Marc Bolan - "Pictures of Purple People" Vinyl, LP, Album, Remastered, 2019 (Easy Action)

A fascinating album of demos by a young Marc Bolan that shows him off as being very influenced by Bob Dylan, and then quickly he turns his obsessions to American cars and girls.  A road map that leads to T Rex.  The great majority of the songs here are just Marc with acoustic guitar, and it is also interesting to see how he used his voice in the early stages of his career.  For the T Rex obsessive, and those who want to study how Dylan influenced many artists. 

Bob Dylan - "Blood on the Tracks" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1975 (Columbia)

The great thing about Bob Dylan is that it's almost impossible to write or discuss him without losing the iconic stance he has on pop culture.  From day one it seems Dylan was made to be great, especially when he changed his name from Zimmerman to Dylan.  In my world, Dylan is very much the pop entertainer and more in tune to someone like David Bowie than the 1960s Folk Music scene. He used the landscape, like Bowie using whatever he read or saw, but the truth is, both characters made themselves up to be what they are - not only great songwriters but a theatrical presentation as well. 

"Blood on the Tracks" is often seen as a personal work by Dylan.  Perhaps due to his divorce or the after-effects of the separation that took place at the time of the recordings.  One can fish into the words of these songs for a clue, but I suspect that Dylan doesn't think in that manner.  A bad incident or day for him is a springboard of imagination and various narrations, and at the end of the day, Dylan wants to tell a tale that will be enjoyed, and therefore he's more of a music hall performer than a raw rock n' roll soul.  Dylan is not a journalist, but more of a short story writer, with an incredible amount of details in his narratives.  "Blood on the Tracks" as an album, can probably be made into a film, or a narrative novel. 

Oddly enough, it was only a week ago that I heard this album as a whole piece.  Before that, it is just what I heard on the radio, and there are favorite songs here: "Tangled Up in Blue," Simple Twist of Fate," and of course, "Idiot Wind." Listening to side one of "Blood on the Tracks" is similar to listening to a greatest hits album.  It's interesting to hear this work as an album, instead of separate songs.  All stand by themselves, but the mood that runs through the collection is consistent, and there is no 'loose' cannon here, it all fits like a well-designed puzzle. 

"Idiot Wind" stands out because it is so angry, or I should say the character in the song is angry, yet, the humor is very tongue-in-cheek.  One can think it's a song from a psycho killer.   On the other hand, it may be my favorite Dylan vocal.  The way Dylan sings he reminds me of Lotte Lenya, in a very Bertolt Brecht method of separating the listener from the emotion, and one hears the intelligence behind the words. The character is angry, but the song itself is not furious.  There is a distance between the character in the song and what he's singing about.  His technique makes the words sting, because of its setting.  Dylan looks at his songs like a scientist looking at an object in a test tube.  There is a strong sense of objectivity, and for the listener, it's a subjective experience, as well as presuming that the character in the song is causally commenting on the 'facts.'

A very melodic record, and oddly enough it reminds me of the softer material on the  Rolling Stones' "Aftermath."  Only in texture, not in the style of songwriting, but one could imagine the Stones doing a version of "Idiot Wind."  There's real beauty between Dylan's voice and the strumming of the guitar, and the minimalist organ.   It's beautifully recorded by engineer veteran Phil Ramone, which brings to mind Sinatra's great ballad albums he made for Capitol Records in the 1950s.   Dylan takes from the past, and he manages to twist it in the fashion of a Teddy Boy using Edwardian design to say something new.   A great album. 

The Byrds -"Mr. Tambourine Man" Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo, 1965 (Columbia)

I first heard this album when I was 10 or 11 years old.  Even as a child, and living in Los Angeles, one could not avoid The Byrds either on the radio, and it would have been odd if one didn't have a copy of "Mr. Tambourine Man" in their possession.   Still, even though I enjoyed this album, I never really loved it.  Over the years, I have lost my copy, but I keep seeing the record in its various formats for decades, and I wonder if I should re-entry this work, by purchasing it.   I was at Mono Records in Glendale/Eagle Rock, and without a thought, in my head, I picked up an used copy for $5, which is not an expensive ride to my distant past.

For decades I had a distant relationship to The Byrds.  Most, if not all of my friends think very highly of this band, but still, there is something off-putting, and I think it has to do with their musical relationship with Bob Dylan.   It sort of reminded me when someone like Pat Boone covered a rock n' roll classic.   It's water-down Dylan.   Or Dylan with a "better voice, and comfortable clothing.

On the other hand, the songwriting talents of The Byrds, especially Gene Clark is remarkable.   There is something about his voice that gets to the subject matter of a song, and he knows how to deliver the pathos to a listener.   Also noted, the old standard "We'll Meet Again" is not only a beautiful song but a perfect ending for an album.  I suspect this album is going to be on my mind throughout my life.  In that sense, it's a gift that keeps on giving.

Bryan Ferry "Frantic" CD, Album, 2002 (Virgin)

For me, it's the last great Bryan Ferry album.  And I suspect that the album was recorded in different locations, as well as with various producers, and with lots of guitarists.  Perhaps all the musicians were not in the same room.  Still, "Frantic" is a remarkable album with some of the great (non)classic Ferry songs.  He covers two Dylan songs here, which seems to be an obsession with him for some odd reason.   I don't fully understand Ferry's take on Dylan's work,  but I suspect that the framework of the songwriter's music is a  huge canvas for Ferry to reflect and find endlessly textures within the veteran songwriter.  His version of "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" is the absolute best.

The other interesting aspect of Ferry is that he consistently surrounds himself with strong individualistic musicians, who add their specific sound into the mix.  One finds someone like Mick Green who is a remarkable guitarist who worked with the legendary Johnny Kidd and the Pirates, mixing it up with Chris Speeding.   And Eno makes appearances here and there on "Frantic" as well.

The album is a sampler of the Ferry aesthetic, but a very well thought out and planned release. All the strengths are here, and none of the weakness.   I don't think the album sold and did that well, but I highly recommend that Ferry / Roxy fans check out this album.  There are a lot of jewels within its tracks.   

Cher - "All I Really Want To Do" Vinyl, LP, Stereo, 1965 (Imperial)

1965 was the year for Sonny and Cher, and especially Cher since she had a solo career as well as working with her husband Sonny.  To be honest, I never really cared much for Sonny and Cher's music.   Nor do I exactly love Cher's voice.  What I do love about this album is that it captures the best in 1965 pop music.  You even have a Ray Davies song "I Go To Sleep."   Sandie Shaw is well represented on the album with "Girl Don't Come."  

Sonny produced and arranged this album, and the training with Phil Spector does show, as well as using a lot of the same musicians as Julius Wechter and Barney Kessel.  "The Bells of Rhymney" is pretty great  It's has a manic harpsichord.  The annoying thing is that Cher's voice is totally in front of the mix.  It almost sounds like a karaoke tape. She has a voice but doesn't really do much with it.  It's flat in that it conveys nothing special.  Just for the sake of the vocals,  I suspect that the mono edition will be much better.   

The only interest of this album is again 1965.  All the songs here were presented or recorded in those early 60s - but by much better artists than Cher.   So, the taste is there, and the song selection is excellent, but ... No.

Noel Harrison - "Collage" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1967 (Reprise Records)

Noel Harrison is known for his role in "The Girl From U.N.C.L.E., as well as being the son of Rex.  But he also made a series of albums, and had a huge hit with Michel Legrand's "The Windmills of Your Mind."   And he had been making recordings since the late 1950s.  A recording artist of good taste and his very last album was a recording of Jacques Brel songs - which makes perfect sense with what one thinks of Harrison's music career.  "Collage" is the ultimate 1967 folk/pop album from Harrison.  It's interesting to note that the songwriter/singer was in full bloom at this time, but Harrison is mostly a singer who covered songs.  But his taste was exquisite, and this is one of my favorite albums from that period of time.  Mostly due to his liking, but also he had that British/French attitude towards the craftsmanship of a good song, and '67 produced a lot of great music in that category.   

He covers Dylan's "Just Like A Woman" but also "Suzanne" by Leonard Cohen.  He also had the wisdom to do "Museum" by Donovan, which is a fantastic underappreciated piece of work.   A Bob Lind song (another underrated figure) and a great version of "A Whiter Shade of Pale" by Procol Harum.   And of course, it ends with "Strawberry Fields Forever."   The beauty of the album is how Harrison approaches the material.  It doesn't feel like he's just singing the hits of the day, but for sure he had an individual and real connection to these songs. 

Bob Dylan - "Highway 61 Revisited" Vinyl LP, Mono, Reissue

Bob Dylan – Highway 61 Revisited

Vinyl LP, Album, Mono, Reissue, 2001

Sundazed Music

The first bona-fide hit song by Bob Dylan is “Like A Rolling Stone” which was 5:59 long. Most single 45rpm singles were in the 2 to 3:50 minute length, but Bob doesn't play by those rules. At the time, the single was the medium for the teenager or perhaps for the one who was on a strict budget. Nevertheless Dylan's snarly put-down of a song really hit a nerve in the U.S. For one the whole silly Dylan gone electric issue was very much past-tense when Highway 61 Revisited was released to the pop market. What was the issue for me was hearing this grown-up music on my turntable and radio.

What is beautiful is how Dylan puts one image over the other, and his choice of words are always perfect.  "Desolation Road" is hypnotic in its description of a picture, it is almost like a camera pulling back from a close-up and slowly the viewer is getting the bigger picture.  It has a cast of thousands, and all of them are waiting, yearning, or hoping something on Desolation Road.  Dylan is the town-cryer on the street corner commenting on what's happening.  The listener doesn't really need anything else, because Dylan supplies the images and as I mentioned before he's a superb singer.  Highway 61 is a traveling album, and I feel its very much a cinematic work of art, but a cinema for the ears.  

The Dylan mystique was the magnet to hear his very difficult music for me. I hadn't a clue what was going on, but I got the vibe that it was something important and its affecting the pop world with great intensity. So my admiration for his coolness and smartness grabbed my attention. But still (like his other albums) sonically it didn't grab me, except “Ballad Of The Thin Man.” Now, I wonder if it is a reference to Dashiell Hammett's Nick Charles, or is it literally about a reporter who is also thin. What I like about pop generally speaking is the leap from a straight ahead narrative into the unknown. Dylan does that for me with mixed results.

 “Mr Jones” here I don't think is about a specific individual, but more of an ideal figure that gives Dylan a certain amount of displeasure. Now, how and cow. The discussion between Mr. Jones and Mr. Dylan is not a good one, because the reporter/journalist is missing the big picture and focusing on things that are not important – according to the Bob.

Highway 61 Revisited was released at the height of Bob-fan-dom. Teen idol craziness with the addition of admiration from the literary masses. For a man who doesn't like to be stuck or have his back to the corner it must have been a nightmare of sorts. Nevertheless it gave fuel to his music at this time, and for me this is the classic Bob Dylan era.  

Bob Dylan - "Bringing It All Back Home" Vinyl album Mono

Bob Dylan – Bringing It All Back Home

Vinyl LP, Album, Reissue, Mono

Sundazed Music

This I think is the first Bob Dylan album that entered my household in Beverly Glen. Without a doubt my father bought it, and at the time it was almost impossible to avoid the subject matter of “Dylan.” At the time my parents shared friends with the Dylan world. My father spent an interesting evening with the Bob, when he got a phone call from Allen Ginsberg asking if he would mind meeting Dylan at his hotel to help him pick up a tape machine. My father did so, and it led to a wild car trip through the classic teenage Sunset Strip, where people on the street recognize Dylan in the passenger seat. Some tried to get in, or blocked the car. Eventually they made it to the Byrds rehearsal space, to get the tape machine. This is all very 1965, the release date of Bringing It All Back Home.

I was never a Dylan fan, but have always been fascinated with the identity or aura of the Dylan mystique. To enter his world one is approaching the 20^th Century in a nutshell. Even before the Beatles Sgt. Pepper cover (which my dad is part of...) people were studying the image on the front of Bringing It Back Home. I remember there was one theory that the woman on the cover is actually Dylan in drag. And what about the albums laying around Dylan? One of them, the Lotte Lenya album, was perhaps the first album that I was ever aware of. That particular recording was and still is part of my DNA. On so many levels it is an incredible album cover. Especially when you compare it with the earlier Dylan covers. Before this album, they were very much of a portrait of a 'folk singer.' But now, or then, there is another side (no pun intended) of Dylan coming out. Something more worldly or sophisticated.

The music inside was also a major change for Mr. Dylan. Over-all the songs sounded more personal with a strong taste of 'french' poetics. It seemed otherworldly. It was like Charles Baudelaire was writing the words if he was a New Yorker of the 1960's. For a teenager like me, and at that time, it was such an adult album compared to The Beatles, Stones, Herman's Hermits, etc! He looked young, had the uniform of pop, but way more man of the world than the others. So, this was my first adult 'pop' record. And to this very day I am still trying to get my head around it. I love the album, but not sure if I really like it.

Its interesting to know that the Velvets were happening at the same time – another songwriter or musician(s) making grown-up music in the language of the teenage pop world. 

Bob Dylan - "Blonde On Blonde" 2 x Vinyl LP, Mono

Bob Dylan – Blonde On Blonde

2 x Vinyl LP, Mono, Album, Reissue, US, 2002

Sundazed Music

I had the original mono release of this album when I was 12 years old. As a young teen, I was intrigued with the Dylan cool. I liked the way he looked and dressed in 1966. Also the album cover was very mysterious to me. I couldn't understand why the front cover photograph was out-of-focus. For sure on purpose, but did it have a deeper meaning? The black and white images inside the album was also an attention getter for me as well. Every image of Dylan on this album was unique and fetish like. Perhaps the cover conveys the feeling that Dylan cannot be captured by a mere camera. Or perhaps the year 1966 was one giant blur for him.

Artistically he was on a roll. Dylan was the first pop star that seemed to be smarter than the average pop star. He knew something, or more aware of his or our world at the time. He used the medium of the teenager's music, but he somewhat went over the typical teenager's head but still used their instrumentation.

Teenagers love Sonny & Cher, The Byrds, The Beatles, and The Stones, but for Dylan, I suspect it was guys and gals in their early 20s who are tasting the fruits and confusion of life as it was happening to them. Perhaps Dylan supplied these people a soundtrack – so if the first song on this album “Rainy Day Woman #12 & 35” conveys that we must all get stoned – that's a pretty strong message for that year. Not only that, but what does that title mean and why the additional numbers. When you get down to it, Bob Dylan is one big mystery in a world where pop singers were not mysterious at all.

I actually like thinking about Blonde On Blonde than listening to it. I only played the album a few times as a kid, and just filed it away as something important to pop culture – along with The Fugs, who I didn't get at all as a 12 year old. But saying that I think I purchased this album in all its formats through out my life. 8-track for the car, cassette, and eventually an used CD. It was recently that I purchased the re-issued version here at Rockaway Records in Silverlake. I wanted to hear something that came back to my childhood, which is the mono edition. Listening to it now I don't get the nostalgic feeling at all. I think the album is basically a snapshot of what Dylan's life was at the time. Hard poetry images (especially the titles) that convey a sense of bitterness or even meanness. But that's the classic Dylan we like, someone who doesn't pull any punches, and just cuts into the meat issue of the songs. Yet, surrounded with a sense of mystery and sometimes dread. The album lurks in my life as not an essential piece of work, but a presence that is ever-lasting and goes beyond even 'taste.' To be honest I like it, I don't like it, but I always care about Blonde On Blonde.