John Wesley Harding review

The 8th studio album by Bob Dylan, which marks a return to acoustic music for him. The album is regarded as another one of Dylan's masterpieces and sold very well.

Tracks:

1. John Wesley Harding: 8/10 even Dylan himself has admitted he didn't really know quite what this was about, but this is still a gentle, pleasing folk song that is pleasingly simple.

2. As I Went Out One Morning: 8/10 an enjoyable and interesting song on it's own, yet the best part is all the interpretations one could put to it.

3. I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine: 9/10 powerful, poetic, unpretentious and the best yet.

4. All Along the Watchtower: 9/10 a terrific song with so many possible interpretations, so many great ideas and so much ambiguity that when the song actually ends, it feels like it's just beginning. The Jimi Hendrix version is a little better though.

5. The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest: 8/10 although a bit too long and a bit pretentious, once the conclusion comes around this song hits the mark spot on.

6. Drifter's Escape: 8/10 still a little hard to get, but it tells another fascinating story.

7. Dear Landlord: 7/10 ditto.

8. I am a Lonesome Hobo: 8/10 more solid and intelligently depressing stuff.

9. I Pity the Poor Immigrant: 9/10 a beautiful, subtle and thoroughly sobering song.  

10. The Wicked Messenger: 8/10 once again, despite being such a complex artist a minimalist approach works remarkably well for Dylan.

11. Down Along the Cove: 8/10 a pleasingly light song amidst a frequently sobering album.

12. I'll Be Your Baby Tonight: 8/10 an excellent album closer.

Best song: I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine
Worst song: Dear Landlord

Summary: An excellent album by Bob Dylan. It isn't as good as his last 3, but it genuinely feels like something special. It is a quiet record and goes back to Dylan's folk roots. And that's a very good thing. There's some great writing here, it never becomes overwhelming and it truly is a great example of how less can be more. Also, nothing could really live up to the 10/10 trio of Bringing, Highway and Blonde so if the album feels like a slight anticlimax that's no indication of its overall quality. This is cracking stuff.



Final rating: 8/10