Reviews (page 12 of 14)
Not a fan of his signing… sorry lmao
I’m convinced the harmonica is the worst instrument of all time
An amazing album full of 5s and 3s gets a 4.
Sorry music critics bob dylan is boring
Bobbie
What you listenin' to, Bobby?
What in the WORLD is this hippie going on about???
Got dang it bobby
I recognised this from the iconic album cover and inwardly groaned. However, I must be reaching that time in my life where even Bob Dylan starts to sound good. The singing wasn't great, but the song writing was superb, so I think 4 stars seems fair.
This meeting could’ve been an e-mail, this e-mail could’ve been a text and this double album could’ve been an 8-song album. Nothing after Just Like a Woman is remarkable. And while Visons of Johanna and Stuck Inside of Mobile are great, they could be 4 or 5 minute songs. Dylan’s voice and song structure doesn’t really work for long songs
#10. Pretty good overall, but it suffers from entirely too many harmonica solos. 3/5: acceptable Song added to playlist: Just Like A Woman I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link
Pretty solid record! It was a bit long maybe, but overall a fun listen, and I definitely feel the bluesy looseness.
I love everything Dylan does. While this isn’t my favorite, the rawness of “I want you” and “Just like a woman” and the cooky lyrics of “Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat” make this an easy 5 for me.
I really, really tried to like this. I did not succeed. Some of the backing tracks I kind of dug, but overall this was another Dylan slog to get through.
Best Bob Dylan I've heard. That being said, that doesn't mean a lot to me. There were some songs that were actually catchy, and I'd want to listen to if Dylan wasn't signing. 3.25/5
I could’ve sworn that we already did this, but no, we’ve just done other Dylans. Anyway, this is one of the better double albums from that period. A little too loaded still, but there isn’t a truly weak song on here. The best stuff in particular is among his most exciting and lyrical. Definitely a highlight in his career. A-
My all time favorite of Bob’s. Just a great album.
stellar
Look. I respect Bob Dylan. The man is a poet, has a lot to say, and is a good songwriter. But this shit is just not my bag. I don't find it pleasant to listen to. Not a fan of the bluesy folk and harmonica and just general loudness of this. Dug the slow jams though. At 1hr12mn, it's also the first album in this challenge that I didn't listen to all the way through. 7-minute folk songs are absurd. The two stars simply reflect my enjoyment, not an objective rating of the music's quality. Please give me an album I'll like listening to next, mr robot algorithm.
Enjoyable bit ultimately a bit too long and the songs were too similar
Not my cup of tea, but I can see why it's important
Absolutely annoying beyond measure. This is one of my first times actively listening to Dylan on my own volition and I'm not sure I believe any actual adult human could seriously get into this album. If I was there in the 60s? Sure. If I grew up with this music? Maybe. But now that I've lived my whole adult life hearing his voice meme'd and parodied I cannot for the life of me take it seriously. Worse yet it seems like his cliche Dylan vocal melodies are in FULL SWING here. They drive me crazy and I can't help but think of all the people who have since done this joke to death.
i don't like his voice. kinda monotonous, but not that bad
Great album, classic BD
Bob Dylan hasn't really done it for me in the past, but I did enjoy this album. Some familiar songs.
I get that he is a genius but except for a handful of songs I just don't really like his oeuvre
Blonde on Blonde: Proof that you don't need to be a good singer to be a great songwriter. Whatever you think of Dylan's singing, there's no denying that Blonde on Blonde is a classic album. It's an essential listen for any fan of music.
I think there's a lot here, this has potential. Replace the singer with someone, who can actually sing and this might be a 4. But my god can Bob Dylan just not sing... Had to stop after 45 minutes, it's just too much.
Nope
One hell of an album, absolutely love the the harmonica in these songs. Bob Dylan’s voice is a little tough to get though.
Rounding up here. I can dig it but dammit, Bobby, what the hell are you talking about? “Yes, I could tell you what he means if I didn’t have to try so hard” Okay
Eerste helft iets beter maar ligt mss aan mn aandachtsboog
Pleasant listen, 3,5
His best album. All great songs.
As usual there's solid lyrics but I was not in love with the instrumentation. 3.5
I can't imagine a much better intro to Bob Dylan than this. I was skeptical of being able to handle an entire album of his vocals, but I have to say I should have never doubted his reputation. Lyrically masterful and audibly varied throughout, Bob Dylan and his supporting cast are put on full display on Blonde on Blonde and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't bummed I hadn't heard it sooner. Edit: Upon a re-listen, I think I missed the mark a bit here, or my eyes are a little more open now. Most of the songs here are good. One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later) should've definitely had a mention as a standout. But the rest is arguably more of a background to the three outstanding songs. Still, those three songs are unbelievable, with Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands being my top Bob Dylan song at the moment. I'll undoubtedly listen again, can't wait to see how it continues to hold up. High Point: Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again Low Point: n/a Surprise Hit: Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands
~ = good + = very good * = already knew the song Pledging my Time ~ One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later) = + I Want You = ~ Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat = + Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I'll Go Mine) = ~ Temporary Like Achilles = ~ Fourth Time Around = ~ Obviously Five Believers = + Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands = ~
The story telling and instrumentals really stood out to me, especially in "Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again". No idea what it means, but I like it. Really the only song I could see in my rotation, didn't love the album as a whole - Dylan feels repetitive to a non-trained ear
I have always thought more of Bob Dylan’s songwriting than his music. This album has done nothing to change my view. It was a smooth, consistent listen and I feel that I would enjoy this album equally well as soft background music while performing another task, or simply reading the lyrics like poetry.
Man, I know Bobby Zimmerman is fucking legendary, but damn! I just can’t figure out how this shit got any listens. WTF!? A woman with a mustache who can’t find her knees? Did he say vagina somewhere in there? Is this a fucking joke?!?!?! Sorry folks. Poetry is one thing but this is bizarre. I listened to as much as I could but know I’m re-enlisting in the Marines and going back to Helmund province to atone for this clusterfuck.
Beautiful - apart from Rainy Day Woman. Never want to hear that again. The rest was mesmerizing, and a killer song radio afterwards as well for extra points!
The harmonica on this album evokes feelings that I experienced as a child on a long car trip with my family where a younger sibling was allowed to weild a kazoo, uninterrupted, for hours on end. If you are able to get past that, your ears will be rewarded with the incoherent ramblings of a person who mistakes being high for actually having a personality. Like a fly in the house, Dylan some how manages to be both boring and annoying.
Rainy Day Women is super, and a great opener. It just jumps right in. Although I'm guessing most people know it as the Every Body Must Get Stoned song. Rest of the album is meh. Also didn't anyone ever like women? The song Just Like A Woman is terrible.
No
Fucking. Harmonica.
Rainy Day Women #12 & 35: 1 - you really should be stoned for this tbh. Pledging My Time: 2 - someone please shoot that man on the harmonica. Visions of Johanna: 6 - would've been a 7 without the harmonica. starting to sense a trend here. One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later): 5 - so infuriatingly close to being good that it actually makes it less enjoyable. I Want You: 4 - things are starting to blend together. Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again: 3 - I know Bob Dylan is supposed to be an amazing songwriter and all that but I can barely focus on the lyrics because everything else annoys me so much. like why couldn't you just write some poetry and leave it at that? did you really have to start singing it all?? Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat: 3 - wow how shocking. it sounds exactly like every other song before it. Just Like a Woman: 4 - his voice is starting to make me want to throw up. Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I'll Go Mine): 5 - at least it's kind of interesting? Temporary Like Achilles: 4 - yawn. Absolutely Sweet Marie: 3 - maybe I'll just give up on making comments. Fourth Time Around: 4 Obviously Five Believers: 4 Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands: 6 - did it have to be 11 minutes long tho?
Some good ones on here
this is my personal list, so it's one star. I don't care about lyrics in music, and that's really all there is to Bob Dylan.
Here’s Dylan pushing cultural and musical limits with this legendary album. Once you get used to the high-pitch harmonica, you will love the songs.
Not bad, but not particularly fresh or interesting. Recognize a lot of influence that this has had on other musicians (Sixto Rodriguez).
Masterful lyrics and a down home style Memphis blues instrumental.
Band work typically loose for Dylan. Works well on the (in)famous Rainy Day Women; apparently about getting baked, sounds like the band is declining into a ganga-infused stupor -- really, it's about being persecuted, leaving the declining feeling of the song more metaphorical than the average radio exec realized. Pledge My Time feels like a similar blues pastiche but isn't as interesting. Some quality melodic folk entries -- Visions of Johanna has some lovely imagery and Dylan's determined, propulsive strumming that give him such a unique quality as a writer about love. Dylan's vocal delivery, it just be said, is an acquired taste. He writes lovely melodies and is perfectly capable of hitting his notes. His voice tends to have a breathy hoarseness, but that's effective, too. He often ends lines with an unfocused-feeling glissando, sliding down off of the closing note, past the 'blue' note and off into oblivion. Sometimes it's not just the end. Whether he's doing it on purpose to ape the unsophisticated airs of his hero, Guthrie, to disarm the common folk listener and dissuade the snobs or maybe just plain lazy about singing will remain a debate we can all choose to indulge in or not. I choose not to -- that's just what Dylan sounds like. Frankly, I think his protest music remains his most lasting and emotionally-accessible work, but this album is has a well-deserved reputation as a classic of Western popular music. Listen to this with a lyrics sheet at least once, just to see if you buy the hype about Dylan as a poet.
I try every time to give Dylan a chance, however it's not my cup of tea. 3/5
Fantastic Favourite tracks: Visions of Johanna, One of Us Must Know, I Want You, Stuck Inside of Mobile, Just Like a Woman, Sad-Eyed Lady
Wasn’t massive on this one
I listen at work so I miss lyrics and that's where Bob Dylan shines. Just not my cup of tea so much musically
Bob's best album that's not called Blood on the Tracks.
Generally interesting. One of the better ones
This is a masterpiece. Great memories of day drinking in a bar on the Lower East Side 20-some years ago and playing this whole album on the jukebox.
Neis, ddim rili my teapot ond dal yn braf i wrando arno fo siwr
2.5 could’ve been higher if his singing wasn’t SO bad
In my early 20s I would have probably called this my favourite, or at least one of my 5-6 favourite albums. I’m nearly 40 now and my love of Dylan has dimmed slightly - I actually think the brilliance of his lyrics is slightly overstated and his musical output isn’t consistent - but I still love this record. The best songs on here , for me I Want You, Just Like, Sooner Or Later, Sad Eyed Lady… Look I mean I’m a massive softy and make no apologies…are all just tremendous. Subjective opinion: It’s not quite as good an album as Blood on the Tracks, which is just about perfect in terms of song crafting. It’s a 4.75 album for incredible moments and overall good consistency level.
Interesting
Exceptional lyrics, nice songs. I really want to like Dylan, but I can't get past his vocal timbre and delivery.
Dit is normaal gesproken niet mijn genre, maar Bob Dylan blijft geweldig, en dit is helemaal goed. Zulke lekkere nummers
Highlights are Visions, Most Likely, I Want You, 4th… 10/10
you've heard one song, you've heard them all
Haven’t listened yet but will and want to come back and rate.
Fav Songs: Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again Least Fav Songs: Most of the Album
I’m not a Dylan stan, nor a convert after listening to Blonde on Blonde, but I did appreciate this one. Dylan’s take on Rock is strange, it would take Springsteen to truly make the Rock big band work, but what’s important to Dylan’s music are the lyrics and the songwriting, and the guy is on top form here. He writes well and intelligently, with observation and with detail and reference. In fact he really would be the greatest songwriter of all time if he wrote about literally anything else but how much he seems to dislike women. So a star removed for misogyny, but otherwise check this one out.
This does absolutely nothing other than annoy me. For the voice of a generation he sure doesn’t have anything coherent to say.
Not the biggest fan of Bob Dylan.
really enjoyed it, need a relisten. production (or remaster?) is really great
Wow. That’s a lot of harmonica. Clocking in at 73 minutes I figured more songs would sound different. Apparently I was wrong.
One star for the music sans harmonica. I can't fathom how people listen to Dylan's voice and go "Yeah, that's the shit." I'd rather set fire to my face and then try to put it out with a fork than have to suffer through his voice again.
A classic.
AJ: my second favorite Dylan album. So many great songs. Fizzles at points but there’s more than a few tracks that i absolutely love. Now give me Blood on the Tracks.
Pas mal de bangers, n'en déplaise au lobby anti-harmonica
il fait exprès d'être le plus chiant possible en chantant et je trouve pas ça correct ????
I like Bob, c'est sûrement pas mon album pref de lui, mais le son avec l'harmonica plus la voix sur certaines chansons c'est de la bombe. 3 for me
My favorite Bob is electric Bob, but this record still has so many great songs. This is like the precipice before he truly took off as an artist. Great record, ‘I Want You’ might be the dumbest song I’ve ever heard tho.
Loved this album, it just unfortunately suffers from the classic double album dilemma of having just a bit too much fat that could’ve been trimmed (Rainy Day Women opening up dragged a bit towards minute 4, the back half lost my attention a bit in spots) but overall there’s some incredible stuff in here! Who would’ve thought we’d get hit by some genuinely great Pop hooks in One Of Us Must Know or I Want You?! Overall I preferred Highway 61 but there’s a lot to love on here. I’ll just pick and choose my tracks in the future instead of tackling it as a whole.
i liked this a lot during the first few songs, and then i got sick of bob dylans voice towards the middle and then i enjoyed it again towards the end because i forgot about his voice. its too long.
Missing a big single, but overall just a consistent album. I really enjoyed the journey, and surprisingly Bob’s voice did not get on my nerves
Classic Dylan
best dylan record.
I've been a big Dylan fan since I first heard him and this one is a classic. I listen to this one a lot on my own. It's just great, incredibly songwriting throughout and such a great quality to the production. It's got to be a 5/5. Standout Tracks: Rainy Day Women #12 & 35, Pledging My Time, Visions of Johanna, One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later), I Want You, Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again, Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat, Just Like a Woman, Most Likely You Go Your Way and I'll Go Mine, Temporary Like Achilles, Absolutely Sweet Marie, 4th Time Around, Obviously 5 Believers, Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands
Dylan = Vinilo
Might as well have been called "Bob Dylan sings the Blues". But still, this was a surprisingly OK listen, given that I usually can't get into Dylan at all. 3/5
this album is an impenetrable wall to me no matter how or how often i try i just cannot get through even like two songs of this. i’m waving a white flag.
I grew up on Dylan and this album is of course one of those things that played and formed my taste going forward. It’s a great album and one that I could listen to many times but I rarely go back these days.
Bit boring
makes me wanna smoke weed
Great album
Hate bob Dylan
One of his best for sure.
Four simply for the excellent use of harmonica
it’s like folk-rock’s Ulysses or something. the sheer literary weight of this album is overbearing. like most great Dylan albums—and this is surely among the best if not the best—it cannot be appreciated in just one Tuesday. I’d like some singer—Jacob? DJ?—to explain to me why Dylan sings the way he does; always rising at the end of words. Is that a known technique? Does it just build tension and/or keep a song afloat when it might otherwise feel long-winded? In any event I love this album. That these songs can be enjoyed even without listening to the lyrics is evidence of its greatness. And what the lyrics hold is even greater.
Echoing Charlie completely… how unfair is it that we get one day to absorb Blonde on Blonde. This feels like speed-reading that Shakespeare play you were assigned in high school, the night before a pop quiz. It’s a real book we’ve got here. I never got Bob Dylan until I was 29 years old. The year I started listening to the words the musicians were saying. As for Dylan, the nut finally cracked for me with Time Out Of Mind, one whose production drew me in enough, made me play it enough, that I had to listen in. And whenever I do listen in— which is not my forte— I find layers of play and irony and sarcasm and valor and archetype. Real mythic stuff. It’s gonna be a long time before I hit the center of this one. It’s like a book you want to read slowly, to savor the ending. 5/5
/Stuck inside of Mobile/, absolute banger, suffirait à donner un 5 à elle seule, mais en plus y'a tout le reste de l'album qui est superbe.
Toujours bien (mais à quand du leonard cohen pour compenser ?) J'aime beaucoup ce Dylan là, avec beaucoup d'harmonica, et pas mal de chansons que j'aime bien sur cet album
Listened to it while Im on the trunk of my dad’s car on a Sunday morning, 10/10 experience would do it again
Might be the best album of all time. Some songs are comforting, some songs are sad, some songs are thought provoking and some songs are just hilarious. One has to listen this album more than once to really understand what's going on here. Also I'm not a long time dylan fan so in the span of 4 months I probably listened this more than 10 times and I discover something new everytime I listen it.
I've never given Bob Dylan a good listen before. I guess I've always been intimidated. I was both excited and nervous to see this album show up. I have a difficult time interpreting poetry and poetic lyrics like on some (not all) of these songs. I think it is important to remember that albums like these are meant to be listened to over and over again, and a single listen doesn't do it justice. I really like the blues/folk sound, and Dylan's voice does a great job of carrying these songs over the surprisingly strong compositions. I did not find myself wanting to skip any tracks, and was surprised at how fast the listen felt. 4.5* rounded to 4.
new meme dropped: a cat paw on the back of bob dylan's hand. it's time to stop playing the harmonica. george harrison did a better cover of "absolutely sweet marie".
I've lost count of the number of Dylan albums I've heard on this project. Still don't enjoy him. This particular album was a harmonica-filled fever dream.
Lots of different vibes in one album.
Another Dylan banger
Ei
Syksyinen levy, Visions of Johanna on hieno.
Aluksi vähän tylsää, mutta lopussa aloin pitämään tästä enemmän ja enemmän. Hyvää kaljottelumusaa.
Many call this his greatest album. While I agree its great, it isn't his best in my opinion. Track By Track Review: Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 - A fun song to start with. Nothing amazing or awful. Very fun as I mentioned. Good humour. 7/10 Pledging My Time - Forgettable. I'm always surprised when this plays. It also feels like a chore to listen to. 5/10 Visions Of Johanna - A better Song than the other 2. It's vocally pleasing. Lyrically, it's quite intricateand amazing. 7.5/10 One Of Us Must Know (Sooner Or Later) - A favourite of mine. An absolute gem in the album. A classic 60's rock song. It is one of my favorite Dylan songs. 8/10 I Want You - Another one I forget about, but absolutely love listening to. It's a great song vocally and lyrically. I reccomend giving this a listen. 7.5/10 Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again - My favorite on the album. Lyrically it's extremely intricate and at times quite funny. This is another song I reccomend everyone listens to. This song will likely appear on my spotify wrapped. Very amazing song. It's near 10 minutes long but doesn't feel like it. 10/10 Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat - Dylan really uses humour here on this less than serious track. It's a fun song. There isn't much else to say. 7/10 Just Like A Woman - My Nan's favorite. This song is vocally pleasing. The instrumentals are beautiful. Possibly more drug references here (Verse 2.) A very good, well rounded song. No hate here. 7/10 Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I'll Go Mine) - It's alright. I like how Dylan uses his voice here. 6.5/10 Temporary Like Achilles - Again, it's aight. A bit worse than the previous and very forgettable. 6/10 Absolutely Sweet Marie - I like this one more. Quite interesting lyrically. It's sonically pleasing. 7.5/10 Fourth Time Around - A pattern has occurred. I do not remember this song. It's actually quite good. It's sonically pleasing. Lyrically great too. 7/10 Obviously Five Believers - Sounds like it'd be a better fit on Bringing It All Back Home. It isn't bad at all, but doesn't quite fit here. It's a nice enough song. I do like it. 6.5/10 Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands - A beautiful song dedicated to his then partner Sara Lownds. An 11 minute ballad that feels like a whole journey. It's a masterclass in not trading length for good writing. An amazing end to the album. 9.5/10 Final Thoughts: It's mostly really good. A few forgettable songs, but mostly amazing. The highs are high, and so are the lows. An overrated album for sure, but not a bad one. My overall ranking is: 7.3/10. Very Good.
It doesn't sound bad, but for me is like a giant book of poetry with some guitar and some more instruments. A little bit boring
Good album, wasn’t really my thing but didn’t turn it off.
This is the quintessential Dylan album for me. Some truly amazing songs, some fabulous lyrics, and a little bit too much harmonica when I listen to it all at one go.
Thoroughly enjoyed this. Think I listened to this once years ago but it didn’t really click then, but I’m beginning to buy into the hype more now. It is a bit long, and this style can get repetitive, but it grows and grows and he does this so well. Lyrically, he’s got to be up there with the best. Standouts for me being: Stuck inside of a mobile…, just like a women, I want you, Fourth Time Around. Will definitely be back to this
I don't know Dylan that well, his iconic songs are great and I've always wanted to dig into his catalogue a bit. This album wasn't really for me. It was too long, not very interesting and his voice was starting to annoy me by the end. I assume this was an early album and he hadn't settled on his sound yet? Some flashes of good stuff in there but I'm hoping for some of his bigger albums to come up.
My dad is a big Bob Dylan fan. This one rings a bell from growing up. Didn't mind it at all, flew by. "Stuck Inside..." was the standout for me, but I also greatly enjoyed "Visions of Johanna". I have to say I prefer his folksy politics stuff, but this album is incredibly solid.
I had not listened to much Bob Dylan before, it had a lot more harmonica than I expected. As people rave about Bob I felt like I needed to give this a proper listen. For me it almost hits that middle ground where I can appreciate it but not enjoy. However, his voice is so whiny and annoying it loses a star just for that. Highlights: Rainy Day Women Most Likely You Go Your Way Obviously Five Believers
Taken over 250 albums to get our first Dylan album, there must be many more on the list. Never heard this album, but knew the hits; rainy day woman, I want you, and just like a woman. Overall this was great, as I expected. However, very harmonica heavy, moreso than I was expecting. Visions of Johanna was the standout that I didn't know already. Suck inside a mobile with the Memphis blues again is also great, but I swear that is on another of his albums too. 4.5, as I think he has albums I prefer but it's getting 5 anyway. Poetry
3.5
Ass
This has been my least favorite of his "electric period" for a long time, but I now think it's his pinacle. It just has more of everything and in this particular case, more is better. It's ambitious but lazy, it's chaotic but focused, it's cocky but passionate. It's everything.
An almost flawless offering from the nasal-voice master in person!
Amongst my favorite Dylan's albums. This is an exquisite masterpiece of art in folk music. Very ambitious release for year 1966. The fanfare/bigband opener is so memorable, funny and remarquable for that style. In high contrast, the closer of this epic singer-songwriter journey is more of an introspective long poetic piece.
His "singing" just gets so samey after a while. But the songs/lyrics are definitely strong.
Bob has his place for sure but I can only handle his singing for a couple songs before tapping out. I also feel the same about harmonica in a song sooooo...
Before this album, I lumped Bob Dylan into that group of musicians that old-heads really liked, but were dull in a modern age. However, after living with this album in my life for almost a year now, it has become increasingly obvious how wrong I was. There are a couple duds on this album, yes, but almost every other track here is folk bliss, with Dylan's lyrics being so astounding that you get wrapped up in trying to translate them, only to come out of each song with a different connection than another may have had to the song, and only his vocals could make these songs sound as earnest as they are written. There's heartbreak and strife, playful whimsy, and everything in-between to rock your world with each new track, and you're still getting some of the best songs over an hour in; front loaded album, this is not. Hell, by your third or fourth time around (hehe) you'll start to take to even the lesser tracks, as they still outmatch all of Dylan's contemporaries, as does his harmonica, which is perhaps the only time where I don't find the instrument grating, rather I wanna pick one up myself. If you have to attach yourself to one double album, you'd be hard-pressed to find one better than this, and I'm just astounded that something like this can totally flip my beliefs on a musician and even a genre. Its that good. Final note, Dylan's voice is actually fantastic, and anytime I see a post online criticizing it I want to keel over and cry.
It’s my least listened to album of Dylan’s so called rock trilogy as it’s the longest entry, but not a single minute is wasted. Great record.
This dude has a Nobel Prize in Literature and it’s plainly obvious why when you listen to Blonde on Blonde. “Pledging My Time” is an all-time great blues song, and the desperation Bob seems to have in hoping that the listener can make it through life (without his help) is really touching (side note: this song is also a masterclass in harmonica). “Visions of Johanna” is one of the only songs on this album I’d heard before; this was the first time I’d ever really listened to the lyrics and they are pitifully sad, Louise gets absolutely shit on and I am once again extremely impressed by Dylan’s writing, no surprises there.
It’s rare for an artist’s “sound” or “persona” to be tied to one particular album when they are as influential as Bob Dylan. Is the definitive Beatles Sgt Pepper’s or Abbey Road? Is the definitive Stones Let It Bleed or Exile on Main Street? Is the definitive Springsteen Born to Run or Born in the USA? For none of these questions is the answer clear, if any of these questions has an answer at all. But for all the incredible albums Bob Dylan has given us, Blonde On Blonde is the definitive Bob Dylan, no questions asked. Highway 61 Revisited is whimsical at times, especially in its title track, but as soon as “Rainy Day Women #12 & 35” kicks off, we can tell something is different from his previous work. The lines “When the jester sang for the king and queen / In a coat he borrowed from James Dean” from Don McLean’s “American Pie” may have been inspired by The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, but I could be convinced that his image as a jester comes from Blonde On Blonde’s opening track. “Visions of Johanna” takes a sharp turn toward the pace that Dylan’s greatest songs will always be known for with its five verses and slowly unwinding story arc, and makes clear that his immaculate songwriting of 1965 would not soon regress. “One of Us Must Know” is one of the most underrated songs in his catalog and one of my personal favorites of his, especially with its dance between the harmonica and the guitar and its battle between the piano and the organ. “Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again” is the record’s token tribute to his Mississippi River roots, and may be the most Dylan-esque song of the most Dylan-esque album. “Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat” is the intellectual’s musical interpretation of a monkey with cymbals doing backflips, and for some reason reminds me of my senior year driveway at the northeast corner of Kirby and Gramercy. I’ll give props to Professor Scott Derrick’s class focused solely on Bob Dylan for that one. “Fourth Time Around” almost sounds medieval (so maybe this one actually inspired McLean’s jester comparison?), and is one of the funniest, most bizarre love songs you’ll ever hear. You could be forgiven for claiming “Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands” is too long, but like “Desolation Row” from Highway 61 Revisited, the piece is one of the most well-written songs of all time. I will say there is one notable omission from the recording sessions that didn’t make it onto the final record. “I’ll Keep It with Mine,” which never made it on a studio album at all, is one of my personal Dylan favorites and one of his most heartfelt ballads. In contrast to his usual long-form poetic style, the lyrics get straight to the point with straightforward lines like “You will search, babe / At any cost / But how long, Babe / Can you search for what is not lost?” Maybe the song’s relative simplicity didn’t seem to fit with the rest of the album. While not quite to the extent of Highway 61 Revisited, the album is still reminiscent of the era’s Beatnik writers; some, if not most, of the tracks are nearly impossible to decipher if they’re intended to be decipherable at all. Either way, there are a select few records I could be convinced are the greatest ever. Without a doubt, Blonde On Blonde is one of them. I considered going to see Bob Dylan play when he was in Houston last year. While some artists age like fine wine (Exhibit A: The Rolling Stones), many others wilt like neglected flowers far before their day is done. By no fault of his own Bob Dylan is one of those “many others,” so I played hooky on my favorite solo artist to ever live. If I can trick myself into thinking he always has and always will sound like Blonde On Blonde, I think I made the right decision.
No joke this is how I was introduced to Bob Dylan's voice and style: https://youtu.be/31PyIgA6K94 I didn't even remember the reference until I heard this album. I had not listened to a Bob Dylan album before and I enjoyed what I heard. It can be tough for me to absorb the lyrics of an album my first time around but I appreciate his story telling ability. Great album.
Classic
Very nice chill songs
Really not a fan.
Probably one of Dylan's most iconic and accessible albums of any time period.
Obviously I'm missing something here, but it does absolutely nothing for me. Hopefully the 6 other Bob Dylan albums won't be this excruciating.
Bob Dylan has never been more Bob Dylan than this: a bunch of long songs with weird lyrics crooned in an ugly nasal whiny voice. On paper that sounds kinda terrible, yet I really really like this album. For one thing I just think Dylan’s an excellent songwriter, winning a Nobel Prize for his craft for good reason. For another thing the instrumentation and arrangements are really expert stuff, thanks in no small part to the Nashville session musicians who worked on the album. And then the last track is, for my money, one of his greatest songs and worth all 11 minutes… though it is, you know, 11 minutes, so your mileage may vary. Best song: Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands
Sounds like what I would call classic Dylan.
Whilst his voice doesn't exactly grate me, I do find it annoying and it does sour me on what is some quite beautiful song writing for me. Defs harsh but a 3.5 for me. Fav track: just like a woman
Never dived deep into Bobbo, but I know I like the pared back folk style a little better from him - I think his vocals fit better there. His voice is silly! Sorry but it is! Not a bad thing but there's definite silliness there. Anyway I quite liked this, his lyrical talent is undeniable, and I think that's the biggest strength of this record. Couple I'll be returning to for that reason. Three and a half. Fave track: One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later)
A triumph of Dylan’s songwriting, exhibiting clever and poignant tracks one after another that continue to grow on me to this day. Fave track: Visions of Johanna
I’ve always thought that Dylan is at his best when someone else is performing his work, and this album did nothing to change that impression. Well written songs filtered through Dylan’s grating vocals and layered with distracting and unnecessary harmonica.
I liked it but it’s not my favourite bob dylan album 4/5
memfis bloos
Some ok songs, a couple of cool sounding blues rock ditties and the rest sounds like sitting out the front of Mcdonalds at 2:30am on a Friday night listening to Jimmy the forklift driver who is pissed at a turnip shower me with a rain of half eaten quarter-pounder as he enthusiastically tells me about the best crypto currency he has just invested into.
Masterpiece.
Is this even a question?
I will admit two things simultaneously. I am not particularly a Dylan fan. That said, it's impossible to have a grounding in popular music, particularly folk and/or music from the 1960s, without picking up a few albums and having some favorite tunes. Most Dylan albums therefore end up feeling a bit like a collection of "greatest hits" with some filler added in for good measure. This is one of those. Several absolutely classic tunes, several deep cuts. Dylan's voice is strong on this recording. I was debating rating it three vs. four and ultimately chose three as I suspect I wouldn't listen to this record again under normal circumstances. (I'm a lot more likely to grab a live album.)
Better than I expected for Dylan. Not his best work but definitely nice and captures my attention. Stuck Inside...is a brilliant song.
Listened to it once yesterday whilst deep in concentration on some work stuff, and it kind of washed over me, didn't take any of it in. Listened again this morning and was much more impressed. All the usual Dylan criticisms apply; his voice isn't great and the way he inflects his voice is weird and a bit annoying, but the storytelling is great, he combines some pretty cutting snarkiness with really tender moments and it's a really good listen (barring a couple of tracks that are a bit too on the nose). I don't enjoy Dylan enough to give it a 5, but it's definitely a 4.
autism be damned my boy absolutely rips on the harmonica. astronomically high high points and just meh low points, they aren't bad in any way, just not particularly interesting compared to the absolute doozies on this. fav songs: visions of johanna, i want you, stuck inside of mobile with the memphis blues again, just like a woman, absolutely sweet marie, fourth time around, sad eyed lady of the lowlands.
Favorite song: Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat The albums style grew on my quite a bit, especially about midway through the album. His lyrics remind of nursery rhymes in a weird way
Was ok
bob dylan meh
Classic Dylan, not really my thing
aaaaaayyyyy wats all dis it sez blonde on blonde and insteda uh lotsa naked chicks doin' all i got was some maroon singing all about his feelins or somtin aayyyyyy
Good album, found it kind of samey though. Apparently I already listened to it before, but I don’t remember it, so that’s something
okay I finally get Dylan, I think, some great tracks
Perfect
Bob Dylan the songwriter, lyricist and poet: immaculate. Bob Dylan the performer, singer and guitar player: amateur at best. That's a shame because most of the underlying themes are strong. The problem is, no one but Dylanophiles can fully understand what he's saying and the music, while tightly played, sounds ripped from many blues takes and classics. In my opinion, a product of the time, and a classic for those who already have it in their rotation.
His voice becomes cumbersome after like 5 songs.
His Bobness. You either like him or you don’t. I do. Rating the albums serves little purpose as they all form part of a journey.
I don't get it. I think you must have been there when it was new to fully appreciate it. Favorite song: I want you.
5th Dylan album for me on 1001 albums, after 4 mediocre ones finally a 5* one, the songs, atmosphere, voice, lyrics, all is brilliant. My 1st Dylan album was the great Desire, where in Sara he sang about being in the Chelsea Hotel, "singing Sing Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands: for you. Hope Desire will also be coming in the 1001 list.
This is in the all-time top 10 album, classic lyrics and songwriting.
Syön tämän ennen kuin saan levyn valmiiksi. Tämä on kauheaa. Minua tekee kipeää kuunnella. Jos haluaisin kuunnella Muppetia, katsoisin jotain Jim Hensonilta. Tämä on huono. Lisäksi olen yleensä huuliharppufani, mutta tällä albumilla on monia hetkiä, jotka näyttävät ärsyttävän minua loputtomasti. Kaveri, haluatko laulaa vai puhua? Tee päätös! En pitänyt siitä niin paljon, eikä musiikkikaan ollut mitään erikoista. 5/5 toiseksi paras bob album temporary like achilles
Oh man, I love me some Rainy Day Women #12 & 35. Never really understood the title, but the song exudes a fuck-it attitude and I'm kind of amazed it made it on wax. Out of tune horns with a drum stomp and lyrics that can be summed up as you're damned if you do, damned if you don't -- lets just get stoned. Five songs in now. Lots of harmonica (as expected) and some pretty song structures in general (especially I Want You). But I generally just don't find myself caring all that much. As this continues on, my position is unchanged. Maybe its just my mood at the moment, but I really don't care. Fine songs, but doesn't move me. I'm a soft 3 here.
Harmonica is craaazy
It's Dylan. What else is there to say.
Ég er þeirrar skoðunar að þetta sé besta Dylan-platan, amk. er ég þeirrar skoðunar í dag. Og mér finnst það ennfremur mikið hrós.
his vocal cadence always reminded me of a child trying to explain his crayon drawing to a group of adults
It was good just not my type of music
I used to really like Bob Dylan, but I also used to smoke a lot of pot.
what an amazing dylan record. one of my favs.
Now the preacher looked so baffled When I asked him why he dressed With twenty pounds of headlines Stapled to his chest But he cursed me when I proved it to him Then I whispered Not even you can hide You see, you’re just like me I hope you’re satisfied Oh, Mama, can this really be the end To be stuck inside of Mobile With the Memphis blues again Everybody must get stoned? I couldnt agree more. 5/5
This is a good album for #100 since I love Bob Dylan and don't really have anything new to say about him. My review of the whole project so far: it's pretty clear that white boomers compiled this list - so much classic rock. I like classic rock, but I feel like it's over represented. I haven't gotten a single country album - I realize it's not a "cool" genre, but there's so much good stuff out there; maybe I'll get 900 country albums from here on. Overall, though, I have been enjoying the project. I have found some artists that I had never heard of and now really love, and I'm excited to keep on with it. Despite the prevalence of rock, I have discovered a new love of jazz and rekindled my love of funk
it's ok, too much harmonica. does this list really need 5 Bob Dylan albums? Was almost like a parody of folk music, however i guess this is the guy they parody. 2
Great!
4.75
5/5 The voice isn’t great, but these songs are something else. That it’s just one album, wow! Because for most artists this would be enough to make a career.
Meh
I don't get it. Something slow and interesting. I don't remeber anything from all songs. Maybe my English is soooo bad.
I regret checking how many Bob Dylan albums are there. This one is slightly better than the previous one (still insufferable)
dislike
I'm still not a big fan but I can respect the lyrics (mostly). I won't be seeking him out but I won't automatically shut him off in the future.
Still don't like Bob Dylan
Didn’t love this. A few standout songs but overall I found it a bit rambling and frustrating to listen to.
Great songwriter, but really have to be in the mood for Dylan. He's difficult
4.8 bob dylan er nice
Que les gens qui aiment Dylan viennent devant ma porte demain matin pour que je leur renverse un sceau de pisse depuis le premier étage.
Dylan je vais te foutre ton harmonica dans le cul tiens le toi pour dit.
This was my favorite album all of Fall 2016. I listened to it every single day on my commute from Frederick to Baltimore during my final semester of college. The surreal lyricism, the arrangements with Robbie Robertson and some of the members the Band, Al Kooper's organ wailing across most of the tracks- it all still holds up for me. This album is perfect for driving down uncrowded American roadways on a bright, crisp Autumn morning or late afternoon. No doubt there are some songs you just have to get through. Rainy Day Women is probably the worst album opener of all time, and followed by Pledging my Time wouldn't sell me on sticking it out if I was listening to this for the first time. But even the songs that are sillier like Leopard-Skin Pillbox Hat are great- "It balance on your head just like a mattress balances on a bottle of wine" is a hysterical visual, and the ripping blues guitar makes a song that is pretty dumb and makes it enjoyable. Once you get to Visions of Johanna, it's mostly up. Visions, One of Us Most Know, I Want You, and Stuck Inside of Mobile are incredible. If you do listen to this in the fall like I said, you'll understand instantly why I Want You was the main falling in love song in I'm Not There when Heath Ledger and the Charlotte Gainsbourg are riding the motorcycle through the country side. If you replaced one of the blues songs with Positively Fourth Street, a single released during this same area and probably the most clever and cutting "Go Fuck Yourself" song in Dylan's catalogue, it would elevate this album. But even without it, the "thin, wild mercury sound" across most of the tracks, transports. Best moments: The 4-song stretch between Visions of Johanna and Stuck in Mobile. And if you made it through the first 9 minutes of Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands, the final 2 minute harmonica outro.
Blonde on Blonde isn’t my favorite of his (still top 3) but it definitely feels like the closest he ever got to fulfilling his vision as an artist. It’s filled with surreal stories, circus like characters and instrumentals at times, a bright soulful sound, and underneath the layers of sarcasm some of his most tender songs like visions of Johanna. There’s some albums like this one that aren’t punk albums but embody that rebellious spirit and go against all expectations. At this point, Dylan was well into being hated by the folk community for going electric and rather than pulling back he doubles down on it and ditches New York all together for Nashville and writes a collection of even more long winded songs in a style that owes nothing to the New York folk scene. A lot of the songs are filled with sarcasm and take slight digs at the materialism and fake activism of the New York scene but they don’t come off as harsh as songs off of Highway 61. The humor of many songs sound more like Dylan accepting that severed tie rather than having as much anger towards it. I definitely appreciated this album more this time listening to it and enjoyed going deeper into the lyrics. Even without driving into the lyrics the album has a unique sound that has great musicianship but still sounds very loose. Also I read pats review first and totally disagree about the album opener. Rainy day women is awesome. 👍: visions of Johanna, just like a woman, one of us must know
Bob Dylan, the man who dared to be silly. At first his vocal inflections were annoying but very quickly they grew on me, I started to ~get~ what he was doing. I did just crush a yerbamate so I am slightly just buzzin off caffeine, a clearer minded take is soon to come.. So now it is 7 in the morning, and those vibes are not nearly as enjoyable. What was once silly fun is now annoying as shit. I am a man of serious taste and discretions, Bob dylan is NOT for me
I think bob Dylan has some good songs but I’ve never been the biggest fan of his. This was my fist time listening to a full album tho. I like unique vocal deliveries so that’s not my problem with his. I think my problem is the lack of strong melodies and sometimes boring compositions. I’ve found that I don’t have the attention span needed for actively listening to lyrics so I know some of his songwriting gets lost on me. Also some of the harmonica was kind of piercing on headphones so that was annoying but not his fault really. That being said, I did like this album. He’s obviously a good songwriter and there weren’t a lot of low points. I really liked the guitar tone on “stuck inside of mobile”. Blues sound on obviously five believers goes hard. High 3- low 4 for me. Leaning 3. Best: stuck inside of mobile, one of us must know, obviously five believers, sad eyed lady of the lowlands (too long but good) Tom asked the other day if I was ever gonna do a non-vocal MMM and todays the day— MMM: the harmonica melody in between the verses on obviously five believers.
Interesting, but Dylan's voice is getting tiresome to listen to. Much better as one-off songs.
It took me a bit of time to come around on this album. It's not that I didn't like the album, but I had heard "Blood on the Tracks" and a lot of his hits before I dove into "Blonde on Blonde." Eventually, I got used to the longer songs and realized this is an all-time classic. Would I trim it by a few songs to make a more concise album? Probably, though I know that is sacrilege. Mostly, this album deserves five stars for his hair on the cover that inspired every other rock star for the next 45 years who wanted "messy, but made up" hair.
Reluctant 4 stars. This has such a great depth in the lyrics and yet has Dylan as the singer. Some of the best harmonica work ever recorded
Not my favorite of Dylan's stuff, 3.8.
The songwriting is amazing. The arrangements are amazing. The voice is not quite siren on a retired emergency vehicle yet. All this leads to an easy 5 star Bob Dylan album. Favorite tracks: Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues, Absolutely Sweet Marie
Rainy Day Women and Just Like a Woman are classics, but for as accomplished and revered a song writer as Dylan, I wasn’t impressed with most of the tracks musicality. Lyrically it’s probably worthy of all awards possible, but his voice is repulsive and droning. 3.2/5
It’s classic Dylan, and I’m not mad at it. But I’m a fan of the hits. And his Christmas record, but that’s my own business.
Not on the level of Highway 61 or Bringing it all Back Home; there's the seed of the annoyingly nasal and rambly persona he eventually adopted in here. It's still decent, but not the same
I’m finding that the book of 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die is far too heavily saturated with Bob Dylan. I understand that people like his music, but do we really need so many different albums? None of his music has blown me away so far, so I’ll admit going into this album already somewhat exasperated. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: I Want You That has probably been my favourite Bob Dylan album in terms of the music itself, but my least favourite for the vocals. His strange talk-singing is so very annoying on here, seemingly more so than the other albums I’ve heard. I’d probably have quite enjoyed this if it was purely instrumental, but his voice ruins it for me. And for that reason, I’ll likely not be returning to this again. Musically, it’s fun. Vocally, it’s hellish.
It's impressive that Bob Dylan is so successful in music with a voice this horrible
I don't have the greatest grasp on Dylan in terms of where the lines are between his different phases and artistic personas. There is a lot of mythologizing that goes in to him, particularly the earlier eras that were more than 50 years ago now. That being said this is a rock record recording with a rock band as backing musicians, so it seems this is post Dylan going electric. A lot of very well known songs on here, and the rest of the record has a swing to it that gives it a drive. I am guessing if I listened to this a lot more I'd think it was phenomenal. Obviously a great record.
I do like Bob Dylan but wouldn’t really want to listen to this album so much.
As far as a Bobby album goes, this is good and that’s all I have to say about that
I’m sorry Jared its just too much harmonica sometimes 2.5/5
I’ve listened to this album more than I can count. His voice is terrible, the harmonica is grating, yet it draws me back again and again with its lyrics and authenticity.
Sí, la cultura popular está llena de advertencias acerca de este disco. Lo tomas o lo dejas. A mí me ha gustado. Incluye varias canciones que ya había escuchado antes, pero nunca me había dado el tiempo de hacerlo en formato disco.
I'm eating this before I even finish the album. This is dreadful. I thought it was annoying enough suffering through Elvis' drawl on the previous album, but this was much worse. It pains me to listen through. If I wanted to listen to a Muppet I would watch something from Jim Henson. This is bad. Also, I'm usually a fan of the harmonica, but there's many moments on this album that it seems to irritate me to no end.
Até que é bom, mas odeio Bob Dylan
The first song or two I felt like this would be an album I would really enjoy, but every son from there on our was pretty much the same. I understand this would have been some wild music at the time but it just stuck to the same few progressions the whole way through
Obviously
Great great album, one of the greats my dad showed my early on in life. Incredible songs on this album including Stuck in Mobile, what a perfect song. Very good album! Can’t wait to see more on this list!
I tried. I mean I really tried. Trust me I tried. I tried so hard. But I just can't get over that voice. Sorry Bob.
Some ok Dylan songs on here. Not my favorite album, but not terrible either. Solid 3. Lotta of Dylan singing like Dylan on this one
As I proved multiple times previously, I'm not a fan of Bob Dylan's music. He is a great lyricist, and he has a unique, groundbreaking style, but I just don't enjoy listening tocany of his albums. Blonde on Blonde is not an exception to this rule. I'm not a fan of this type of blues, and definitely I'm not a fan of Dylan's style of singing. That's it.
Bob was an accomplished singer songwriter, I'd say I liked the songs and not the singing.... and bit less harmonica wouldn't go amiss.
I tried but I can’t stand Bob Dylan
Have listened to this one a lot, Visions of Johanna has always been one of my favourite Bob Dylan songs and the whole album is great
Prob the greatest double album ever. Chock full of epic BD tunes at his peak. Brilliant.
I mean, this is a classic album with classic songs. And I like it. But I really can’t stand Dylan’s voice 🤣
3,7
Amazing!
*on listened up until track 10* Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Yeah, he’s a charming and brilliant vocalist, just a shame for me me personally that he needs the harmonica ever present in his production Favourite song: Track 9 - Most Likely Go Your Own Way (and I’ll Go Mine)
Rock's first double album fuelled by ego, amphetamines, cheap red win and speedballs. Dylan's final album in the first of his many trilogy of albums. What a way to bow out of his electric trilogy. This album is fucking epic, Salvation Army songs winking about drugs, torch songs, epic poems, T.S. Eliot style imagery, blues, rock and of course that thin, wild mercury sound. This is as close as we're going to get to try and understand what was going through his Bobness's head at this point in time. After this he took some time off by breaking his neck in a motorcycle accident. If you don't like it or at least appreciate it then why are you even listening to music in the first place? Best Tracks: Visions of Johanna; One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later); I Want You
One of Dylan's classic albums, but lacking in the energy and flying by the seat of his pants feel in better albums like Highway 61 and Bringing It All Back Home. Cool that some members of the Band are on it, but not nearly as much fire as Bloomfield brought to the earlier albums. Memphis Blues and Pillbox Hat are highlights, and Sad Eyed Lady is one of his best and most underrated songs. Everybody must get stoned.
Great song writing, I would like to go back and listen again while looking at all of the lyrics. Not the greatest voice in my opinion, but overall a solid listen. Never listened to much Bob Dylan before, and this album is not strong enough to change that.
wouldnt change a thing about this album. perfect to listen to on an afternoon stroll
Such an iconic voice and lyrics. I really want a leopard-skinned pill-box hat The harmonic fucks
Everybody must get stoned. There are some sweet guitars on this one that don't necessarily stand out but absolutely make some of these songs for me. I have never wanted a Leopard-Skin Pill-Box hat more.
It's mostly nice. I've always been a bit lukewarm on Bob Dylan, not sure why
Why, just why so much harmonica?
I guess this is supposed to be Dylan's opus? I generally like Dylan but found this almost a chore to get through. This is the fifth I've reviewed in the first 200 albums. I didn't find this to be remarkably different than his other albums.
- 2.5 - Moderate vibes - A little long, but enjoyable enough to listen to
- Sometimes his singing is more like a strained version of spoken word - Strong storytelling - blues rock that makes you want to tap your foot
Musically a fun folk journey led by Dylan's meandering, drawn out vocals. Elements of jazz throughout. Standout is "Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again."
Rainy Day Women #12&35- Full of energy, really like this one 👍 Pledging my time- Catchy 👍 Visions of Johanna- Very interesting lyrics, with a good melody 👍 One of us must know- High intensity song, love the instrumental in the background 👍 I want you- Slightly generic, but probably one of the catchiest Bob songs I’ve heard 👍 Stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues again- I like the chorus, but a few too many extraneous verses Leopard skin pillbox hat- One of the less engaging Dylan tales Just like a woman- This works, sets scene well 👍 Temporary Achilles Absolutely Sweet Marie, 4th time around- 👍 Obviously Five Believers- quite generic bob song here Sad-eyed Lady of The Lowlands- this is where Bob loses me, just another level of meandering and plodding I liked this album for the most part, I think the first half is definitely stronger though. 4/5
22nd March 2023 Listened on the way to and back from finding out we’re having a boy! First Rita show in the evening which was great. Can get a bit lost in the intricacies of Dylan’s lyricism but the no denying the guys genius.
Rigtig godt. Nogle sange lidt for lange - han kan godt lide gentagelser. Teksterne fortjener helt klart et genlyt herfra.
Was a struggle to get through. Nothing to excite you and each track is needlessly long
He can’t sing for shit and the guitar and harmonica makes my ears bleed but the songs r gr8.
Should have been called "The Best of Bob Dylan" - flawless.
One of Dylan’s best. Never really liked rainy day women but the rest is essential.
Dude, willst du singen oder sprechen? Entscheide dich! Das hat mir nicht so gefallen und die Musik war auch nichts besonderes.
I didn’t like this at all. The harmonica or whatever instrument that was at the beginning put me off. Skipped the all the songs at the beginning and hadn’t had the will to continue to listen…I’m sorry
But I thought this was meant to be good? Like one of the best albums ever?
Boring old man chats
It's almost archetypical Dylan. It's the sounds you hear when you imagina a Dylan album. As you might imagine, it's really good, it is 50% guaranteed entries to his greatest hits, and 50% dense lyrical loveliness like Visions of Johanna.
Chido
Two stars for Visions of Johanna but a ton of skips
A couple of good tracks, but most are just a whining Jewish-American intellectual.
Not typically a Dylan fan but this album has some great tunes underscoring the lyricism which is normally what I find lacking.
1,5
It's Bob frickin' Dylan, mans a legend. but I will note I feel certain tracks would hit better if I was under the influence of drugs/alcohol.
7th and final Bob Dylan album
The raw early sound has been replaced by a more mature and refined delivery, supported by a full band (some excellent session musicians). The songs on this double album are among his best and Dylan is as wry as ever. At times, it quite a mellow listen. An instant classic.
Great stuff, wish hed give up on the ol harmonica mind. Kinda ruins the songs as it sounds all weasly and suc. Lyrically hits the throat like a razor.
Fine songwriting, just ruined with his whining voice and harmonica nonsense
Ugh. Why is Bob Dylan doing a dodgy Bob Dylan impression for this whole album. It reminds me of sitting around in a campsite with my mother's tedious hippy friend.
...and I'm back to feeling my bloody boil every time I hear that damned harmonica!
Mmh
9/10 it had been wayyyyy too long since i listened to dylan.
9/10. Always glad to get a Bob Dylan album.
I think I’d place this in the second tier of Dylan on this list, below Free Wheelin’ and Highway 61, and just a bit under Blood on the Tracks. It could move up to a 9 upon further listening, but for now it’s an 8/10.
I know this in an influential record, and I like Dylan, I just can't listen to the whole thing straight.
4.5
Score: 30 Album art: 50 I want to fucking die ThIIIs albUuum sUUUcks. If you're annoyed at how I typed that sentence then congratulations, you know what listening to this fucker sing for an hour is like. As much as I love hearing completely off key vocals set to endless verses with harmonica mixed at the fucking top of the mix, I'm very glad it's over. First couple songs are terrible. The faster paced songs liked the death grips one and obviously five believers are actually pretty decent. Especially on the latter song, Dylans singing actually matches the song and it isn't bad. Any slower, ballad type songs had me frantically searching my surroundings for a loaded gun. I cannot stand the constant ebb and flow of his vocal volume. He also never shuts up, and almost no songs have a chorus. The song will end the same way its starts regardless of length. If you aren't here for lyrics or harmonica, well then that's too bad. Not really related to this album but I'm also pissed this loser takes up 1% of this entire album list. He ain't that important, let's get some more variety please. I want to give this album a 1 but I wont because I know it's not truly that bad. The writing is interesting, and if you're here for that I can see why you could enjoy this more. But this isn't for me.
I like harmonica, but whoa, cool it dude. Okay, so the BIGGEST issue with this is his voice, it is absolutely hilarious to me. Maybe if I had been listening to this since 1967 I would have gotten used to it, but this is my first time listening to a Dylan album in full. I already knew what to expect with his voice, but having it constantly in my ears for over an hour is really hard for me. I had better get used to it though, cause I know I have another 100 Dylan albums to get through on this list. I enjoy blues, the lyrics seem well written, and this is supposedly one of the greatest albums of all time... but as of right now I cannot rate this higher. Also, the last song may be used as a form of torture in some countries.
Loved this
Far better listening to it 2nd time round.
I've heard this one so many times before, I don't know if I even need to listen to it for this project, or even need to write any listening notes
No, no. Just no. The harmonica just isn't for me. Except for it, the album was fine it easily blended into the background. So easily that, to be fair, I could quickly forget that I listened to this album.
Harmonica was disturbing bluese parts that I was enjoying. Vocal was not great not terrible. Album was much better when I was focusing on combination of guitar and keyboard. Leopard Skin Pill Box Hat is defenetly the best part of that album. Temporary like Achilles is also not bad
I recognize that Dylan is probably one of the greatest songwriters of all time (if not *the* greatest), and taken together with the bluesy sound he explored on this album it works really well together. The thing is, though, (a) it's too long, both in overall length and the length of the individual songs, which drag like crazy and (b) I can't fuckin' STAND Bob Dylan's voice. Especially on this album where he sounds almost like he's doing an impression of himself. The question, then, is what to rate it? I think it would maybe be a 4 star album if his voice was less annoying. Given that I had to force myself to listen to this, I don't think I can rate it higher than a 2.
Relisten. Hard to tell when listening to something like this if I'm responding to the material at hand or just the blueprint-ness of it all, but I enjoyed it. A bit long though. 4.5/5
Not big on Dylan but I am BIG on this album. An all time nostalgic favourite.
"When I first saw that today's album was Bob Dylan, I had high hopes. Perhaps I should've been high, like Bob might've been, to turn those hopes into actual satisfaction." The Jennings Chronicle. "Each song had a similar melodic cadence to Dylan's meandering voice, often searching for a place to settle on, before being whisked away by the next verse." - The Buda Bugle
I feel like I'm sitting on a rocking chair out on my wrap around patio listening to my friends play some old blues, drinking beer and smoking some grass. I feel like I'm in the valley bar, drinking tequila and Modello, laughing, swaying and coasting on my high. This album is like a comfort food, it's hard to mess up french fries and pizza...I don't care what it sounds like or what he's saying, I care what it feels like in the background... and it feels like friends and home. Maybe it's because I'm just missing home and my homies.
This feels like "California summer beach day folk music". It's chill and easy. Harmonica and organ take up space and are sustained. I feel like Bob is really a beat poet who just happens to use music. I mean how many original words are in each one of these songs?! Big vocab. I guess he throws in blues too. I feel like his voice is constantly pushing and pulling. Not my fave for consecutive listening.
Bob dylans voice is constantly swinging and i do not like it. it doesnt sound good at all. its so fucking gross tbh, 1 good song (sooner or later)
I Want You has kind of cool instrumentation. Stuck Inside … as well. The singing feels slightly disjointed from the rest of the arrangement? But that may be because his singing is so familiar even though I don’t know these specific songs. Is Just Like a Woman misogynist?
Not a fan of Dylan.
Not a huge Bob Dylan fan, the ups and downs in his voice are kind of annoying. But I do really like the music other than that.
Dylans moan-singing was exhausting. Like baby trying to explain why it's crying.
Pretty decent effort from Dylan
Don't tell anyone I like Bob Dylan
his voice really does get on my fucking tits after a while.
Blues riffs, harmonicas, social commentary, and a NYC focus? I'M STAYIN'. Look, say what you want about the quality of his vocals, Dylan is a songwriting force to be reckoned with. This album is fantastic.
Deeply rooted and much easier to love than most of his work which offen hides behind giant walls of charisma. 3.3
I feel bad but I really really don't like this. I'm going to sound like every other hater but I don't like his voice, and his music is just so boring to me. Maybe one day I'll be able to appreciate it. :/
5/5. Hard to rate this lower despite some of the misses on the album. As an overall experience, it feels like a storybook of ideas that hits just right wherever you start. A true album listening experience.
Elite level classic. Love this project for discovering new gems, but sometimes you see a familiar sight and it’s just wonderful. This album is, if not quite perfect, certainly as close as can be. Probably his best. ALL IMHO AND SUBJECTIVE OF COURSE
Þetta er svona... jú, góð element, en mér leiðist til lengdar að hlusta á Böb.
Dylan hitting his stride
It's difficult to rate this... If I do my best to tune out Dylan's voice and listen to the music behind it, it's one of the best albums I've ever heard. And then I remember, oh right, I hate Bob Dylan's voice so much. This one did make me finally face that he's an incredible musician though, and I'll be looking for a good cover album of this one. Maybe an instrumental one, if it's out there.
Classic. A bit long for my tastes and I prefer his first two in this “trilogy”