If you like Bob Dylan, then Blood on the Tracks is a must-own classic.  Along with Blonde on Blonde and Highway 61Revisited, it’s my favorite of his 739 albums.  Not everyone is a fan, but he’s been a unique and dynamic force in popular music history for over 40 years.  His songs have probably been covered by more artists than anyone.  And he’s seen it all, done it all, and lived to tell about it.  Rock poet emeritus.  Crazy brilliant protester vagabond.  Story teller and uncomfortable legend.   Once just Robert Zimmerman from Duluth, but to the world -- Dylan.

Blood on the Tracks starts with the excellent “Tangled Up in Blue”, a very infectious story that gets better with every listening.  Songs two and three, “Simple Twist of Fate” and “You’re a Big Girl Now”, just insure the overall brilliance of the album.  “Idiot Wind” and “Shelter from the Storm” are two of my preferred choices.  The long satisfying “Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts” is a typical Dylan yarn with characters so vivid that you’ll believe a movie is playing in your head.  With nine minutes of verses, it’s clear that he could have penned as many more.  His head always was a gushing fountain of words and more words, but only a few unnecessary ones.  It’s a genuine gift not bestowed to many.  A handful of songs on the album are lighter fare – “You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go”, “If You See Her, Say Hello” and the fine closer “Buckets of Rain.  There’s not a bad tune in the bunch.  And among all the recordings, this one is pristine for the listener – the familiar nasally vocals and his simple-but-masterful acoustic guitar accompaniment are clear and even.  For one of the best all-round efforts from the man in his prime, check out Blood on the Tracks.      GD