John Wesley Harding/As I Went Out One Morning/I Dreamed I Saw St Augustine/All Along The Watchtower/The Ballad Of Frankie Lee & Judas Priest/Drifter’s Escape/Dear Landlord/I Am A Lonesome Hobo/I Pity The Poor Immigrant/The Wicked Messenger/Down Along The Cove/I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight
After an enforced break following a motorcycle accident, Bob Dylan returned as strong as ever with John Wesley Harding, a stripped down collection of country-folk songs. (US:1 UK:2)
"Bob Dylan returned from exile with John Wesley Harding, a quiet, country-tinged album that split dramatically from his previous three. A calm, reflective album, it strips away all of the wilder tendencies of Dylan's rock albums - but it isn't a return to his folk roots. If anything, the album is his first serious foray into country, but only a handful of songs, such as I'll Be Your Baby Tonight are straight country songs. Instead, John Wesley Harding is informed by the rustic sound of country, as well as many rural myths, with seemingly simple songs like All Along The Watchtower, I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine and The Wicked Messenger revealing several layers of meaning with repeated plays."
"Recorded with a set of Nashville musicians, this is one of his best albums. Superb music and the lyrics draw you right in. These are songs with a story and a purpose." "Really atmospheric. Unlike bloated prog-rock outfits, Dylan only needs an acoustic guitar, bass, drums, and his vocal cords to transport the listener to another place. My favourite songs are the title track and All Along The Watchtower, but all are great."
"An album of subtle beauty and humble brilliance, best listened to late at night in a drowsy haze. The dreamscapes Dylan sketches on songs like As I Went Out One Morning, I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine and All Along The Watchtower all serve to create a wondrous atmosphere."
"And abruptly, just when electric sounds were taking off well into the sky, Dylan turned off his power tools and went as far away from psychedelia as he could."
"If you care about Dylan at all, you know this as yet another change from the guy whose turns of musical direction inspired every single rock and roller of the era. It's simple and stripped down."
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