http://blogcritics.org/ A sinister cabal of superior bloggers on music, books, film, popular culture, politics, and technology - updated continuously. en Copyright 2005-2007 by the authors Wed, 8 Oct 2008 14:57:23 EDT http://backend.userland.com/rss Blogcritics.org custom software http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/10/05/123640.php#comment-755270 I would have to agree with Mr. Cramsey. Empire Burlesque is light years better than Knocked Out Loaded, but I wouldn't damn Empire with such faint praise. Comparing Dylan to Dylan isn't fair. 755270@blogcritics.org Wed, 8 Oct 2008 14:57:23 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/10/05/123640.php#comment-754582 Mr. Bowling is pretty much on the mark here in his review. Aside form the '80s production, I think the album in general suffers from weak songwriting -- at least by Dylan standards. While I like the two big ballads, "I'll Remember You" and "Emotionally Yours," well enough, they are a little on the perfunctory side, and "Never Gonna Be The Same Again" even more so -- it could be written or performed by just about anybody. "Clean Cut Kid" is standard rock/blues with mostly cliche lyrics (though I do like the line about eating "Burger Kings" and the one about meeting "Peter O'Toole" and driving a rolls royce into a swimming pool). "Tight Connection" is a really wonderful Dylan pop tune, though the earlier version of the song, "Someone's Got a Hold of My Heart," an Infidels out-take, has held up better through the years. As for the person who commented that "Knocked Out Loaded" is better than "Empire," I'd say they need a new pair of ears. That album is God-awful. In hindight, I'm not even sure "Brownsville Girl" is any good. Overblown production, annoying backing vocals, a mistake or two in the lyrics that Dylan didn't even bother to re-do . . . a real mess. 754582@blogcritics.org Mon, 6 Oct 2008 11:06:13 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/10/05/123640.php#comment-754540 good review. hate to be a pedant though, but Arthur Baker produced this record not Dylan. 754540@blogcritics.org Mon, 6 Oct 2008 08:46:11 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/10/05/123640.php#comment-754525 I think Knocked Out Loaded is better. Something is Burning is a good song. I think U are right that he was conforming too much to 80s floss. Well he has certainly outlived those conformist lightweights of the time. You see Burlesque has nothing as great as Brownsville Girl and lacks the downhome grit of the blues on Knocked out Loaded but as usual there are about 4 tracks that are really good. This is a pattern in Dylan along with the throwaway first tracks (not always)eg Wiggle Wiggle, Gotta serve Someone (relatively trite) and Tight Connection very careless and mediocre... but coz its Bob I like it anyway But as usual the 3 or 4 good tracks are there. The new bootleg looks very promising and shows his incredible depth... but really he doesn't really care what I, you or anyone else thinks. He is a pitbull without Botox ole Bob is. 754525@blogcritics.org Mon, 6 Oct 2008 06:51:49 EDT