Sound Advice: CD Reviews - Bob Dylan Blonde on Blonde

CD Review:
I was never a Bob Dylan fan. In my earlier years, I would hear random Dylan songs on the radio and his voice would not be to my liking. He was quite irritating to listen to. The closest thing I could imagine to his singing is that he was moaning while taking a dump. The whiny voice just rubbed me the wrong way. So I never gave Dylan a chance.

As I got older, the more and more I heard about him. As the onslaught continued, I grew more mature and like most people as they age, they start revisiting some of their youthful assumptions and open their mind.

They start re-reading books they disliked as a kid, but were stated over and over again how great these books were. They start watching movies that are older and put out before they were born to see why these movies are considered masterpieces. And, they start experimenting with different music.

This is how I approached Bob Dylan. I thought I would investigate this cultural icon more deeply than an occasion listen on the radio. So, there were two songs that I actually liked out of the plethora of Dylan songs I heard over time, and one of them was on this album.

In that frame of mind I decided Blonde on Blonde would be my first Dylan purchase. The song I am referring to is "Rainy Day Women # 12 and 35." I listened to the album five times and I finally got it. What I got, of course, was that Dylan can write a damn good song. I still don't find his voice very appealing, although, it kind of grows on you when you sing with him, but the story he tells in his lyrics are masterful.

I was sold after I heard "Leopard Skin Pill Box Hat" for the third time. What a strange and humourous song, it put a smile on my face each time I listened to it. There are few albums I will listen to straight through that include 14 songs and over 70 minutes but this became one of them. I think I'll try Blood on the Tracks next as it has the second song I like, namely "Tangled up in Blue."

Scott D. Brown