The Complete Album Collection: The 80's

Bob Dylan entered the ‘80s by following up the Christianity of Slow Train Coming with his most pronounced album of evangelical Christian faith, 1980's Saved. He tempered his proselytizing on 1981’s Shot of Love, where “Every Grain of Sand” served as a hymn of greater subtlety. 1983’s Infidels, produced by Dylan and Mark Knopfler, was considered a return to form, featuring “Jokerman” and “Sweetheart Like You.” 1985’s Empire Burlesque is occasionally referred to as “Disco Dylan” for its use of ‘80s-styled keyboards and production. As is true of all Dylan albums, a few tracks resonate over time. For example, “Brownsville Girl,” written by Dylan and playwright Sam Shepard, is an 11-minute highlight on Knocked Out Loaded, while “Death Is Not the End” and “Silvio” rescue Down in the Groove. Nothing, however, prepared anyone for the brilliant artistic about-face of the Daniel Lanois–produced Oh Mercy, where songs such as “Man in the Long Black Coat” and “Shooting Star” proved that the muse still visited Dylan on occasion.