Newsletter
Subscribe to our
FREE newsletter now!

Find out more...

16/02/2006

Dylan’s Gospel albums: a different view

Thanks to Jerry Stone for his note on the trio of Gospel albums:

“So, Mike Ollier contends that the Gospel Years are underrated and then goes on to give the three main 'Gospel' albums a good kicking himself!

“How he can say that there is nothing worth listening to on the old second side of ‘Slow Train Coming' is beyond me. 'Gonna Change My Way Of Thinking' is, at the very least, a passionate blues; 'When You Gonna Wake Up?' is very powerful, and 'When He Returns' is one of the greatest performances of Dylan's career!

“Equally, 'Saved' is a far, far better album than many give it credit for. We all know it could have been better produced, but songs like 'Covenant Woman' and 'Solid Rock' are excellent. The harmonica solo on 'What Can I Do For You?' is worth the price of the album on its own.

“'Shot Of Love' was a missed opportunity when you consider the great songs that Dylan could have put on there, but it's still pretty good in parts.

“Overall, I'd say that the 'Gospel' period contains some of the strongest moments of Dylan's career. The reason people don't like it is because of what they see as 'sermonising'; they are merely betraying their own 'liberal' prejudices by knocking these albums. I'm no 'God-botherer' myself, but I believe I know good music when I hear it. As for the live shows around this time...Bob was very rarely better.”

[Archives]

[The Dylan Daily Update]

Search entries:

[Daily Update]

[Archives]

Previous entry:
[Dylan among the folkies]

Next entry:
[Knocked Out Loaded: Dylan for Downloaders 4]