Bob Dylan has written two masterpieces (Blonde On Blonde and Blood On The Tracks), four classics (Bringing It All Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited, John Wesley Harding and Desire) and, at a conservative estimate, six other albums liberally sprinkled with his genius.
So it was never going to be easy to select 36 tracks, bundle them up in an "essential" package and please every Dylan fan. This collection is a worthy but unimaginative attempt, erring badly on the side of caution and ignoring some of his greatest moments.
The most unforgivable omissions are Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues and Desolation Row from Highway 61 Revisited, Visions of Johanna and Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands from Blonde On Blonde and Idiot Wind from Blood On The Tracks.
Room should also have been found for Absolutely Sweet Marie (Blonde On Blonde), Girl From The North Country (Nashville Skyline) and One More Cup Of Coffee (Desire). All the hits, from Like A Rolling Stone to Lay, Lady, Lay are here, but, if you are in search of the essential Bob Dylan, try Blonde On Blonde when, fuelled by an awesome array of chemicals, he was on fire.
Updated: 08:13 Thursday, June 24, 2004
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