Johnny Cash was mediocre from start to long-awaited finish. I will concede that Dylan has made some stinkers in comparision to Blood on the Tracks. BUt he is indefatigable, he keeps changing his stuff and trying things. I thought the majority of Oh Mercy was painful but there are several gems in the dross- Man in the long black coat is superb for instance.
He has his off-days/weeks/months/years/decades but the guy is only human. I remember when I saw him a few years back just after the release of Love and Theft. The first half of his show was just dull but then he kicked off and relaxed a bit and you could feel the energy. I think the reason geniuses crack so often is because normal people like us expect so much of them without ever knowing how much they put into their work.
Dylan= great, but also he is human and suffers like the rest of us. Frankly if I'd done as much as he has I'd having a hard time matching the exploits of my youth as age and death creep onwards
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