This is one of my favorite albums ever. This was the one that started the whole 1965 thing off between Dylan and the Beatles. It was the beginning of Dylan's electric life. He recorded all electric on the first side and all acoustic on the second side. Almost as a way of testing the water. The acoustic songs are not quite the same as the folksy tunes released before. These were more thoughtful, better constructed and more mature. Dylan wrote songs all over the emotional map for this album. This is the most logical starting point for those not into Dylan due to it's accessabilty and humor.
The album also perfectly introduces Highway 61, released later that year. That was where he completely went electric with all of the gusto he could muster. Here he still is tender, like on Love Minus Zero/No Limit, a beautiful song that is still part of the electric side, but has acoustic on it. Dylan trying to convince the folkies that you can have your cake and eat it too. And telling the world that there are no boundries and no need for genres. I can play it anyway I want and it will still fly. You can call it whatever you want, folk, rock, blues, country it's all in there. Sometimes at the same moment.
I haven't even talked about his lyics...I would love to say that this is the best they have ever been, but Dylan is so prolific in his prose that you would be an idiot to call any album the best lyrics he ever wrote. They are, however outstanding. "I look like Robert Ford, but I feel just like Jessie James." Not really sure what he even means byb this, but man it's a great line. Then there's Bob Dylan's 115th Dream. Not sure about the other 114, but this one's a doosy. He weaves a story like no other and the fact that it's a dream means that it doesn't even have to make sense, he can just riff away.
This is a true entry point to the world of Dylan for those who have stuggled with him in the past. Give this a few listens and you will be a Dylan fan for life and will get sucked into his vast catalog of greatness.
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