3 Albums That Prove Bob Dylan Is a Master at Shapeshifting

How many versions of Bob Dylan do you think there truly are? One, four, more than nine? Who knows, but one cannot deny that Dylan has reinvented himself more than any other musician in the history of the game. He’s been a prototypical folk singer, an 80s rock star, and many other things. In other words, the man seemingly gets bored with himself fairly often, and for that reason, he is a master at shapeshifting.

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Both sonically and aesthetically, Dylan has changed himself on arguably every other album. However, out of his plethora of released albums, three albums mark his most drastic moments of reinvention, and here are the three that we believe do that.

‘Nashville Skyline’

Bob Dylan’s 1969 album Nashville Skyline is a standout in his catalog for several reasons. Most notably, it is the album that hosts his iconic collaboration with Johnny Cash on the song, “Girl From The North Country”. Furthermore, it was the album where Dylan went country. Well, sort of.

Dylan’s Nashville Skyline album is not a robust country album. Rather, it’s his take on country. Regardless, this album introduced the world to a soft-singing and gentler as well as more digestible songwriter. After the release of this album, the world didn’t get this side of Dylan again.

‘Slow Train Coming’

On several songs, Bob Dylan socially critiqued the Christian religion. Though in 1979, he subverted those previous claims by converting to the religion and releasing the Christian album, Slow Train Coming. In regard to his voice on the album, Dylan stayed true to his typical style, but that is not the case for the music or the lyrics.

Musically speaking, this was arguably the most produced album of Dylan’s career up to that point, as it featured tones and shades of a heavier rock style, and arguably foreshadowed what Dylan’s music would sound like for the next decade. Also, lyrically, all the songs are saturated with Christian ideology and messages, which was not a practice in Dylan’s typical bag.

‘Time Out Of Mind’

Many people consider Dylan’s 1997 album Time Out Of Mind to be his comeback album. Prior to the release of the album, Dylan had a rough decade in the 80s. However, after the release of the album, he was back, and he graced the world with his inspiring and thought-provoking wisdom once again.

Age is the main factor that makes this Dylan album an unprecedented one in his catalog. Through his voice, cadence, and articulation, you can tell the man is aging, and consequently, you get a setlist of music that is raw, poignant, and profoundly gritty.

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