Bob Dylan

Personally, I would say that Dylan's infamous 80's period contains just as strong song writing as any other period in his long career. The big difference with this decade though, is the production. We all know there was a lot of pressure on artists to conform to the newest trends - those being the frequented use of computers, drum machines, synthesizers, etc. The use of these tools in the studio - though benefiting other artists of the decade - was not a strong suit to Dylan's music. A raw, personal, more heartfelt sound has always been his home. And though he eventually learnt to use the 80's sound to a lesser degree with 'Oh Mercy! (1989) - proving to be quite successful - it was really only a matter of time till he returned to his true, talent showing production, as used on 'Time Out of Mind' - as well as his subsequent albums.

I feel this theory of mine is best proven when looking back on the tracks that somehow managed to escape the '80's sound'. And none managed this moreso than his belated release of the apparent "demo" of 'Blind Willie Mctell' - a true revelation of Dylan's continual song writing talent, well throughout the 80's, and beyond.

In conclusion, Dylan's infamous 80's period, is not a bad period. Not at all. Rather, it is a badly produced period - in a most unflattering way. And personally, I think Dylan should return to the studio from whence those albums came, and redeem them.

From Evandar 04/12/2013 16:01 | #72653

Not even The Beatles have released as much good material as this guy, which says a lot. Dylan is my hero, my inspiration (the good and the bad), and people keep saying his voice sucks, but after I got used to it, there's few other vocalists that can compare. He had a power and a phrasing totally unique to planet earth, and he was also a master of lyrics and melodies. Most cover versions of his songs can't compete on any level, as they tend to "niceify" and neuter their power, and why would anyone want that? Lastly, I would also like to state how brilliant a live performer he used to be, totally remaking his songs in various ways and actually creating live albums worth buying. :)

From HyperBully 02/20/2011 02:19 | #18535

Dylan is the greatest songwriter of all-time, and I think he's also the "coolest" musician of all-time, in his music, lyrics, style, and performance. (Other competitors in that category include Lou Reed, Neil Young, and David Bowie.) That said, he has a rather extensive discography that can be overwhelming to new listeners, who may find it easier to just pick up a greatest hits compilation and call it a day. I strongly discourage this, as you'll be missing out on many of his best songs. To help you wade through his catalog and sort out the masterpieces from the weaker albums, I've written this guide to Dylan's discography which lists all of his indisputably "essential" albums. You'll notice that there is uneven distribution from each decade. This is not a coincidence. Though it is true that Dylan hit his peak in the 60's (though I think Blood On the Tracks is his best album), I think much of his later work is underrated, so I have tried to include all the best of his post-BOTT material:

1963 - The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
1964 - The Times They Are A-Changin'
1964 - Another Side of Bob Dylan
1965 - Bringing It All Back Home
1965 - Highway 61 Revisited
1966 - Blonde On Blonde
1967 - John Wesley Harding
1969 - Nashville Skyline
1970 - New Morning
1975 - Blood On the Tracks
1975 - The Basement Tapes
1976 - Desire
1983 - Infidels
1989 - Oh Mercy
1997 - Time Out of Mind
2001 - Love and Theft
2005 - Modern Times

Also make sure to pick up "Live 1966, The 'Royal Albert Hall' Concert," which is the fourth volume of Dylan's ongoing "Bootleg Series" and includes what many believe to be the greatest live concert recording of all-time. I wouldn't argue with them. You should also pick up essential non-album singles like "Positively 4th Street" and outtakes like "Blind Willie McTell," as well as a few scattered great album tracks that were from otherwise mediocre albums, such as "Forever Young." Other than those exceptions, you should have a good starting Dylan collection with the albums I listed. After you've played these albums to death, then you should start digging deeper into his discography, not to mention bootlegs. There's still some truly great, if underappreciated, gems to be found in there.

Bob Dylan, Nobel laureate. Sounds good.

From Nowhereman1965 09/24/2018 15:11 | #221586

Dylan is a giant of popular music. His lyrics/word play have never been bettered by anyone. His 60's output is almost perfection. Freewheelin,Bringing it all back Home, Highway 61 Revisited and Blonde on Blonde are all in my top 20 albums of all time. The 70's were good as well with the classic Blood on the Tracks. However, after the 70's his quality control wobbles all over the place. Time out of Mind is a welcome return to form. Despite a voice that divides opinion, he deserves his place at the top table along with The Beatles. (Edited)