Blonde on Blonde on Melba Toast

Overall Album Score: 9.5 out of 10

Blondes on other blondes??!?!?!? ..... um

Now here's a very tasty sucker! (This album and not the blondes, even though they're quite tasty too.) Not only has Bobby tightened up the sound that he developed on Bringing it All Back Home and Highway 61 Revisited, he extended it for one mighty double album! Verrrrrry tasty! If I'm allowed to get a little bit subjective, preparing to write this review has been at least two weeks in the making. I stuck this CD in my car stereo about two weeks ago and just let it play whenever I drive someplace ... and not once did I get bored with it. I could easily go on another two weeks listening to it if I wanted to! (That is ... if I wanted to.) And just to make this album a particularly worthwhile purchase to prospective Dylan appreciators, modern technology has allowed this album to be compressed onto one CD. And, considering the almost criminally cheap Dylan albums have been going on the market these days compared to his inferiors, I picked this one up for a grand total of $9.99. Now that's a danged good deal!

That said, this can be a tough pill to swallow. Believe me! I bought this one probably two years ago and I barely listened to it at all. This ain't no ABBA, that's for sure! When/if you get this album, keep in mind that it'll take a bit of getting used to especially if you aren't acquainted with Dylan. I would actually suggest that you start at Highway 61 Revisited. It might not be as important or as artistically significant as this, but at least it's shorter! (And still very much enjoyable!)

There are many things Dylan improved for this album. The lyrics, of course, are very strong. However, what's most important is that these songs aren't nearly as derivative as they used to be. By Highway 61 Revisited Dylan was ready to rock. By Blonde on Blonde, he was ready to go beyond that! (Okay ... there are still derivative melodies on here ... and a few "questionable" moments, namely "Most Likely You Go Your Way and I Go Mine," but they're pretty much overlookable.) Also, the instrumentation, while it still has that same old "sloppy, unrehearsed" feeling, I largely feel that it was spruced up quite a bit ... or perhaps, at least, it sounds more appropriate.

And, finally, Dylan's sandpaper voice sounds very good here! He didn't take voice lessons or anything ... it just seems more adapted to the songs. Okay ... it's is quite possible that I'm thinking that because I've gotten more used to the guy after forcing myself to review his albums. But it's true. His voice sounds pretty good here.

Overall Album Score: 9.5 out of 10 (Another great album from the Dylan man! Truthfully, I really do feel that this album ought to score higher than Highway 61 Revisited's 9.8 ... but there are a few "questionable" and "boring" tracks in here. At any rate, this album is CLASSIC! It's for all serious rock fans!)

Average Song Score: 9.1 (There are a lot of wonderful songs in here ... unfortunately there are some real bores in here. But they're Dylan bores! That ought to say something at least!)

Album Tilt: 9.5 (While this is usually lauded as one of the world's greatest rock albums, I can't deny the fact that there are a few tracks in here that were probably been better off forgotten. Sorry! Nevertheless, the "one of the world's greatest rock albums" does have credence!)

Artist Rating: 10 (And, yes, I do believe that this is one of the world's greatest rock albums. So I'm giving Bobby a 10 here. It's a tough pill to swallow, but what you'll eventually get out of this album is definitely worth it.)

Track Reviews

Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 9.5/10

IT'S RAINING WOMEN?!?!?!???!??!???! Dude!!!-!-!!!-!--!---!!!!-!!!! What@s this dude smoking?!??!?!?!

(What#*#*(((#s up with my weird punctuation??!?!?!??!??!??!?!?!?!??!?! I must be having a bad punctuation day?!?!?!??!??!??!?!?!??!?!?!?!????) Okay. That's better. Sorry.

This is really drugged up song ... those instrumentals are insane, aren't they? And the lyrics! Dylan sings about people getting stoned by other people ... and then he says "everybody must get stoned." It's like he's talking about a sort of crucifixion and doing drugs at the same time. (Well, I guess if you're going to be crucified, then you had just might as well do it when you're stoned.) This is a fun, playful song. (The druggies yelping in the background are kind of funny, too.) In fact, I like this song so much, I think I'll go out and get stoned right now.

Pledging My Time 9.5/10

This is almost a regular blues song ... but it doesn't sound bad. (Believe me, regular blues songs aren't my forte at all.) But Bob makes it sound interesting and fresh, even. Or maybe I've been brainwashed. Who knows? Naw, really, this is really good. His harmonica playing is really good on this one ... and whoever's playing that electric guitar (aka a future member of THE BAND) is a wonderfully skilled playa. Unfortunately, I am to stupid and naïve to know exactly who that fella is exactly. (The lyrics of this song are kind of fun and playful as well.)

Visions of Johanna 9/10

I understand completely why some people call this one lengthy (at a little bit over seven and a half minutes) ... but you can't argue that it doesn't go at anything but a pleasant and leisurely pace along the way. The lyrics are mystic and thought-provoking, at least!

One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later) 10/10

This one's a fine little song that certainly sports one of the album's greatest melodies. It's also a very passionate song (it has Bobby apologizing to a woman, I assume). The instrumentation still sounds rather sloppy, but it works almost perfectly. (If you don't think so, then it might just take a little getting used to.) Excellence!

I Want You 10/10

Other fine song! This one actually has a very good riff ... and how Bob sings to it is particularly memorable. A very excellent ditty. The lyrics are interesting to read, though I don't claim to know exactly what it's about. Lastly, I would also like to mention that the instruments here are particularly inspired, yet it seems totally effortless! A highlight.

Stuck Inside Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again 10/10

Like "Visions of Johnanna," this one's really lengthy, too! However I don't find this track nearly as boring! (As *slightly* boring as it was.) This one sports a better melody and more electricity in those instruments. Gold! Very entertaining. The lyrics, again, are good to read through. Though, I still don't want to even try to give them some meaning! (Eh... it's not for me to interpret lyrics, anyway.) They're interesting!

Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat 8/10

More blues! (...more blues?! ... poo!) Bobby really does sound a lot better when he's doing it in his own special style rather than just doing that derivative blues stuff. Whereas one of this album's other bluesy songs "Pledging My Time" sounded fresh and interesting, this one doesn't fare as such. Oh well. It's still Dylan, though, and it's still performed exceptionally well. One of the few times I've ever heard an electric guitar solo on a Dylan album is on this track as well. (And that's a good thing!)

Just Like a Woman 9/10

I don't get that vibe like I get from some other Dylan songs, but this is great ballad that sounds both sincere and sentimental! The lyrics are intelligent, of course ... and I really like it when that acoustic guitar briefly and starts playing. That was a perfect touch. Nice!

Most Likely You Go Your Way and I'll Go Mine 7/10

This is the first time in a Dylan song on this album in which I definitely do not like the instrumentation. It's a little bit cheesy (sounding a bit too much like bad carnival music). Nevertheless, Bob's still on his roll and he makes this song better than it might have been otherwise. (Yeah ... this a bit of an unfair write-off, but so the heck what?)

Temporary Like Achilles 7.5/10

This one's a little bit boring. It's kind of trudging and doesn't really have anything too interesting to say. Oh well. It's still ... Bob ............... dyl ...

Absolutely Sweet Marie 9/10

S-weet! Were back to good old GOOD Bob Dylan! The riff is really good and so is the melody! The lyrics are great (as always) ... it's just another solid, classic Dylan tune!

4th Time Around 9.5/10

If he would have gotten three more acoustic guitars on this one, it would have been a jangle pop! Hah! (Like the Byrds!) This one's beautiful and fun to listen to. If that jangly acoustic guitar going off in the background is really the only thing separating this track from the average one from this album as a whole, it works! Very nice!

Obviously 5 Believers 9/10

It's bluesy and rather insignificant with respect to this album as a whole. Nevertheless, it's spirited and upbeat! (It sounds kind of like the early Please Please Me Beatles whenever they would do a cover.)

Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands 10/10

Talk about lengthy! And also talk about not boring! (And also talk about panties!) This is a tremendously engaging and beautiful lyriced 11-minute masterpiece! The aura is sad, yet enchanting. An utter beauty! Forgive me for not writing more, but I think I'm going to space out while this track finishes. Won't you join me?

We like Bob Dylan, don't we? We like this album, too? But we don't like evil Orrin Hatch, enemy of the people. Do we? Leave your comments here.