Customer Reviews

Bringing It All Back Home

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Some Dylan fans in late 1964 were still trying to figure out why Dylan no longer sang protest songs. His most recent release, "Another Side of Bob Dylan", moved away from the overtly political and angst ridden lyrics of "The Times They Are A-Changin'" and "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan". Dylan began to write lyrics that probably seemed obscure and nonsensical to his fans at the time. Some are very funny. Some are so rich in imagery and layerings of meaning that even a few listens won't reveal what's going on. Or was the lack of obvious meaning the point? Nonetheless, "Another Side of Bob Dylan" still featured a Dylan playing accompanied by only an acoustic guitar, piano, and harmonica. Fans seemed okay with it until "Bringing it all Back Home" committed folk music heresy. Dylan went electric. And he didn't do it subtly.

The album opens with a blast. "Subterranean Homesick Blues" introduces the folk blues rock that would dominate the rest of Dylan's career. The lyrics read like a warning to young people who just entered the real world: "Lookout kid you're gonna get hit". "Maggie's Farm" continues the electrified onslaught with its 'take this job and shove it' theme. "Outlaw Blues", "On the Road Again", and "Bob Dylan's 115th Dream" (complete with its bizarre false start) further explore Dylan's new blues territory. But blues rock doesn't exhaust this album's range. "She Belongs To Me", and "Love Minus Zero/No Limit" are beautiful ballads that explore the vicissitudes of relationships.

The second half of the album features a mostly acoustic Dylan (with some subtle accompaniment). "Mr. Tambourine Man" went on to become one of his best known songs after the Byrds scored a #1 hit with it in 1965. "Gates of Eden", "It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding), and "It's all over Now, Baby Blue" continue Dylan's new approach to lyrics. All are amazing songs in the acoustic Dylan tradition.

One very interesting aspect about "Bringing it All Back Home" isn't preserved on the CD release. The vinyl LP release, like all LPs, had two non-continuous sides. Originally, side one ended with "Bob Dylan's 115th Dream". Side Two then began with "Mr. Tambourine Man". This had the effect of creating two separate worlds whenever one flipped the record. The electric Dylan on side one and the acoustic Dylan on side two. Dylan's folk fans probably wore out side two.

For all the reasons mentioned above, "Bringing it All Back Home" remains Dylan's most abrupt transistional album. It also represents the largest shift in style Dylan made in his entire career.

It's hard to imagine the shock the electrified Dylan sent through the folk scene of 1965. Dylan's set at The 1965 Newport Folk Fesitval is now legendary (his band was booed). Cries of "sellout" and even "Judas" rang from audiences (the latter can be heard on the 1966 Albert Hall Concert CD set). The film "Don't Look Back" from this era shows his folk fans questioning him why he "no longer sounds like himself". It caused an outright scandal in Dylan's main fan base. Despite this alienation, "Subterranean Homesick Blues" made the pop charts and greatly expanded Dylan's fan base. From this point on there was no turning back for Dylan. "Bringing it All Back Home" remains one of his best, and one of his most important, albums.

'Bringing It All Back Home' sounds a bit like the work of an artist who had ideas for two albums, but for some reason, decided to put the different-sounding material on one album. Bob Dylan, by 1965, was getting tired of playing "cause concerts" and folk festivals and wanted to play rock and roll. Of course, his stalwart fans at the time hated it, saying he abandoned them, but it was the first major evolution of an ever-evolving artist. 'Subterranean Homesick Blues' uncompromisingly jumps right into the fast rock and roll sound, along with the heavily electric 'Outlaw Blues' and 'Bob Dylan's 115th Dream' (my personal favorite of the album). It isn't until 'Mr. Tambourine Man' that any shades of Dylan's previous work are revisited. As a cohesive unit, this album is miles away from 'Highway 61 Revisited' or 'John Wesley Harding', but this album is a flawless collection of great songs, not unified by any certain sound and is probably the representative, definitive 1960s Bob Dylan album (simply based on the fact that it is more of a grab-bag type work, with heavy blues, rock and roll, ballads, surrealist epics, folk songs, and protest songs; just about every type of 1960s Bob Dylan song).

This SACD/CD re-release is very clear and well-balanced. The mix sounds very bright, much like the 'Highway 61 Revisited' remaster, and avoids any kind of fake digital effects unlike a bit of of post-milennium remasters. The guitars are rock solid, the drums crack, and Dylan's voice is right up in the center. One can never truly appreciate Bob Dylan without owning this album. This is exceptional music.

Long having denied the implication that he created the folk-rock genre, rather giving the credit to Gene Clark of The Byrds, this release by the Bard from Hibbing would undoubtedly serve as the cornerstone of folk-rock through the ages! "Bringing It All Back Home" continues Dylan's introspection from "Another Side Of Bob Dylan" while adding electric instruments to the mix (a fact that, for some reason, would be acceptable to fans on record but not live at Newport). Here, Dylan can be at his most romantic one minute, with the Baez-inspired "Love Minus Zero / No Limit" or "She Belongs To Me," and simultaneously prophetic and surreal the next!

Introducing classics like "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" and "Maggie's Farm" alongside concert stalwarts "Gates Of Eden" and "It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)," this release would be the first of a trilogy ended all too soon by Dylan's supposed "motorpsycho nitemare." The other two albums in this trilogy are, of course, "Highway 61 Revisited" and the double-disc "Blonde On Blonde."

Many will say that this is Dylan at his finest, placing the artist into an uncomfortable categorization or time capsule, but he would continue to produce highly creative and innovative work both with The Band and The Traveling Wilburys, as well as via his solo career throughout the 1970's and 80's. "Bringing It All Back Home" merely brings folk-rock to the forefront, introduces his audience to "Another Side Of Bob Dylan," and provides some excellent entertainment for the unsuspecting yet open-minded listener.

There's no real point to reviewing the artistry and music on this album; it's all been done so many times before -- it's one of the greatest albums of all time. So, how's the remastered sound? Well, of the four remastered albums I bought the first week they came out, "Bringing It All Back Home" was the clear winner in terms of sound upgrade. The balance and clarity on the electric, full-band songs was tremendous! Ditto for the acoustic four tunes that close out the album. As someone who grew up listening to the original mono vinyl version of this album, I would say that this stereo mix easily improves on that, as well as the previous cd version, especially with extra speakers in surround sound. I understand that, in order to make the release deadline for these Dylan remasters, Sony hired a variety of producers and engineers, assigning them in teams to different albums. I believe that that has led to some inconsistencies in the remixing, but whoever remastered this album deserves a Grammy!

This album is so many things at once it's hard to keep up. It's one of Dylan's most important albums, because it shows him shifting from folk to rock; it represents a point where his breathtaking creativity was hitting its stride; and it is, moment for moment, one of his best albums--some would argue, musically, it presents the most representative picture of his work of any disc.

Thank goodness the remastering process has given us this revelatory new recording of such a classic. The new clarity of the sound allows the deceptively simple complexity of the instrumentation on the album to shine, and Dylan's voice is shocking. He doesn't just deliver the lyrics--he's actually singing! Many Dylan recordings did his work, and his voice, little justice, but the original transfer of Bringing It All Back Home was among the worst. If you only buy one of the 15 new remastered hybrid super audio CDs, this is the one to get. From the subversive opening notes of "Subterranean Homesick Blues" to the quiet closing strains of "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue," this album is a gem not only of artistic genius but of the power of a dedicated remastering effort.

Probebly Dylan's first Great Rock & Roll album. All filled with superb songs, especially on side two. "It's All over Now, Baby Blue" is probebly his finest song of dismissal. A definitive Dylan album.

(Oooops! I meant 5-stars!) Bob Dylan, the great alchemist of folk-rock music, was booed at the Newport Folk Festival, and Scorsese's 'No Direction Home' documents the hecklers yelling out "Traitor!" at many concerts. Perhaps like any genius this is the inscrutable, but predictable development for anyone who truly innovates the wheel. 'Bringing It All Back Home' is the culprit that showcases the trajectory of when Bob, the Bard, went electric. Arguably, this album is one of the three best of his entire career. It is perhaps his most innovative, but his achievements have a scope that render the past two assertions needing a huge dose of salt.

Heralding the album, "Subterranean Homesick Blues," while not as dramatic as "Like a Rolling Stone" is easily as brilliant. Complete with cutting, social commentary and plenty of images to debunk the nine-to-five existence, Dylan spills out his surreal period full throttle. Anthems rain with the raunchy "Outlaw Blues" and the folky "It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)". Hypnotic, every song pulls a punch--or doesn't pull any punches! The most famous mesmerizing development is "Mr. Tambourine Man," making Dylan a troubadour for altered consciousness*. Despite the crossover, Dylan continued to be a great storyteller. The first person "Maggie's Farm" showcases his familiar wit with the details of menial labor from hell. Then, "On the Road Again" captures the same idea, but with more of a vagabond flair. "Bob Dylan's 115th Dream" meets every element at the crossroads by telling a surreal story with pointed observations. However, some of the most delightful moments reflect upon love. "She Belongs to Me" and "Love Minus Zero/No Limit" both exalt and debunk the romantic tradition he helped overthrow. "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" ends the album with a brilliant story about a misfit who trashes every sensibility of romantic notions.

An unqualified achievement, 'Bringing It All Back Home' synthesizes the outlaw with the dreamer where both folk and rock, tradition and iconoclasm meet head on and make music and culture new.

(*Dylan has moved on, and hopefully so can we.)

Seriously, it'll only give it back in exchange for more Dylan. The scary thing is my turntable is the same way, it wont let me take Blood on the Tracks off the spindle,unless also in exchange for Desire. Anyway, great early to mid era transitionary record. Half acoustic, half..blahblah you've heard that part before, all of it's great. I'll admit, I used to despise Subterranean Homesick Blues, but it took this album as a whole to convert me. For me, it's really the middle to the end where this album really begins to shine. Outlaw Blues, On the road Again and Bob Dylans 115th dream is my takeoff point, culminating with It's allright Ma(I'm only bleeding), and one of my favorites, It's all Over now, Baby Blue. I'd always heard people talk about this album, but it really wasn't until I saw the documentary 'Don't Look Back' that I really wanted to listen to this. By the way, this rerelease also happens to contain my favorite image of Bob, Its right behind the CD underneath the clear plastic that Houses the disc. It's the pic of him in his Shades, Harmonica in his hands w/ the electric guitar strapped on, whether you are a Die Hard folkie or not, I don't care, that pic screams out rock.

This one is probably my favorite Bob Dylan album, although I'm also very fond of Blood on the Tracks & Desire, plus various individuals out of his vast and excellent catalouge.

Bob Dylan's earliest work is great. Who wouldn't adore or at least respect tunes like Girl From the North Country, Blowing In The Wind, Masters of War, The Times They Are A-Changin', etc. But on 'Brining It All Back Home,' Bob Dylan... brings it all back home. According to the dates on my CD cases, this is the third album Bob released in 1964, after 'Times...' and 'Another Side...'

It's his first "electric" album, but it has some of his best folk songs too. It features plenty of his best lyrical work - the singing comes lightning fast and is meaningful at the same time. There's practically nothing as cool as walking down a cold street with Subterranean Homesick Blues. Maggie's Farm is an anthemic, energetic sigh. It's Alright Ma is one of the most meaningful songs in my knowledge, it's a self-assuring proclamation, a social commentary, and a literary masterpiece wrapped into one hardcore folk tune. It's All Over Now, Baby Blue is an epicly frantic farewell to fareing well, with it spooky insturmentation and Bob's piercing vocals. Mr. Tambourine Man is a masterpiece of atmospheric imagination, listen as Bob takes you on a flowing journey through the early hours of the mind. Gates of Eden is a good melody, good vocals, and interesting lyrics about Eden. I like that song a lot.

Keep in mind that I'm not a vastly dedicated Bob Dylan fan. I am a big fan of his, but I gravitate more towards specific albums of his, ones that absolutely floor me. I think most people would be able to appreciate a grand album such as this. Unless you hate Bob's voice. I for one think that his voice on certain occasions outclasses pretty much anyone, but I know not everyone thinks that. Bob Dylan's 115th Dream is another very imaginative tune, following through a crazy dream involving various known characters. She Belongs To Me is a slightly odd but very cool song about a girl. Outlaw Blues is a fast paced run around "I feel just like Jesse James!" All the songs on the album are good.

I have tried to place HIGHWAY 61 and BLONDE ON BLONDE ahead of this one (just as all those entrenched and over-hyped rock critics uniformly do), but can't. This remains his best (along with BLOOD ON THE TRACKS). "Mr. Tambourine Man" is like an eternal morning.