John Wesley Harding - Bob Dylan > Reviews

Advantages: Thematic, Basic and Brilliant.
Disadvantages: Short-ish, and a bit odd.

A truly exceptional album. There are those upon this earth who may desire their melodies graced by string, brass and choir; but by the gentle hand of chance I am not one of them. Many a fine song has been meddled with for ill, many a gem has been soiled by fiddling. The beauty and magic of this album, however, is that it simply lets the songs do the work. Yes, granted, the biblical references, guarded metaphors and blinding imagery are some ... Read review

Advantages: a rootsy, bluesy, folksy, transition record.
Disadvantages: maybe the running order...

john wesley harding opens with the song of the same name, a simple melody with simple backing, with a very literal lyric, sung with understated emotion by bob. it's a good song. and as such, it sets the tone for the entire album, with the obvious exception of the last two tracks. the whole album is good. on first listen, that's all that you get from it, but with each subsequent listen, every track throws up nuances and subtleties you had no idea ... Read review

Advantages: Great Songs
Disadvantages: You'll want to keep playing it.

The best Bob Dylan album ever? Probably not, but it was the first Dylan album I bought so it will always have a soft spot in my heart. Having said that I still think this album can hold its own against "Blonde on Blonde" or "Blood on the Tracks". This was the album after "Blonde on Blonde" and was written while Dylan was recovering from his near fatal motorcycle accident. A sombre mood prevades all but the last 2 tracks on the album. Dylan songs ... Read review