Blonde on Blonde Review: Dylan's Wild, Surreal Double Album
9.5/10 — Bob Dylan - Blonde on Blonde (1966)
Pros
- Peak Dylan lyricism
- Excellent Nashville players
- 'Visions of Johanna'
Cons
- Long and demanding
- Acquired-taste vocals
Recorded largely in Nashville with session musicians, Blonde on Blonde is often called rock’s first double album. It completes the electric trilogy begun with Bringing It All Back Home and Highway 61 Revisited.
What works
‘Visions of Johanna’, ‘Just Like a Woman’ and ‘I Want You’ show Dylan’s lyrical imagination at its peak, while ‘Rainy Day Women #12 & 35’ is playful and loose. The band’s playing is subtle and warm, and the 11-minute ‘Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands’ is a hypnotic centrepiece.
Where it falters
Dylan’s nasal vocals and elliptical lyrics are an acquired taste, and the album runs long.
Verdict
A dazzling, mysterious record by an artist in full flow.
