Tracks:
1. Blowing in the Wind: 9/10 the ultimate case of 'Less is more'. A series of abstract questions without an answer and backed by a fairly stripped down guitar soundtrack, this is still one true shockwave of a song, and its devastating effectiveness makes it the ultimate minimalist masterpiece.
2. Girl From the North Country: 8/10 a typical love song piece of formula enhanced considerably by Dylan's wonderful lyrics and his edge of cynicism.
3. Masters of War: 9/10 Dylan's brilliant, thought provoking and above all truly enraged protest song hits like a missile between the eyes through 8 relentless verses of bleak poetry.
4. Down the Highway: 6/10 this one's a bit of a meh, though certainly not bad.
5. Bob Dylan's Blues: 8/10 although it's a bit difficult to understand at times, it's very intelligent in conveying its message and interestingly meta.
6. A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall: 10/10 a brilliantly written epic, this is the ultimate Boy Dylan tune and a true masterpiece of cynicism.
7. Don't Think Twice it's All Right: 10/10 this song often feels like it's in a conflict with itself but that's part of what's so brilliant. A wonderful balance of optimism and pessimism filled with pathos and honesty, this is one of Dylan's masterpieces.
8. Bob Dylan's Dream: 9/10 this melancholy song's most impressive achievement for once isn't the lyrics. It's how truthful it feels.
9. Oxford Town: 7/10 a bit of filler, but it's got a serious message to it.
10. Talkin' World War Three Blues: 7/10 it's quite clever, but it goes on for too long and doesn't say enough despite being 6 minutes long. It sort of feels like an inferior sequel to Masters of War.
11. Corrina, Corrina: 5/10 here Dylan's minimalism really tries the patience and this is just filler, pure and simple.
12. Honey, Just Allow Me One More Chance: 6/10 some of the lyrics are good but again, this is just forgettable and lacks as much effort.
13. I Shall Be Free: 7/10 quite clever but a bit boring.
Best song: A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall
Worst song: Corrina, Corrina
Summary: Bob Dylan's fabulous second album already shows him approaching the peak of his powers. It's a bit inconsistent and loses its way slightly towards the end, so it isn't quite a masterpiece, but some of the songs are juggernauts, and many of them are excellent. What nearly all of them have in common is Dylan's impeccable, unbeatable writing, but the instrumentals, even if the writing is the star of the show, are excellent as well. In fact, the stripped down feel makes the album feel more personal and character driven. An excellent and thematically rich record that, at times thanks to certain songs, becomes a fully fledged masterpiece.
Final rating: 8/10
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