I'm not saying these are Dylan's two best albums or anything (although they probably are). It's just a face off: which do you think is better?






vs.

you're actually going to make me pick? good god.


I'll go with H61.

Highway 61

It may not be better, but Blood on the Tracks is my favorite of the two. It has an emotional frailty within the lyrics that I just cannot deny. For that reason its a more powerful album to me.

can i have a tracklisting?

Blood on the Tracks

this is torture.

highway 61 revisited is a flawless album. it is, in my opinion, dylan at his absolute creative peak (though an argument could, be made for blonde on blonde in that respect). it's almost over as soon as it's begun when you're hit by like a rolling stone. that is perfection. it can't be topped, but you wonder if it can when dylan sings 'do you, mr jones....'. then he completes it with desolation row. highway 61 revisited is dylan's best record. it is probably the best american album ever.

having said that... having said that, i pick blood on the tracks. dylan had gone as far as any man could go with music when he made highway & blonde. he dropped out, changed his tune, came back and unleashed his masterpiece, blood on the tracks. i can't begin to imagine what that would have been like for a dylan fan in the seventies, to have the man seemingly fall from grace creatively, and then pull off this coup d'état as casually as the rollicking beat of tangled up in blue drops from the needle.

he did the same thing with time out of mind. this is why you must never underestimate dylan.

61 for it's variety.

Right on.

How 'bout a poll?

i appreciate/enjoy each song on blood more than each song on highway 61. not to say that highway 61 might have higher peaks in terms of songs, but overall i just like blood on the tracks more.

I think Highway 61 may be a more "important" album in terms of what direction it took Dylan (and much of rock music) in, but for pure listening start to finish, I'd have to say BOTT.

Now Blonde on Blonde....

Tough one. While Blood on the Tracks is amazing I had to go with H61.

oh dear lord, two of the seminal albums in rock (for different reasons) and we have to choose?

i'll get back to you.

heh

Highway is cool, but Blood is better by a mile and a half. Or two Cat Stevens records. Whichever comes first.

it's hard...but not really.

both are lyrical masterpieces, afterall which dylan album isnt?, and musically both are amazing...

but i've always felt that dylan lyrically was at his best when he was making the most sense while making none at all. the random flowing stories of "desolation row", "tombstone blues", and "just like tom thumb's blues" in a perfect tom waits, yet uniquely dylan way of writing that has always awed me.

I think hearing the alternate versions on no direction home vol. 7 have furthered my love of this album.

both are absolutely amazing albums, but i think the only dylan album that can conted to 61 is bringing it all back home...

and i couldn't find a nice way to fit it in, but i don't think any discussion of "blood on the tracks" is complete without talkign about how FUCKING INCREDIBLE TANGLED UP IN BLUE IS

Blood On The Tracks has been my favorite Dylan album for about 2 months now. "Tangled Up In Blue" and "Idiot Wind"...I said shit, goddamn.