indicate. By the end of 1964, he had ended his romantic relationship with Baez and had begun dating a former model named Sara Lowndes, whom he subsequently married. Simultaneously, he gave the Byrds "Mr. Tambourine Man" to record for their debut album. The Byrds gave the song a ringing, electric arrangement, but by the time the single became a hit, Dylan was already exploring his own brand of folk-rock. Inspired by the British Invasion, particularly the Animals version of "House of the Rising Sun," Dylan recorded a set of original songs backed by a loud rock & roll band for his next album. While Bringing It All Back Home (March 1965) still had a side of acoustic material, it made clear that Dylan had turned his back on folk music. For the folk audience, the true breaking point arrived a few months after the albums release, when he played the Newport Folk Festival supported by the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. The audience greeted him with vicious derision, but he had already been accepted by the growing rock & roll community. Dylans spring tour of Britain was the basis for D.A. Pennebakers documentary Dont Look Back, a film that captures the songwriters edgy charisma and charm. Dylan made his breakthrough to the pop audience in the summer of 1965, when "Like a Rolling Stone" became a number two hit. Driven by a circular organ riff and a steady beat, the six-minute single broke the barrier of the three-minute pop single. Dylan became the subject of innumerable articles, and his lyrics became the subject of literary analyses across the U.S. and U.K. Well over 100 artists covered his songs between 1964 and 1966; the Byrds and the Turtles, in particular, had big hits with his compositions. Highway 61 Revisited, his first full-fledged rock & roll album, became a Top Ten hit shortly after its summer 1965 release. "Positively 4th Street" and "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" became Top Ten hits in the fall of 1965 and spring of 1966, respectively. Following the May 1966 release of the double album Blonde on Blonde, he had sold over ten million records around the world. During the fall of 1965, Dylan hired the Hawks, formerly Ronnie Hawkins backing group, as his touring band. The Hawks, who changed their name to the Band in 1968, would become Dylans most famous backing band, primarily because of their intuitive chemistry and "wild, thin mercury sound," but also because of their British tour in the spring of 1966. The tour was the first time the British had heard the electric Dylan, and their reaction was disagreeable and violent. At the Manchester concert (long mistakenly identified as the show from Londons Royal Albert Hall), an audience member called Dylan "Judas," inspiring a positively vicious version of "Like a Rolling Stone" from Dylan and the band. The performance was immortalized on countless bootleg albums (an official release finally surfaced in 1998), and it indicates the intensity of Dylan in the middle of 1966. He had assumed control of Pennebakers second Dylan documentary, Eat the Document, and was under deadline to complete his book Tarantula, as well as record a new record. Following the British tour, he returned to America. On July 29, 1966, he was injured in a motorcycle accident outside of his home in Woodstock, New York, suffering injuries to his neck vertebrae and a concussion. Details of the accident remain elusive -- he was reportedly in critical condition for a week and had amnesia -- and some biographers have questioned its severity, but the event was a pivotal turning point in his career. After the accident, Dylan became a recluse, disappearing into his home in Woodstock and raising his family with his wife, Sara. After a few months, he retreated with the Band to a rented house, subsequently dubbed Big Pink, in West Saugerties to record a number of demos. For several months, Dylan and the Band recorded an enormous amount of material, ranging from old folk, country, and blues songs to newly written originals. The songs indicated that Dylans songwriting had undergone a metamorphosis, becoming streamlined and more direct. Similarly, his music had changed, owing less to traditional rock & roll, and demonstrating heavy country, blues, and traditional folk influences. None of the Big Pink recordings were intended to be released, but tapes from the sessions were circulated by Dylans music publisher with the intent of generating cover versions. Copies of these tapes, as well as other songs, were available on illegal bootleg albums by the end of the 60s; it was the first time that bootleg copies of unreleased recordings became widely circulated. Portions of the tapes were officially released in 1975 as the double album The Basement Tapes. While Dylan was in seclusion, rock & roll had become heavier and artier in the wake of the psychedelic revolution. When Dylan returned with John Wesley Harding in December of 1967, its quiet, country ambience was a surprise to the general public, but it was a significant hit, peaking at number two in the U.S. and number one in the U.K. Furthermore, the record arguably became the first significant country-rock record to be released, setting the stage for efforts by the Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers later in 1969. Dylan followed his country inclinations on his next album, 1969s Nashville Skyline, which was recorded in Nashville with several of the country industrys top session men. While the album was a hit, spawning the Top Ten single "Lay Lady Lay," it was criticized in some quarters for uneven material. The mixed reception was the beginning of a full-blown backlash that arrived with the double album Self Portrait. Released early in June of 1970, the album was a hodgepodge of covers, live tracks, reinterpretations, and new songs greeted with negative reviews from all quarters of the press. Dylan followed the album quickly with New Morning, which was hailed as a comeback. Following the release of New Morning, Dylan began to wander restlessly. He moved back to Greenwich Village, he finally published Tarantula in November of 1970, and he performed at the Concert for Bangladesh in August 1971. During 1972, he began his acting career by playing Alias in Sam Peckinpahs Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, which was released in 1973. He also wrote the soundtrack for the film, which featured "Knockin on Heavens Door," his biggest hit since "Lay Lady Lay." The Pat Garrett soundtrack was the final record released under his Columbia contract before he moved to David Geffens fledgling Asylum Records. As retaliation, Columbia assembled Dylan, a collection of Self Portrait outtakes, for release at the end of 1973. Dylan only recorded two albums -- including 1974s Planet Waves, coincidentally his first number one album -- before he moved back to Columbia. The Band supported Dylan on Planet Waves and its accompanying tour, which became the most successful tour in rock & roll history; it was captured on 1974s double-live album Before the Flood. Dylans 1974 tour was the beginning of a comeback culminating with 1975s Blood on the Tracks. Largely inspired by the disintegration of his marriage, Blood on the Tracks was hailed as a return to form by critics and it became his second number one album. After jamming with folkies in Greenwich Village, Dylan decided to launch a gigantic tour, loosely based on traveling medicine shows. Lining up an extensive list of supporting musicians -- including Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Ramblin Jack Elliott, Arlo Guthrie, Mick Ronson, Roger McGuinn, and poet Allen Ginsberg -- Dylan dubbed the tour the Rolling Thunder Revue and set out on the road in the fall of 1975. For the next year, the Rolling Thunder Revue toured on and off, with Dylan filming many of the concerts for a future film. During the tour, Desire was released to considerable acclaim and success, spending five weeks on the top of the charts. Throughout the Rolling Thunder Revue, Dylan showcased "Hurricane," a protest song he had written about boxer Rubin Carter, who had been unjustly imprisoned for murder. The live album Hard Rain was released at the end of the tour. Dylan released Renaldo and Clara, a four-hour film based on the Rolling Thunder tour, to poor reviews in early 1978. Early in 1978, Dylan set out on another extensive tour, this time backed by a band that resembled a Las Vegas lounge act. The group was featured on the 1978 album Street Legal and the 1979 live album At Budokan. At the conclusion of the tour in late 1978, Dylan announced that he was a born-again Christian, and he launched a series of Christian albums that following summer with Slow Train Coming. Though the reviews were mixed, the album was a success, peaking at number three and going platinum. His supporting tour for Slow Train Coming featured only his new religious material, much to the bafflement of his long-term fans. Two other religious albums -- Saved (1980) and Shot of Love (1981) -- followed, both to poor reviews. In 1982, Dylan traveled to Israel, sparking rumors that his conversion to Christianity was short-lived. He returned to secular recording with 1983s Infidels, which was greeted with favorable reviews. Dylan returned to performing in 1984, releasing the live album Real Live at the end of the year. Empire Burlesque followed in 1985, but its odd mix of dance tracks and rock & roll won few fans. However, the five-album/triple-disc retrospective box set Biograph appeared that same year to great acclaim. In 1986, Dylan hit the road with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers for a successful and acclaimed tour, but his album that year, Knocked Out Loaded, was received poorly. The following year, he toured with the Grateful Dead as his backing band; two years later, the souvenir album Dylan & the Dead appeared. In 1988, Dylan embarked on what became known as "the Never-Ending Tour" -- a constant stream of shows that ran on and off into the late 90s. That same year, he appeared on The Traveling Wilburys, Vol. 1 -- by the supergroup also featuring George Harrison, Roy Orbison, Tom Petty, and Jeff Lynne -- and released his own Down in the Groove, an album largely comprising covers. The Never-Ending Tour received far stronger reviews than Down in the Groove (the Traveling Wilburys album fared much better), but 1989s Oh Mercy was his most acclaimed album since 1975s Blood on the Tracks, due in part to Daniel Lanois strong production. However, Dylans 1990 follow-up, Under the Red Sky (issued the same year as the second album by the Traveling Wilburys, now a quartet following the death of Roy Orbison shortly after the release of the Wilburys first long-player in 1988), was received poorly, especially when compared to the enthusiastic reception for the 1991 box set The Bootleg Series, Vols. 1-3 (Rare & Unreleased), a collection of previously unreleased outtakes and rarities. For the remainder of the 90s, Dylan divided his time between live concerts, painting, and studio projects. He returned to recording in 1992 with Good as I Been to You, an acoustic collection of traditional folk songs. It was followed in 1993 by another folk record, World Gone Wrong, which won the Grammy for Best Traditional Folk Album. After the release of World Gone Wrong, he released a greatest-hits album and a live record. Dylan released Time Out of Mind, his first album of original material in seven years, in the fall of 1997. Time Out of Mind received his strongest reviews in years and unexpectedly debuted in the Top Ten, eventually climbing to platinum certification. Such success sparked a revival of interest in Dylan, who appeared on the cover of Newsweek and began selling out concerts once again. Early in 1998, Time Out of Mind received three Grammy Awards -- Album of the Year, Best Contemporary Folk Album, and Best Male Rock Vocal. Another album of original material, Love and Theft, followed in 2001 and went gold. Soon after its release, Dylan announced that he was making his own film, starrng Jeff Bridges, Penelope Cruz, John Goodman, Val Kilmer, and many more. The accompanying soundtrack, Masked and Anonymous, was released in July 2003. Dylan opted to self-produce his new studio album, Modern Times, which topped the Billboard charts and went platinum in both America and the U.K. It was Dylans third consecutive album to receive praise from critics and support from consumers, and it was followed three years later in 2009 by Together Through Life, another self-produced effort (as Jack Frost) that also featured contributions from David Hidalgo of Los Lobos and Mike Campbell of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. He capped off the year with an old-fashioned holiday effort, Christmas in the Heart. Proceeds from the album were donated to various charities around the world. Dylan released the self-produced (again as Jack Frost) Tempest on September 11, 2012; it debuted at three on both the Billboard 200 and the U.K. charts. The next two years brought acclaimed entries in the ongoing Bootleg Series -- 2013 saw the release of Another Self Portrait (1969-1971), which restored the reputation of a much-maligned era, and 2014 saw the long-awaited appearance of The Basement Tapes Complete -- and then Dylan threw a curve ball for his next studio album. Released in February 2015, Shadows in the Night found the singer/songwriter devoting himself to selections from the Great American Songbook in the pre-rock & roll era. Every one of the ten songs had previously been recorded by Frank Sinatra, and Dylans album was his version of Sinatras saloon songs, arranged by his own touring band. Shadows in the Night debuted at seven in the U.S. and at number one in the U.K. It was followed in the autumn by the next installment in The Bootleg Series, The Cutting Edge 1965-1966. Available in three editions -- a double-disc distillation, a comprehensive six-disc box, and a complete, limited-edition 18-CD set -- The Cutting Edge 1965-1966 collected unreleased (and unbootlegged) outtakes from the recording of Bringing It All Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited, and Blonde on Blonde. In May of 2016, Dylan returned with Fallen Angels, his second Sinatra-inspired collection of songs from the Great American Songbook; it debuted at number seven on the Billboard charts. Later that year, Columbia/Legacy released The 1966 Live Recordings, a 36-disc box set containing every known recording from that pivotal year, but its release was overshadowed by Dylan winning the Nobel Prize for Literature in the autumn of 2016. Dylan continued his exploration of the Great American Songbook with the March 2017 release of Triplicate, a triple album containing three thematically arranged collections of pop standards. Entitled Trouble No More 1979-1981, the 13th volume of The Bootleg Series spotlighted Dylans Christian era in the early 80s and arrived in November 2017. Live 1962-1966: Rare Performances from the Copyright Collections, a double-disc set of highlights culled from previously released rarities collections, appeared in July 2018. Four months later, the six-disc deluxe version of More Blood, More Tracks: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 14 appeared. It contained all known studio recordings -- full and partial -- that eventually resulted in the classic Blood on the Tracks in 1975. Dylan further explored his 1975 archives in 2019, teaming with director Martin Scorsese for the documentary Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese. The film appeared in June, accompanied by a 14-disc box called The Rolling Thunder Revue: The 1975 Live Recordings. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 37 Title: Bob Dylan Released: 1962-03-19 Tracks: 13 Duration: 36:46 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 You’re No Good (01:40) 2 Talkin’ New York (03:19) 3 In My Time of Dyin’ (02:39) 4 Man of Constant Sorrow (03:08) 5 Fixin’ to Die (02:21) 6 Pretty Peggy‐O (03:23) 7 Highway 51 (02:53) 8 Gospel Plow (01:46) 9 Baby, Let Me Follow You Down (02:35) 10 House of the Risin’ Sun (05:18) 11 Freight Train Blues (02:19) 12 Song to Woody (02:42) 13 See That My Grave Is Kept Clean (02:43) |
| Bob Dylan : Allmusic album Review : Bob Dylans first album is a lot like the debut albums by the Beatles and the Rolling Stones -- a sterling effort, outclassing most, if not all, of what came before it in the genre, but similarly eclipsed by the artists own subsequent efforts. The difference was that not very many people heard Bob Dylan on its original release (originals on the early-60s Columbia label are choice collectibles) because it was recorded with a much smaller audience and musical arena in mind. At the time of Bob Dylans release, the folk revival was rolling, and interpretation was considered more important than original composition by most of that audience. A significant portion of the record is possessed by the style and spirit of Woody Guthrie, whose influence as a singer and guitarist hovers over "Man of Constant Sorrow" and "Pretty Peggy-O," as well as the two originals here, the savagely witty "Talkin New York" and the poignant "Song to Woody"; and its also hard to believe that he wasnt aware of Jimmie Rodgers and Roy Acuff when he cut "Freight Train Blues." But on other songs, one can also hear the influences of Bukka White, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Blind Willie Johnson, and Furry Lewis, in the playing and singing, and this is where Dylan departed significantly from most of his contemporaries. Other white folksingers of the era, including his older contemporaries Eric Von Schmidt and Dave Van Ronk, had incorporated blues in their work, but Dylans presentation was more in your face, resembling in some respects (albeit in a more self-conscious way) the work of John Hammond, Jr., the son of the man who signed Dylan to Columbia Records and produced this album, who was just starting out in his own career at the time this record was made. Theres a punk-like aggressiveness to the singing and playing here. His raspy-voiced delivery and guitar style were modeled largely on Guthries classic 40s and early-50s recordings, but the assertiveness of the bluesmen he admires also comes out, making this one of the most powerful records to come out of the folk revival of which it was a part. Within a year of its release, Dylan, initially in tandem with young folk/protest singers like Peter, Paul & Mary and Phil Ochs, would alter the boundaries of that revival beyond recognition, but this album marked the pinnacle of that earlier phase, before it was overshadowed by this artists more ambitious subsequent work. In that regard, the two original songs here serve as the bridge between Dylans stylistic roots, as delineated on this album, and the more powerful and daringly original work that followed. One myth surrounding this album should also be dispelled here -- his version of "House of the Rising Sun" here is worthwhile, but the version that was the inspiration for the Animals recording was the one by Josh White. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 37 Title: The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan Released: 1963-05-27 Tracks: 13 Duration: 50:07 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Blowin’ in the Wind (02:48) 2 Girl From the North Country (03:22) 3 Masters of War (04:34) 4 Down the Highway (03:27) 5 Bob Dylan’s Blues (02:23) 6 A Hard Rain’s A‐Gonna Fall (06:55) 7 Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right (03:40) 8 Bob Dylan’s Dream (05:03) 9 Oxford Town (01:50) 10 Talkin’ World War III Blues (06:28) 11 Corrina, Corrina (02:44) 12 Honey, Just Allow Me One More Chance (02:01) 13 I Shall Be Free (04:49) |
| The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan : Allmusic album Review : Its hard to overestimate the importance of The Freewheelin Bob Dylan, the record that firmly established Dylan as an unparalleled songwriter, one of considerable skill, imagination, and vision. At the time, folk had been quite popular on college campuses and bohemian circles, making headway onto the pop charts in diluted form, and while there certainly were a number of gifted songwriters, nobody had transcended the scene as Dylan did with this record. There are a couple (very good) covers, with "Corrina Corrina" and "Honey Just Allow Me One More Chance," but they pale with the originals here. At the time, the social protests received the most attention, and deservedly so, since "Blowin in the Wind," "Masters of War," and "A Hard Rains A-Gonna Fall" werent just specific in their targets; they were gracefully executed and even melodic. Although theyve proven resilient throughout the years, if thats all Freewheelin had to offer, it wouldnt have had its seismic impact, but this also revealed a songwriter who could turn out whimsy ("Dont Think Twice, Its All Right"), gorgeous love songs ("Girl From the North Country"), and cheerfully absurdist humor ("Bob Dylans Blues," "Bob Dylans Dream") with equal skill. This is rich, imaginative music, capturing the sound and spirit of America as much as that of Louis Armstrong, Hank Williams, or Elvis Presley. Dylan, in many ways, recorded music that equaled this, but he never topped it. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 37 Title: The Times They Are A‐Changin’ Released: 1964-02-10 Tracks: 10 Duration: 45:33 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Times They Are A‐Changin’ (03:15) 2 Ballad of Hollis Brown (05:05) 3 With God on Our Side (07:08) 4 One Too Many Mornings (02:39) 5 North Country Blues (04:34) 6 Only a Pawn in Their Game (03:32) 7 Boots of Spanish Leather (04:39) 8 When the Ship Comes In (03:18) 9 The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll (05:47) 10 Restless Farewell (05:33) |
| The Times They Are A‐Changin’ : Allmusic album Review : If The Times They Are a-Changin isnt a marked step forward from The Freewheelin Bob Dylan, even if it is his first collection of all originals, its nevertheless a fine collection all the same. It isnt as rich as Freewheelin, and Dylan has tempered his sense of humor considerably, choosing to concentrate on social protests in the style of "Blowin in the Wind." With the title track, he wrote an anthem that nearly equaled that song, and "With God on Our Side" and "Only a Pawn in Their Game" are nearly as good, while "Ballad of Hollis Brown" and "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll" are remarkably skilled re-castings of contemporary tales of injustice. His absurdity is missed, but he makes up for it with the wonderful "One Too Many Mornings" and "Boots of Spanish Leather," two lovely classics. If there are a couple of songs that dont achieve the level of the aforementioned songs, that speaks more to the quality of those songs than the weakness of the remainder of the record. And thats also true of the album itself -- yes, it pales next to its predecessor, but its terrific by any other standard. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 37 Title: Another Side of Bob Dylan Released: 1964-08-08 Tracks: 11 Duration: 50:43 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 All I Really Want to Do (04:04) 2 Black Crow Blues (03:14) 3 Spanish Harlem Incident (02:24) 4 Chimes of Freedom (07:10) 5 I Shall Be Free No. 10 (04:47) 6 To Ramona (03:52) 7 Motorpsycho Nitemare (04:33) 8 My Back Pages (04:23) 9 I Don’t Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met) (04:22) 10 Ballad in Plain D (08:16) 11 It Ain’t Me, Babe (03:34) |
| Another Side of Bob Dylan : Allmusic album Review : The other side of Bob Dylan referred to in the title is presumably his romantic, absurdist, and whimsical one -- anything that wasnt featured on the staunchly folky, protest-heavy Times They Are a-Changin, really. Because of this, Another Side of Bob Dylan is a more varied record and its more successful, too, since it captures Dylan expanding his music, turning in imaginative, poetic performances on love songs and protest tunes alike. This has an equal number of classics to its predecessor, actually, with "All I Really Want to Do," "Chimes of Freedom," "My Back Pages," "I Dont Believe You," and "It Aint Me Babe" standing among his standards, but the key to the records success is the album tracks, which are graceful, poetic, and layered. Both the lyrics and music have gotten deeper and Dylans trying more things -- this, in its construction and attitude, is hardly strictly folk, as it encompasses far more than that. The result is one of his very best records, a lovely intimate affair. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 37 Title: Bringing It All Back Home Released: 1965-03-22 Tracks: 11 Duration: 47:18 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Subterranean Homesick Blues (02:20) 2 She Belongs to Me (02:49) 3 Maggie’s Farm (03:56) 4 Love Minus Zero/No Limit (02:54) 5 Outlaw Blues (03:07) 6 On the Road Again (02:38) 7 Bob Dylan’s 115th Dream (06:32) 8 Mr. Tambourine Man (05:29) 9 Gates of Eden (05:43) 10 It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding) (07:32) 11 It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue (04:14) |
| Bringing It All Back Home : Allmusic album Review : With Another Side of Bob Dylan, Dylan had begun pushing past folk, and with Bringing It All Back Home, he exploded the boundaries, producing an album of boundless imagination and skill. And its not just that he went electric, either, rocking hard on "Subterranean Homesick Blues," "Maggies Farm," and "Outlaw Blues"; its that hes exploding with imagination throughout the record. After all, the music on its second side -- the nominal folk songs -- derive from the same vantage point as the rockers, leaving traditional folk concerns behind and delving deep into the personal. And this isnt just introspection, either, since the surreal paranoia on "Its Alright, Ma (Im Only Bleeding)" and the whimsical poetry of "Mr. Tambourine Man" are individual, yet not personal. And thats just the tip of the iceberg, really, as he writes uncommonly beautiful love songs ("She Belongs to Me," "Love Minus Zero/No Limit") that sit alongside uncommonly funny fantasias ("On the Road Again," "Bob Dylans 115th Dream"). This is the point where Dylan eclipses any conventional sense of folk and rewrites the rules of rock, making it safe for personal expression and poetry, not only making words mean as much as the music, but making the music an extension of the words. A truly remarkable album. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 37 Title: Highway 61 Revisited Released: 1965-08-30 Tracks: 9 Duration: 51:28 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Like a Rolling Stone (06:09) 2 Tombstone Blues (05:58) 3 It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry (04:09) 4 From a Buick 6 (03:19) 5 Ballad of a Thin Man (05:58) 6 Queen Jane Approximately (05:31) 7 Highway 61 Revisited (03:30) 8 Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues (05:31) 9 Desolation Row (11:20) |
| Highway 61 Revisited : Allmusic album Review : Taking the first, electric side of Bringing It All Back Home to its logical conclusion, Bob Dylan hired a full rock & roll band, featuring guitarist Michael Bloomfield, for Highway 61 Revisited. Opening with the epic "Like a Rolling Stone," Highway 61 Revisited careens through nine songs that range from reflective folk-rock ("Desolation Row") and blues ("It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry") to flat-out garage rock ("Tombstone Blues," "From a Buick 6," "Highway 61 Revisited"). Dylan had not only changed his sound, but his persona, trading the folk troubadour for a streetwise, cynical hipster. Throughout the album, he embraces druggy, surreal imagery, which can either have a sense of menace or beauty, and the music reflects that, jumping between soothing melodies to hard, bluesy rock. And that is the most revolutionary thing about Highway 61 Revisited -- it proved that rock & roll neednt be collegiate and tame in order to be literate, poetic, and complex. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 37 Title: Blonde on Blonde Released: 1966-05-16 Tracks: 14 Duration: 1:13:13 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 (04:37) 2 Pledging My Time (03:49) 3 Visions of Johanna (07:34) 4 One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later) (04:56) 5 I Want You (03:08) 6 Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again (07:05) 7 Leopard‐Skin Pill‐Box Hat (04:00) 8 Just Like a Woman (04:54) 9 Most Likely You Go Your Way and I’ll Go Mine (03:29) 10 Temporary Like Achilles (05:06) 11 Absolutely Sweet Marie (04:57) 12 4th Time Around (04:36) 13 Obviously 5 Believers (03:36) 14 Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands (11:20) |
| Blonde on Blonde : Allmusic album Review : If Highway 61 Revisited played as a garage rock record, the double album Blonde on Blonde inverted that sound, blending blues, country, rock, and folk into a wild, careening, and dense sound. Replacing the fiery Michael Bloomfield with the intense, weaving guitar of Robbie Robertson, Bob Dylan led a group comprised of his touring band the Hawks and session musicians through his richest set of songs. Blonde on Blonde is an album of enormous depth, providing endless lyrical and musical revelations on each play. Leavening the edginess of Highway 61 with a sense of the absurd, Blonde on Blonde is comprised entirely of songs driven by inventive, surreal, and witty wordplay, not only on the rockers but also on winding, moving ballads like "Visions of Johanna," "Just Like a Woman," and "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands." Throughout the record, the music matches the inventiveness of the songs, filled with cutting guitar riffs, liquid organ riffs, crisp pianos, and even woozy brass bands ("Rainy Day Women #12 & 35"). Its the culmination of Dylans electric rock & roll period -- he would never release a studio record that rocked this hard, or had such bizarre imagery, ever again. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 37 Title: John Wesley Harding Released: 1967-12-27 Tracks: 12 Duration: 38:33 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 John Wesley Harding (02:57) 2 As I Went Out One Morning (02:49) 3 I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine (03:53) 4 All Along the Watchtower (02:32) 5 The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest (05:36) 6 Drifter’s Escape (02:52) 7 Dear Landlord (03:16) 8 I Am a Lonesome Hobo (03:19) 9 I Pity the Poor Immigrant (04:12) 10 The Wicked Messenger (02:03) 11 Down Along the Cove (02:23) 12 I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight (02:38) |
| John Wesley Harding : Allmusic album Review : Bob Dylan returned from exile with John Wesley Harding, a quiet, country-tinged album that split dramatically from his previous three. A calm, reflective album, John Wesley Harding strips away all of the wilder tendencies of Dylans rock albums -- even the then-unreleased Basement Tapes he made the previous year -- but it isnt a return to his folk roots. If anything, the album is his first serious foray into country, but only a handful of songs, such as "Ill Be Your Baby Tonight," are straight country songs. Instead, John Wesley Harding is informed by the rustic sound of country, as well as many rural myths, with seemingly simple songs like "All Along the Watchtower," "I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine," and "The Wicked Messenger" revealing several layers of meaning with repeated plays. Although the lyrics are somewhat enigmatic, the music is simple, direct, and melodic, providing a touchstone for the country-rock revolution that swept through rock in the late 60s. | ||
 | Album: 9 of 37 Title: Nashville Skyline Released: 1969-04-09 Tracks: 10 Duration: 27:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Girl From the North Country (03:43) 2 Nashville Skyline Rag (03:14) 3 To Be Alone With You (02:10) 4 I Threw It All Away (02:25) 5 Peggy Day (02:02) 6 Lay Lady Lay (03:19) 7 One More Night (02:24) 8 Tell Me That It Isn’t True (02:43) 9 Country Pie (01:37) 10 Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You (03:23) |
| Nashville Skyline : Allmusic album Review : John Wesley Harding suggested country with its textures and structures, but Nashville Skyline was a full-fledged country album, complete with steel guitars and brief, direct songs. Its a warm, friendly album, particularly since Bob Dylan is singing in a previously unheard gentle croon -- the sound of his voice is so different it may be disarming upon first listen, but it suits the songs. While there are a handful of lightweight numbers on the record, at its core are several excellent songs -- "Lay Lady Lay," "To Be Alone With You," "I Threw It All Away," "Tonight Ill Be Staying Here With You," as well as a duet with Johnny Cash on "Girl From the North Country" -- that have become country-rock standards. And theres no discounting that Nashville Skyline, arriving in the spring of 1969, established country-rock as a vital force in pop music, as well as a commercially viable genre. | ||
 | Album: 10 of 37 Title: Self Portrait Released: 1970-06-08 Tracks: 24 Duration: 1:14:13 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 All the Tired Horses (03:12) 2 Alberta #1 (02:57) 3 I Forgot More Than You’ll Ever Know (02:22) 4 Days of 49 (05:27) 5 Early Mornin Rain (03:34) 6 In Search of Little Sadie (02:27) 7 Let It Be Me (03:00) 8 Little Sadie (02:00) 9 Woogie Boogie (02:06) 10 Belle Isle (02:30) 11 Living the Blues (02:42) 12 Like a Rolling Stone (live) (05:18) 13 Copper Kettle (03:34) 14 Gotta Travel On (03:08) 15 Blue Moon (02:29) 16 The Boxer (02:48) 17 The Mighty Quinn (Quinn the Eskimo) (live) (02:48) 18 Take Me as I Am (or Let Me Go) (03:03) 19 Take a Message to Mary (02:46) 20 It Hurts Me Too (03:15) 21 Minstrel Boy (live) (03:32) 22 She Belongs to Me (live) (02:43) 23 Wigwam (03:08) 24 Alberta #2 (03:14) |
| Self Portrait : Allmusic album Review : There has never been a clearer attempt to shed an audience than Self-Portrait. At least, thats one way of looking at this baffling double album, a deliberately sprawling affair that runs the gamut from self-portrait to self-parody, touching on operatic pop, rowdy Basement Tapes leftovers, slight whimsy, and covers of wannabe Dylans from Paul Simon to Gordon Lightfoot. To say the least, its confusing, especially arriving at the end of a decade of unmitigated brilliance, and while the years have made it easier to listen to, it still remains inscrutable, an impossible record to unlock. It may not be worth the effort, either, since this isnt a matter of deciphering cryptic lyrics or interpreting lyrics, its all about discerning intent, figuring out what the hell Dylan was thinking when he was recording -- not trying to decode a song. There are times where its quite clearly played for a laugh -- if his shambling version of "The Boxer" isnt a pointed parody of Paul Simon, there was no reason to cut it -- but hes poker-faced elsewhere, and the songs (apart from such earthed gems as "Mighty Quinn," which arent presented in their best versions) are simply not worth much consideration. But, in a strange way, Self Portrait is, because decades have passed and it still doesnt make much sense, even for Dylanphiles. That doesnt necessarily mean that its worth the time to figure it out -- youre not going to find an answer, anyway -- but its sort of fascinating all the same. | ||
 | Album: 11 of 37 Title: New Morning Released: 1970-10-21 Tracks: 12 Duration: 36:24 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 If Not for You (02:41) 2 Day of the Locusts (04:03) 3 Time Passes Slowly (02:39) 4 Went to See the Gypsy (02:54) 5 Winterlude (02:26) 6 If Dogs Run Free (03:42) 7 New Morning (04:01) 8 Sign on the Window (03:44) 9 One More Weekend (03:16) 10 The Man in Me (03:12) 11 Three Angels (02:11) 12 Father of Night (01:31) |
| New Morning : Allmusic album Review : Dylan rushed out New Morning in the wake of the commercial and critical disaster Self Portrait, and the difference between the two albums suggests that its legendary failed predecessor was intentionally flawed. New Morning expands on the laid-back country-rock of John Wesley Harding and Nashville Skyline by adding a more pronounced rock & roll edge. While there are only a couple of genuine classics on the record ("If Not for You," "One More Weekend"), the overall quality is quite high, and many of the songs explore idiosyncratic routes Dylan had previously left untouched, whether its the jazzy experiments of "Sign on the Window" and "Winterlude," the rambling spoken word piece "If Dogs Run Free" or the Elvis parable "Went to See the Gypsy." Such offbeat songs make New Morning a charming, endearing record. | ||
 | Album: 12 of 37 Title: Dylan Released: 1973-11-16 Tracks: 9 Duration: 33:39 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Lily of the West (03:47) 2 Can’t Help Falling in Love (04:20) 3 Sarah Jane (02:51) 4 The Ballad of Ira Hayes (05:10) 5 Mr. Bojangles (05:35) 6 Mary Ann (02:44) 7 Big Yellow Taxi (02:13) 8 A Fool Such as I (02:44) 9 Spanish Is the Loving Tongue (04:12) |
| Dylan : Allmusic album Review : In 1985, Bob Dylans Biograph established the blueprint for weighty rock & roll retrospectives, blending rare and unreleased material with classics over the course of a three-disc set that wound up being the template for rock & roll boxes for the next 20 years or so. Twenty-two years later, Dylans second triple-disc retrospective arrived, and its quite a different beast, bucking all the conventions that Biograph instituted. Simply called Dylan, thereby creating confusion with the 1973 rarities set Dylan that Columbia released in a pique of anger as he recorded with Asylum briefly, the set is nothing more and nothing less than a concise introduction to Bob, with all the rarities trimmed away. As befitting its companion status to Todd Haynes impressionistic biopic Im Not There -- where no less than six actors played the Bard, including actress Cate Blanchett -- Dylan comes in a multitude of forms, beginning with a terse single disc, then expanding out to a three-disc set, which is then offered in a variety of limited-edition sets. Although the single disc is good, its the three-disc set that commands attention. Its truly a exceptional encapsulation of his work. Yes, there are great, even significant, songs missing -- no other songwriter has quite as deep a catalog -- but the remarkable thing is that there is no dip in quality here, thanks to judicious selections from the 80s but also Dylans remarkable comeback of the late 90s/2000s. It was the great third act that his great career needed, and while he is sure to make more great music, the 22 years not covered by Biograph but present here turn Dylan into a richer aural biography. It hits many, but not all, of the 60s and early-70s highlights, soft-sells the scatteredness of the 80s albums by picking the best songs (including "Blind Willie McTell," unearthed on the first Bootleg Series; nothing can quite save those slick, cavernous productions), and in this context the 90s and 2000s work sounds even more impressive. This doesnt give you everything you should hear, but as an introduction to Dylan in his entirety, this cant be beat. | ||
 | Album: 13 of 37 Title: Planet Waves Released: 1974-01-17 Tracks: 11 Duration: 42:09 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 On a Night Like This (02:59) 2 Going, Going, Gone (03:28) 3 Tough Mama (04:16) 4 Hazel (02:49) 5 Something There Is About You (04:43) 6 Forever Young (04:57) 7 Forever Young (02:48) 8 Dirge (05:37) 9 You Angel You (02:54) 10 Never Say Goodbye (02:53) 11 Wedding Song (04:40) |
| Planet Waves : Allmusic album Review : Reteaming with the Band, Bob Dylan winds up with an album that recalls New Morning more than The Basement Tapes, since Planet Waves is given to a relaxed intimate tone -- all the more appropriate for a collection of modest songs about domestic life. As such, it may seem a little anticlimactic since it has none of the wildness of the best Dylan and Band music of the 60s -- just an approximation of the homespun rusticness. Considering that the record was knocked out in the course of three days, its unassuming nature shouldnt be a surprise, and sometimes its as much a flaw as a virtue, since there are several cuts that float into the ether. Still, it is a virtue in places, as there are moments -- "On a Night Like This," "Something There Is About You," the lovely "Forever Young" -- where it just gels, almost making the diffuse nature of the rest of the record acceptable. | ||
 | Album: 14 of 37 Title: Blood on the Tracks Released: 1975-01-20 Tracks: 10 Duration: 51:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Tangled Up In Blue (05:40) 2 Simple Twist Of Fate (04:18) 3 Youre A Big Girl Now (04:36) 4 Idiot Wind (07:45) 5 Youre Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go (02:58) 6 Meet Me In The Morning (04:19) 7 Lily, Rosemary And The Jack Of Hearts (08:50) 8 If You See Her, Say Hello (04:46) 9 Shelter From The Storm (04:59) 10 Buckets Of Rain (03:29) |
| Blood on the Tracks : Allmusic album Review : Following on the heels of an album where he repudiated his past with his greatest backing band, Blood on the Tracks finds Bob Dylan, in a way, retreating to the past, recording a largely quiet, acoustic-based album. But this is hardly nostalgia -- this is the sound of an artist returning to his strengths, what feels most familiar, as he accepts a traumatic situation, namely the breakdown of his marriage. This is an album alternately bitter, sorrowful, regretful, and peaceful, easily the closest he ever came to wearing his emotions on his sleeve. Thats not to say that its an explicitly confessional record, since many songs are riddles or allegories, yet the warmth of the music makes it feel that way. The original version of the album was even quieter -- first takes of "Idiot Wind" and "Tangled Up in Blue," available on The Bootleg Series, Vols. 1-3, are hushed and quiet (excised verses are quoted in the liner notes, but not heard on the record) -- but Blood on the Tracks remains an intimate, revealing affair since these harsher takes let his anger surface the way his sadness does elsewhere. As such, its an affecting, unbearably poignant record, not because its a glimpse into his soul, but because the songs are remarkably clear-eyed and sentimental, lovely and melancholy at once. And, in a way, its best that he was backed with studio musicians here, since the professional, understated backing lets the songs and emotion stand at the forefront. Dylan made albums more influential than this, but he never made one better. | ||
 | Album: 15 of 37 Title: The Basement Tapes Released: 1975-06-26 Tracks: 24 Duration: 1:17:32 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Odds and Ends (01:47) 2 Orange Juice Blues (Blues for Breakfast) (03:39) 3 Million Dollar Bash (02:33) 4 Yazoo Street Scandal (03:30) 5 Goin’ to Acapulco (05:29) 6 Katie’s Been Gone (02:45) 7 Lo and Behold! (02:47) 8 Bessie Smith (04:18) 9 Clothes Line Saga (02:57) 10 Apple Suckling Tree (02:49) 11 Please, Mrs. Henry (02:34) 12 Tears of Rage (04:12) 1 Too Much of Nothing (03:03) 2 Yea! Heavy and a Bottle of Bread (02:15) 3 Ain’t No More Cane (03:57) 4 Crash on the Levee (Down in the Flood) (02:05) 5 Ruben Remus (03:15) 6 Tiny Montgomery (02:47) 7 You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere (02:42) 8 Don’t Ya Tell Henry (03:14) 9 Nothing Was Delivered (04:24) 10 Open the Door, Homer (02:50) 11 Long Distance Operator (03:40) 12 This Wheel’s on Fire (03:50) |
| The Basement Tapes : Allmusic album Review : The official release of The Basement Tapes -- which were first heard on a 1968 bootleg called The Great White Wonder -- plays with history somewhat, as Robbie Robertson overemphasizes the Bands status in the sessions, making them out to be equally active to Dylan, adding in demos not cut at the sessions and overdubbing their recordings to flesh them out. As many bootlegs (most notably the complete five-disc series) reveal, this isnt entirely true and the Band were nowhere near as active as Dylan, but that ultimately is a bit like nitpicking, since the music here (including the Bands) is astonishingly good. The party line on The Basement Tapes is that it is Americana, as Dylan and the Band pick up the weirdness inherent in old folk, country, and blues tunes, but it transcends mere historical arcana through its lively, humorous, full-bodied performances. Dylan never sounded as loose, nor was he ever as funny as he is here, and this positively revels in its weird, wild character. For all the apparent antecedents -- and the allusions are sly and obvious in equal measure -- this is truly Dylans show, as he majestically evokes old myths and creates new ones, resulting in a crazy quilt of blues, humor, folk, tall tales, inside jokes, and rock. The Band pretty much pick up where Dylan left off, even singing a couple of his tunes, but they play it a little straight, on both their rockers and ballads. Not a bad thing at all, since this actually winds up providing context for the wild, mercurial brilliance of Dylans work -- and, taken together, the results (especially in this judiciously compiled form with its expert song selection, even if theres a bit too much Band) rank among the greatest American music ever made. | ||
 | Album: 16 of 37 Title: Desire Released: 1976-01-05 Tracks: 9 Duration: 56:13 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Hurricane (08:33) 2 Isis (06:58) 3 Mozambique (03:01) 4 One More Cup of Coffee (03:46) 5 Oh, Sister (04:03) 6 Joey (11:05) 7 Romance in Durango (05:44) 8 Black Diamond Bay (07:30) 9 Sara (05:29) |
| Desire : Allmusic album Review : If Blood on the Tracks was an unapologetically intimate affair, Desire is unwieldy and messy, the deliberate work of a collective. And while Bob Dylan directly addresses his crumbling relationship with his wife, Sara, on the final track, Desire is hardly as personal as its predecessor, finding Dylan returning to topical songwriting and folk tales for the core of the record. Its all over the map, as far as songwriting goes, and so is it musically, capturing Dylan at the beginning of the Rolling Thunder Revue era, which was more notable for its chaos than its music. And, so its only fitting that Desire fits that description as well, as it careens between surging folk-rock, Mideastern dirges, skipping pop, and epic narratives. Its little surprise that Desire doesnt quite gel, yet it retains its own character -- really, theres no other place where Dylan tried as many different styles, as many weird detours, as he does here. And, theres something to be said for its rambling, sprawling character, which has a charm of its own. Even so, the record would have been assisted by a more consistent set of songs; there are some masterpieces here, though: "Hurricane" is the best-known, but the effervescent "Mozambique" is Dylan at his breeziest, "Sara" at his most nakedly emotional, and "Isis" is one of his very best songs of the 70s, a hypnotic, contemporized spin on a classic fable. This may not add up to a masterpiece, but it does result in one of his most fascinating records of the 70s and 80s -- more intriguing, lyrically and musically, than most of his latter-day affairs. | ||
 | Album: 17 of 37 Title: Street-Legal Released: 1978-06-15 Tracks: 9 Duration: 49:51 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Changing of the Guards (06:36) 2 New Pony (04:30) 3 No Time to Think (08:23) 4 Baby Stop Crying (05:21) 5 Is Your Love in Vain? (04:33) 6 Señor (Tales of Yankee Power) (05:43) 7 True Love Tends to Forget (04:18) 8 We Better Talk This Over (04:08) 9 Where Are You Tonight? (Journey Through Dark Heat) (06:16) |
| Street-Legal : Allmusic album Review : Arriving after the twin peaks of Blood on the Tracks and Desire, Street Legal seemed like a disappointment upon its 1978 release, and it still seems a little subpar years after its release. Perhaps thats because Bob Dylan was uncertain himself, not just writing a set of songs with no connecting themes, but replacing the sprawl of the Rolling Thunder Revue with a slick, professional big band, featuring a horn section and several backing vocalists. The interesting thing about this is that the music and slick production dont jibe with the songs, which are as dense as anything Dylan had written since before his motorcycle accident. So, Street Legal becomes an interesting dichotomy, filled with songs that deserve close attention but recorded in arrangements that discourage such listening. As such, Street Legal is fascinating just for that reason -- in another setting, these are songs that would have been hailed as near-masterpieces, but covered in gloss, they seem strange. Consequently, its not surprising that there are factions of Dylanphiles that find this worth the time, while just as many consider it a missed opportunity. | ||
 | Album: 18 of 37 Title: Slow Train Coming Released: 1979-08-20 Tracks: 9 Duration: 46:44 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Gotta Serve Somebody (05:25) 2 Precious Angel (06:30) 3 I Believe in You (05:05) 4 Slow Train (05:59) 5 Gonna Change My Way of Thinking (05:28) 6 Do Right to Me Baby (Do Unto Others) (03:53) 7 When You Gonna Wake Up (05:28) 8 Man Gave Names to All the Animals (04:26) 9 When He Returns (04:30) |
| Slow Train Coming : Allmusic album Review : Perhaps it was inevitable that Bob Dylan would change direction at the end of the 70s, since he had dabbled in everything from full-on repudiation of his legacy to a quiet embrace of it, to dipping his toe into pure showmanship. Nobody really could have expected that he would turn to Christianity on Slow Train Coming, embracing a born-again philosophy with enthusiasm. He has no problem in believing in a vengeful god -- you gotta serve somebody, after all -- and this is pure brimstone and fire throughout the record, even on such lovely testimonials as "I Believe in You." The unexpected side effect of his conversion is that it gave Dylan a focus he hadnt had since Blood on the Tracks, and his concentration carries over to the music, which is lean and direct in a way that he hadnt been since, well, Blood on the Tracks. Focus isnt necessarily the same thing as consistency, and this does suffer from being a bit too dogmatic, not just in its religion, but in its musical approach. Still, its hard to deny Dylans revitalized sound here, and the result is a modest success that at least works on its own terms. | ||
 | Album: 19 of 37 Title: Saved Released: 1980-06-19 Tracks: 9 Duration: 42:59 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 A Satisfied Mind (01:58) 2 Saved (04:03) 3 Covenant Woman (06:05) 4 What Can I Do for You? (05:54) 5 Solid Rock (03:58) 6 Pressing On (05:13) 7 In the Garden (05:59) 8 Saving Grace (05:04) 9 Are You Ready (04:40) |
| Saved : Allmusic album Review : If Saved did anything, it proved that the born-again Christianity of Slow Train Coming wasnt merely a passing fad, and that it did, in fact, mean something significant to Dylan. Whether it meant something significant to his audience was another matter entirely, since this is where his religion overshadows his music, turning the album into a sermon to an audience that is nearly certainly unconverted -- and never will be, either. Dylan himself may be part of that audience, since he did back away from such a staunchly dogged viewpoint not long afterward, but that doesnt change Saveds status as being a fairly flat -- and, for Dylan, fairly pedestrian -- testament to his faith. And, if Slow Train Coming found him at a fairly creative peak of songwriting and supported by a supple backing band, hes turning out routine songs here, and the backing follows suit, resulting in his flattest record yet. | ||
 | Album: 20 of 37 Title: Shot of Love Released: 1981-08-10 Tracks: 10 Duration: 44:57 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Shot of Love (04:21) 2 Heart of Mine (04:35) 3 Property of Jesus (04:36) 4 Lenny Bruce (04:35) 5 Watered-Down Love (04:13) 6 The Groom’s Still Waiting at the Altar (04:05) 7 Dead Man, Dead Man (04:03) 8 In the Summertime (03:36) 9 Trouble (04:37) 10 Every Grain of Sand (06:12) |
| Shot of Love : Allmusic album Review : Shot of Love finds Dylan still in born-again mode, but hes starting to come alive again -- which isnt as much a value judgment as it is an observation that he no longer seems beholden to repeating dogma, loosening up and crafting songs again. And its not just that his writing is looser, the music is, too, as he lets himself -- and his backing band -- rock a little harder, a little more convincingly. Shot of Love still isnt a great album, but it once again has flashes of brilliance, such as "Every Grain of Sand," which point the way to the rebirth of Infidels. | ||
 | Album: 21 of 37 Title: Infidels Released: 1983-10-27 Tracks: 8 Duration: 42:12 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Jokerman (06:17) 2 Sweetheart Like You (04:35) 3 Neighborhood Bully (04:37) 4 License to Kill (03:34) 5 Man of Peace (06:32) 6 Union Sundown (05:25) 7 I and I (05:12) 8 Dont Fall Apart on Me Tonight (05:56) |
| Infidels : Allmusic album Review : Infidels was the first secular record Bob Dylan recorded since Street Legal, and its far more like a classicist Dylan album than that one, filled with songs that are evocative in their imagery and direct in their approach. This is lean, much like Slow Train Coming, but its writing is closer to Dylans peak of the mid-70s, and some of the songs here -- particularly on the first side -- are minor classics, capturing him reviving his sense of social consciousness and his gift for poetic, elegant love songs. For a while, Infidels seems like a latter-day masterpiece, but toward the end of the record it runs out of steam, preventing itself from being a triumph. Still, in comparison to everything that arrived in the near-decade before it, Infidels is a triumph, finding Dylan coming tantalizingly close to regaining all his powers. | ||
 | Album: 22 of 37 Title: Empire Burlesque Released: 1985-05-30 Tracks: 10 Duration: 46:55 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Tight Connection to My Heart (Has Anybody Seen My Love) (05:21) 2 Seeing the Real You at Last (04:21) 3 Ill Remember You (04:14) 4 Clean Cut Kid (04:16) 5 Never Gonna Be the Same Again (03:10) 6 Trust Yourself (03:28) 7 Emotionally Yours (04:30) 8 When the Night Comes Falling From the Sky (07:29) 9 Somethings Burning, Baby (04:54) 10 Dark Eyes (05:08) |
| Empire Burlesque : Allmusic album Review : Say what you want about Empire Burlesque -- at the very least, its the most consistent record Bob Dylan has made since Blood on the Tracks, even if it isnt quite as interesting as Desire. However, it is a better set of songs, all deriving from the same place and filled with subtle gems -- the most obvious being "Tight Connection to My Heart (Has Anybody Seen My Love?)," but also "Emotionally Yours" and "Dark Eyes" -- proving that his powers are still there. The rest of the album may not be as graceful, but its still well-crafted songwriting that never fails to be interesting. The records biggest flaw is its state-of-the-art production; this is every bit as slick as Street Legal, but now sounds more focused and more of its time -- thanks to a reliance on synthesizers and mildly sequenced beats -- than it did upon its original release. All this makes Empire Burlesque seem more transient than it actually is, since -- discounting the production -- this is as good as Dylan gets in his latter days. | ||
 | Album: 23 of 37 Title: Knocked Out Loaded Released: 1986-07-14 Tracks: 8 Duration: 35:33 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 You Wanna Ramble (03:17) 2 They Killed Him (04:04) 3 Driftin’ Too Far From Shore (03:42) 4 Precious Memories (03:15) 5 Maybe Someday (03:19) 6 Brownsville Girl (11:03) 7 Got My Mind Made Up (02:55) 8 Under Your Spell (03:56) |
| Knocked Out Loaded : Allmusic album Review : Its easy to dismiss Knocked Out Loaded out of hand, considering it an extension of the slick professionalism of Empire Burlesque, only not written completely by Dylan. He collaborates with everyone from Tom Petty to Sam Shepard, relying on recordings cut at various times in the mid-80s, which makes its scattershot effect perhaps not so surprising. Still, that scattershot approach has its charms, especially when it results in winding epics like the Shepard collaboration "Brownsville Girl." But even with songs as good and interesting as that, the record follows too many detours to be consistently compelling, and some of those detours wind down roads that are indisputably dead ends. By 1986, such uneven records werent entirely unexpected by Dylan, but that didnt make them any less frustrating. | ||
 | Album: 24 of 37 Title: Down in the Groove Released: 1988-05-19 Tracks: 10 Duration: 32:08 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Lets Stick Together (03:08) 2 When Did You Leave Heaven? (02:15) 3 Sally Sue Brown (02:29) 4 Death Is Not the End (05:10) 5 Had a Dream About You, Baby (02:53) 6 Ugliest Girl in the World (03:32) 7 Silvio (03:07) 8 Ninety Miles an Hour (Down a Dead End Street) (02:56) 9 Shenandoah (03:38) 10 Rank Strangers to Me (02:56) |
| Down in the Groove : Allmusic album Review : If the diffuseness of Knocked Out Loaded was excusable due to its collaborators and various recording sessions, Down in the Groove has less of an excuse, since its relatively from the same time period, even if its culled from several different sessions with several different backing band. Nevertheless, the main difference is that, while Knocked Out Loaded was ambitious, this is positively unassuming, at best hoping to capture the mellow roots rock of the Grateful Dead (which it does, on Dylans irresistible collaborations with Robert Hunter, "Ugliest Girl in the World" and "Silvio"). The rest of the record strolls through covers with amiable ease, whether hes backed by ex-punks or lifetime pros. That may not make for a great record by any stretch, but its a rather ingratiating one, a little more focused than Knocked Out Loaded and a little looser and funkier than Empire Burlesque. Actually, not as heavy on great moments as either (especially Burlesque), but its still rather nice in its low-key way | ||
 | Album: 25 of 37 Title: Oh Mercy Released: 1989-09-12 Tracks: 10 Duration: 38:59 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Political World (03:47) 2 Where Teardrops Fall (02:32) 3 Everything Is Broken (03:15) 4 Ring Them Bells (03:00) 5 Man in the Long Black Coat (04:33) 6 Most of the Time (05:03) 7 What Good Am I? (04:44) 8 Disease of Conceit (03:43) 9 What Was It You Wanted (05:02) 10 Shooting Star (03:15) |
| Oh Mercy : Allmusic album Review : Oh Mercy was hailed as a comeback, not just because it had songs noticeably more meaningful than anything Bob Dylan had recently released, but because Daniel Lanois production gave it cohesion. There was cohesion on Empire Burlesque, of course, but that cohesion was a little too slick, a little too commercial, whereas this record was filled with atmospheric, hazy production -- a sound as arty as most assumed the songs to be. And Dylan followed suit, giving Lanois significant songs -- palpably social works, love songs, and poems -- that seemed to connect with his past. And, at the time, this production made it seem like the equivalent of his 60s records, meaning that its artiness was cutting edge, not portentous. Over the years, Oh Mercy hasnt aged particularly well, seeming as self-conscious as such other gauzy Lanois productions as So and The Joshua Tree, even though it makes more sense than the ersatz pizzazz of Burlesque. Still, the songs make Oh Mercy noteworthy; they find Dylan quietly raging against the materialism of President Reagan and accepting maturity, albeit with a slight reluctance. So, Oh Mercy is finally more interesting for what it tries to achieve than for what it actually does achieve. At its best, this is a collection of small, shining moments, with the best songs shining brighter than their production or the albums overall effect. | ||
 | Album: 26 of 37 Title: Under the Red Sky Released: 1990-09-10 Tracks: 10 Duration: 35:32 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Wiggle Wiggle (02:09) 2 Under the Red Sky (04:09) 3 Unbelievable (04:06) 4 Born in Time (03:39) 5 T.V. Talkin Song (03:02) 6 10,000 Men (04:21) 7 2 X 2 (03:36) 8 God Knows (03:02) 9 Handy Dandy (04:03) 10 Cats in the Well (03:21) |
| Under the Red Sky : Allmusic album Review : Dylan followed Oh Mercy, his most critically acclaimed album in years, with Under the Red Sky, a record that seemed like a conscious recoil from that albums depth and atmosphere. By signing Don Was, the king of mature retro-rock, as producer, he guaranteed that the record would be lean and direct, which is perhaps exactly what this collection of simplistic songs deserves. Still, this record feels a little ephemeral, a collection of songs that Dylan didnt really care that much about. In a way, that makes it a little easier to warm to than its predecessor, since it has a looseness that suits him well, especially with songs this deliberately lightweight. As such, Under the Red Sky is certainly lightweight, but rather appealing in its own lack of substance, since Dylan has never made a record so breezy, apart from (maybe) Down in the Groove. That doesnt make it a great, or even good, record, but it does have its own charms that will be worth searching out for Dylanphiles. | ||
 | Album: 27 of 37 Title: Good As I Been to You Released: 1992-10-30 Tracks: 13 Duration: 55:31 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Frankie & Albert (03:50) 2 Jim Jones (03:55) 3 Blackjack Davey (05:50) 4 Canadee-i-o (04:23) 5 Sittin’ on Top of the World (04:30) 6 Little Maggie (02:54) 7 Hard Times (04:34) 8 Step It Up and Go (02:57) 9 Tomorrow Night (03:43) 10 Arthur McBride (06:22) 11 You’re Gonna Quit Me (02:48) 12 Diamond Joe (03:17) 13 Froggie Went a Courtin’ (06:24) |
| Good As I Been to You : Allmusic album Review : Given the acclaim of The Bootleg Series and the perceived disappointment of Under the Red Sky, it seemed like it was time for Dylan to bounce back with a convincing album of original material. Instead, he delivered a record of folk songs, his first straight covers album ever, not to mention his first guitar, harmonica, and voice record since the early 60s. That alone would make it an anomaly, but Good as I Been to You is more than that, because its a really good traditional folk album, having just enough familiar tunes -- "Frankie and Albert," "Blackjack Davey," "Sitting on Top of the World," "Froggie Went A-Courtin" -- to provide an entryway to the less familiar numbers, which are delivered equally well. Yes, this could be seen as a rather unassuming record, but thats whats special about it. In 1992, not even folksingers were working with this material, but Dylan did, reviving folks (and rocks) ties to the past at an unexpected time and with unexpectedly strong results. A minor high point in his catalog. | ||
 | Album: 28 of 37 Title: World Gone Wrong Released: 1993-10-22 Tracks: 10 Duration: 43:55 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 World Gone Wrong (03:57) 2 Love Henry (04:24) 3 Ragged & Dirty (04:09) 4 Blood in My Eyes (05:04) 5 Broke Down Engine (03:22) 6 Delia (05:41) 7 Stack a Lee (03:50) 8 Two Soldiers (05:45) 9 Jack‐a‐Roe (04:56) 10 Lone Pilgrim (02:43) |
| World Gone Wrong : Allmusic album Review : If Good as I Been to You was a strong traditionalist folk record, World Gone Wrong was an exceptional one, boasting an exceptional set of songs given performances so fully realized that they seemed like modern protest songs. Much of this record is fairly obscure to anyone outside of dedicated folk fans; "Delia" (covered by Johnny Cash the following year) and "Stack-A-Lee" are the most familiar items, yet theyre given traditional readings, meaning that the latter doesnt quite seem like "Stagger Lee." But even if these are traditionalist, theyre spirited and lively renditions, and Dylan seems more connected to the music than he has in years. That sense of connection, plus the terrific choice of songs, makes this one of his best, strongest albums of the second half of his career. | ||
 | Album: 29 of 37 Title: Time Out of Mind Released: 1997-09-26 Tracks: 11 Duration: 1:12:51 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Love Sick (05:21) 2 Dirt Road Blues (03:36) 3 Standing in the Doorway (07:43) 4 Million Miles (05:52) 5 Tryin’ to Get to Heaven (05:21) 6 ’Til I Fell in Love With You (05:17) 7 Not Dark Yet (06:29) 8 Cold Irons Bound (07:15) 9 Make You Feel My Love (03:32) 10 Can’t Wait (05:47) 11 Highlands (16:31) |
| Time Out of Mind : Allmusic album Review : After spending much of the 90s touring and simply not writing songs, Bob Dylan returned in 1997 with Time Out of Mind, his first collection of new material in seven years. Where Under the Red Sky, his last collection of original compositions, had a casual, tossed-off feel, Time Out of Mind is carefully considered, from the densely detailed songs to the dark, atmospheric production. Sonically, the album is reminiscent of Oh Mercy, the last album Dylan recorded with producer Daniel Lanois, but Time Out of Mind has a grittier foundation -- by and large, the songs are bitter and resigned, and Dylan gives them appropriately anguished performances. Lanois bathes them in hazy, ominous sounds, which may suit the spirit of the lyrics, but are often in opposition to Dylans performances. Consequently, the album loses a little of its emotional impact, yet the songs themselves are uniformly powerful, adding up to Dylans best overall collection in years. Its a better, more affecting record than Oh Mercy, not only because the songs have a stronger emotional pull, but because Lanois hasnt sanded away all the grit. As a result, the songs retain their power, leaving Time Out of Mind as one of the rare latter-day Dylan albums that meets his high standards. | ||
 | Album: 30 of 37 Title: “Love and Theft” Released: 2001-09-10 Tracks: 12 Duration: 57:30 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum (04:46) 2 Mississippi (05:21) 3 Summer Days (04:52) 4 Bye and Bye (03:16) 5 Lonesome Day Blues (06:05) 6 Floater (Too Much to Ask) (04:59) 7 High Water (for Charley Patton) (04:04) 8 Moonlight (03:23) 9 Honest With Me (05:49) 10 Po’ Boy (03:05) 11 Cry a While (05:05) 12 Sugar Baby (06:40) |
| “Love and Theft” : Allmusic album Review : Time Out of Mind was a legitimate comeback, Bob Dylans first collection of original songs in nearly ten years and a risky rumination on mortality, but its sequel, Love and Theft, is his true return to form, not just his best album since Blood on the Tracks, but the loosest, funniest, warmest record hes made since The Basement Tapes. There are none of the foreboding, apocalyptic warnings that permeated Time Out of Mind and even underpinned "Things Have Changed," his Oscar-winning theme to Curtis Hansons 2000 film Wonder Boys. Just as important, Daniel Lanois deliberately arty, diffuse production has retreated into the mist, replaced by an uncluttered, resonant production that gives Dylan and his ace backing band room to breathe. And they run wild with that liberty, rocking the house with the grinding "Lonesome Day Blues" and burning it down with the fabulously swinging "Summer Days." Theyre equally captivating on the slower songs, whether its the breezily romantic "Bye and Bye," the torch song "Moonlight," or the epic reflective closer, "Sugar Baby." Musically, Dylan hasnt been this natural or vital since he was with the Band, and even then, those records were never as relaxed and easy or even as hard-rocking as these. That alone would make Love and Theft a remarkable achievement, but theyre supported by a tremendous set of songs that fully synthesize all the strands in his music, from the folksinger of the early 60s, through the absurdist storyteller of the mid-60s, through the traditionalist of the early 70s, to the grizzled professional of the 90s. None of this is conscious, its all natural. Theres an ease to his writing and a swagger to his performance unheard in years -- hes cracking jokes and murmuring wry asides, telling stories, crooning, and swinging. Its reminiscent of his classic records, but hes never made a record thats been such sheer, giddy fun as this, and it stands proudly among his very best albums. | ||
 | Album: 31 of 37 Title: Modern Times Released: 2006-08-06 Tracks: 10 Duration: 1:02:41 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Thunder on the Mountain (05:55) 2 Spirit on the Water (07:42) 3 Rollin’ and Tumblin’ (06:01) 4 When the Deal Goes Down (05:04) 5 Someday Baby (04:55) 1 Workingman’s Blues #2 (06:07) 2 Beyond the Horizon (05:34) 3 Nettie Moore (06:52) 4 The Levee’s Gonna Break (05:43) 5 Ain’t Talkin’ (08:48) |
| Modern Times : Allmusic album Review : When Bob Dylan dropped Time Out of Mind in 1997, it was a rollicking rockabilly and blues record, full of sad songs about mortality, disappointment, and dissolution. 2001 brought Love and Theft, which was also steeped in stomping blues and other folk forms. It was funny, celebratory in places and biting in others. Dylan has been busy since then: he did a Victorias Secret commercial, toured almost nonstop, was in a couple films -- Larry Charles Masked and Anonymous and Martin Scorseses documentary No Direction Home -- and published the first of a purported three volumes of his cagey, rambling autobiography, Chronicles. Lately, hes been thinking about Alicia Keys. This last comment comes from the man himself in "Thunder on the Mountain," the opening track on Modern Times, a barn-burning, raucous, and unruly blues tune that finds the old man sounding mighty feisty and gleefully agitated: "I was thinkin bout Alicia Keys/Couldnt keep from cryin/She was born in Hells Kitchen and I was livin down the line/Ive been lookin for her even clear through Tennessee." The drums shuffle with brushes, the piano is pumping like Jerry Lee Lewis, the bass is popping, and a slide guitar that feels like its calling the late Michael Bloomfield back from 1966 -- à la Highway 61 Revisited -- slips in and out of the ether like a ghost wanting to emerge in the flesh. Dylans own choppy leads snarl in the break and hes letting his blues fall down like rain: "Gonna raise me an army, some tough sons of bitches/Ill recruit my army from the orphanages/ Ive been to St. Hermans church and said my religious vows/I sucked the milk out of a thousand cows/I got the pork chop, she got the pie/She aint no angel and neither am I...I did all I could/I did it right there and then/Ive already confessed I dont need to confess again." Thus begins the third part of Dylans renaissance trilogy (thus far, yall). Modern Times is raw; it feels live, immediate, and in places even shambolic. Rhythms slip, time stretches and turns back on itself, and lyrics are rushed to fit into verses that just wont stop coming. Dylan produced the set himself under his Jack Frost moniker. Its songs are humorous and cryptic, tender and snarling. Whats he saying? We dont need to concern ourselves with that any more than we had to Willie Dixon talking about backdoor men or Elmore James dusting his broom. Dylans blues are primitive and impure. Though performed by a crackerjack band, theyre played with fury; the singer wrestles down musical history as he spits in the eye of the modern world. But blues isnt the only music here. There are parlor songs such as "Spirit on the Water," where love is as heavenly and earthly a thing as exists in this life. The band swings gently and carefree, with Denny Freeman and Stu Kimball playing slippery -- and sometimes sloppy -- jazz chords as Tony Garniers bass and George Recelis sputtering snare walk the beat. Another, "When the Deal Goes Down," tempts the listener into thinking that Dylan is aping Bing Crosby in his gravelly, snake-rattle voice. True, hes an unabashed fan of the old arch mean-hearted crooner. But it just aint Bing, because its got that true old-time swing. Dylans singing style in these songs comes from the great blues and jazzman Lonnie Johnson (whose version of the Grosz and Coslow standard "Tomorrow Night" hes been playing for years in his live set). If you need further proof, look to Johnsons last recordings done in the late 50s and early 60s ("I Found a Dream" and "Ill Get Along Somehow"), or go all the way back to the early years for "Secret Emotions," and "In Love Again," cut in 1940. It is in these songs where you will find the heart of Dylans sweet song ambition and also that unique phrasing that makes him one of the greatest blues singers and interpreters ever. Dylan evokes Muddy Waters in "Rollin and Tumblin." He swipes the riff, the title, the tune itself, and uses some of the words and adds a whole bunch of his own. Same with his use of Sleepy John Estes in "Someday Baby".. Those who think Dylan merely plagiarizes miss the point. Dylan is a folk musician; he uses American folk forms such as blues, rock, gospel, and R&B as well as lyrics, licks, and/or whatever else he can to get a song across. This tradition of borrowing and retelling goes back to the beginning of song and story. Even the title of Modern Times is a wink-eye reference to a film by Charlie Chaplin. It doesnt make Dylan less; it makes him more, because he contains all of these songs within himself. By his use of them, he adds to their secret histories and labyrinthine legends. Besides, hes been around long enough to do anything he damn well pleases and has been doing so since the beginning. Modern Times expresses emotions and comments upon everything from love ("When the Deal Goes Down," "Beyond the Horizon") to mortality ("The Levees Gonna Break," "Aint Talkin") to the state of the world -- check "Workingmans Blues #2," where Dylan sings gently about the "buyin power of the proletariats gone down/Moneys getting shallow and weak...they say low wages are reality if we want to compete abroad." But in the next breath hes put his "cruel weapons on the shelf" and invites his beloved to sit on his knee. Its a poignant midtempo ballad that walks the line between the topical songs of Cisco Houston and Woody Guthrie to the love songs of Stephen Foster and Leadbelly. One can feel both darkness and light struggling inside the singer for dominance. But in his carnal and spiritual imagery and rakish honesty, he doesnt give in to either side and walks the hardest path -- the "long road down" to his own destiny. This is a storyteller, a pilgrim whos seen it all; hes found it all wanting; hes found some infinitesimal take on the truth that hes holding on to with a vengeance. In the midst of changes that are foreboding, Modern Times is the sound of an ambivalent Psalter coming in from the storm, dirty, bloodied, but laughing at himself -- because he knows nobody will believe him anyway. Dylan digs deep into the pocket of American song past in "Nettie Moore," a 19th century tune from which he borrowed the title, the partial melody, and first line of its chorus. He also uses words by W.C. Handy and Robert Johnson as he extends the meaning of the tome by adding his own metaphorical images and wry observations. However, even as the song is from antiquity, its full of the rest of Modern Times bemusement. "The Levees Gonna Break" shakes and shimmies as it warns about the coming catastrophe. Coming as it does on the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, its a particularly poignant number that reveals apocalypse and redemption and rails on the greedy and powerful as it parties in the gutter. There are no sacred cows -- when Dylan evokes Carl Perkins exhortation to put "your cat clothes on," its hard not to stomp around maniacally even as you feel his righteousness come through. The great irony is in the final track, "Aint Talkin," where a lonesome fiddle, piano, and hand percussion spill out a gypsy ballad that states a yearning, that amounts to an unsatisfied spiritual hunger. The pilgrim wanders, walks, and aspires to do good unto others, though he falters often -- he sometimes even wants to commit homicide. Its all part of the "trawl" of living in the world today. Dylans simmering growl adds a sense of apprehension, of whistling through the graveyard, with determination to get to he knows not where -- supposedly its the other side of the world. The guitar interplay with the fiddle comes through loud and clear in the bittersweet tune. Its like how "Beyond the Horizon" uses gypsy melodies and swing to tenderly underscore the seriousness in the words. It sends the album off with a wry sense of foreboding. This pilgrim is sticking to the only thing he knows is solid -- the motion of his feet. Modern Times portrays a new weird America, even stranger than the old one, because its merely part of a world consumed by insanity. In these ten songs, bawdy joy, restless heartache, a wild sense of humor, and bottomless sadness all coexist and inform one another as a warning and celebration of this precious human life while wondering openly about what comes after. This world view is expressed through musical and lyrical forms that are threatened with extinction: old rickety blues that still pack an electrically charged wallop, porch and parlor tunes, and pop ballads that could easily have come straight from the 1930s via the 1890s, but it also wails and roars the blues. Modern Times is the work of a professional mythmaker, a back-alley magician, and a prophetic creator of mischief. He knows his characters because hes been them all and can turn them all inside out in song: the road-worn holy man whos also a thief; the tender-hearted lover who loves to brawl; the poetic sage whos also a pickpocket; and the Everyman who embodies them all and just wants to get on with it. On Modern Times, all bets are off as to who finishes the race dead last, because thats the most interesting place to be: "Meet me at the bottom, dont lag behind/Bring me my boots and shoes/You can hang back or fight your best on the frontline/Sing a little bit of these workingman blues." There is nothing so intriguing as contradiction and Dylan offers it with knowing laughter and tears, because in his songs he displays that they are both sides of the same coin and he never waffles, because hes on the other side of the looking glass. Modern Times is the work of an untamed artist who, as he grows older, sees mortality as something to accept but not bow down to, the sound that refuses to surrender to corruption of the soul and spirit. Its more than a compelling listen; its a convincing one. | ||
 | Album: 32 of 37 Title: Together Through Life Released: 2009-04-23 Tracks: 10 Duration: 45:31 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Beyond Here Lies Nothin’ (03:50) 2 Life Is Hard (03:39) 3 My Wife’s Home Town (04:15) 4 If You Ever Go to Houston (05:48) 5 Forgetful Heart (03:42) 6 Jolene (03:50) 7 This Dream of You (05:54) 8 Shake Shake Mama (03:37) 9 I Feel a Change Comin’ On (05:25) 10 It’s All Good (05:27) |
| Together Through Life : Allmusic album Review : By all accounts, Together Through Life arrived quickly, cut swiftly by Bob Dylan and his touring band in the fall of 2008, surprising the label upon its delivery a couple months later, then rushed into stores in April 2009, just half a year after the release of the monumental archive project Tell Tale Signs. Given the speed of its creation, it fits that the album has a spontaneous, kinetic kick, feeling so alive that its a little messy, teeming with contradictions, crossed signals, and frayed ends. That liveliness turns Together Through Life into a much lighter affair than its weighty predecessor, Modern Times, which was tinged with doom and had thematic unity, two things missing from this comparatively breezy affair. If Together Through Life is about any one thing, it is -- as its title and cover photo elliptically suggest -- the enduring power of romance, how it provides sustenance and how its absence can make life hard. But all this suggests that Dylan has turned in a meditation on the meaning of life and love here, when its core charm is its very modesty. Its an old-fashioned ten tracks, clocking in at 45 minutes, a simple set of songs co-written with Robert Hunter -- Jerry Garcias lyricist and previous Dylan collaborator, co-writing the irresistibly jaunty "Silvio" in 1988 -- and delivered without adornment, its clean yet earthy production slyly emphasizing the musical variety here. Sonically, this is right in line with Dylans 2000s albums, the sound of a well-lubricated traveling band easing into the same chords it plays every night, but this isnt strictly roadhouse rock & roll: Dylan remains fixated on pre-rock & roll American music, emphasizing the blues but eager to croon love-struck ballads. In this context, David Hidalgos accordion -- which appears so often it soon ceases to be noteworthy -- can suggest a romantic stroll down Parisian streets or a steamy sojourn with Doug Sahm in a Tex-Mex border town, but everything here is recognizably, thoroughly Dylans mythic picturesque America that stretches from the hazy past to the barbed present. While the music is proudly, almost defiantly, rooted in the past, with Dylan borrowing Willie Dixons "I Just Want to Make Love to You" wholesale for the riotous "My Wifes Home Town," theres no avoidance of the present here, with Bob even going so far as to turn the omnipresent catch phrase "Its All Good" into a mordantly funny rocker. Dylans not just aware of the modern-day vernacular, hes wound up with an album that fits the spirit of 2009: its troubled but hopeful, firmly in favor of love and romance, but if that fails there are always romantic dreams and sardonic jokes to get you through life. | ||
 | Album: 33 of 37 Title: Christmas in the Heart Released: 2009-10-09 Tracks: 15 Duration: 42:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Here Comes Santa Claus (02:35) 2 Do You Hear What I Hear? (03:02) 3 Winter Wonderland (01:52) 4 Hark the Herald Angels Sing (02:30) 5 I’ll Be Home for Christmas (02:54) 6 Little Drummer Boy (02:52) 7 The Christmas Blues (02:54) 8 O’ Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles) (02:48) 9 Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (04:06) 10 Must Be Santa (02:48) 11 Silver Bells (02:35) 12 The First Noel (02:30) 13 Christmas Island (02:27) 14 The Christmas Song (03:56) 15 O’ Little Town of Bethlehem (02:17) |
| Christmas in the Heart : Allmusic album Review : After the initial shock fades, the existence of Christmas in the Heart seems perhaps inevitable. After all, the thing Bob Dylan loves most of all are songs that are handed down from generation to generation, songs that are part of the American fabric, songs so common they never seem to have been written. These are the songs Dylan chooses to sing on Christmas in the Heart, a cheerfully old-fashioned holiday album from its Norman Rockwell-esque cover to its joyous backing vocals. Apart from the breakneck "Must Be Santa," which barrelhouses like a barroom, Dylan doesnt really reinterpret these songs as much as simply play them with his crackerjack road band, dropping in a little flair -- restoring "well have to muddle through somehow" to "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," singing the opening of "O Come All Ye Faithful" in its original Latin -- but never pushing tunes in unexpected directions. Many would argue having Dylan croon these carols is unexpected enough and, true, there are times his gravelly rumble is a bit pronounced, but nothing here feels forced, it all feels rather fun, provided youre on the same wavelength as latter-day Bob, where the sound and swing of the band is as important as the song, where theres an undeniable nostalgic undertow to all the proceedings. And, of course, theres no better time for celebratory sound, swing, and nostalgia than the holidays, which may be why Christmas in the Heart is a bit of a left-field delight. | ||
 | Album: 34 of 37 Title: Tempest Released: 2012-09-07 Tracks: 20 Duration: 2:17:04 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Duquesne Whistle (05:43) 2 Soon After Midnight (03:27) 3 Narrow Way (07:28) 4 Long and Wasted Years (03:46) 5 Pay in Blood (05:09) 6 Scarlet Town (07:17) 1 Early Roman Kings (05:14) 2 Tin Angel (09:05) 3 Tempest (13:54) 4 Roll On John (07:25) 1 Duquesne Whistle (05:43) 2 Soon After Midnight (03:27) 3 Narrow Way (07:28) 4 Long and Wasted Years (03:46) 5 Pay in Blood (05:09) 6 Scarlet Town (07:17) 7 Early Roman Kings (05:14) 8 Tin Angel (09:05) 9 Tempest (13:54) 10 Roll On John (07:25) |
| Tempest : Allmusic album Review : Fifty years after Bob Dylans debut album appeared, we get Tempest. Since he returned to recording original material on 1997s Time Out of Mind, hes been rambling through American musical styles -- blues, country, folk, rockabilly, swing -- that were popular before he was even on the scene. Tempest continues the exploration, but more urgently than on Modern Times and Together Through Life. Its a gritty, cantankerous record with abundant images of violence, lust, and humor, though the latter is often black. His protagonists settle scores with lovers, enemies, and power brokers; theyre often self-aggrandizing and self-deprecating simultaneously. Most of these are story-songs, though none but "Tempest" tracks in a linear fashion. "Duquesne Whistle" opens nostalgically with steel and acoustic guitars playing a swing melody reminiscent of Bob Wills. When the band enters, it becomes a rockabilly shuffle with teeth. "Soon After Midnight" is a ballad with hazardous warnings ("...Two-Timing Slim/Whos every heard of him?/Ill drag his corpse through the mud"). "Narrow Way" is a blues wailer that faintly looks back at "Maggies Farm." Dylans lyric contradictions are in full force; the song asks unanswerable questions while expressing rage and vulnerability ("...Even death has washed its hands of you" and "Put your arms around me, where they belong"). "Pay in Blood" is a rocking venomous boast with one of his more memorable refrains: "I pay in blood, but not my own." "Early Roman Kings" is a basic rewrite of Muddy Waters "Mannish Boy." David Hidalgos old-world accordion plays the signature swaggering, razor-sharp guitar riff underscoring the notion that the blues are universal, timeless. Dylans nasty rasp fueled by lust, vengeance, and power is balanced by his wicked humor: "I can strip you of life, strip you of breath/I can ship you down, to the house of death...I aint dead yet, my bell still rings/I keep my fingers crossed like the early Roman kings." Musically, "Tin Angel" looks back to "Man in the Long Black Coat" for a frame. Lyrically, this is Dylan at his storytelling best; its twists and turns would be right at home on Blood on the Tracks and Desire -- and it would have made a great closer. Sadly, thats not the case. The nearly 14-minute, 45-verse title cut retells the story of the Titanic with references to history -- and the James Cameron film. Hearing it once is enough. "Roll on John," Dylans elegy for friend John Lennon, closes the set. He uses a slew of Lennons own lyrics as a tribute. The end result is moving but clumsy. These last two cuts aside, Tempest is still a damn fine album. Dylan is in mostly excellent form -- even when sloppy; it sounds like hes having the time of his life. | ||
 | Album: 35 of 37 Title: Shadows in the Night Released: 2015-01-30 Tracks: 10 Duration: 35:21 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Im a Fool to Want You (04:51) 2 The Night We Called It a Day (03:25) 3 Stay With Me (02:56) 4 Autumn Leaves (03:02) 5 Why Try to Change Me Now (03:38) 6 Some Enchanted Evening (03:28) 7 Full Moon and Empty Arms (03:26) 8 Where Are You? (03:37) 9 Whatll I Do (03:21) 10 That Lucky Old Sun (03:37) |
| Shadows in the Night : Allmusic album Review : Other peoples songs have long been a staple for Bob Dylan, who first made his name in Greenwich Village by singing folk songs in the early 60s and often returned to old tunes as the years rolled by. Sometimes, hed dip into the pre-WWII collection of standards known as the Great American Songbook, peppering set lists with unexpected selections as early as the 80s and even covering Dean Martins "Return to Me" for The Sopranos in 2001, and hes made no secret of his affection for old-fashioned crooning on the records hes made since 2001s Love and Theft, but even with this long history of overt affection for pre-rock & roll pop, the existence of 2015s Shadows in the Night might come as a surprise. Shadows in the Night finds the songwriter whose work marks the divide where artists were expected to pen their own material finding sustenance in the Great American Songbook, with every one of its songs recorded at some point by Frank Sinatra. Its songs are old and Shadows in the Night is appropriately a defiantly old-fashioned album: a record the way they used to make them, long before Dylan had a recording contract of his own. Archaic though it may be -- its a mere ten songs lasting no longer than 35 minutes, just like all the long-players of the 50s -- its hard to call it musty, not when Dylan invested considerable energy in adapting these songs to the confines of his five-piece road band. Occasionally, this roadhouse crew is augmented by horns but the brass coloring bleeds into the sweet, mournful slide of Donnie Herrons pedal steel, accentuating that these renditions arent nostalgic covers but reflections of Dylans present. His voice shows gravelly signs of wear but he knows how to use his weathered instrument to its best effect, concentrating on the cadence of the lyrics and digging deep into their emotional undercurrent. In that sense, Shadows in the Night is a truer Sinatra tribute than the stacks of smiling, swinging empty tuxes snapping along to "It Had to Be You," for Dylan inhabits these songs like an actor, just like Frank did way back when. What Dylan is saluting is not the repertoire, per se -- none of these songs is heavily associated with the Chairmen of the Board -- but rather the mournful intimacy of Sinatras "saloon" songs, the records he made to be played during the pitch black of the night. Four of the songs here can be found on 1957s Where Are You?, one of the very best of its kind, and that connection accentuates how Dylan has made a saloon song album with a band that could be heard at a saloon: just a guitar quintet, taking a moment to breathe, sigh, and perhaps weep. The fact that the feel is so richly idiosyncratic is a testament to just how well he knows these tunes, and these slow, winding arrangements are why Shadows in the Night feels unexpectedly resonant: its a testament to how deeply Dylan sees himself in these old songs. | ||
 | Album: 36 of 37 Title: Fallen Angels Released: 2016-05-20 Tracks: 12 Duration: 37:50 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Young at Heart (02:59) 2 Maybe You’ll Be There (02:56) 3 Polka Dots and Moonbeams (03:35) 4 All the Way (04:01) 5 Skylark (02:56) 6 Nevertheless (03:27) 7 All or Nothing at All (03:04) 8 On a Little Street in Singapore (02:16) 9 It Had to Be You (04:02) 10 Melancholy Mood (02:53) 11 That Old Black Magic (03:02) 12 Come Rain or Come Shine (02:39) |
| Fallen Angels : Allmusic album Review : Fallen Angels may have been recorded at the same session as 2015s moody Shadows in the Night, but its tone is very different. Call Fallen Angels the Nice n Easy to the No One Cares of Shadows in the Night: theyre both tributes to Frank Sinatra, but the 2016 album is light at heart. Its filled with songs of love, not heartbreak, and Dylans band plays the numbers as sweet shuffles that function as a counterpart to the gloomy saloon tunes that filled Shadows in the Night. Another distinction of Fallen Angels is that, unlike its cousin, some of the featured songs are quite common: "Young at Heart," "All the Way," "It Had to Be You," and "Come Rain or Come Shine" often pop up on Great American Songbook tributes, whereas the compositions on Shadows often felt carefully curated. Such familiar tunes -- which are offset by such nifty excavations as "Maybe Youll Be There," "On a Little Street in Singapore," and "Skylark," the only song here not recorded by Sinatra -- help draw attention to Dylans interpretations. Supported by his trusted touring band, he pushes these songs into the realm of a dusty roadhouse, letting "That Old Black Magic" skip along to a swift danceable beat, turning "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" into a country ramble, playing "Melancholy Mood" as an after-hours blues. These wise, wily interpretations underscore Dylans ultimate aim with these Sinatra records, which is to slyly tie together various strands of American music, bringing Tin Pan Alley to the barrooms and taking the backwoods uptown. The results are understated yet extraordinary, an idiosyncratic, romantic vision of 20th century America. | ||
 | Album: 37 of 37 Title: Triplicate Released: 2017-03-13 Tracks: 30 Duration: 1:36:08 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I Guess I’ll Have to Change My Plans (02:27) 2 September of My Years (03:26) 3 I Could Have Told You (03:40) 4 Once Upon a Time (03:38) 5 Stormy Weather (03:06) 6 This Nearly Was Mine (02:49) 7 That Old Feeling (03:39) 8 It Gets Lonely Early (03:10) 9 My One and Only Love (03:24) 10 Trade Winds (02:41) 1 Braggin’ (02:44) 2 As Time Goes By (03:22) 3 Imagination (02:34) 4 How Deep Is the Ocean (03:23) 5 P.S. I Love You (04:17) 6 The Best Is Yet to Come (02:57) 7 But Beautiful (03:22) 8 Here’s That Rainy Day (03:27) 9 Where Is the One (03:14) 10 There’s a Flaw in My Flue (02:47) 1 Day In, Day Out (03:01) 2 I Couldn’t Sleep a Wink Last Night (03:15) 3 Sentimental Journey (03:11) 4 Somewhere Along the Way (03:18) 5 When the World Was Young (03:47) 6 These Foolish Things (04:11) 7 You Go to My Head (03:06) 8 Stardust (02:34) 9 It’s Funny to Everyone but Me (02:38) 10 Why Was I Born (02:49) |
| Triplicate : Allmusic album Review : Its possible to read the title of Triplicate in two ways. First, the 2017 collection is the third installment in Bob Dylans exploration of the Great American Songbook, following quickly on the heels of 2015s Shadows in the Night and 2016s Fallen Angels. Secondly, Triplicate is indeed a triple-album, or perhaps more accurately, a set of three interlinked albums all running 32 minutes apiece. Each of the three discs are given titles -- the first is dubbed Til the Sun Goes Down, the second Devil Dolls, with Comin Home Late rounding out the collection -- and theyre presented in a manner not dissimilar to an old-fashioned album of 78 rpms, a nod to the dawn of popular recorded music. By now, Dylans approach to this material is familiar -- he takes his touring band into the legendary Capitol Studios in Hollywood to record arrangements that feel lean yet full, rooted in pre-war pop but played for a barroom audience -- but it is by no means exhausted. Dylan is captivated by this music, reveling in the lyrics, restoring intros often left off of modern interpretations, bending his style to fit the songs instead of vice-versa. Like Fallen Angels before it, Triplicate is palpably lighter than the weary Shadows in the Night, and thats not just because there are livelier tempos here ("Day In, Day Out" positively glides along on its swift speed and horns). Much of this breeziness derives from Dylans performance. Cherishing the turns of phrase as much as the intent of the song, he sings with a sly sensitivity thats alluring; when he elongates a phrase or has his voice crack, he reveals more about the song than any retro-swinger with showboating chops. This comparison stands on Triplicate more than its predecessors because its filled with songs that often appear on modern collections of standards: "Stormy Weather," "As Time Goes By," "The Best Is Yet to Come," "Day In, Day Out," "Sentimental Journey," These Foolish Things," and "Stardust." Dylan treats these common classics with as much care as he does "Theres a Flaw in My Flue," a Jimmy Van Heusen/Johnny Burke obscurity that appeared on Frank Sinatras 1957 Close to You. Its appearance suggests how Triplicate, along with its cousins, is an ongoing exploration of Sinatras body of work, but if Dylan learned anything from Sinatra, its how to drill to the core of the song. Dylan does just that on Triplicate, finding the heart beating within some old warhorses and placing them within several great American musical traditions, and thats why this cements his place as one of the most distinctive interpreters of the Great American Songbook. | ||