Bringing It All Back Home Review: The First Electric Dylan
9.5/10 — Bob Dylan - Bringing It All Back Home (1965)
Pros
- 'Mr. Tambourine Man'
- 'Subterranean Homesick Blues'
- Dazzling lyrics
Cons
- Rough electric side
- Cryptic lyrics
Bringing It All Back Home is half electric, half acoustic. It opens Dylan’s electric trilogy and includes the surreal ‘Subterranean Homesick Blues’.
What works
‘Subterranean Homesick Blues’ is a rapid-fire lyrical blast, ‘Mr. Tambourine Man’ and ‘It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue’ are beautiful, and ‘Maggie’s Farm’ is sharp. Dylan’s words are dazzling, and the band is loose and bluesy.
Where it falters
The electric side is a bit rough around the edges, and the lyrics can be cryptic.
Verdict
A pivotal, exhilarating record.
