album #46

blonde on blonde (bob dylan)

I really liked this one. It certainly fits my tastes, overall, better than Highway 61 Revisited. This album has got some of that thin, hard bluesy sound, and it's also very melodic. Makes for really good listening on the musical level, and it's also pretty terrific on the lyrical level. Lots of relationship issues, infidelity implications, and so on. Dylan's love life was pretty complicated around this time, and it definitely shows in the lyrics.

This is an example of an album where I can list highlights, but they're not the only highlights- virtually every song is relistenable and enjoyable, even the ones that sound like pretty standard, generic blues numbers. The album flows well too, it's good for relistening in entirety. "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" is a classic- great, raucous atmosphere, the warbling piano, the lurching brass, the barroom hoots and hollers. "Visions of Johanna" is another all time great. Fascinating lyrics of life with one girl and yearning for another- a nice, chill sound, subdued acoustic ramble. "Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again" gets a little redundant, but it still has a great melody, great pop instincts, and lyrically it's very entertaining- a vivid illustration of several different characters in this miserable town. "Leopard Skin Pill-Box Hat," I just really liked it. Such a strange, sarcastic little song, with a classic blues sound. "Just Like a Woman" is quite pretty, and nicely ambiguous- is he loving or condescending? Also I particularly loved the sound of "4th Time Around"- it's like an autumn drive. Belongs in a good indie movie.

Even after that big paragraph there are still good songs to mention. Really good listening all the way through. JD tells me that another one of Dylan's albums is even more melodic and I look forward to hearing it. In the meantime, Blonde on Blonde is my official favorite Dylan record.