Catching up with Shot of Love - "In the Summertime" seems out of place. I like it.

I read through Rob Sheffield's career over-view. Worth a read for what we have coming up: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artis ... how_page=0

So we're doing all the live stuff at the end, right? I noticed we missed a couple in there but I think I saw an earlier post where all the studio stuff comes first, followed by live and bootleg recordings.

Infidels... hmmm...yet another "comeback" album, and, at least for me, the most startling and successful of any he pulled off. After filling the pond with scum for way too long, Bobby pulls off an unexpected miracle (religious parallels notwithstanding). Agree with Harry about the vocals throughout- I believe this performance tops the heap.

"Sweetheart Like You" is a dead-perfect song for me- solitude, cynicism disguised as faint hope, it slaps me every time I listen to it. And I've waited until now to comment on a remark Harry made aboput Street Legal in which I said Dylan wasn't falling into the late 70's disco fever:



Harry, what the fuck? As Taj Mahal remarked in a 1976 concert I attended when he was in his island-influence Hula Band period, "This ain't no disco."

Production values on some of the songs may be a bit dated for some ears, not mine. Sly & Robbie as rhythm section- pure genius.

Starts out solid and never dips below. I listen to Infidels more than any other Dylan album.

Yeah, man, considering all that we're gonna be on this for awhile.

Haven't played Infidels yet, putting it on soon. Actually kind of excited to hear it.

Hey DJ, how is that rip in your link? I think mine that I snagged off some blog (they were having a fire sale of Failure Era Dylan links) a while back is missing a song and sorta sounds like poop even factoring in the production and time period.

I'm not certain, but I think based on the file size it's much better; I didn't download this album because it's on my iPod.

I lollered

I bought this one on cassette for my dad when I was 12. I'll have to give it a listen as an adult...

The production on Infidels is definitely annoying but the songs are pretty decent (except Union Sundown which is painful). I think there are some really strong lyrics here but in some cases (Neighborhood Bully, Jokerman, and Don't Fall Apart On Me Tonight) the chorus and arrangement come close to ruining the song.

The cover of Empire Burlesque is hilarious.

It all seems like a sad joke now. I bet he has on $10,000 baby white rhino cowboy boots.

He could have had a cameo as the hilarious pimp "Maurice the Cancer" in season 1 of Miami Vice.

This is much less interesting than Infidels. I can barely hear the songs for the horrid production. The songs themselves are mediocre... some the lyrics seem pretty lazy. The Miami Vice cover about sums it up. But his voice is starting to get to that ragged old man croak that I like (and will describe more in the 4-5 albums coming up that are worth listening to)... there's some irrelevant stuff coming up.

I can't really even listen to the lyrics on Infidel to tell if these songs had a shot at being good. This fucking eighties production makes me want to kill myself.

Empire is worse. I'm thinking as I listen to this, what's his motivation at this point, when he's sitting down to write and record these songs? Hits? Art?

I guess the wide-ranging divergence of opinion on Empire is really no surprise. I like this album a lot. Liked it when it was first released. Yes, the slick production nails it squarely into its time. I have no problem with that, really, because I don't find the music offensive in the least, and the music matters most. There are a couple weaker songs to be found here, but all in all, they are part of the whole, and I think a good job of sequencing is represented.

The opener, Tight Connection, has always been one of my favorite latter-era Dylan songs, and Dark Eyes is performed with pretty convincing authority on the topic. I agree with harry regarding Dylan's voice beginning to migrate toward "that ragged old man croak", it's the "i like part" of the phrase that I take issue with. My opinion is that after this one on through to today, other than a FEW songs on the next one, Bob Dylan's music (and especially the performance of same) has been a haphazardly drawn caricature of Bob Dylan's music, and totally irrelevant to me.

And btw, When The Night Comes Falling kicks my ass every time I listen to it.

Being a big Miami Vice fan, I'm surprised you don't like this more, Dump, at least on some sort of metaphysical level: If there isn't a Vice episode that includes a long scene involving "Tight Connection To My Heart" there certainly should be.

I'd also point to that show as a possible answer to your question about Bob's motivation: It influenced everybody from Hunter Thompson to Warren Zevon and Glenn Frey, why NOT then the criminally insane Bob Dylan?

Oh I didn't hate it all, I was speaking to the production which is kind of distracting on both Empire and Infidels. The sound is like AIDS, it's synonymous with the decade.

Dylan in the 80s is fascinating. Actually almost all of the classic 60s artists are fascinating in this decade and again it comes down to motivation. What's inspiring them at this point? That Bob could be inspired by 'Evan' is mind-boggling.

I think there's a rather complicated answer that involves cocaine, hubris, the need of even washed up artists to "create", the fact that the now corporately owned record companies were making so freaking much money at this point that they could afford to simply throw a little cash at the Bob Dylan's of the world every year and either absorb it as just another salary or right off the losses for tax purposes and of course, cocaine.





Maybe the funniest thing you've ever written here. I'm crying

Never heard a note of this one.

Me neither. Here we enter The Never-Ending Mass Of Mediocrity Or Worse, never to be seen again.

Yeah. I mean, it's no surprise that Tom Petty was more relevant to me in 1986 than Bob Dylan--Bob Dylan wasn't relevant to anyone in 1986

I shoplifted this on cassette, so it brings back a lot of fond memories.

'You Wanna Ramble' is a good opener here.