1975 was a high praise year for Bob Dylan, coming off the critical success of both Blood On The Tracks and The Basement Tapes recorded with The Band. In 1976, Desire was the next Dylan release and was also successful. Critically acclaimed, the album eventually made it to #1 in the US. Two additions to the sound make Desire a warm record to revisit 50 years later. Emmylou Harris sings back-up throughout the album and the violin playing of Scarlet Rivera really stands out especially on tracks like the quest for riches saga of “Isis”.
Many of the tracks were co-written with Jacques Levy including the playful rhyming of “Mozambique” and the flamenco sound of “Romance In Durango”. “Black Diamond Bay” about a volcano erupting on a tiny island is high quality pop songwriting, “she sheds a tear and then begins to pray/as the fire burns on and the smoke drifts away”. The album closes with the personal “Sara” about Dylan’s then wife.
The standout track is the first single, “Hurricane”. The song tells the true story of boxer Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter who was wrongfully convicted of murder before eventually having the charges overturned years later. A powerful storytelling song where the outstanding musicianship behind Dylan matches his passion for the tragedy of the charges. Desire is a really terrific mid 70s period Dylan album.
9/10
The Light Appears 