(**½) June 26, 1975. 16th Studio Album (recorded eight years prior to release)
I’m not a big fan of the Band, although I respect their contributions to Dylan’s career as his backup band and what they’ve accomplished on their own. Therefore The Basement Tapes is not among my favorite albums, due to its old-timey Americana feel and The Band’s influence (eight of the songs are primarily without Dylan). Begun as an escape for Dylan as he recovered from a serious motorcycle crash, the material was recorded in 1967 but released eight years later, after it had been widely bootlegged. While critically acclaimed, it just doesn’t do that much for me. Still it has its moments with “Tears of Rage” and “This Wheel’s on Fire.” (A six-CD edition featuring just about all of the usable moments from the recording sessions was released in 2014.)
Between #15-20
Highlights include “Lo & Behold”…”Apple Suckling Tree”…”Yea! Heavy and a Bottle of”