Musically not so much different than Dylan's previous albums (guitar, harmonica and occasional piano) but thematically decidedly "another side" since songs completely reject protest movement and focus completely on relationship issues in its various disguises - funny, angry, confused, lovelorn, disappointments, you name it, its all here. And you know what's funny? Though it had its share of criticism back than (for leaving social causes and going "mainstream") these songs are actually far more "evergreen" than perhaps earlier stuff (at least to my ears) as they communicate something we all can relate to - protest songs were awesome but in a distant, literary way while this this is something from right under the skin and we can recognise it as our own experiences. And its because it completely rejects any commercial aspects of recordings (plainspoken, simple technique, guitar-and-voice, that unrepentantly ugly-but-appealing voice) that it sounds so sincere even today, some half a century later.
I listen to these lyrics this morning and could just bow my head in awe - and shame that it took me so long to get my way around Dylan, but than we all come from so many different backgrounds and our tastes are shaped with numerous influences so obviously I took my time with something so brainy.
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