After owning this record and much of Dylan's other material from 62' - 76/7' for a few years now, Bringing It All Back Home is not only the Dylan album that appears most frequently in my record player, it is a CD which has become one of my most precious possessions. Blood On The Tracks, The Freewheelin', Blonde On Blonde and Highway 61 all take their place as the backbone of my collection, but i belive Dylan never topped his 1965 Bringing It All Back Home.
The Album was undoubtably a slap in the face to early Dylan loyalists - shocked to discover their idol employing an electric guitar, some thrashing drums (well almost), and a few energetic baselines. Furthermore, this record marks the birth of Dylan's abstract lyrics ('the lampost stands with folded arms') especially as it progresses.
It may also gain historical status for an album containing a fantastic progression. The composition, in rudimentary terms of the positioning of each number is quite remarkable. From the mumbling chaos of Subterranean Homesick Blues and the simplistic, untimely melody of Magie's Farm to the outstanding, warm, mind bendingly origional songs/lyrics of the likes of Gates of Eden, It's alright Ma & Baby Blue closing the record, it's a mind-boggeling beautiful creation, which is surely why ive felt so compelled to pen my first short review.
Finally the comedy of a couple of middle album tracks should probably have a mention. As most people know, Dylan can tell a powerful story in his song, but unlike much of his early (or later) protest tunes these are more comic, surreal and encapsulating. Once any of these tracks start up and conversation i hold with friends dies a quick detah and i'm forced to direct all my attention to the story and the poet. Great stuff.