Bob Dylan
Blonde on Blonde
(Columbia; 1966)
Not only is Blonde on Blonde one of Bob Dylan’s best albums, but it is also one of the best in rock history. This album captures Dylan at his peak, at his best manic genius.
Dylan declared the album as coming closest to the “thin, wild mercury sound” he desired to reproduce. The last album before his motorcycle accident and subsequent withdrawal, Dylan’s surrealistic poetry truly shines through, as exemplified in “Visions of Johanna.”
Blonde offers amazing depth and lyrical richness in every track without overshadowing the arrangement. Filler-less, every track is simply essential, a key ingredient in a carefully crafted masterpiece. Blending genres, this enigmatic offering has a little bit of everything from the raucous, jangly “Rainy Day Women #12 & 35” to the slow, melodic ballad “Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands,” a tribute to Dylan’s then wife, Sara.
Decades later this album still rewards and surprises, enticing both newcomers and old hands alike.
Trial Track: “Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat”
