Ranking all 39 Bob Dylan studio albums- #26- Empire Burlesque -1985- 3 stars. Released on June 10, 1985.
The countdown so far 39- Dylan -1973 38- Down In The Groove -1988 37-Knocked Out Loaded- 1986 36-Christmas In The Heart- 2009 35-Under A Red Sky- 1990 34-Saved- 1980 33-Fallen Angels 2016 32- Good As I Been To You- 1992 31- World Gone Wrong 1993 30- Triplicate 2017. 29- Shadows In The Night. 2015 28- Self Portrait 1970- 27- Bob Dylan- Bob Dylan 1962 and now #26 Empire Burlesque 1985.
Upon release Empire Burlesque was a little bit of a disappointment to me. I really liked Bob’s previous album Infidels and my hopes were high when Empire Burlesque came out. Not that it is a bad album- solid 3 stars. His 23rd album- all ten songs are written by Dylan. The album has a number of good songs but is marred by mid 80’s record production- it sounds like an album from that time period. Dylan was the producer.
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Bob Dylan was about to enter into the biggest slump of his career- his next two albums are two of his worst- Knocked Out Loaded and Down In The Groove. There are signs of an upcoming slide in his songwriting on this album. There is not a terrible song out of ten on the album- but a number that I’d put in the nothing special- mediocre category. The standouts are the slower songs- “I’ll Remember You”, “Emotionally Yours” and my favorite on the album the closer “Dark Eyes.” “When the Night Comes Falling from the Sky” is one of the faster song that stands out.
Nice duet with Patti.
Couldn’t find the original from the album.
You’re right about this being one of several consecutive albums that were disappointing. I’m a big BobHead from way back and there’s only 2, maybe 3 songs that I like, and not that much
I like this album. ‘Clean Cut Kid’ has stuck in my head for ever.
he ate at burger king- he was well fed.
But “They made a killer out of him”.