Top Album of All Time

[wayne stote]

For Bob Dylan, I think I'd go:

1. Infidels
2. Blood On The Tracks
3. Bringing It All Back Home
4. Desire
5. New Morning

He's one of the few performers with whom I seem to have a definite cut-off point. With a couple of exceptions, I like his albums up to and including Infidels but would struggle to fill one side of a C60 tape with songs I enjoy thereafter to the point that I stopped listening after Love & Theft.

[Jules Gray]

For Bob Dylan, I think I'd go:

1. Infidels
2. Blood On The Tracks
3. Bringing It All Back Home
4. Desire
5. New Morning

He's one of the few performers with whom I seem to have a definite cut-off point. With a couple of exceptions, I like his albums up to and including Infidels but would struggle to fill one side of a C60 tape with songs I enjoy thereafter to the point that I stopped listening after Love & Theft.

Infidels could have, and should have, been an absolutely stellar record, but Bob made some bad calls on song selection, and then kept fiddling with the lyrics and overdubs.  He overthought the record.  One of many instances when he needed an outside editor.

I always think of it as a missed opportunity.  But Jokerman will forever be a top 5 Bob song for me.

Jules

[GubGub (Al)]

It's all horses for courses, but I don't like DSOTM. There are a handful of classic albums I just don't get at all, Sgt Pepper is another one.
Blood On The Tracks would get my vote as best ever.

That's another in the 4th or 5th best album by the band list - it is so flawed I'm always amazed when I see it in Best Ever lists..  I'm tempted to make the same case for BotT but I'll settle for 2nd or 3rd there  

Beatles top 5:
1. Abbey Road
2. Rubber Soul
3. A Hard Day's Night
4. Revolver
5. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Dylan top 5:
1. Blood on the Tracks
2. Desire
3. Blonde on Blonde
4. Highway 61 Revisited
5. Bringing it all Back Home

Jules

OK, I'll play.

Beatles

1. Abbey Road
2. A Hard Day's Night
3. Revolver
4. Rubber Soul
5. Magical Mystery Tour (cheating, I know)

Bob

1. Blood On The Tracks
2. Desire
3. Street Legal
4. Time Out of Mind
5. Bringing It All Back Home/Freewheelin (tied)

[Jules Gray]

5. Magicla Mystery Tour (cheating, I know)

"Hey, dat's magic, la!"

 

Jules

[wayne stote]

For Bob Dylan, I think I'd go:

1. Infidels
2. Blood On The Tracks
3. Bringing It All Back Home
4. Desire
5. New Morning

He's one of the few performers with whom I seem to have a definite cut-off point. With a couple of exceptions, I like his albums up to and including Infidels but would struggle to fill one side of a C60 tape with songs I enjoy thereafter to the point that I stopped listening after Love & Theft.

Infidels could have, and should have, been an absolutely stellar record, but Bob made some bad calls on song selection, and then kept fiddling with the lyrics and overdubs.  He overthought the record.  One of many instances when he needed an outside editor.

I always think of it as a missed opportunity.  But Jokerman will forever be a top 5 Bob song for me.

Jules

I wasn't aware of its troubled history. I imagine the songs left out have ended up in the Bootleg series, somewhere. Do you know what they are?

[GubGub (Al)]

For Bob Dylan, I think I'd go:

1. Infidels
2. Blood On The Tracks
3. Bringing It All Back Home
4. Desire
5. New Morning

He's one of the few performers with whom I seem to have a definite cut-off point. With a couple of exceptions, I like his albums up to and including Infidels but would struggle to fill one side of a C60 tape with songs I enjoy thereafter to the point that I stopped listening after Love & Theft.

Infidels could have, and should have, been an absolutely stellar record, but Bob made some bad calls on song selection, and then kept fiddling with the lyrics and overdubs.  He overthought the record.  One of many instances when he needed an outside editor.

I always think of it as a missed opportunity.  But Jokerman will forever be a top 5 Bob song for me.

Jules

I wasn't aware of its troubled history. I imagine the songs left out have ended up in the Bootleg series, somewhere. Do you know what they are?

Some but not all. Chief amongst them was Blind Willie McTell which has been made available as an acoustic version but there is a fantastic band version which has never come out. Then there are Foot Of Pride, Julius & Ethel (never released), a fantastic version of Willie Nelson's Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground which was used as a B Side, Lord Protect My Child, Death Is  Not The End and the amazing This Was My Love which has also never been released.



Edit: I forgot Don't Fly Unless Its Safe (never released), Tell Me and Someone's Got A Hold Of My Heart (later re-recorded as Tight Connection To My Heart)

[Jules Gray]

There are bootlegs stuffed to the gills with Infidels outtakes.  Have a search on the web.

Jules

[Albie]

Bob

1. Blood On The Tracks
2. Desire
3. Street Legal
4. Time Out of Mind
5. Bringing It All Back Home/Freewheelin (tied)

Similar top three

1. BOTT
2. Street Legal
3. Desire
4. Blonde On Blonde
5. Bringing It All Back Home

I love Time Out Of Mind but of his "recent" work, Modern Times is my favourite, also love Tempest and Love and Theft.
But it's Bob, so on any given day lots of his albums could have me listening and thinking this is his second best work ever (BOTT will always be number one  ).

[DarrenWilliams]

I own 5 Dylan CDs, coincidentally the ones above. What's number 6?

That's actually a very difficult question to answer.  The top 5 almost award themselves their honours, but things become a lot more 'suck it and see' after this.

There'd be an argument for The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, Bob's first demonstration of his songwriting chops.

Or there's the back to basics rustic charm meets biblical sermonising of John Wesley Harding.

Or maybe the curate's egg that is Street-Legal.  I recommend hearing it in its remixed form, because the original production was lousy.

And some may even point to more recent works, like Oh Mercy or Time out of Mind.

There's even a case to be made for diving into the wonderful and mysterious world of the basement tapes.  If you do, I would suggest the 2-disc The Basement Tapes Raw release.  There's also a boxed set, but I don't think you're quite that rabid.

Jules

Thanks Jules. I have listened to Street-legal and love it. The version on Spotify sounds ok to my ears so I suspect it is the remixed version. Moving forward from here it looks like there's a v good/great album in every 4 or 5. Oh Mercy I like a lot, and most of Infidels. There are some great outtakes on the bootleg series, one in particular is When the Night Comes Falling From the Sky. I'm bemused as to how that didn't make the album (Empire Burlesque  ?). I'm sure there are more examples.

Actually, I think I still have the 1970s release of the Basement Tapes on vinyl somewhere...

[GubGub (Al)]

I own 5 Dylan CDs, coincidentally the ones above. What's number 6?

That's actually a very difficult question to answer.  The top 5 almost award themselves their honours, but things become a lot more 'suck it and see' after this.

There'd be an argument for The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, Bob's first demonstration of his songwriting chops.

Or there's the back to basics rustic charm meets biblical sermonising of John Wesley Harding.

Or maybe the curate's egg that is Street-Legal.  I recommend hearing it in its remixed form, because the original production was lousy.

And some may even point to more recent works, like Oh Mercy or Time out of Mind.

There's even a case to be made for diving into the wonderful and mysterious world of the basement tapes.  If you do, I would suggest the 2-disc The Basement Tapes Raw release.  There's also a boxed set, but I don't think you're quite that rabid.

Jules

Thanks Jules. I have listened to Street-legal and love it. The version on Spotify sounds ok to my ears so I suspect it is the remixed version. Moving forward from here it looks like there's a v good/great album in every 4 or 5. Oh Mercy I like a lot, and most of Infidels. There are some great outtakes on the bootleg series, one in particular is When the Night Comes Falling From the Sky. I'm bemused as to how that didn't make the album (Empire Burlesque  ?). I'm sure there are more examples.

Actually, I think I still have the 1970s release of the Basement Tapes on vinyl somewhere...

Well, it did but in a very 80s production version which has not aged well. It is another case of great song, bad recording.

[Jules Gray]

Thanks Jules. I have listened to Street-Legal and love it. The version on Spotify sounds ok to my ears so I suspect it is the remixed version. Moving forward from here it looks like there's a v good/great album in every 4 or 5. Oh Mercy I like a lot, and most of Infidels. There are some great outtakes on the bootleg series, one in particular is When the Night Comes Falling From the Sky. I'm bemused as to how that didn't make the album (Empire Burlesque  ?). I'm sure there are more examples.

Actually, I think I still have the 1970s release of the Basement Tapes on vinyl somewhere...

There's a quick way of checking which Street-Legal you have.  If Changing of the Guards is 6:41, it's the 1978 original, and if it's 7:04 than you have the 1999 remix.

Bob's discography is filled with bemusing "why was this left in the can" moments.  Neil Young too.  They're a perverse pair of fellas.

As for The Basement Tapes, the original was compromised by Robbie Robertson slipping in a bunch of Band songs from different eras, and also leaving out some essential Bob tracks (and overdubbing on some of the ones he included).  The more recent release is so much more satisfying for Bob's stuff.  If you like the Band songs, you can always find those elsewhere.

Jules

[Jules Gray]

Robert Pollard of Guided by Voices has been playing the same game:

[davidmjs]

Robert Pollard of Guided by Voices has been playing the same game:

That no.2 choice is beyond shocking.  I'm not sure I can ever listen to GbV again    Disappointing doesn't come close, especially as his no.3 is so fine...

[Jules Gray]

That no.2 choice is beyond shocking.  I'm not sure I can ever listen to GbV again    Disappointing doesn't come close, especially as his no.3 is so fine...

Everyone has their peccadillos.

Jules

[GubGub (Al)]

Robert Pollard of Guided by Voices has been playing the same game:

That no.2 choice is beyond shocking.  I'm not sure I can ever listen to GbV again    Disappointing doesn't come close, especially as his no.3 is so fine...

It is not that bad. It is not the number 2 album of all time admittedly or even the number 200 but it is a decently imaginative album from the period before all their albums became number 2s (post 1975)

[Jules Gray]

it is a decently imaginative album from the period before all their albums became number 2s

Hahahahaha.

Jules

[David W]

In terms of influence, and not necessarily my taste, but up there with Sgt Pepper, Pet Sounds, DSOTM one should consider Thriller.

[Jules Gray]

In terms of influence, and not necessarily my taste, but up there with Sgt Pepper, Pet Sounds, DSOTM one should consider Thriller.

OK, I've considered it.

Next!

Jules

[ColinB]

In terms of influence, and not necessarily my taste, but up there with Sgt Pepper, Pet Sounds, DSOTM one should consider Thriller.

OK, I've considered it.

Next!

Jules

Liege and Lief? We are supposed to be fans of Fairport on here.  

[Nick Reg]

In terms of influence, and not necessarily my taste, but up there with Sgt Pepper, Pet Sounds, DSOTM one should consider Thriller.

OK, I've considered it.

Next!

Jules

Liege and Lief? We are supposed to be fans of Fairport on here.  

Ha Ha. L & L is nowhere near their best