National Album Day: Blood On The Tracks by Bob Dylan

by | Oct 13, 2018

Blood On The Tracks is an album for every season. I first heard it as a teenager and it seems as deeply intriguing, as powerfully emotional and as satisfyingly comforting to me today as it did back then. Hilarious and tragic, soothing and bitter, lonely and redeemed, it’s a collection of songs that can reflect back whatever you’re looking for.

The lyrics fire out poetic truths that make you feel less alone in the universe. Yet, he sees the world in all its alienating cruelty, as well as its deep connectedness, and the searing put-downs and pointed observations hold up some stark realities of loss, betrayal and disappointment in relationships.

Yet, he relieves your soul by exposing the hurt, dissecting the longing and carrying the despair for you. In songs like Tangled Up In Blueand Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts, his cast of characters, unexpected plot twists and dramatic timing are the stuff of theatre. You know the die is cast, yet each time it feels as though the pageantry and mystery is unravelled anew. Shelter From The Storm has an epic, biblical landscape but is essentially a warm hug when you’re lost and alone. Idiot Wind is scathing and darkly comical. If You See Her Say Hello is naked vulnerability and regret.

His lyrics turn around and surprise you, open doors you haven’t noticed were there and let you fall down trapdoors, only to pick you up with a smile and carry you home, eventually. The extremes of life’s emotions are held under a microscope to burn out the wisdom and deliver you to equilibrium.

It was neither the first nor the last of Dylan’s albums that I heard, but it was early on in my discovery of his work and endures as my favourite of his recordings. I find something new within its layers frequently enough to know that my dance with it will surely never be over.

Blood On The Tracks by Bob Dylan,1975. Chosen by music photographer Imelda Michalczyk.

Will Linley (Press)

Will Linley Shares Debut Album ‘Don’t Cry Because It’s Over’

Rising South African singer-songwriter Will Linley has unveiled his eagerly awaited debut album Don’t Cry Because It’s Over, out now via Island Records. At just 22, the Cape Town native has already built an international following with his blend of emotionally candid lyrics and breezy, hook-filled pop — and this first full-length release captures both his youthful perspective and his growing maturity as an artist.

Nathan Sykes (Press)

Nathan Sykes Shares New Single ‘Butterflies’ Ahead Of Forthcoming Album ‘Ultraviolet’

After returning earlier this summer with Getting Lost, his first solo release in eight years, Nathan Sykes has shared a second taste of his long-awaited new album Ultraviolet. The shimmering new single Butterflies is out now, with the full record due for release on 17th October.

BUNT. x The Chainsmokers x Izzy Bizu (Press)

BUNT. Links Up With The Chainsmokers And Izzy Bizu On Euphoric New Single ’Spaces’

Stutter house trailblazer BUNT. has teamed up with GRAMMY®-winning duo The Chainsmokers and GRAMMY®-nominated singer-songwriter Izzy Bizu on new single Spaces, out now via Arista Records. The high-octane collaboration lands as summer fades, offering a euphoric soundtrack built for both festival stages and late-night dancefloors.

Parov Stelar Announces Ambitious New Album ‘Artifact’, Shares Cinematic Lead Single ‘Rebel Love’

Austrian producer, DJ, and pioneer of electro-swing Parov Stelar has announced details of his brand-new album Artifact, set for release on 14th November via his own Etage Noir Recordings (distributed by AWAL). The record arrives preceded by the sweeping new single Rebel Love, accompanied by a monochrome, late-19th-century-inspired video.

Sykamore Shines At The Long Road Festival

The late summer sun bathed Stanford Hall in gold as festival-goers wandered the grounds, the hum of distant stages blending with laughter and chatter. It was here, amid the vibrant energy of the festival, that I caught up with Sykamore, whose warmth and approachability are as inviting as the storytelling in her music.

Maya Lane @ The Long Road Festival 2025 (Henry Finnegan / @finneganfoto)

Maya Lane: Storytelling On Every Stage

The Long Road Festival prides itself on being a home for all shades of Americana, from boot-stomping honky-tonk to...
Erin Kinsey @ The Long Road Festival 2025 (Henry Finnegan / @finneganfoto)

Erin Kinsey: Finding Her Road At The Long Road Festival

As The Long Road Festival wound towards its close, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Erin Kinsey. Fresh from her...
The Last Dinner Party @ Glastonbury Festival 2024 (Kalpesh Patel)

The Last Dinner Party Announce Massive Headline Tour For New Album ‘From The Pyre’

The Last Dinner Party have unveiled details of a huge 35-date headline tour alongside the announcement of their hotly...

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This

Share Thing