Bob Dylan - Blood on the Tracks

 Yes, I am still going through a Dylan phase after reading Howard Sounes bio and am catching up on some records that I never talked about here. This 1975 release is one of his best selling albums with the opening cut, "Tangled Up In Blue", justifiably becoming a Top 40 single. It's mid-tempo, simple arrangement, catchy chorus and extended story line made it one of his most popular tunes, even if the record did not attain much critical acclaim on its release, although it is now looked on as a milestone.

"Simple Twist of Fate" is reminiscent of his 60's acoustic work and is again pretty damn memorable, while "You're a Big girl Now" is a lightweight piano ballad, "Idiot Wind" is stronger'n'more powerful and has become another fave from the record, the lengthy-titled "You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When you Go" is bouncy but not that enduring, although "Meet Me in the Morning" has a fine, slow-burin', bluesy groove and "Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts" is an hip, upbeat number that also received plenty of airplay back in the day. "If You See Her, Say Hello" is a quiet ballad, again sounding a bit like his 60's acoustic work, "Shelter From the Storm" was another that the radio dug, again justifiably, as one of his more durable songwriting efforts with another basic, acoustic arrangement and robust lyrics, while the finale, "Buckets of Rain", is a pretty, romantic, finger-picked tune, although a bit light for my taste.

A great outing by this immensely talented man - certainly one of his best of the 70's.