Reviews (page 5 of 13)
This is regarded as Dylan's best period for good damn reason.
Fucking yes boob dylan
Well, it's Bob isn't it?
The least great of the great Dylan albums, but still pretty great.
Plenty of folks bounce off Bob Dylan's voice right away and never look back. Me? I like it just fine. But I can't help imagining an alternate universe where he had a classically great voice, silky, pitch-perfect, the whole package, and delivered the exact same lyrics and melodies. Would people be hailing him as the Second Coming of music instead of just 'the voice of a generation'?
No. 89 Songwriting and harmonica are outstanding. Dylan’s voice is an acquired taste.
My first time listening to Bob Dylan. This album was long. The harmonica was overused. The music was good. I was expecting some mind blowing songs. The first was fun. There are good songs here. I don’t think this is for me. I can appreciate the heartbreak and lust on this album.
Não é o meu álbum favorito do Bob Dylan, mas ainda assim é um absurdo de bom.
I was never a big Bob fan when I was younger but he has found a place in my heart more recently. Enjoyed listening to this
This is one I definitely want to come back to. I listened to Highway 61 and wasn’t terribly impressed, so I came into this one with lower expectations, and I loved it. Feels far more refined, and more focused, and is just a really really enjoyable album from start to finish.
It's not my favorite, his voice just doesn't do anything for me. Prolific writer... certainly. Something about Dylan just doesn't vibe with me. It doesn't call to me, the writing is somewhere else with that voice. I understand it's others to-go, but it ain't mine. Still, respect for it.
I've long felt that I'd like Dylan's music a lot more if someone other than him performed it. I still feel that way, but I enjoyed him on this album in spite of myself.
Overall not my favourite Dylan album, but has some of his best songs. Tracks 3-8 is a great run. Not a big fun on his 12 bar blues songs, he’s much better on tracks like Johanna or Sad Eyed Lady
Holy shit, I had Blood On The Tracks like a week ago, let me catch my breath. I can only digest so many of the most well-regarded albums ever in a span of time. A pattern has emerged with Dylan, so at least I know what to do. I'm gonna take the hint, go listen to this like 5 times, because that's the only way I know how to digest Dylan, and then I'll get back to you. Okay, it's the following night, and I could only get two listens in. Turns out this is a long-ass album, that means more Dylan to sift through, so I'm not confident I've gotten all the way there on these songs yet, but I can definitely see something here. The poetry here is as intriguing and sprawling and surreal as I expect from Dylan, and I am as endeared to the performances here as I have been on the other Dylan albums I got. I will say that I like a lot of these songs, Visions Of Johanna, Stuck Inside Of Mobile..., Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat, and Obviously Five Believers are my favorites, but just from the volume of material here, there are definitely songs I need more time with. I will also say that this is a bit warmer, almost brassier than the other Dylan albums I have heard, and it has a unique place among his other classics (to my ear). Even though this is unlikely to usurp Highway 61 Revisited as my favorite Dylan, I still appreciate the poetry and songcraft on display here, and I can see how this is worthy of its reputation.
4/5 Not my fave Dylan, but still goes. Fave track: stuck inside with the Memphis blues again
Harmonica On Harmonica. Death Grips reference. 3.5/5
Still like this after a re listen. Probs my fave Dylan. Like the guitars and the writing but I can't really immerse myself.
Didn't get a chance to listen enough times to give it 5, but really enjoyed it. Surprisingly catchy and poppy at times. How have I not heard 'I Want You' before?
I saw Robyn Hitchcock play Visions of Johanna about 10 years ago - it was a revelation. Fantastic song. Band sounds great. Would benefit from culling a few tracks
Great, exhausted, classic, enough.
Well, it's no Blood on the Tracks, but definitely a great one. I Want You has always been one of my favorites.
Dylan at his most Dylan. I've always been more of a Highway 61 guy myself. 4.5
Honestly, better than I expected. I'm not a big Bob Dylan fan but I liked this album.
Hadn’t heard any of these songs! His poetry is hypnotic.
Pretty great, some iconic songs.
Dylan is brilliant. Beautifully crafted songs with lyrics you could pore over for weeks. Maybe the vocal delivery isn’t always the most conventional, but for me it just works. Some of my favourites: Visions of Johanna, I Want You, Stuck Inside of Mobile, Just Like a Woman, Fourth Time Around, Sad-Eyed Lady
Ret godt faktisk, og sygt god lektie vibe
✊🏿
Blonde on Blonde is yet another one of the iconic Bob Dylan albums that people will argue back and forth about it being his best, and since I just gave Highway 61 Revisited a perfect 100 this has some high competition to compete with. This album took a little bit to warm up on me, it wasn't immediately clicking in the beginning but now that I am a good chunk into it the music has returned back to form for myself. I don't know how else to describe it but this album feels a lot more sleazy then Bringing It All Back Home and Highway 61 Revisited, but not to the point of this being another victory lap like Another Side. It feels hazy like the blurry cover, not full there but you can make it out even from fair away, like a very subtle tint to all the songs to make them ooze. By Absolutely Sweet Marie I was about ready to wrap this thing up, but Dylan obvious had other plans as he strategically placed an 11 minute right at the end just like he did with Highway 61 Revisited so I knew I had a ways to go still. I know I will get some flake for my score but I will honestly stand by saying this project is a bit too long, call it burnout or call me a hater I don't even think a good chunk of the songs here are on par with some of my other favorites from Dylan before. For the most part I did enjoy this album but I can confidently say it overstayed its' welcome for me.
Classic, listened on vinyl, the cassette & CD…
Er nok den beste av Dylan for meg. Fortsatt for lang.
Begrijp waarom zo invloedrijk, klinkt wel eentonig
Went on a run about 15 years ago where this cd didn’t leave my car stereo for a few weeks in a row. It’s not Dylan’s best but it’s a good time, Bob doesn’t get enough credit for how much fun he has making music, particularly in this era.
Very cool album, obviously hugely influential. I want to like this more than I actually do — even though I still liked it quite a lot.
this album has some great writing but very much a die hard fan album
Flies by for a double record, Bob Dylan doubling down on his sound as well it is a great record - it doesn't feel too long but it doesn't have the consistency of his very best work
best album i’ve listen to so far. this album is one of my dads favorites and was very pivotal in this time period. i can see what made bob dylan so unique and that shows in this album. overall a good listen and would find it again. 7.5/10
7/10 I loved so much of this, but there’s too many long, meandering, ABABABAB songs to hold my attention throughout
that fuckass harmonica
es un album simple, pero te re atrapa
I enjoyed Blonde on Blonde (1966) (BOB?). Dylan’s voice is not what makes it special, but his ability to tell a story through his words is something infrequent in contemporary works — he is a lyricist in a tier of his own. The song I most enjoyed was “Visions of Johanna”, and I look forward to exploring more of his other albums.
Classic Dylan. Solid. If you like Dylan. Listened while driving through an ice storm.
I use to bump bd went through like half of his albums last year (20 something albums) this is my friends favorite bd album and for good reason. Mine still highway 61 though. Here’s my og review: Bob Dylan back to classic acoustic folk in the most spectacular of ways.
Really good album. Enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
Oh Bob, bob, bob. You do Bob Dylan very well. You get 5 stars for music that sounds like Bob Dylan- clever, nice instruments (of the Bob Dylan vein), some interesting similes in a Bob Dylan style, some danceable tracks even, for Bob Dylan.You write very well about women as aesthetic objects. You came up with a drole title for the opening track. But it's just all a bit Bob Dylan isn't it? I'm genuinely Bob of this Dylan but just don't Bob Dylan any Dylan. High Dylan due to Bob.
Loved some songs, others fell flat
4 There are a few songs on here I don’t love but generally it’s one of the greatest of all time at the peak of his powers what more do u need to say really
It's Dylan, great song writing, music, but his intonations and voice hold it back from a 5 for me
I got a fevah and the only curah is more harmonicah!!!
Track 1 5/10 Track 2 - 9/10 Track 3 - 7/10 Track 4 - 8/10 Track 5 - 9/10 Track 6 - 9/10 Track 7 - 5/10 Track 8 - 5/10 Track 9 - 10/10 Track 10 - 6/10 Track 11 - 9/10 Track 12 - 7/10 Track 13 - 8/10 Track 14 - 10/10 Overall - 7.6/10
Most of the songs are perfect, but a few are ok.
Classic for a reason. It reminds me so much of both my dad and my husband
He’s a legend for a reason.
Bon album, ça redresse l'idée que j'avais de Bob Dylan, l'album se détache vraiment du reste de son travail avant, la technique vocale me parle pas forcément, mais ça reste un très bon album qui marque en faisant voyager dans les émotions
Not my most favorite bob dylan album but its up there.
Not exactly a fair album to put with the rest so far as I'm a huge Dylan fan. Great album, though it doesn't reach the heights of some of his others for me. It's lacking a true top song of his for my own taste, but still a brilliant album. Best one so far but I know what's to come, so 4*.
I could give or take Dylan. There's no traditional verse-chorus-bridge to his songs and songwriting. It's all verse after verse after verse, sometimes for 11-minutes and your mileage may vary for that type of "droning", especially for a man who's voice is not very good. And lyrically it's absolute poetry, but nonsensical for the most part. Dylan's a vibe and I'm either in the mood for it, or not, and Blonde on Blonde goes on for far too long, so that vibe be harshin' after a while.
Classic BD. Goated.
I love the music and lyrics! I don't love hos voice but it doesn't drive me up the wall like other polarizing voices. I miss my dad:(
So, it's a time to expand my playlist with some great Bob Dylan music. I've listened to him a lot, but I don't have many of his songs in my playlist. His music is beautiful and majestic like a cozy blanket but not for every day personally. I enjoy this album, sometimes it's so cute, sometimes it's damaging my ears with the harmonica. But I love it, every moment of it 4/5 —————————————— Liked: — Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 — One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later) — I Want You — Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again — Temporary Like Achilles
The start left me a bit cold, Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 does the least for me of his big hits and the next couple songs didn't click but it kicked into gear from there and One of Us Must Know onward was a solid run
dosta dobro, fino, lijepo, ugodno slušanje prilikom kojega nisam primijetio da je prošlo više od sat vremena. meni najbolje: visions of johanna, i want you [!!], just like a woman, absolutely sweet marie
Pree good
Day 110 First Dylan album of the list for me, someone I’ve never listened to a great deal which is something I need to change. Enjoyed this album greatly 8/10 Highlights I want you Stuck inside of Mobile… Just like a Woman
Not very familiar with Dylan but will definitely listen to this again
Legendary classic - Dylan through and through
Another great Dylan album, not my favourite of his but I absolutely understand its inclusion. Rainy day Women was my go to Dylan track when I was a stoner back in my youth and I certainly still appreciate it. Visions of Johanna, Stuck Inside, Just Like a Woman, all excellent pieces of work. There are some skip-able songs that cause a touch of drag on. Leopard Skin Pill-Box Hat wasn’t necessarily awful but what the shit is he going on about? 4 Blondes outta 5
great lyrics and some standout songs, though didn’t love the bluesy stuff Favorite song: I Want You
C'est beaucoup de Bob.
Nostalgiline kõla on tervel albumil. Väga meenutab Simon & Garfunkel lugusid ja mulle see täiega meeldib. Dylani vokaal pole kõige parem, aga see ei ärrita ka, ta ongi rohkem jutuvestjaks mõeldud. Kahju, et ma lihtsalt ei oska muusika puhul sõnu kuulata. Päris mitmel korral aga jäid kitarripartiid ja üleüldse lugude seaded kõrva. 4/5
There are too many Bob Dylan songs that exist and that are on this best albums list
Nunca me metí mucho en el mundillo Bob Dylan. Diría que en algún momento me había llegado a escuchar algún disco y no había entendido el hype. Sigo sin entenderlo demasiado, pero por lo menos de esta vez me lo he disfrutado bastante. Hay un run de 4 temas o así por ahí por el medio que está bastante flex. Se me sigue escapando bastante ubicar su genialidad, pero aun así buen disco.
God his voice is annoying buy his lyrics are amazing.
Pretty good album, very cohesive and somehow catchy.
One of my fav Dylan albums. Hits the right spot between his folky era and starting to get a little more rock. Some of my favourite tracks of his.
The world’s best singing vacuum cleaner.
This is inevitable and difficult. The songwriting is sublime and the musicianship excellent. Then there's Bob's voice. I hate Bob's voice and always have done. I've long held that Bob Dylan songs (with very few exceptions) are far better when covered by others. This album has done nothing to disabuse me of that opinion. I spent much of it thinking, 'who would do a good cover of that?' for each track. This is an exercise of trying to enjoy the music and lyrics whilst ignoring the caterwauling. 4/5 for the sheer brilliance of the songwriting.
“Rainy Day Women #12 & 35” is a great opener that gives off a good vibe to start off the album.
Great!
Of the three seminal records Dylan released in the mid-60’s this by far is the best, with the highest hit rate. Al Kooper’s organ and the addition of brass sections builds a gorgeous wall of sound around some of Bob’s most beautiful turns of absurdity. Granted, he’s also a self-centered asshole, but he does so with a raconteur’s charm, his persona fully formed. One of the rare cases where a double album fits perfectly, even if not every song is the best.
tror der er meget dybde til det her, så man kan sigte lytte til det 1000 gange og finde noget nyt hver gang. Det er meget blues rock agtig og country samt singer song writer. Det gav noget mere kunstnererisk og poetisk til rocken. En af de første dobbeltalbums. Skrevet udefor New York og mange af sange er skrevet og indspillet samme dag, så det føles meget intimt på en eller anden måde, som om man er midt i den kreative process. Det gør det vel meget ærligt og autentisk et eller andet sted. Tror lyrikkerne er der hvor det virkelig er sjovt at lytte til, men har lyttet til det 3 gange nu og så synes jeg også det er fint. Det vigtigste er at det får en semi høj karakter så man altid kan vende tilbage til det.
7 - GOOD
Banger. This Bob Dylan guy is pretty good.
includes a few too many instruments to count as spoken word poetry. if you dont fuck with lyricism like that there mostly isnt a lot for you, but if you do its really very good. favorite song is maybe Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands. I Want You is also very lovely and will probably get listened to the most
Rating: 9/10 Ahead of its time in just about every way, from the implementation of electric instrumentation in folk music, to it being pretty much the birth of the concept of the singer-songwriter and modern style double album, and those aren’t the only reasons why it’s so good and endures through time. You can continue to listen to Dylan’s strange lyrics in his unique vocal style and come away with something new each time 60 years after it was revolutionary because it is pure poetry. Top quality
while i was listeing i thought i was in a Mississippi's River . man this music hit so hard. Bob Always at the top
It was alright, but not my favorite Dylan album. It was just too long and too much stereotypical Dylan for me to give it full marks, but still quite enjoyable.
This album is recognised as the first and the best double album in rock music history.
# Album Name: Blonde on Blonde # Artist: Dylan # Rating: 4/5 # Comments: Typical dylan. Solid Album. # Top Tunes: # Would I listen to it again? Yes
Great music but I would've liked it more if he didn't long out every other word
I love it when Dylan just keeps going on and on about something insane, like your Leopard Skin Pill Box Hat. The Dylan voice is voicing hard, and as a Bob Dylan voice truther (he sounds awesome) I am loving it.
Always nice listening to some bob Dylan, heard some new tracks
Très ma came. J'adore l'alliance rock / folk / blues avec le côté un peu balade, et puis l'écriture avec ce timbre granuleux et doux en même temps, je rentre vraiment dans le flow et j'ai l'impression de l'écouter lire un livre, d'une manière parlée dans l'attitude alors même que les fluctuations vocales sont assez complexes, mais l'air de pas forcer, avec une gouaille des plus sympathiques à mon goût (le mot gouaille est terrible mais je trouve pas mieux). J'ai pas un ou deux morceaux énormes banger comme dans certains albums, mais plutôt l'ensemble qui m'emballe sans discontinuer, d'où le 4.
Classic Dylan. I own this one.
Yes...the lyrics are sometimes nonsense and, yes, his harmonica playing grates but it's still a great album!
But samey even for Dylan, and not top top tier but so many classics
God I love Bob Dylan. It’s all so similar, so much harmonica but I could listen to him all day
Banger!
This might be the best album Bobby ever done. Really feels like he's firing on all cylinders and at the top of his game.
- Hat mir gut gefallen und ist auch mal etwas besonderes - Ich finde die Parts mit der Mundharmonika immer toll Topsong: Just Like a Woman
I feel like I haven't got too much else to say from the last one, but this I think is really better in every way, the instruments which are added feel like they're making the songs more full, in a way which doesn't distract you from the basis, which is his voice and guitar. And obviously his songwriting still manages to shine through, as he's still making goofy lines and references, and also trying not to laugh on some songs, which is always great. I mean this is such an artistic development from the other album (mostly instrumentally), and his output of albums around this time was insane. Not too much else to say, maybe a bit too blues on some songs, but who knows. Favourite songs: visions of Johanna, one of us must know (sooner or later), I want you, Leoard-skin Pill-box hat, most likely you go your own way (and I'll go mine), temporary like Achilles, absolutely sweet Marie, Fourth time around, sad-eyes Lady of the lowlands. Overall around 8/10
Awesome album, sounds cozy and warm and familiar. If you like Dylan you love this album, but your prob still like it if you're not a fan.
Dylan at his best and also his most caricatured. You're either with him or you’re not…his virtues as a songwriter and acquired taste as a vocalist have been written/debated to death, but “I Want You”, “Stuck Inside Mobile….”, “Just Like A Woman” are some of his absolute best, and I love the guy for always doing whatever he wanted. If it sucked people wouldn’t be imitating it for 60 years.
4.0
Legendary album by a legendary songwriter. It’s the quintessential Dylan sound, with some really good guitar licks and harmonica playing. Visions of Johanna is among my favorite Dylan song. But let’s face it, Dylan is not the easiest singer to listen to for extended periods. At 1:12, it’s a lot, and I wouldn’t play it on repeat. It’s a 4.
Bob was cooking at this time 3 super good albums in barely over a year. I do love blonde on blonde but comparing it to show other work it’s runtime hurts it. It drags on a bit and does exhaust me a little more than it rewards me by the end. But that’s really my only complaint with this one and everything else is peak. Some of my favorites Stuck inside of a mobile Visions of Johana Just like a woman 8.4-8.6
The lyrics are very good, the music is good as well. I don’t like Dylan’s voice personally, but it’s worth it
Not my favorite, but it has some of my favorites
After a shaky honky tonk beginning, we’re back with Bob, endearing as ever. Johanna, Sooner or Later, Memphis Blues… what’s not to like?
I’m almost upset at the fact I can’t really give this one a fair rating. The quality of the songwriting is undeniable but, to my eternal shame, I just can’t get past Dylan’s voice. It’s not as if it annoys me, because it really doesn’t. I almost find it funny, which is probably even more of an insult. I found myself singing along an exaggerating his affectations, which is suspect is very much not the desired effect! I’m going to have to give it 4, if only as a half-arsed attempt at being balanced.
Imagine that you’re the kind of artist who can bookend your album with “Rainy Day Women #12 and 35” and “Sad Eyed Lady…” Now stop imagining it because you can’t. You’re not Bob Dylan, is the problem.
Album No. 0032 on my list. I’ve recently reviewed Dylan’s “Highway 61 Revisited”; on my list, this is his second album within a short timeframe. And there are certainly similarities between both albums. At first glance, I found “Blonde on Blonde” to be a watered down version of “Highway 61 Revisited”. At least that’s what the first songs felt like. The more I’ve listened to the album however, the more I came to the conclusion that it’s rather something like an easy listening version of that album. While I found Highway 61 to be a little deeper and think that it was rather more innovative at the time, Blonde on Blonde felt a little more like a pop album, with songs that are a little less deep, but a little more catchy. Goes for both music and lyrics. Personal favorites of mine are “I want you”, “Just Like a Woman”, and “Absolutely Sweet Marie”. Good Album - 4/5 stars!
guys i’m sorry to bring the group rating… i liked stuck inside of mobile with the memphis blues again it reminded me of the doors a bit (3.5)
Lots and lots of harmonica and long winding songs that never reach any meaningful destination yet remain entertaining
he loves to tell his stories
Brilliant album. Would listen again. Favourite track: most likely you go your way (and I’ll go mine)
Bizarrely, in the aftermath of the infamous Manchester Free Trade Hall “electric” concert on May 17, 1966 (erroneously bootlegged as “The Royal Albert Hall Concert”), at least two people claimed the voice that infamously branded Dylan “Judas” was theirs. It seems strange anyone is proud of the attack because, on hindsight, it was horrifically misguided. If 1965's Highway 61 was the impressive rock ‘n’ roll debut, then this album, which followed six months later, was no simple consolidation; it was Dylan providing the new genre with its first masterpiece. Blonde On Blonde’s wild blues establishes a sense of late-night rants, reflections, and desperation. The direct rock 'n’ roll songs such as “| Want You” switch in a heartbeat into heartbreaking ballads such as “Visions Of Johanna” or the touching melancholy of “Just Like A Woman,” while closer “Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands” is a manifesto for the lovelorn. Surreal yet perceptive, Dylan’s poetic observations suggest that the “voice of a generation” tag is more deserved for charting an age’s inner feelings rather than protesting its political beliefs. This was rock's first double album and its success helped ensure that progression, experimentation, and excitement became key to rock ‘n’ roll’s outlook. Little wonder, then, that the cover photo is blurred. In 1966, Bob Dylan was, in creative terms, moving so fast that the rest of the world was struggling to catch up. In many ways, it never did.
Talented guy. Album a bit overlong. 4
Lots of harmonica
Finally I get to listen to an entire album from the all time goat of playing the harmonica badly
I really liked the folk-blues style and the instrumentation. I'm glad we got "Rainy Day Women" out of the way first because to me it was the worst track. It definitely improved after that. I don't listen to Dylan much because I find his vocal tone to be somewhat unpleasant, but I think he's excellent at telling a story and delivering his lyrics with emotion. The standout songs to me were "I Want You" and "Stuck Inside of Mobile...". But I was surprised to find that my favorite was "Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowland", the longest track on this double album. "Sad-Eyed" was really beautiful and he sounded great on it.
Ramshackle even for Dylan but still cool. Technical and endearing at the same time.
Great album
I think you either like Bob Dylan or you don’t. He has a distinct voice, but the band as a whole is great. I personally like his songs. They are almost story like too me.
Not quite the classic it's said to be but 'Just Like A Woman', 'I Want You' and 'Stuck Inside of Mobile' are wonderful.
Great album, probably his second best. I feel like the last song was ridiculously long but there are some bangers on this album.
My parents played a lot of Bob Dylan when I was growing up and I came to love quite a bit of it. I haven’t really explored his discography on my own, though and while Blonde On Blonde was already in my library, I only recognized a few tracks. Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 was new to me and is a party haha. Honestly I really enjoyed the high energy of this whole album. I was already a fan of I Want You, so that was my favorite track. Overall, this is a solid album that I would gladly listen to again. 4/5
Благодаря Гребещикову Bob для меня как родной.
Was he a stoner ?
Had a harder time getting into this one than I did with Highway 61 Revisited or The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, but I think I got there eventually.
Peak Bob Dylan. Some really fun songs on this album.
I kind of get the fans negative reactions when Bob Dylan went electric at Newport. In one way it's a total bad ass rock and roll move which I respect, and you can't expect much different from Dylan. On the other hand, Bob Dylan with an acoustic guitar is a pinnacle of that specific genre is, and for the most part, it's what I, and alot of Dylan fans want to hear. I know Blonde on Blonde isn't necessarily synonymous with "rock" it's more of a blues album than anything else, but to me it is a departure from the simpler, folk inspire music of his earlier albums. There were hints at the Dylan I love, but from the opening track and slurred singing of" Everybody Must Get Stoned" on Rainy day Women, the tone is set that this is not the subtle, poetic acoustic Bob Dylan you may be hoping for.
It's not my favourite of the incredible mid-60s "gone electric" trio, but it is excellent (and I expect I'll be seeing the other two later).
Good
Really, really good. I really love the whole vibe of this album. The melodies are great. Not a 5 because it does get a little repetitive
Ha, smo prišli do prvega izvajalca, ki sem bila na njegovem koncertu! (Ne štejem The Who, ker sm samo vidla Roger Daltreya zapet neke 4 komade s Foo Fighters.) Iz tega albuma poznam neke 3 komade pomojem, Dylana pa nism aktivno poslušala že od najstniških let. Album se začne z "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35", k se ga spomnim and you know what, it's fine. Everybody must get stoned! "Visions of Johanna" mi je zelo všeč in mi je ušel v najstniških letih piratiziranja muske. Na splošno uživam. Mogoč je cajt, da revisitam Boba. Ne gre mi na živce njegov nasal kinda petje, bolj pozorno sledim besedilom kot v najstniških letih, kar je pa kinda the point pr poetu kot je Dylan, n'est pas? (Ok, sori, ne bom še tretji jezik začela vpletat.) Sj ni velik za napisat, načeloma so vsi komadi v istem stilu, ni neka glasbena razgibanost. Mogoč mal dolg album, kot včer pri Claptonu, 1 uro 12 minut. Na žalost mi je dons totalno zmanjkal cajta, da bi album poslušala dvakrat, kot nardim ponavadi (razen pri unih, ki jih ne prebavim, priznam), tako da je to to.
was always gonna be good
89/100. A brilliant folk rock album with depth and character. The first couple of tracks took some time to grow on me, but once it found its rhythm, the rest of the record delivered beautifully.
As stated when speaking about the Live bootleg previously, I am not a Dylan-head. This is definitely the album I have listened to the most though, and therefore would say its my favorite. I think most of the songs being steeped in southern blues aesthetics really help to elevate the material. Some of the poetry is pretty impenetrable to me, so its best to let the images wash over without looking too deeply. I think the players on this album are firing on all cylinders. Its a mix of sweet and sad and silly, all flavors welcome. Pill Box Hat is the top track for me, and the only one I have issues with is the closer...a little too long and repetitive.
A lot to unpack in this one, very enjoyable though.
Simply a classic.
More a 3.5 for me... Hard to really listen to lyrics while working so maybe not given it enough attention for what's supposed to be a classic!
Really good. I’ve never really listened to Bob Dylan before, but i loved the vibe and his voice !! Along with the lyrics as well !!
I like Dylan.
Good album, Dylan is truly a great poet. Some songs on this album were just him joking around and for me it is a detriment. He has a distinctive voice and singing style (he can't sing) and it is canceled out by the incredible lyrics, but when the lyrics aren't interesting it just becomes tiresome to me. You could cut out 3-4 songs and it would've been a 5/5 single LP. Instead, it's a 3.5/5 double album for me.
Contains a few of the best Dylan songs ("Visions of Johanna," "Sooner or Later") but also several of the most annoying Dylan songs (“Rainy Day Woman,” "Stuck in Mobile," "Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat"), which is why it's a notch below Blood on the Tracks. "I Want You" and "Just Like a Woman" are sneaky good. “Sad-Eyed Lady” is gorgeous and "Most Likely" and “Fourth Time Around” are easily forgotten gems.This is rough and ready, overflowingly creative and a true landmark in R&R history. Hard to believe it was released only six months after Highway 61.
Classic
I only listen to these albums once before reviewing, simply due to lack of time. This is one of the first albums where I feel like I'd need to listen to it again.
Always like a good Bob Dylan album. This one starts off incredibly strong; with a trombone. I forgot about that song but it's such a fun one. The rest of the album is really good. I drifted in and out of listening to the lyrics, but when I was tuned in I got a sense of why he's considered one of the best song-writers of all-time. This deserves multiple listens.
Dylan has grown on me. His later work, where he went electric, is better in my opinion. I think it hides some of the flaws in his harmonica player which can be harsh at times. I enjoyed this. I think it was very good.
I know Dylan is a great songwriter, and he's influential, but I typically find his albums boring. This one, however, is my favorite Bob Dylan album so far. Favorite Track: "Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat".
As I shared earlier, I didn’t initially take to Dylan. This was released about the time a few of my high school friends caught the religion that was Bob Dylan. My epiphany would come a few years later, when I moved beyond just voice to message as well. So I missed this album when released, when I finally did pick it up, enjoyed it thoroughly, still do as it’s in my collection.
Banger
I have a hard time with Dylan. Music great, lyrics great, but the voice and the intonation annoys me. Leaving that aside, I understand what this man did for music, and this album was a turning point. Just can't give it less than a 4. If only Bobby could sing prettier. Haha.
Dylan was hitting his stride on this one. It drags a little in some places, but still solid overall. 4/5 #169
This album killed my longest streak of 5's (600 albums in), I know this is a 5 for a lot of people, but I am just not really a Bob Dylan guy. I think he is good, but I would never choose to put his music on. I think this may be my favorite Dylan album so far, but I wish it wasn't a double album, some of the songs just sound too much alike. There are definitely some songs I would have trimmed, or removed in the case of the leopard skin hat song, but overall, a decent album. Mid 4.
Interesting and lyrical, would bear relistening or even reading lyrics alone
Perhaps Mr. Dylan's most mid album. I don't hate it but only put it on for my wife because it's special to her.
Ok
I really love this album. I've listened to it in the past. I will listen to it again. It was nice to revisit it as part of this and now I just want to listen to it more and more. Is it a 5? Not right now... but maybe someday. I still think some tracks could be cut... like on every double album. I know that's blasphemous to say for Dylan... but at this point it feels true. Maybe someday I won't feel that way, after i've put more time into it. But for now i'd cut... Pledge My Time, Visions of Johanna (I know this is a hot take, but it doesn't stick for me.), Temporary Like Achilles and Absolutely Sweet Marie. These aren't bad songs... but they're the weakest ones on the album. This would cut 20 min from the album and get it down to 50 minutes... which is a respectable length for an album. Without these 4, it'd probably be a 5 from me. I love the rest of the album (mostly). Specific song thoughts.... Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 - This is one of my favourite Dylan songs and it also doesn't sound like a Dylan song. It totally took me by surprise on my first listen years ago. Blew me away. Love the stomping old timey saloon piano rock and I love the horns. It has this wild live energy to it like they're actually doing it in a saloon full of drunks, you can hear someone shouting in the background even. It's so much fun. One of Us must Know (sooner or later) - Love that chorus. It's catchy and full of this magical energy. I love how the pre-chorus feels just like a swell from the lowkey verse to the chorus about to rush in. And again the piano and organ is amazing. I Want You - Just this beautiful, warm, catchy folk rock love song. I could almost hear John lennon writing it, mainly the chorus. The guitar leads are so catchy. The piano plinking away in the background is very pretty. Maybe this is the Piano Dylan record. Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again - This 7 minute track works way better than Visions of Johanna. I have no idea why this one isn't the popular one. It just has such a momentum to it and a great chorus. It just fuckin' moves. I love the little slowdown of the pre-chorus. The piano and lead guitar playing off each other through the verses are delightful. Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat - Good blues number. Love the solo - it rips. Just Like a Woman - I have sorta mixed feelings about this song. I really enjoy the music. It is a nice folk rock song. I dig the harmonica solo and the little guitar lines between sections. The lyrics i'm torn about. It's very bitter, which i do often like. But that chorus hits weird to me. I assume his ex hates it (it must be about an ex). It is so biting and bitter and cruel. It almost makes me uncomfortable. Maybe that's a sign that the song is working? I dunno. Most Likely You Go Your Way (And I'll go mine) - Very groovy. Love the electric guitar in the background and that horn line and the harmonica line. Fourth Time Around - I like the finger picked classical guitar. It's very pretty. Just a warm, swaying, propulsive track. Obviously Five Believers - Great blues rocker. Love that electric guitar. Love that harmonica. That one big repeating motif/melody slaps. Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands - This is another long one that works for me. It's very dreamy. I like the organ. I like how the track ebbs and flows. There are some really beautiful swells, especially around the "Arabian drum" line. I like the harmonica solo outro. General note: A) Dylan's voice is Dylan's voice. And his lyrics are Dylan-y as hell. I can see how some people hate him and don't get it. I get it and I love him. B) I think the front half of the album is better than the second half... but both are great. It's a strong 4. Maybe a 4.5.
Decent, similar sound throughout got a little bit old but I liked visions of Johanna
I love songwriters and we're talking one of the best of all time. Love his earlier recordings with some blues influence.
I have not listened to much bob dylan in my life. I know some hits, some I like some I dont. But something about this album made me understand the hype better. I still dont get it entirely and should maybe dig into the lyrics more to fully get it, but something about it just works. I am hestitant to give it 5 stars, but it definitely deserves to be on this list.
Dylan is like Marmite, you either like him or hate him. I like Marmite, I like Dylan. Moves away from his folk roots on this one but in a good way.
For what is widely considered the first ever double album, it’s very consistent. Not huge on the bluesy moments but still great!
My mum had this album on vinyl so I remember listening to it quite a lot as a teen. It's definitely a fun Dylan record, for people who like such things.
One of his better 60's albums
I still don't like his voice, but these are good songs
Great if you like Dylan and folk breakthrough.
This was the gateway Bob Dylan album for me. I wasn't interested in Dylan when I was younger and only heard the hits that were played on the radio and in movies. So this was the first full album I eventually listened to and I went backward and forward from it ever since.
Songwriting and harmonica are outstanding. Dylan’s voice is an acquired taste.
Classic really, I'm not his biggest fan but this is great anyway
So poetic, diverse and fun. Never really lost itself
Good songwriting
Dylan at his blues-y best
Although this is his most critically acclaimed album, I didn’t like it as much as Highway 61 Revisited. Of course it is still good though, it is clear the he is one of the best. Standout songs: Like a Woman
I liked it better than I thought that I would
Volvemos en éste reto al mostro que es Bob Dylan, con un álbum de su época rockera, mi favorita por lejos. El álbum nos va paseando por blues y rock tradicional, todo con LA voz de Dylan, una brujería de otros tiempos. Un disco clásico de rock, muy acorde a los tiempos en que salió (1966). Hasta mañana.
Blonde on Blonde, Dylan's seventh studio album and his first double album is a great album, filled with Nashville sound. Outstanding tracks are "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35", "Visions of Johanna", "I Want You" and "Just Like a Woman" but really any track gives you sense of Dylans ability to write songs.
Måste säga att det känns lite småläskigt att recensera ett album av gamle Bob när 100% av audiensen till min produkt håller han som någon form av husgud (@fanten210hours). Men Blonde On Blonde har ändå gått ganska varm förr om åren, även om det var en stund sedan sist. Det var ett av kanske 7(?) Dylans som ingick i min offline-period när arbetsplatsen inte tillät telefoner och det var mp3 som gällde. Det hade ändå något. En första låt som tjatar in att 'everybody must get stoned' går inte att ogilla. Sedan att både den, och framförallt "Pledging My Time" sätter en tydlig blues-vibb (bam BAbam, BAbam BAbam osv) över tonen i albumet. Den låten och den tydliga blues-känslan är inte något jag reflekterat över tidigare. Tyckte det var härligt. När sedan kavalkaden av hits som börjar med "One of Us Must Know (Sooner Or Later) mår man bra. Inte ens den outhärdliga värmen på det okonditionerade tåget får överhanden. Jag tror att det ofta är just den här låten som är top of mind när jag tänker på Dylan, och jag tror att anledningen till det är att han aldrig sjunger så mycket som Dylan, som i den här låten. Sen "I Want You" = Klass! MEN sedan kommer en av mina topp-Bobers of all time. "Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again" tror jag bröt sig in under den där mp3-perioden. Fan vad bra den är. Vet inte riktigt vad det är, men den tuggar bara på i good vibes. En synt och en trumma som ligger som en konstant grund och på det är det en gitarr som ligger och lurar med väldigt små infall med korta intervall. Också fortsätter den vers på vers på vers i stilen av Dylan, mycket bra bara. Andra halvan av albumet kände jag inte att jag hade riktigt lika bra koll på. Men där fortsätter den där tydliga känslan av blues som jag nämnde tidigare, på ett väldigt härligt sätt. Ex i "Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat", som jag också hoppas att det är Robbie som lirar lead på. Jag har inte kollat upp detta, men den där ryckiga stilen i solot tycker jag mig känna igen från The Last Waltz. "Just Like a Woman" = Klass! "Temporary Like Achilles" = Mys! "Fourth Time Around" = Gitarrmys! "Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands" = Trevligt avslut! Allt som allt ett fantastiskt album. Inte så mycket mer att önska egentligen och därför är det svårt att ge den ett betyg. Det är så nära en femma man kan komma utan att vara en femma. Jag tror att om jag lyssnade på musik på ett sätt där texten tog mer plats gissar jag att det skulle vara en given femma? Men jag måste försöka hålla i min ståndpunkt att vara sträng här. Bäst: "Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again".
Álbum marcante. Letshuoer D13
Better and more engaging than other Dylan albums
Some weird one in there but overall great musically
Sounds great. The first time I've started to click with a Bob Dylan album. Keen to give it another listen
Damn good Bob Collection. Good blend of folksy, and electric accompanied by a pure blues back track. Storied lyrics with powerful emotional context. This album shows Dylan's commitment to his craft. He is due all the respect and praise even as a tiny jacket, cold walk hipster grandfather.
Amazing. Heard a couple songs I did not know and was very impressed.
Previously rated: Highway 61 Revisited (4/5) Blood on the Tracks (4/5) Live 1966 (The Royal Albert Hall Concert) (4/5) The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan (4/5) **************************************************** Another day, another 4/5 Bob Dylan album. It kind of peters out at the end, and he really overdoes it with his elongated word shtick. I might have given it a 3 if it weren't for the strong tracks Rainy Day Women, Visions of Johanna, Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat, and Just Like a Woman.
Ok I'm not a Dylan fan, I don't really get the appeal of his voice but...this slaps. I am happy to be corrected!
Bob Dylan is fantastic and there is not a single bad track Blonde On Blonde. But Bob Dylan is also a bit of a one-trick pony. Guitar strumming, screamy off tone singing and a harmonica solo. Don't get me wrong, I love him for it. I just don't think a double elpee is where he shines best.
My favorite BD album
Rainy Day Women // Visions of Johanna // One of Us Must Know // I Want You // Stuck Inside // Just Like a Woman // 4.5/5
I like Bob Dylan, he was a big part of my childhood for me since my parents listened to him a lot as I was growing up. I'm a fan of this album for sure.
Classic album.
Dylan is great… not my favorite album by him here but this one still has some great tunes and great lines.
Classic album I have on CD. Many of my favorites on this one.
Ik ben nooit echt into Bob Dylan geraakt, maar wellicht dat dit mijn gateway album is.
it made me wanna discover more about things, read about the album story as i did in high school. this album? that’s definitely my kind of shit
Great album. I knew several off of it, but there were some other songs that were really really great that I hadn't heard before. Like Visions of Johanna. I read up on the recording and it seems like it was a wild process that Dylan took a long time to get right between various bands and locations. You can definitely tell it's a solid final result.
It's OK, a bit old sounding now.
Excellent and varied album. I slightly prefer Highway 61 and Bringing it All Back Home - but we are getting picky now. Some great songs
Alpinist in the top tier of Bob's albums.
This is certainly in the upper echelons of Bob Dylan albums. The run of songs in the middle of the LP in particular. I Want You and Just Like a Woman have to be two of the most emotional songs he has ever written. Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat then reminds you how funny he can be. I've been laughing along with that song since I was a small child. While the arrangements, finger picking and production remain phenomenal throughout, emotions do cool slightly on the back-end of the record. With the exception of the epic and powerful 10 minute long final track, the songs aren't quite as exciting. For this reason there are multiple other Dylan records which I'd rank higher - but its a high bar!
This list is proving a Dylan education and I’m enjoying it, a high 4 this one that could even rise with more time and listens, just says a bit 2/3 through.
The instrumentation is incredible, the musicians he worked with incredible and the compositions are great. But I am afraid I will never get around the voice, especially when singing things like "I Want You"
Think this might throw him in my controversial column, but I do enjoy this era Bob more than others
Another great effort from bob. I love the cryptic lyricism and bluesy instrumentation. The only complaint i have is that is album is way too long and did not need to be a double album 8/10 Favourite: Visions of Johanna Least Favourite: Obviously 5 Believers
I feel like this is one of those albums that is always at the top of the list of "greatest". Hard to fault, but there are a few fillers that keep it from 5 stars.
I’m just not a huge Dylan person, but I admire the album. “Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat” is maliciously funny.
Several good songs here but not my favourite Dylan album by any stretch. 4 stars or B.
When I listen to Dylan, I think of powerful lyrics! To me he delivered. However,I do prefer his earlier work.
I agree that this is too long. Interesting doing this on the day I did Springsteen's Dylan record, because there were a lot of points here that felt quite Springsteen.
Great album.
4.5
One of those albums that shaped rock. Funnier than I remembered in a bitter way
Dylan is such an aquired taste, and there are spots where this lags a bit, but it's a pretty good one.
It’s hard to argue against the generational influence of Dylan. Of this albums, this one is definitely a classic. However, his trademarked nasally voice and his droning harmonica are admittedly not my favorite. I blame John Popper and Howlin’ Wolf for spoiling me. There are some fun songs on here such as Absolutely Sweet Marie and the bluesy Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again (a very Fallout Boy title BTW). Then, of course, is Rainy Day Woman #12 &36, ‘cause “Everyone must get stoned!” This album is difficult for me because the aforementioned complaints, but it has really good songs. Throw in the influence and I am going to rate it higher than I normally would.
Random thoughts: * I was totally jamming when I turned this one on and "Rainy Day Women" got me grooving all over my kitchen. I forgot how fun that song is. Why don't I play that song more often? * "Visions of Johanna" really caught my ear. I know many people think this is one of Dylan's best. I see why. I need to listen to this one about a thousand more times. * There were several bluesy songs on this one, a side of Dylan I don't really think of or maybe never knew. * "Just Like a Women" and "Fourth Time Around" are Dylan classics and it was fun to hear them in the context of their original album. * I'll need to come back to this album a few more times and get to know some of the other tunes way better. This was a really good one. Maybe not a classic in my book....yet.
didn’t think i would like dylan but this was some pretty good stuff. got bored near the end cause it got a lil old but the last song is great
8/10 love my twinked out freak that’s slightly misogynistic
Comfortable and appealing, a fair share of great songs though I wasn't that interested in the more-bluesy tracks on the album By this album especially I think I've been eased into appreciating Dylan more properly, the warmth from some of the songs charms me
I somewhat enjoyed it, though it sounded repetitive for me sometimes. Yet, it was released in 1966 and Dylan made a reference to Death Grips already! What a man!
xcellent album. Sadly I had never listened to this one. Most of what I listened to with Dylan was the singles collection. I know this is considered on of his best (along with blood on the tracks) but I hadn’t ever listened. I knew quite a few because they were popular singles.
OK - yes it is a classic that gets better with every listen. I understand now
idk what a leopard skin pill box hat is but I want one
This one is a re-listen! Great way to start the project; I love Bob Dylan so so much. This record isn't my personal favorite in Dylan's discography but it is still fantastic! 4/5
It’s Dylan, it’s never going to be bad.
Like all Dylan, great but would be better if some one else sang it.
Favorite Tracks: Visions of Johanna Just like a Woman
Great album
yay - I get to listen to a Dylan album!!!! 4/5 #musicsky #albumsky
Good
This one had me Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again.
Cutee maar van de meeste liedjes vind ik de live versie leuker
every artist have a breakup album and this is Bob's take on it... wait a fucking minute that's Blood On The Tracks. although his singing still lacks technique, it sounds way, WAY better than that on "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan", my last dylan album from the list. The songs are decent and the arrangements as well. And oh yes, "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" definitely make me want to get stoned. but there's too much fucking harmonica. so... 3.5/5 i think?
Two well known hits, some other good songs, couple missing the mark.
After decades of listening, I always think I'm going to get bored by Bob Dylan and he always surprises me. Good stuff.
Fantastic album! As my friend Carlos likes to say: Dylan spits hot fire.
Beautiful! The best of Bob Dylan I've heard so far.
I'm not a big Bob Dylan fan, but I actually liked this album. I still don't like his voice, but I was enjoying the instrumentals on a lot of tracks. I learned it was one of the first double albums in rock music, which is also pretty cool.
I oscillate on Dylan. This was a pretty fun album with a lot going on musically. I was surprised by how many echoes from other songs were found in snippets of these tracks. Like "Obviously Five Believers" had hints of "Rolling Stone", and "Visions of Johanna" had musical bits that were used in other hits, can't recall which right now. A lot of the chord progressions and tunes were repeated as he evolved into other parts of his career.
All good tracks, visions of Johanna and stuck inside a mobile stand outs. Lots of bluesy ones that sounds quite similar. Could have been shorter, but enjoyed it. Not as many bangers as Desire or Blood on the tracks though.
Always love some Bob. And loved how bluesy this album felt.
This is what I expect from country rock! Delivers on all fronts. Slight repetitive? But it repeats all the best parts.
This is likely an essential Bob Dylan album. My brother is a fan and has deep tracks of all sorts from all kinds of his published works so I can't say THIS album over any other is better or judge the quality really. He is too deep and different and well, a special case in the music world. Bob Dylan is in effect, his own genre. I absolutely believe that any music lover ought to get to know Bob Dylan's music in one way or another. Yeah... thinking deeply on it, I just don't know if there is any comparison to be made with his style... I would be perfectly willing to nominate a genre called "Bob Dylan" and deem it worthy to listen to.
bob on bob
Thought it was great, but this is however an album i'll have to revisit because there's alot you might miss on first listen, especially with an complex artist like Bob Dylan. Therefore I will give it 4/5 for now.
Unpopular opinion but rainy day woman is fucking annoying. The rest of this album is great though.
Pretty Bob Dylan. It's cool.
Really good
4 stars
Started out rough but oh my god this is so good
Bob was clearly working out some issues with the ladies on this one and I’m here for it.
This is my first experience with Dylan and I have to be honest, I had to get used to his voice and delivery. Yet, the songs are so great and after a couple of songs it clicked.
Good not bad. In high school I’d have been all over it, I appreciate his contribution to the folk landscape. That voice though
Overall: 8/10 I'll get this out of the way since I always have to mention this with double albums: LONG! Anyway, I've never listened to a full Bob Dylan album before. I understand from reading about this one that it was one of the earliest albums he made after "going electric" so that obviously makes this an incredibly important album. It's pretty good, and a lot different than I expected. It's sort of bluesy in a way. Bob didn't have a great singing voice, but it works well for the music that he wrote. There's also a lot of harmonica on here which adds to the folksiness that people were probably missing at the time. In retrospect, Bob made the right decision to go electric. I guess I like Bob Dylan. Who knew? Fav Song: Just Like a Woman Least Fav Song: I Want You
Kill the harmonica player
3.5
4.5
3.5* 86%
It would be a 5 but I’m taking .5 off because there are to many harmonica’s so 4.5
4.0
Probably my favourite bob
Never got into Dylan, but this is very good
Classic Dylan but man is it depressing
Some of the easiest of Dylan to listen to
Bob is asking a lot of me here. One hour and twelve minutes. The harmonica is ripping right away though, so maybe I'll make it. "Rainy Day Women #12 & #35" is really fun, I feel like I'm at a carnival or a parade. "Pledging my time" is what I view as classic Bob Dylan. He's just kinda talking, there's some guitar and a harmonica. This is another electric album, and I like it. "One of Us Must Know Soon" is a bit too much for me. It's like someone is doing an over the top Bob Dylan impression. 'When you whisPERRED in my ~EAR~ and asked if I was leaving with yOUUUU or her, I didn't realIZZEEEE just what I did here, I didn't realize how yo~uunnggg~ you were.' It's a little much Bob. I don't know what instrument is doing the fun little ditty in the background of "I Want You" but its really fun. "Just Like A Woman" has really nice vocals. The whole song is very pleasant and peaceful. "Most Likely You Go Your Way" is another song that sounds like a Bob Dylan impersenator. "GruuUUDGE" "Fa~all on you". It's fun though. "Temporary Like Achilles" starts with some sweet harmonica. This sounds like a song playing on a steamboat as I go down the 'ssipi. "Obviously Five Believers" burns the house down, this one rocks. "Sad Eyed Lady of the Low-Lands" was cool. It reminded me of The Shins a little. Very long, without the tremendous payoff of a song like Stairway to Heaven (which is still much shorter). This is definitely the best Bob Dylan album I've heard. I liked it a lot. 8/10
goeie bob dylan maar freewheeling is beter, goed, maar ook niet echt een highlight
This might be one of my favorite Dylan albums - more upbeat tempo than some of the others I've listened to, still with that iconic Dylan voice but more understandable than some other albums also.
The way Bob Dylan works for me is I sit down to listen, it becomes pretty obvious he's some kind of lyrical genius, I get antsy and give up because it feels like I have been doing work. Great to listen to on occassion, but I can't think of a time I would ever get excited to put this album on.
Another good one by good ol' Bob. Especially enjoyed Just Like a Woman. 3.6
This record feels like very typical Bob Dylan fare. It doesn't do much of anything that is new for him, so it feels very middle of the road to me. It makes me wonder why this record, above any other Dylan, was chosen. It's just sort of average, even in his discography. There are some good tracks, but nothing really stands out for me. 7.5/10
A true classic of course, showcasing Dylan's fantastic songwriting. With pain in my heart, 1 point off just because there are Dylan albums I like more; there are a few songs on this I like less such as the opener, and there is slightly too much bad harmonica playing. Some fantastic songs too, though, or should I call them stories.
Dylan is best on this album when he is being sassy, with “Rainy Day…” and “Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat.” Good, but not great.
3.5
I shouldn't like this album. I really shouldn't. But here I am, halfway through the album, nodding along and only finding track 2 and 7 skipworthy. It can't last, can it? Not quite. The "C-side" of the album is maybe my least favourite, with only Absolutely Sweet Marie standing out. And around then I start to tire a little. It's a really long album. And then comes the Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands and reels me in. All the standouts elevates it to a 7/10.
Absolutely Sweet Marie has been my favourite Bob Dylan song ever since I seen George Harrison performing it at the ‘30 Years of Bob Dylan’ celebration concert. I don’t love all the other songs quite as much, but it’s a great album nonetheless.
My favorite Dylan album. No question about it. :)
Another classic Dylan album. For me the second half of this double album doesn't quite live up to the promise of the first, but it's a great one nonetheless.
I like most of the less bluesy ones (exception being Obviously Five Believers which has a great riff), aka: Visions of Johanna One of Us Must Know I Want You - WHAT a tune Just Like A Woman Absolutely Sweet Marie Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands - gorgeous
I suppose this is meant to be an automatic 5 out of 5 but as a whole it doesn't grab hold of me like it should. There are a couple of beautiful tunes and the band sounds great but Blonde On Blonde just doesn't hit me as an instant classic.
I was not expecting as much harmonica as I was generously showered with in this album. To be blunt, I didn’t like the way he sang 80% of the time, like he’s almost talk singing but I get that it’s a choice and I just don’t enjoy listening to that choice. Lyrics and metaphors were great though, and shout out to the line: “I’m helpless like a rich man’s child,” it did make me giggle. My favorite songs were visions of Johanna, one of us must know, and most likely you go your way. Those three were legitimately very good and I did enjoy listening to them though the album as a whole I don’t think I’d ever listen to for entertainment value but I appreciate it’s old timey, poetic, harmonica filled vibe.
Ah, old friend. I bought a copy of this while I was in art school and it's still one of my favorite Dylan records.
Such a good mix of writing and music.
Good album with great songs, but far from my favorite from Dylan's 60s period.
My first introduction to Dylan was CD boxset of his first 8 albums. Of those 8, Blonde On Blonde must have been my most played, so I came to this recent listen very familiar with it, but not listened to in several years as I thought I was sick of it. It still holds up as one of Dylan's best (maybe his best overall, although Blood On The Tracks and Desire are neck and neck with it). Blonde On Blonde's strength is that it perfectly bridges the old folky Dylan into the more band focussed sound that he would tackle. I used to like shouting random lines from Leopard-Skin Pill-Box hat at the noisy end of my old band's live sets, so that song is particularly fun for me. This is Dylan at his peak, but I still think his stuff doesn't get above 4 stars for me; it's just a sound I'm not that invested in any more, but I can't deny the guy's got chops where it counts.
There is no denying Dylan's song writing. I've always struggled to appreciate his early music and especially his vocals.
Erittäin hyvä Dylanplatta. Ei juurikaan kehnoja stygejä. Vitosta hipoo mutta laitetaan nyt neljä 4/5
It was cute
Of all the most Dylan-y Dylan records, Blonde On Blonde might have the most Dylan-ness per Dylan capita. That makes it simultaneously one of the best Dylan albums, and one of the most Dylan Dylan albums, and both of these points are simultaneously positives and negatives, depending on how you feel about Dylan being Dylan. If you want your Dylan as dense, as literary, and as singer-songwriter-y as possible, then this is going to be the best example within the confines of a single album, but if you prefer folk revival Dylan, Blonde on Blonde might be a bit of a hurdle for you; depending how you feel about Dylan the more he leans into his vices as a musician– vocal tone, harmonica as loud as a ship horn, long-winded 8 minute songs that feel epic and also unending, you’ll either be overjoyed by how much of the caricature you’re getting here, or you’ll think Blonde on Blonde is an exhausting SNL parody that goes on 73 minutes too long. To my ears, while I like Blonde on Blonde, I wouldn’t say I love it as a whole album. I think one of my biggest issues is how it starts with “Rainy Day Women #12 & 35,” which is this kitschy, 16 year old ✨420 blaze it, f*ggot✨ joke song wrapped in Tin Pan Alley aesthetics. “Pledging My Time” doesn’t really do anything different, and doesn’t get me excited, and sincerely almost pushes me away from Blonde on Blonde, even though I know what’s coming next. And that’s “Visions of Johanna,” which is kind of a rabbit role into Dylan’s modernism, and while it’s not an immediate love, even after all these years, it always pulls me in as a slow burn. Then, from there, I’m pretty much on Dylan’s side for the next 6 songs. While they’re not the typical folk Dylan that I prefer, I think they’re all some of my favorite songs in his entire discography, with “One of Us Must Know” and “Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again” being two songs I hold dearly. And then, Side C starts. Unlike the beginning of Side A, though, we now have a more country tinge, and that pulls me right back out. Honestly, it makes a lot of sense, knowing where Dylan would go for about the next decade sonically, but while these songs don’t annoy me, they don’t sell me, either. Don’t get me wrong, this is still extremely Dylan-esque, and not even Nashville Skyline-era Dylan-esque, but nothing here really stand out. Now, Side C isn’t a total wash. “Absolutely Sweet Marie” does sound the most normal, and is an okay song, and “Fourth Time Around” brings me down a more traditional folk avenue that I enjoy, but “Obviously Fiver Believers” has this honky-tonk quality that slaps me back to reality. By and large, Side C really isn’t for me. And yet, I am fine with the Side D-as-closer “Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands.” It’s not the best Dylan song I’ve ever heard, but pretty great nonetheless. Despite being the first ✨real✨ example of a double album in popular music, I think Blonde on Blonde exemplifies the typical bloat critique of all double albums. In fact, it may have birthed the demon in the first place. I can image a single album of just Side A and B being one of my favorite albums ever. And honestly, that material, plus some others sprinkled throughout, do enough to help me enjoy this a lot, as it’s probably my second favorite Dylan record. But I think the anti-expectation tracks bog down Blonde on Blonde for the worst. They also open up the critiques of Dylan overall that extend well beyond Blonde on Blonde in a vacuum. I may not be as much of a hater as some people would be, but I think it’s hard to ignore the blanket critique of Dylan’s discography as just long-winded songs with nonsense lyrics filled with bad singing and too much harmonica and a bit too much pastiche for music no one actually listens to anymore. These are generalized critiques of Dylan, but I think they all start here. Thankfully, Blonde on Blonde’s highs are so soaring, so heavenly, so out of this world, that I can mostly ignore the lows, which are not great but also not tragic. And like so many double albums that came after, I can easily imagine myself sticking to one record or one side, and thankfully, the sequencing on here makes that decision extremely obvious and easy. It’s a great Dylan record, a very Dylan record. I like Dylan, I don’t love Dylan, though. Similarly, I really like Blonde on Blonde, but I don’t love Blonde on Blonde. I love parts of Dylan’s career, and so, I like parts of Blonde on Blonde. The hit-rate ekes out to a positive, because yeah, Side B is fucking phenomenal, it feels offensive to not acknowledge that, but I could use a little less Dylan, both here and in general.
Good stuff
Bien
I'm a Bob Dylan type, but on the fence about this classic. There are great rambly numbers like Stuck Inside of Mobile and Leopard Skin Pill Box Hat but dreary slogs like Visions of Johanna and Lowlands. Too much harmonica. If you hate his singing, wait 'til you get a load of his harmonica playing! Loses a star for Rainy Day Women 12 & 35 - the dumbest things he's done, including his boutique whiskey line. But gets it back for the hair/stare/scarf combo on the cover.
I first saw the album and had this weird reaction of, oh, I don't know that I'm ready to listen to a Dylan album, having not really heard much from him before but knowing about some of his musical eccentricities that have since become singer-songwriter cliches of a sort. It turns out those fears were totally unfounded; it's a lot jauntier and more fun than I expected it to be, and I'm not so burnt out on Dylan's vocal stylings that it bothered me at all for this album. Most of the albums I've listened to for this, I've felt a sort of grudging acceptance of their inclusion, like "yeah I guess this was probably important to a lot of people once so that's why it's here." As I sit here listening to "Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again" once again, I realize this is one of the first albums from this exercise that deserves more than just grudging acceptance on my part.
Poetic, chill, but shrill. BD is best for me in small doses.
I'm not a big Bob Dylan guy but this album was a lot of fun. Really enjoyed the adverb "obviously" in "Obviously Five Believers." Appreciated the "fuck you I'm Bob Dylan I can do anything" vibes present throughout, all the foolery reminded me of my old roommate Tom (RIP) and his delight. "Nonsense makes no sense" he'd chortle. Tom and I spent a decent chunk of our twenties in Chicago living in an $800-a-month three bedroom, he was trying to get his band (the Interociter) off the ground, I was working on a freelance design / web dev business. His last name was Zimmerman too.
Dylan is going through a bit of a victory lap right now due to his biopic depiction but he's always held a kind of legendary status. He's been glommed onto by so many fanatics as a kind of "prophet for the working class", as if the working class couldn't cut through the political clutter on their own without the punctuation of an occasional harmonica solo. I'm not about to plunge an iconoclastic spear into the side of this legendary figurehead, however, I know better. I'd only to muse that, to mythologize Dylan is an overzealous exercise that strips him of his humanity. It's often been said about the first movie "I'm Not There" that it was the only movie that could ever be made about it's subject matter. As if Dylan's true inner self is so elusive that an attempt at a nuanced depiction would be sacrilege. Seek and ye shall find all ye zealots. You could read between the lines in interviews, listen to his material in the 80's, or just listen to Blonde On Blonde and find his inner self and humanity is on full display. And does that not serve to enrich the material on a deeper level? He's a brilliant writer, weird not-for-everyone vocalist, and an uncompromising creative who lays it all in front of us. His alienation, his fumbled romantic misconnections, social critiques, and eye rolls at materialism are all laid bare. I'll write more about this album some day when I'm more familiar with some of the deep cuts on this one. This is clearly a fantastic album and I'm enjoying every bit of it. Looking forward to gaining an even deeper understanding of it but until then, I've got some 80's Dylan to revisit.
I sat with this album a few times and it really made me examine my indifference with Dylan. I mean.. the harmonica is a divisive tool. In the beginning, it felt overpowering, but by "Temporary Like Achilles" I had acquiesced. Moreover, this album in general really is fantastic. I think it captures why Dylan was and is so popular and influential. He's an incredible writer & storyteller, and his music feels powerful and almost spiritual at times. I'm definitely not always in the mood for Dylan, but I feel like I may be more after really listening to this album.
Who's this Timothee Chalamet wannabe?
Je comprends pourquoi cet album de Dylan est si bien perçu en général. Après une seule écoute je pense que je peux dire que je l'apprécie autant que Bringing It All Back Home. Définitivement à réécouter. 9/10
Nämä soivat takuuvarmasti päässä kaikesta venyneisyydestään huolimatta. Levyllä on taipumus vetää kuulija mukaansa vaikka sitten vilpillä: biisejä jää toistamaan ensin huumorilla, sitten vakavissaan. Plussaa imitointimahdollisuuksista.