Word Mastery in Song From Mr. Dylan
It seems hard to believe now both as to the performer as well as to what was being attempted that anyone would take umbrage at a performer using an electric guitar to tell a folk story (or any story for that matter). It is not necessary to go into all the details of what or what did not happen with Pete Seeger at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965 to know that one should be glad, glad as hell, that Bob Dylan continued to listen to his own drummer and carry on a career based on electronic music.

This is probably one of the strongest Dylan albums from first song to last that he ever recorded. Its virtue lies in the story-like quality of each song that, unlike some earlier unsuccessful attempts to tell a story in song, clicks here. Starting with the dream-like, forlorn tattered romance in Tangled Up In Blue that one knows can only lead to sorrow everything moves higher from there. Idiot Winds as close to knowing how Dylan will really feel in a relationship. The quietly beautiful, haunting message of If You See Her, Say Hello (`I had always respected here for getting free.'). And the finale Buckets of Rain is well done (if not as well done as Dave Van Ronk's mournful cover, well done nevertheless). If you like high symbolism, a la the French poets Rimbaud and Verlaine in your lyrics this one is for you.

Love and its loss
This album represents the very best of Bob's mid-career output. Aaron, the eight-year-old rock critic, says that you can tell how Mr Dylan is feeling by listening to his songs. Bob was sad, he observes. He adds that Mr Dylan tells stories in his songs, and that his characters talk. I think this is very astute and an accurate description of this album. Bob sings gently and sadly on this musically beautiful record. Sweet tunes, beautiful guitar work and the incisive harmonica in the correct proportions. I must add, though, that from an adult perspective Mr Dylan in this album is feeling really sad and angry and conflicted about the death of love, and that he is characterizing his hurt and confusion in a way that makes me think of a long slow painful death of a piece of the soul, just like a stroke. And no matter how much rehabilitation occurs one is always left with some limited use that never fully recovers. I love this album but it is cold and painful to listen to the ache. Unfortunately, the tunes are positively catchy and you find yourself whistling along to a song describing wrenching loneliness. Oh Bob. I am so sorry.

Words Fail
Every time I hear Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts -- as I did just now on the bike on a perfect NYC Memorial Day along the Hudson River (as it happens in the version by Mary Lou's Cadillac, but that's another story) -- I think it obviates the need to ever read a history of the American West. OK, that's a little overstatement, but, hey, we live in the Age of Hyperbole.

And that's just one of ten cuts on this album, each one of that caliber. I think an argument could be made that Blood marks Dylan moving from chronicler of his life and times to chronicler of American life and times, as he has become definitively with his last three albums.

In any event, this is a must for every music collection.

One of Dylans best
I still rate this as one of Bob Dylans best albums.
There isn't a dud song on the disc and these songs are very deep and emotional, they take us on a journey into love, betrayal and elsewhere.

It Makes You Want to Weep, it's so Damned Good
This record was released a year after Planet Waves and although that record was a tough act to follow, Bob Dylan did it dramatically with "Blood on the Tracks." "Tracks" represents both a return to Colombia Records and a dynamic new sound for Dylan. Originally recorded in New York, when Dylan took a sample of the record to his brother in Minnesota, he was advised to do some of the songs over again as the album was mostly all recorded in the same key and the production of all of the songs was too similar. Reportedly his brother said many would find it boring.

Dylan took his brother's advice, hired some local musicians, re-recorded, "Tangled Up in Blue," "Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts," "You're a Big Girl Now," "If You See Her, Say Hello," and "Idiot Wind." With the inclusion of the new version, the record was punched up enough to be one of Dylan's best all time sellers and probably the most critically acclaimed of his career. I know it's my favorite album of his. It's so real, so full of pain. It makes you want to weep, it's so damned good.

I've heard all of the original versions of the re-recorded songs, as they've been bootlegged again and again over the years and in my opinion the versions with the Minnesota band are much better. "Idiot Winds" turned into a screaming rocker that just rips into your heart. "Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts," turned into a gunfighter, bank robber, western ballad that has no equal. The other songs too, were dramatically improved. This is a moving, wonderful, ever changing, dynamic, powerful record that is most likely the best record ever recorded by anybody, ever.

Ken Douglas, author of Dead Ringer, Desperation Moon & Running Scared.