There is no metaphor to accurately describe the discomfort of ranking every Bob Dylan album. Anecdotal, folks, that’s the excuse for these placements. Any nerd can be objective about which album is the most influential, the best example of this achievement or that lull. It takes someone true of heart to face off against an unshakeable feeling that Down in the Groove has been harshly cast aside or that Under the Red Sky may be an unsalvageable mess. We all walk the weary road of Dylan rankings, but this is, purely, based on the individual listening experience. How else are we to judge anything? That’s our likes and dislikes at play, objectively and anecdotally. This is not an objective ranking, that’d be far more foolish than putting Hard Rain in the top ten, for instance. There is no authority or claim to it, just a chance to perceive some of those lesser works with a lighter touch, and to consider which of Dylan’s albums truly are his best.
46. KNOCKED OUT LOADED
Credit where it is due, Dylan has at least one song worth hearing on his worst album. Brownsville Girl is not enough to salvage what is an utterly unremarkable and often poor release. In fact, Brownsville Girl sums up Knocked Out Loaded, with the best lyric found on the album. “If there’s an original thought, I could use it right now.” His work on Knocked Out Loaded was a low ebb necessary in the hopes of bouncing back. Knocked Out Loaded is often hushed up as a dark period for the artist at the heart, but it is not until actually listening to it that its reputation as the worst of Dylan holds up. Rock bottom has to be hit so an artist can spring back. Knocked Out Loaded sees that happen. There’s no getting around this one. No ifs or buts from even the most dedicated of listeners. Just a poor quality piece of work that had Dylan at his all-time career low. Still, what followed had Dylan heading back into the light and righteous quality we know his is capable of releasing.
You can read our full review of Knocked Out Loaded here.
45. UNDER THE RED SKY
Even mediocrity can impress when placed next to failure. Playful lyricisms are neither witty nor entertaining on an album that marks a first for Dylan. He has finally considered the route of pastiche. Who he writes for, how he writes it, that matters. But it doesn’t affect or change the overall lack of quality found outside of the title track and the post-irony reading of Wiggle Wiggle. Simple rhyming structures drag Dylan into a piece that is not poor, but redundant. Every 1990s artist was doing this. Johnny Hates Jazz could have stuck their name on this. Any nomenclature of the 1980s pop variety could have rattled out this series of tracks. Even the likes of George Harrison, David Crosby, Slash and Elton John fail to make much of a mark with a collection of uptempo rock and acoustic pieces cast away from the Oh Mercy recordings. They were cast away for a reason. Reservation for the next album was not a reason, as is evident by the state of the sound.
You can read our full review of Under the Red Sky here.
44. DYLAN
Outtakes of a lazy crooner, Dylan is an unremarkable selection of offhand pieces and experiments. Poor ones, but infuriatingly so. Some tracks would or could have fit on an album here or a B-Side there, but together they create nothing of interest. Lily of the West is arguably the most layered track on here, the vocal supports from backing singers relying on a spaghetti western effect. Mr. Bojangles is likely the best of the bunch. Waste material from a quick recording marks an album that doesn’t have the Dylan factor. It feels lesser than most of his other works from around the time, but it is Dylan after all. His lyrics and styles are never going to be completely defunct or uninteresting, it’s just that Dylan is underwhelming. What Dylan struggles with time and time again is the positioning of the singer’s personality, on covers and originals.
You can read our full review of Dylan here.
43. DYLAN AND THE DEAD
Dylan’s performances with Grateful Dead are sensational. Why they chose this as the basis for Dylan and the Dead is beyond me. There’s the Foxborough and Philadelphia bootlegs out there for those who want to hear it, but this isn’t, fortunately, a ranking of the bootleg tapes. We’d be here for years. A live album where the crowd can rarely be heard, a collection of the great musicians of a generation shuffling themselves onto the stage out of contractual obligations rather than a desire to play. They were chewed up, spat out and burned beyond comparison to other eras in their career. A stage where Dylan could reject his glory years prior and look forward to the creative revival he would soon experience in the 1990s. Rock bottom had just occurred, and while Dylan and The Dead is a far better listen than some of his studio recordings from the previous years, it is a sharp indicator that even the best have their lull periods, sometimes for a decade.
You can read our full review of Dylan and the Dead here.
42. CHRISTMAS IN THE HEART
Not exactly a permanent classic of the discography, but the admirable intentions behind it and the power of the singer at the core of it all certainly warrant a listen. Christmas in the Heart is full of fusty old classics, cracked out by Dylan for the good sake of charity. He was never going to belt out Driving Home for Christmas or Wonderful Christmastime, but there are moments throughout this 15-track album where a listener may wish they were listening to the latter Christmas tracks. Classics these are not, but it is hard to knock Dylan for trying. This album, the music video for Must Be Santa, and the legacy of Dylan’s Christmas music still shines bright. But conversation of Dylan’s turn as a polka king can be cast aside when you realise there’s much filler in this festive stocking.
You can read our full review of Christmas in the Heart here.
41. EMPIRE BURLESQUE
Butchering the discotheque of the 1980s, Dylan storms through in an attempt to keep himself attached to the pop-art climate. His best works are when he challenges that, though. He may have innovated with electric music, but now he plays second fiddle to it. Empire Burlesque is horribly dated and nothing like the work Dylan would provide, before or after. Complete indifference is the best Empire Burlesque can feel as it trundles through the synth-heavy eighties. Not even Dylan could prevent himself from being swallowed up by the thick fog of a Mick Taylor guitar bridge. Empire Burlesque is an album of moments. Very brief, disconnected moments, that never amount to much more than a squandered opportunity to truly face off against the dominance of synth-pop.
You can read our review of Empire Burlesque here.
40. BOB DYLAN
While it is not difficult to trace back the Woody Guthrie influences here, it is hard to identify Bob Dylan with a sound or style akin to that of the big Dylan influencers. Highway 51 may spark some love further down the road, but that is the aim of this debut album. It is the inauguration of a massive talent. It is an album littered with hidden gems that, while relying on the same signifiers of Dylan’s body of work, are manipulated and changed to a far more folk-oriented audience. The deep south is appealed to with harsh vocal snaps and plenty of acoustic bridges. Both are fine, but it is not the prime-time Dylan fans will find on anything after Another Side of Bob Dylan, and even then, it is as faint as the lines Dylan draws upon to separate artistic courage and mass appeal. He never had a problem with blurring it, though.
You can read our full review of Bob Dylan here.
39. REAL LIVE
It is likely the lack of swagger and indifference to material those in attendance, at this concert and even now, would kill to hear. Real Live has no passion lingering under it. The few peaks to be heard are from Dylan throwing in an Infidels single and a crowd that bolsters one of his finest tracks. Dylan can lean on Real Live as an example of why artists must not recede into covering their best works and continuing without a change of pace or new flourish to their music. More to his credit for not falling for this on the Rough and Rowdy Ways tour. It just goes to show the confidence necessary to present new material – it is a mismatched and moody dud for much of Real Live.
You can read our full review of Real Live here.
38. SAVED
Saved is an articulate bit of Christian rock that hopes to convert faith into rewarding tracks that explain Dylan’s mind. They do not do that. They do not sound that good either. Clydie King and Carolyn Dennis steal the show each and every time with their backing vocals but even then it is nothing special. Dylan croons through another showcase of his faith and failures, but it does not feel as genuine or secure as Slow Train Coming. At least that had good guitar work from Mark Knopfler. To the credit of Saved, though, there are some remarkable instrumental flourishes on In The Garden. Preachy closer Are You Ready is a sickly end to an album barely holding itself together.
You can read our full review of Saved here.
37. SHOT OF LOVE
Shot of Love is not just a religious experience for Dylan, it is a classic Dylan experience for audiences. That pent-up rage pours through strong lyrics and announces the prolific range of songs with great success. Religious clarity is not needed to enjoy and explore Shot of Love, an album that just so happens to be the deeply moving piece Dylan was hoping Slow Train Coming and Saved would be. Bonus track The Groom’s Still Waiting at the Altar is a stunning track too, and it is absolutely criminal it was left off the original run. Still, here it is now, clear as day and significant addition to a hefty discography. Shot of Love caps the religious run Dylan experienced in the early 1980s with a sincere and quality look at his own faith.
You can read our full review of Shot of Love here.
36. TRIPLICATE
Much of Triplicate depends on the conventions that a listener would like to hear Dylan cover. There is enough range here to offer something to everyone, and for those few grand moments comes a real and delicate clarity. As Time Goes By is another delicate collection, a clear sign that Dylan has marked himself as a strong and notable producer. He gives airtime to Sexton and that formidable feel throughout, from the conviction of Imagination to the swinging style of The Best Is Yet to Come. “You ain’t seen nothing yet,” Dylan croons. He was right. Rough and Rowdy Ways was just around the corner.
You can read our full review of Triplicate here.
35. DOWN IN THE GROOVE
A debate over when exactly Dylan hit rock bottom for his career has waged on for some time. It is not from Down in the Groove, though. These tracks are a retaliation to the awkward and stuttering simplicity of Knocked Out Loaded. Considering Oh Mercy was right around the corner, it would be far too brief a stint at the bottom should Down in the Groove, with its delightful collection of solid rock riffs, be considered his worst effort. Far, far better than most of the albums following the post-Slow Train Coming period, although not much better than the middling designs of his music at the time. Strong covers and some relative quality spread throughout mark Down in the Groove not as a rock bottom, but as a resurgence.
You can read our full review of Down in the Groove here.
34. PAT GARRETT AND BILLY THE KIDD
Well-developed and surprisingly at odds with the dusty stand-offs of the film, Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid has some wonderfully relaxing acoustics and instrumentals within. Hearing these developed over The Complete 1973 Collection is a treat for the ears as it gives a clear indication of how Dylan formed these final works. Many of them sound as good as can be expected, the double Billy bill at the end of this one either a sign of shock at needing another eight minutes filled up or a touch of faith in the alternate versions which would be cobbled together to leapfrog a copyright order decades later. The only difference, really, is Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid is streamlined and shorter, without the filler of the massive collection quietly released by the Dylan camp.
You can read our full review of Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid here.
33. MODERN TIMES
Sharing similarities and perspectives found on Love and Theft but without the continuity or the scope for it, Modern Times has rounded itself out as a wandering piece that travels the world, reflects in that Dylan-oriented way and struggles on through. Nettie Moore notes that well, but an unremarkable spread leaves this ballad collection of Dylan clawing at the hope of being a cowboy as an underwhelming stretch. Elton John remarked that this album inspired him, because of the age of the artist at the heart of it. More and more, further down the line especially, Dylan and other artists of a similar pedigree, John Cale for instance, have cranked out better works the older they get. Modern Times may have been monumental at the time, but its sporadic notes of grace and quality are drowned out by simpler constructs, lifted lyrics and standard playing styles. Perhaps it comes from Dylan stepping into the studio to mix and produce, one of the earliest Jack Frost-produced pieces in his history.
You can read our review of Modern Times here.
32. GOOD AS I BEEN TO YOU
Ever-changing the form of Bob Dylan’s voice and work may be, Good As I Been To You is the mumblecore blues the man should never have attempted. What a strange state of affairs this piece of American folk blues is. Impressive as an instrumental setpiece, Good as I Been to You is a middling piece that has all the highs and lows of a mid-career piece. Not a bad thing, though. Dylan pushes through with some intricate moments, intimate details that showcase his playing style and abilities as one of the best. Good as I Been to You is a quiet legacy settler, and as good as he has been to his audiences, this is another continuation, a further push toward a new sound that audiences didn’t know they needed.
You can read our review of Good as I Been to You here.
31. WORLD GONE WRONG
Leaning into those acoustic strengths once more, Bob Dylan notes another, smaller change of pace. His music at this stage was in the return period, his notoriety rising at every turn following Oh Mercy (and ignoring the disastrously dull Under the Red Sky). With his traditional cover album Good as I Been to You, Dylan had found some new passion for singing and, most notably, playing. That carries over to World Gone Wrong, a tender and forgotten piece of Dylan’s discography that marks itself as a clear and simple set of American folk and acoustic blues. That pairing is an obvious one, as gentle as it is resounding for Dylan, whose resurgence is proven to be much more than the fluke some thought it was going to be.
You can read our full review of World Gone Wrong here.
30. INFIDELS
Without a doubt one of the most enjoyable albums in Dylan’s discography, Infidels has great qualities to it that settle in well. It cannot quite shake that fleeting quality, but even then it is a cementing understanding of where Dylan was lyrically when recording this. Despite the strong collection of tracks here, the omissions, including Blind Willie McTell, are absolutely barbaric. Although Knopfler called Dylan’s musical ability “limited”, that much doesn’t show on Infidels. Or anywhere else in his music. An odd comment for an interesting album filled with strange choices, track cuts and Dire Straits riffs bleeding into the very core of a piece so clued up on political protests and religious symbolism.
You can read our full review of Infidels here.
29. FALLEN ANGELS
No bad tracks on this classics piece, one that pops well when Dylan gets a hand in something more interesting. It all depends on the lyrical presence of these classics. Much of the intrigue to Fallen Angels is finding that Dylan can, like many, adapt songs to his own groove. More than enough is featured here to provide interesting, often gorgeous, representations of classic tracks. Intimacy flows through Fallen Angels, noteworthy independence flourishes on It Had to be You and the change of form these classic tracks are given. Dylan attempts to contend with the crooner classics that were once occupied by an all-time great. Whether he holds up better than Sinatra is not the objective, here, but finding new meaning in the tracks of old, through a familiar and everlasting voice, is an interesting, delicate period for Dylan.
You can read our full review of Fallen Angels here.
28. STREET-LEGAL
Certainly an underrated time for Dylan, but not one worth championing as the best of the best. Very good fun, a Planet Waves situation of enjoyable riffs and good wordplay, but far from Dylan’s best work. Still, Dylan’s rockier moments are far better than most of the releases from that year. Street-Legal proved that despite the change in mainstream momentum, Dylan could still capture and understand not just his own life and period of change but the movement that came around it. Lengthy tracks are a frequent feature of this intense and interesting piece. An interesting era for Dylan is capped off by Street-Legal, an album that does muse on the fundamental themes of religion with tracks like We Better Talk This Over and True Love Tends to Forget, but not as much as his follow-up album, Slow Train Coming, does.
You can read our full review of Street-Legal here.
27. SLOW TRAIN COMING
Faithful truth and comfortable lyricisms make for a breath of fresh air for Dylan, whose work provides clarity to his thought process. There is little in the way of career musings, but he may want to put it all behind him. To move forth as an artist reflecting not on the songs of old, but on the life ahead. Don’t look back. Like it or loathe it, Slow Train Coming marked the next era for Dylan’s work. Knopfler cuts through with biting and encroaching guitar work – just listen to Slow Train and its short introduction for proof of what Slow Train Coming can do. Not the lyrical testament Dylan would craft in his early years, but an offering to a newfound faith, and it is hard to knock such efforts when they sound quite solid.
You can read our full review of Slow Train Coming here.
26. PLANET WAVES
Two versions of Forever Young somehow manage to make themselves as good as one another, despite the very obvious upbeat direction of the B-Side opener. A neat album is what Planet Waves is. A fun little look into what The Band and Dylan would soon release, a collection of good tracks that never linger on the mind for more than the minutes they clock up. The Last Waltz also makes itself known, through patters and pieces found on Planet Waves. The B-Side is still as vague as it is enjoyable, but the A-Side, as often is the case with Dylan’s records, makes up for when the steam starts to run out. Even then, Wedding Song is a delightful highlight and many of the tracks listed on Planet Waves feel, if anything, out of Dylan’s comfort zone. Glimmers of excitement.
You can read our full review of Planet Waves here.
25. ANOTHER SIDE OF BOB DYLAN
For this album, he depends on the chimes of freedom flashing. I Don’t Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met) feels introspective and personal, but there is no way of truly knowing. My Back Pages could be completely removed from Zimmerman, but the act of him approaching the subject and writing of it is more than enough to stoke the fire of his personal life. Another Side of Bob Dylan is another blank page of the unknowable artist at the core of it all. Strong tracks like Ballad in Plain D and the timeless It Ain’t Me Babe are rewarding and engaging listens. That much should be expected from Dylan regardless of decade, album or track, but Another Side of Bob Dylan is the calm before the storm of truly great work. Artists clamour for just one of those releases, Dylan had a decade of them, and it probably started here.
You can read our full review of Another Side of Bob Dylan here.
24. SELF PORTRAIT
When the artist truly reflects on where he is at in his career, the public perception, and how he wishes to change it, Self Portrait comes to life. Dylan cuts his losses, tries to clamour back some of the self-respect that the “Voice of a Generation” label dragged away from him and hits back with a satirical take on his own work. Days of ‘49 is a real treat, the orchestral accompaniment of Belle Isle astonishing and the stories within Copper Kettle inspiringly odd. He may have electrified one half of an audience and electrocuted the other with his stirring work in the 1960s, but Dylan wishes for a moment of clarity and peace, and gets just that with Self Portrait.
You can read our full review of Self Portrait here.
23. THE FREEWHEELIN’ BOB DYLAN
Freewheelin’ the charms of Bob Dylan may be, his work on sophomore album The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan shows an exhibition of tightly wound sound. These are not the coasting notes of a man not trying. These are inherited strings and chords that hope to improve on the eponymous debut. Bob Dylan’s application and later rebellion against the tepid waters of acoustic guitar tracks is a beautiful crescendo, and it starts with The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan. His acoustic blues are categorised well, and with a chirpy reservation that does not touch on the later moments of fighting against the powers that be. This is Dylan at his most free and his happiest. His least critical album, but one of his essentials.
You can read our full review of The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan here.
22. MTV UNPLUGGED
For longtime listeners of legendary songwriter Bob Dylan, there will be no hiding the lowlights. It is generally agreed that the period from Empire Burlesque up to Oh Mercy is a dark time, not just for the songwriter but for fans. A creative crossroads was reached. Dylan was more interested in articulating himself in the start of a so-called never-ending tour than he was in making sure his studio form was up to a high standard. Where there may be bootleg recordings of those incredible moments on stage, for the at-home listener, and now the next generation, there is little to suggest this was a lucrative time for Dylan. Even at the turn of the decade, he was feeling the burden of songwriting to be all too much. Heavy is the heart which carries the voice of a generation, after all. Dylan was close to calling it quits. His MTV Unplugged performance changed that.
You can read our feature on MTV Unplugged here.
21. SHADOWS IN THE NIGHT
True love calls and Dylan does not sound all too concerned in picking up. Where Are You? and What’ll I Do to follow suggest a regret, a new layer which Dylan has used before and after Shadows in the Night. An album which, ten years on, is still cause for celebration. Self-discovery and rediscovery, either of a genre or an emotional perspective, are crucial to Shadows in the Night and the openness Dylan provides is what it rests on. In losing himself to songs of Sinatra, to listening repeatedly until he can figure out their purpose, their range of meanings, he clicks into place some subtle showcases of his own. What is and is not a Dylan meaning or just a reflection, a reinvigorated cover, is never clear, but that hunch and suggestion which is felt in the bones when listening to Dylan, is present through Shadows in the Night. He, like a listener, is guided by a faith in storytelling and the ambiguity left wide-open by those soft instrumentals and the personable, tear-jerking vocal performance.
You can read our feature on Shadows in the Night here.
20. AT BUDOKAN
At Budokan offers beautiful rearrangements of what were contemporary songs of the time. Simple Twist of Fate is expectedly intense, but in those subtle ways only Dylan could conjure so soon after release. It feels more and more like a farewell to a sound audiences were comfortable with. A surge of gospel rock, the backing vocalists a dead giveaway to the soul material Dylan would pursue with his religious trilogy later down the line, is the big difference maker here. With the benefit of hindsight, we can mark At Budokan as a sort of farewell record, a chance to say goodbye to a sound which had benefitted his career for almost two decades. But all great artists must evolve. At Budokan is a chance to do just that, and it takes no prisoners with even the precious likes of Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door and The Times They Are A-Changin’ switched up and instrumentally advanced.
You can read our full review of At Budokan here.
19. THE BASEMENT TAPES
The outcome, quite clearly, is stunning. That balance of Dylan, The Band, Dylan again is crucial. Quality is very much on the cards for this consistent brilliance. Yazoo Street Scandal steps up the passion founded on the album, and the back and forth between Dylan and The Band feels like friendly competition. They attempt to outdo one another lyrically and musically, and it is still difficult to argue who has the sharper tracks on the album. Each artist has a bit of perfection to their name. Passionate tracks from Robbie Robertson on the aforementioned Yazoo Street Scandal and from Dylan on Goin’ to Acapulco offer systematic breakdowns of emotion, long-held notes and that classic backing noise that offered the very best of early Dylan tracks.
You can read our full review of The Basement Tapes here.
18. BEFORE THE FLOOD
With a run of hits to close this one out, perfect acoustic numbers without too much stray from their studio reflections bar a lyrical turn from Dylan with a bit of venom in his throat, Before the Flood has an incredible status. Certainly, one of the best live offerings available to fans of The Band and Dylan. It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding) could not sound better here than it does. Moments of real perfection and keen understanding of the live process, the back and forth of Dylan and the wilder side of The Band flowing through and creating a masterful piece in parts. Where it may not have many interjections from the audience in attendance, that is more a problem for those of the time than it is for listeners at home, enjoying some of the sharpest performances Dylan and The Band ever gave.
You can read our full review of Before the Flood here.
17. NEW MORNING
New Morning plays up to the tone audiences were wanting from Dylan. He leans into it, just a little, because the simpler life has softened his writing style. An artist does not need to live in hardship to create their best works, but it certainly gives them something to write about. Such is the case for Blood on the Tracks, an album which many may forget is a horrificly dark piece of work, given how much we listen to it, returning to the grooves over New Morning. People like to hear about suffering in songs because it is easier to extract a meaning and relate their life to it. New Morning is an outline of sorts, a blueprint for what was to come on Blood on the Tracks. It’s a reaction to the domesticity which has now passed, and by the sounds of it, would never return to Dylan, who even now is always on the move.
You can read our feature on New Morning here.
16. TEMPEST
A slate of Dylan-only originals, bar opening track Duquesne Blues which shares a writing credit with the late Robert Hunter of The Grateful Dead, Tempest offers an extreme, refined form. One of the most touching pieces from Dylan’s discography, a criminally disregarded piece that has not held the attention of wider audiences as much as it could or should have. Long and Wasted Years consolidates the fear of waste and the regrets of not seeing family. Discounting his own image, breaking it down and building himself up as he prepares to cross the Rubicon, Dylan finds comfort in the freedom Tempest offers. This underdog album is far from a violent storm, though. It marks a gorgeously worked, moving listen that stands tall as one of the unsung greats of his discography.
You can read our full review of Tempest here.
15. JOHN WESLEY HARDING
Had John Wesley Harding featured in most other country or folk artists’ catalogues at the time, it would be their greatest achievement. But this is Dylan, and he can make a fine, fine album like John Wesley Harding feel relatively normal. Achievement after achievement, too good for his own good. A remarkable album, featuring some of his finest tracks. Dylan’s work here often goes unsung in the face of Blonde on Blonde and Nashville Skyline, which bookend this effort of folk classics. His work here does not fall on deaf ears though, from his Kafka-like storyline found on Drifter’s Escape or the embrace of love found on Down on the Cove. As engaged and firm as expected of Dylan at the time, John Wesley Harding is a collection of fantastic contemporary folk tracks.
You can read our full review of John Wesley Harding here.
14. OH MERCY
Oh Mercy is a staggering piece of work. From the rise and boom found on Political World to the fractured acoustics of the A-Side closer track Man in the Long Black Coat, there is presence here that Dylan had not conjured since the 1970s. There is hunger and desire within Oh Mercy that clicks with a need to make something raw. Dylan had done so previously but with less-than-consistent results. Down in the Groove was scattershot, Knocked Out Loaded was plain awful, but Oh Mercy is a stellar entry into his discography. Reignite the flame, power through with intense tracks.
You can read our full review of Oh Mercy here.
YYou can read our full review of Oh Mercy here.
13. SHADOW KINGDOM
Dylan strips back his best efforts of his first thirty years in music and the resulting spectacle is a real, relaxed treat. It takes great effort to make a live set sound so intimate and sincere, but Shadow Kingdom delights time and time again with its merit and focus on being as real as can be. Those winds of change Forever Young teases are in firm sway now. Dylan reflects on this, gives himself the chance to explore his previous meanings and flow, and comes out of it all with a monumental record. A chilling feeling rises in the latter moments, similar to David Johansen’s Personality Crisis, as the musicians kick into full swing and Dylan is left there, on stage, wondering about his place in the public eye. Still as good as his glory days, and nothing to worry about, Shadow Kingdom plays well with the well-received intimacy.
You can read our full review of Shadow Kingdom here.
12. LOVE AND THEFT
Love and Theft is a definitive offering from Dylan. His broad range is expanded on, it flutters between genres, flirting with their qualities and their weaknesses. It is the sign of an artist throwing everything at the wall just to see what sticks. There is no setlist of goals, just a desire to create and a fantastic way to do so. Experimenting with new styles and unique sounds, Dylan stretches himself a bit too thin, but the results are successful and interesting. A change to his vocal strengths inspires new ways of morphing the instruments around the voice he now offers. A flash of style here and a new innovation there, and Dylan has all the makings of a remarkably loose album, yet that is its finest aspect.
You can read our full review of Love and Theft here.
11. THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN’
Possibly one of the most accessible Dylan albums, The Times They Are A-Changin’ is a perfect representation of his early works. Folk ballads with a cutting edge to them which, like the comparison or not, did provide a voice to a generation. When the Ship Comes In and Boots of Spanish Leather are key highlights too, and although they may not be topping any lists of Dylan’s greatest tracks, it is their inclusion here that is so exciting and engaging. Philosophising the folk genre, Dylan goes to great lengths in making The Times They Are A-Changin’ an accessible piece, and he does so with great integrity. He does not make the usual sacrifices of an artist attempting to appeal to a wider audience. He hooks the unconvinced listener, sits them down for ten incredible tracks and lets the ballad-like tones and acoustic-heavy tracks take hold. It is an album that will mark itself as one of the greatest, but it is just the tip of the iceberg for this period of Dylan’s work.
You can read our full review of The Times They Are A-Changin’ here.
10. TOGETHER THROUGH LIFE
It is all strong preparation under “Jack Frost” for what many considered an album of great standing over a decade later, Rough and Rowdy Ways. Many albums in Dylan’s discography can lay claim to an “underrated” categorisation, but Together Through Life shines through far brighter than the rest of them. An album for the fans, certainly, but for those not as obsessed with the man himself, Together Through Life will provide a sincere piece from Dylan, the sleepy folk-rock stylings create a good flow from track to track. Quality for those needing a personal kick, though. Glimmers of brilliance. Jump into the fire.
You can read our full review of Together Through Life here.
9. NASHVILLE SKYLINE
Dylan has the unenviable task of removing some of the more cloying and scattershot tones of the country genre and does so well enough. He still falls toward them at times, but his change in voice and the cultural circumstances of the time mark Nashville Skyline out as an important, interesting piece of the discography. Not essential, but important. Important, because it charts a typical vision for Dylan documented with a new voice and styling that pairs just as nicely as his previous iteration of work. There are still all the hallmarks of protest tracks but done with a country aesthetic, steel guitar and all the hollering necessary for carving out a traditional country setlist. Dylan’s embrace of the country genre comes as a surprise considering how innovative he could be elsewhere, but it is also comforting to hear the subtle changes his style of playing brings to the genre.
You can read our full review of Nashville Skyline here.
8. DESIRE
Where Dylan has always been a master lyricist, the additions made by Levy imply their collaboration is the most important part of Desire. There’s an imbalance at play, the eleven-minute Joey or the rather steady and somewhat predictable harmonica backdrop to Isis, feels like second fiddle material to Levy and Dylan’s writing. What is usually a part of a perfect song is instead profiled, removing some of that subtle magic in the process. Having that focus on the writing, as good as it can be, makes little sense when Levy and Dylan are fooling around with rhyming structure on Mozambique. It’s a necessary break from the heavier material either side, though, and One More Cup of Coffee is that fine balance between heavy material, those stories of lost love, and the lighter charms of what Desire can offer instrumentally.
You can read the rest of our feature on Desire here.
7. HARD RAIN
Thumping percussion and exceptional instrumental interludes toward the end of You’re a Big Girl Now give this Hard Rain collection the mighty punch – a calm before the storm of I Threw It All Away and Idiot Wind, two responsive and necessary tracks to chart a period Dylan found himself in. Doing so sheds some real and mean-spirited light on a tumultuous time for Dylan. He could feel the gears grinding away, and the grand frustrations are, decades from now, his vindication would come. Hard Rain is an exceptional piece, a turning point caught on tape as one of the finest musicians of any generation finally gives in to being pushed through a system he knows will not suit him. Dylan is flaming, and fiery. It shows itself throughout this piece. A monumental effort from those within to channel his rage, to fuel the fire Dylan finds himself desperately, furiously kindling. It is a slice of necessary history buried below the depths of a shift in tone and focus that Dylan would undertake just a few years later. Head back and hear the voice of reason crushed under the boot of record labels.
You can read our full review of Hard Rain here.
6. TIME OUT OF MIND
From interviews of the time, the key being Lanois saying: “What’s important is that it [Time out of Mind] is written,” it is clear that, regardless of the output, Dylan has his release. Time Out of Mind is proof that Dylan was not slowly shifting toward a cover artist riding the coattails of his glory days. Far from it. Blurry cover photos, inferences in interviews to keeping up with the changing ways of producing, Time Out of Mind has it all. At its core, a tremendous, powerful release. With a new mix just around the corner, Time Out of Mind still feels as fresh and formidable as ever. How new stylings, studio cuts and demos will change and solidify that feeling, only time will tell.
You can read our full review of Time Out of Mind here.
5. ROUGH AND ROWDY WAYS
Harsh blues music from start to finish. A strong outing from one of the best in the business. We should expect nothing less. Rough and Rowdy Ways is a determined, incredibly strong release that documents the waning years of the American dream and the state of its modern affairs. With natural charisma weaving into the chords of his guitar, this album will be right at home with fans of Dylan. It doesn’t feel like a place you can start with his work; the whimsy and self-deprecating charm is lost slightly if you don’t brush up on his discography. A formidable, welcome piece from one of the best in the game, leaving his stamp on another decade of music.
You can read our full review of Rough and Rowdy Ways here.
4. BRINGING IT ALL BACK HOME
These are tracks that have personal poignancy to them. It is the first Dylan album that can be considered truly perfect. His previous instalments were close, but Bringing it All Back Home, in comparison, is leagues above the rest. How can it not be? Mr. Tambourine Man echoing out of the speakers is a wondrous experience. A strong album not just because of the tracks featured on it but because of what Dylan sets out to do. He manages that distance between himself and the Voice of a Generation tagline while also incorporating new sounds. It is a completely personal, unique experience for those listening in. What they’ll hear is change. A step in a new direction for an artist whose later career was defined by sporadic change.
You can read our full review of Bringing it All Back Home here.
3. BLONDE ON BLONDE
It is, as Dylan said: “The closest I got to the sound I hear in my mind,” and it certainly shows. Blonde on Blonde is as intense and incredible an influence as it was all those decades ago. Its reappraisal was inevitable, but its lyrical consistencies and the beauty of the craft are showcased with perfection. Dylan outshines his earlier work and pushes forth as one of the greatest lyricists of his, or any time. That is the impact Blonde on Blonde has, but beyond that, it is simply a perfect album. One of the best. No amount of critique or discussion over the meaning of the words or music can steal the spotlight from Dylan’s natural ability as a songwriter. These are the closest listeners can get to hear the sound in his mind, and it certainly shows on Blonde on Blonde.
You can read our full review of Blonde on Blonde here.
2. HIGHWAY 61 REVISITED
It is an album that exudes conflict. Highway 61 may be revisited, but it is the crossroads of an artist that spurs on ever clearer. Dylan here realises and accepts that his work is autobiographical, even though he may transfer the guilt, trauma and good times to a different entity. It is not just this realisation Highway 61 Revisited brings, but the affirmation as Dylan as a higher power. He is an authority now, and it is the public backlash of an unreleased Like a Rolling Stone that spurred him on to a higher peak than ever before. It is on a revisit of Highway 61 Revisited that the lyrics cut through greater than before, that they provide a sense of place and time. It is fine, fine work. Albums like this, songs as strong as this, they are reminders of why Dylan is hailed as one of the greats.
You can read our review of Highway 61 Revisited here.
1. BLOOD ON THE TRACKS
For a good few months, I’d play Blood on the Tracks on a tinny Bluetooth speaker when showering. Standing there with lashings of hot water and a numbness that had subtly, slowly, spread over me was one of the worst experiences I thought I would ever have. It happened again a year later, and I returned to Blood on the Tracks like the old, reliable friend it is. Returning to the likes of Buckets of Rain and Idiot Wind, feeling those same feelings but as a direct contrast to the situation I was in the year before, it’s a fascinating experience. It’s also a series of clarifying, liberating listens. It’s as it was for Dylan, who writes a series of harsh, loveless songs where he’s aware of being in the wrong but takes no notice of it. That’s a definitive statement from Dylan, and it’s his most succinct exploration of meaning and message to date.
You can read our feature on Blood on the Tracks’ power here.
Discover more from Cult Following
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
