Ultimately, the '80s proved to be a lame duck decade for Dylan. No, the times were not entirely too kind to the Tambourine Man, and Dylanologists still regard the troubadour's Shot of Love and Knocked Out Loaded as lesser contributions to his canon.
A recent Spotify playlist, however, is challenging that notion.
"Bob Dylan in the '80s" reads the tag, with select songs from the Bootleg Series' Vol. 1-3, Shot of Love, Knocked Out Loaded, Under the Red Sky and Infidels.
Haven't heard those albums? Most of us overlook them--much like the dissatisfying Tempest that is his latest--especially compared to the tragic noise he captured just a scant few years earlier on the Blood on the Tracks and Desire discs.
But I choose not to scathe upon these records. Personally, they've found their way into my collection and some tracks even stick out as instant classics.
Whereas his "Me Decade" output remains maligned overall, if you listen closely to a few choice cuts, you'll hear a different Dylan behind the shades--a bard a bit more vulnerable with thinner skin.
So, preview some outtakes below, and if you're still not convinced, then make your way over to Spotify for the real McCoy.
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