Track Listing
1)I Contain Multitudes
2)False Prophet
3)My Own Version Of You
4)I've Made Up My Mind To Give Myself To You
5)Black Rider
6)Goodbye Jimmy Reed
7)Mother Of Muses
8)Crossing The Rubicon
9)Key West (Philosopher Pirate)
10)Murder Most Foul
Who would have thought it’d be 2020 and we’d still be talking about a new Bob Dylan album, the man is a legend, simple as that. It’s been some time since he released original material (2012 to be exact) so it’s a more than welcome surprise. I definitely wouldn’t recommend it to a casual listener, I can imagine the music won’t be enough to keep your attention. It makes for a very heavy listen, not one to keep on repeat – even listening to the entire thing in one go can prove to be a challenge. It’s so very slow-burning that only a hardcore fan would feel right at home, not to mention the vocals unsurprisingly show their age more than ever. In all likelihood it won’t make the best first impression, but it keeps getting better and slowly wins you over. At least that has been my experience with it so far, I’ve listened to it a total of a mere 4 times during the last months and it’s been a slow but steady rise, we’ll have to wait and see how it goes in the future, but if we ‘re being honest and take into account how crowded the top of Dylan’s catalogue is, I can hardly believe it will get much – if any - higher. Still, it should be the album that seals the deal: his discography is unparalleled, he is 79 years old and keeps going, wow! He has at least one album in each decade that scores 7.5 or more in my book, ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s, ‘00s, ‘10s and ‘20s, that’s an absurd and unrepeatable 7 (!!) decades, give this man a Nobel.
The lyrics are clearly the centre of attention here, a fabulous treasure of pop culture references, that’s been his trademark since day one but here he goes all-in. In that sense, one might argue he keeps the same spirit as those Frank Sinatra based albums, he knows what he likes and he is eager to share it with the rest of the world.
The opening track, I Contain Multitudes, is marvelous. He’s looking back at all the different things he’s done in his career and his life in general and it’s undeniably fascinating how all of them contribute to shaping his multi-faceted identity, “I'm a man of contradictions, I'm a man of many moods” is a line that sums up the song quite nicely. The funny thing is this song itself is another example of what he does best, collect various and seemingly incompatible sources of inspiration – which are of both personal relevance and cultural significance- and create a universe of his own. After the serious and introspective (this term isn’t to be taken too literally, as he’s always looking outwards more than he does inwards, that’s a point I made way back when I commented on Slow Train Coming. I use this adjective here because he uses these “external sources” as a means to reveal aspects of himself) opener, he keeps exploring similar themes, but we move to a more playful, humorous and not so modest mood in False Prophet (“I'm first among equals second to none the last of the best you can bury the rest”). My Own Version Of You sees him take a weird turn, he wants to bring someone to life a la Frankenstein. That interpretation is cool, but doesn’t make much sense, so an obvious assumption would be that it’s another autobiographical tale, he expands on the subject of the opening track, he contains multitudes – that’s one more thing he is a master of, expressing one main idea in various fancy ways. In other words, only a mad scientist would mix all these elements together like he does. Although I've Made Up My Mind To Give Myself To You is considered a highlight, it’s as far from my favourite as it gets, no matter if it’s taken as a humble love song or something more complicated. Black Rider is probably the easiest to digest and enjoy, it can’t be a coincidence it’s the shortest and most immediate of the bunch, its darkness instantly grabs you by. Goodbye jimmy Reed introduced me to said artist, so that alone should be a good enough reason to like - it’s not the most straightforward tribute, but that’s part of the charm. Other than that, it’s a more or less by the numbers blues, yet the contrast with the previous track makes it a formidable combo, not to mention it’s super catchy – and that’s quite unusual for this album. Mother Of Muses is one of the softest songs here. The artist-muse relationship is always very interesting and listening to everyone’s favourite bard’s take on it is a spectacle you don’t wanna miss. Crossing the Rubicon is usually viewed as a weak link, I probably have to agree, albeit hesitantly. His well-known tendency of repeating the same phrase at the end of each verse, slowly building up the tension, doesn’t have the same power or effect that it usually does and in the end unfortunately doesn’t work as well as one might hope - and I’m sure Bob Dylan has crossed many Rubicons in his life and in his art, so this could have been much better. The epic closer, Murder Most Foul, is beyond words, I need to spend more time with it in order to grasp what’s going on there - the main story is evident, sure, but there's so much more to it.
And I have to say I hate how everyone’s like “If this turns out to be his last album, he went out with a bang”. I don’t like thinking that way, I’d bet there’s more to come by the man.
Also, this hasn’t been as heavily discussed or as thoroughly analysed as his classics, so I’m curious to hear everyone’s opinion on it – of course the same applies to each and evey album I post, but in this one even more.
Track Listing
1)Shot Of Love
2)Heart Of Mine
3)Property Of Jesus
4)Lenny Bruce
5)Watered-Down Love
6)The Groom’s Still Waiting Αt Τhe Altar
7)Dead Man, Dead Man
8)In The Summertime
9)Trouble
10)Evey Grain Of Sand
Disclaimer: I am rating the version that includes The Groom’s Still Waiting Αt Τhe Altar. Otherwise, ιτ would have achieved a significantly lower score.
Opening the much anticipated top-15, Shot Of Love, also known as Christianity, part 3 – and who would have thought this would make it that far. I wonder how his fans felt when this came out, it must have seemed as if it would never end. That being said, it’s a case of being careful what you wish for, the rest of the ‘80s wouldn’t show any drastic improvement, quite the contrary actually, despite the change of subject.
As I’ve said before, each part of the trilogy focuses on a different aspect. Here, it’s easy to spot a sarcastic mood that isn’t so apparent in the previous two albums and shows another side of religion. There’s also a sense of nostalgia, an underlying sadness which I find extremely touching. In terms of lyrics, it has to be the best of the trilogy and it ain’t even close.
I can’t say this style – let’s call it “the louder the better” - of music is particularly appealing to me. On the other hand, I have to admit that, even if it’s bad (according to my taste) rock, at least it’s consistently good at what it does, there seems to be a plan, it’s not totally random -as it was sadly the case with some other Dylan albums of that era. Less gospel influences this time, it moves closer to pop – but far from Slow Train Coming’s style , which went way too far in this commercialised direction. The opening track is excessive, but somehow keeps a groove going and I find it hard to complain. His delivery on the second track (especially the chorus) sounds so familiar, but there’s no way I can recall/make the connection. It must have been some early ‘00s band, that’s the closest I can get. I’m not even sure it would be a flattering comparison, in all likelihood it wouldn’t. Property Of Jesus sees him return to his ‘60s irony, touché – the point he tries to make is irrelevant, the way he chooses to do so is a joy to behold. One comforting realisation – especially if you ‘ve developed an allergic reaction to this version of Dylan - is that not all songs are religion-related. Lenny Bruce is a tribute to Lenny Bruce – no kidding – simple and to the point, not his best tribute ever, which would set the bar unrealistically high, but it works just fine. Watered-Down Love is the most forgettable song here and a clear low point. The Groom’s Still Waiting at the Altar would have been given the nod as the standout song had it been included in either of his other two Christian albums, although it rocks a bit too hard for my liking, he is in top form in regard to lyrics. The contrast between the sacred, staring-up-at-heaven chorus and the bitter, down-to-earth verses, the presence of two different (one divine, one human) grooms brilliantly showcases how modern society is on the verge of collapse. Dead Man, Dead Man comes with an exotic sound that would feel right at home had it made the cut of Infidels. In the Summertime is a lovely ballad, the harmonica being the most memorable part of it. Trouble is another song that is loosely – if at all – connected with religion, he keeps finding new ways to give socio-political commentary and he’s his usual, highly critical self. The closing track, Every Grain Of Sand, is the most religious in nature, calling it a hymn would be justified, this album’s version of In The Garden – but much better. The song has a clearly confessional nature, we get to witness how weak the individual is, as he remains attached to his sinful past and finds it an impossible task to let go and immerse himself in God’s majesty. Out of all the songs that have made an appearance in this countdown up to this point, this and Brownsville Girl form my top-2.
A ridiculous album cover, one of his worst really, but it gets a pass due to how good everything else here is.
Overall, Shot Of Love could be viewed more as a transitional record than as a respected church member which proudly sits next to Slow Train Coming and Saved. Bob Dylan won’t waste any time, he already has his mind set for his next escapade and you don’t wanna miss it.
Track Listing
1)All The Tired Horses
2)Alberta, No. 1
3)I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know
4)Days Of '49
5)Early Morning Rain
6)In Search Of Little Sadie
7)Let It Be Me
8)Little Sadie
9)Woogie Boogie
10)Belle Isle
11)Living The Blues
12)Like A Rolling Stone
13)Copper Kettle [The Pale Moonlight]
14)Gotta Travel On
15)Blue Moon
16)The Boxer
17)The Mighty Quinn (Quinn The Eskimo)
18)Take Me As I Am (Or Let Me Go)
19)Take A Message To Mary
20)It Hurts Me Too
21)Minstrel Boy
22)She Belongs To Me
23)Wigwam
24)Alberta, No. 2
(Before getting on to Self Portrait, a little silly personal anecdote that goes hand in hand with this album: I remember visiting a record store - almost a decade ago, I think it was 2013. I was ready to leave, disappointed at how limited their hip hop collection was, when I realised a Bob Dylan related discussion was taking place between two other customers. They were holding a copy of Blonde On Blonde and debating. One of them was skeptical, while the other was one of the biggest Dylan enthusiasts I’ve ever encountered, so I jumped in and said something along the lines of: “Dylan did create the best double album of all time… and that’s Self Portrait” and everyone had a good laugh.)
Lots of things have been said or written about this album and everyone seems to have his opinion on it. Personally, it should be obvious by now, I can hear you booing with passion, I love it. He knows he can do no wrong and he knows that everyone else thinks the same way, so he decides to challenge this perception in the most brilliant way. In the meantime, he makes sure he has as much fun as he possibly can, throwing a bunch of covers into the mix that join a few original, harmless and nonchalant tunes that bear little to no resemblance to the intellectually demanding songs/pieces of art he had been writing throughout the ‘60s. There are even some live version of songs like She Belongs To Me or Like A Rolling Stone to be found here. The party is so big there’s room for everyone – it makes albums like The Cure’s Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me look normal in comparison. Being a fan of disorganised/random/ nonsensical albums on general principle, it should be no surprise I like this. Even his voice, which is quite similar to Nashville Skyline, is far from my favourite of his, but it’s the one that would work best in the (semi-parodic) context of this album.
The opening track is already a highlight, it sets the pace for what’s about to follow. Days Of 49 is quite a jam, it’s surprisingly easy to get lost in it. Traditional songs like In Search Of Little Sadie – a genuinely good song - feel extremely fresh. Blue Moon sounds like something Roy Orbison would sing. The somewhat foolish Instrumental Woogie Boogie perfectly summarises what’s going on here. And of course the title is another sign of greatness. Everyone else views him as an iconic artist, a rock star, the voice of a generation, etc., but that’s an invaluable insight into how he sees himself – or how he wants others to see him.
If there’s one negative to note, it would be that some of the elements which make this special as a one-off would instead become a trend and go on to hurt many of his future releases – but that shouldn’t be held against Self Portrait, it’s a factor to evaluate when examining said albums.
Maybe I’m too much of a Dylan fan and come up with ridiculous excuses to justify this mess, but it is what it is. I know most people tend to focus on the concept rather than the music itself when commenting on this record, but both need to reach a certain standard in order for an album to work. So, I have to say that the music isn’t horrible or unlistenable by any means. Whenever I’m going through it, part of me laughs at thinking of the reaction that it generated – especially back in the day, but even today- and an equally significant part of me does enjoy those songs. The ‘70s would be a rollercoaster of a decade for Bob Dylan with the highest of highs and some painful lows and this is as suitable an introduction as one could possibly imagine, you could say it set the decade on fire.
Also, I’m happy to see its status has dramatically improved compared to where it was in 1970. Nowadays, it rarely appears in the discussion concerning Dylan’s worst effort, it’s usually between Dylan (1973), Saved, Knocked Out Loaded, Down In The Groove and Under The Red Sky – all of them rightfully entering this club with the exception of Knocked Out Loaded.
Track Listing
1)You're No Good
2)Talkin' New York
3)In My Time Of Dyin'
4)Man Of Constant Sorrow
5)Fixin' To Die
6)Pretty Peggy-O
7)Highway 51
8)Gospel Plow
9)Baby, Let Me Follow You Down
10)House Of The Risin' Sun
11)Freight Train Blues
12)Song To Woody
13)See That My Grave Is Kept Clean
Aw, look at this album cover, what a cute little boy, I 'm sure he'll make it big when he grows up.
Here's another album I probably rank slightly higher than the average listener. Unless I’m mistaken, I believe Dylan himself isn't such a big fan either. I agree with Mercury’s remark a few posts back that it’s slightly overlooked, if not underrated – maybe its historical significance overshadows its value as a standalone piece of art.
There’s a variety of ways an artist’s career might develop. Some of them knock it out of the park with their very first try – and it’s not uncommon that they run out of ideas and never top their debut. But there’s a certain magic when you watch an artist make baby steps towards greatness and be there when he realises his full potential – and some of the greatest artists of all time did follow a similar course, that’s the natural progression I guess. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the chance of being there as it all happened and this wasn’t one of the first Bob Dylan albums I got my hands on. I can’t help but wonder how people who have been following him all along feel when listening to it now and how it compares to their very first listening experience almost 60 (!!) years ago, a really crushing thought. Anyway, for Bob Dylan, the journey from apprentice to master lasted only a year, as his next release, The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, would emphatically showcase. This shouldn’t let us forget or ignore the position this one deserves, the rookie charm wouldn’t be repeated ever again, it’s exclusively available here.
So, fasten your seatbelts, it all starts with the very first track, You ‘ re No Good. Even though it’s a cover, it shows some of his trademark characteristics, economical and cynical, speaking straight to the bone. Then it’s time for the first original, the first glimpse of his humongous talent as a songwriter. It comes with a semi-autobiographical vibe, though one has to be careful with that kind of descriptions, it’s extremely hard to distinguish reality and myth in Dylan’s work. His first experiences in New York make him realise it’s not exactly generous to guests, this negativity comes to life through the images he paints in a refreshingly straightforward and vivid manner, it’s cold and lonely out there. The consensus is that the covers are performed with various levels of success, but I can hardly find anything to complain about, he leaves his mark on all of them, the most important part being that each of them is instantly recognisable. The second original, Song to Woody, is obviously a tribute to his hero, Woody Guthrie. It’s touching how small and irrelevant he feels in front of his idol, though I have to confess I consider it inferior to Talkin’ New York – mainly due to how great that one is, nothing against Song To Woody, which is also excellent.
His harmonica is pure bliss. I’ve had the pleasure of listening to this on vinyl many times and there are parts when I worried the power of his playing will shatter the record into pieces – thankfully, it never did. His guitar playing is far from spectacular – you’d have a hard time calling it professional either – but I’d say it’s generally on point and serves its intended purpose just fine. His energy (just listen to Freight Train Blues) and his “hunger” are contagious. He is young and alive, he keeps relentlessly attacking those – based on my limited knowledge, some of them classics, some of them not so much - traditional songs and tearing them apart while giving them new life in the meantime. However, the most impressive is how effortlessly this operation is executed, he gives the impression that it’s no big deal for him, he’s been there done that multiple times, there are instances where he sounds like a veteran. It was all recorded in the space of two days. I can safely say he didn’t need any more. Just two days and he was on the right track, the music as we knew it would soon become a thing of the past, it would never be the same again. On the other hand, it has to be said that, not only was this record far from a commercial success, it remains largely unnoticed even today. Still, I’d recommend it without any hesitation. It’s cool having the chance to see where he began. (To return to a point I made when I started looking deeper into 1962, what a year for debuts, Bob Dylan, The Beach Boys, Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, etc.)
Not to forget the initial purpose of this diary, I updated my 1962 chart to include Dylan's debut.
In other news, the countdown has reached a crossroads.
There are 12 remaining albums:
-his acoustic trilogy (The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, The Times They Are A-Changin', Another Side Of Bob Dylan)
-his rock trilogy (Bringing It All Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited, Blonde On Blonde)
-his comeback duo (Blood On The Tracks, Desire)
-his late era (Time Out Of Mind, Love And Theft, if we are being loose with our definitions we can also add Tempest to this category)
-the odd one out (John Wesley Harding)
Since all of them will get a score of 8.0/10 or higher - which is quite high for my standards, but I'm positive it is well deserved - they constitute what I'd call top-tier Dylan.
Decisions, decisions, decisions... _________________ Bob Dylan Charles Mingus
The real question will be will Dylan get a higher grade compared to Mingus? Can Dylan go higher than a 8.8? Though, I think the top is probably easier compared to the middle range of the top 12. Probably.
MercuryTurn your back on the pay-you-back last callProfile St. Louis
love the write up on his debut. really love the write ups on all of em. thanks for reminding me that I need to revisit and give a bit more TLC to Rough and Rowdy Ways (and Tempest... considering I mostly forget what is on that album and yet you haven't ranked it yet! wow... will need to dust off his more "recent" albums. after modern times for some reason I have mostly given 1 to 3 listens to all his albums and moved on... blasphemy as someone who acts like the biggest fan of the man).
Of the remaining albums not yet ranked, I rank them the following (Tempest again needs revisit and I plan on doing that soon certainly after I see your write up.)
12. Tempest - ? I thought it was a 2.5-3/5... very vague recollection.
11. Love and Theft - 4/5
10. Freewheelin Bob Dylan - 4.5/5
9. Time out of Mind 4.5/5
8. Desire - 4.5/5
7. John Wesley Harding - 4.5/5
6. The Times They Are A-Changin - 4.75/5
5. Blonde On Blonde - 5/5
4. Another Side of Bob Dylan - 5/5
3. Bringing It All Back Home - 5/5
Tie 1a and 1b - Blood On The Tracks - 6/5 and Highway 61 Revisited 6/5.
top 2 are so good they break math.
and yeah that can change and does change any given day. he's the bestest.
Look forward to seeing the rest. _________________ -Ryan
The real question will be will Dylan get a higher grade compared to Mingus? Can Dylan go higher than a 8.8? Though, I think the top is probably easier compared to the middle range of the top 12. Probably.
8.8 is a huge score in my book, but it remains to be seen, I wouldn’t rule it out just yet.
I agree with your estimation that it’s easier to navigate the very top albums. In Dylan’s case, the 8.0-8.5 range is extremely crowded, it’s simpler once you get to 8.5+.
Mercury wrote:
love the write up on his debut. really love the write ups on all of em. thanks for reminding me that I need to revisit and give a bit more TLC to Rough and Rowdy Ways (and Tempest... considering I mostly forget what is on that album and yet you haven't ranked it yet! wow... will need to dust off his more "recent" albums. after modern times for some reason I have mostly given 1 to 3 listens to all his albums and moved on... blasphemy as someone who acts like the biggest fan of the man).
Of the remaining albums not yet ranked, I rank them the following (Tempest again needs revisit and I plan on doing that soon certainly after I see your write up.)
12. Tempest - ? I thought it was a 2.5-3/5... very vague recollection.
11. Love and Theft - 4/5
10. Freewheelin Bob Dylan - 4.5/5
9. Time out of Mind 4.5/5
8. Desire - 4.5/5
7. John Wesley Harding - 4.5/5
6. The Times They Are A-Changin - 4.75/5
5. Blonde On Blonde - 5/5
4. Another Side of Bob Dylan - 5/5
3. Bringing It All Back Home - 5/5
Tie 1a and 1b - Blood On The Tracks - 6/5 and Highway 61 Revisited 6/5.
top 2 are so good they break math.
and yeah that can change and does change any given day. he's the bestest.
Look forward to seeing the rest.
His post-1997 work could easily compete with anyone’s peak, the way he defies age is absolutely inspiring.
A couple of intriguing placements. I am making a note to myself to comment on it when the countdown is over. Of course it’s hard to fault any ranking, the man’s been creating masterpieces left and right. _________________ Bob Dylan Charles Mingus
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Mercury
Hayden
SuedeSwede
14 years
dmercado
13 years
