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 I Can't Seem to Get Enough of DesireJan 24, 2010
Desire is one album that I can't seem to get enough of. The long song "Hurricane" about how a black prize fighter ran afoul of New Jersey justice just because of the color of his skin will chill you to the core. Another long song, "Isis" will have you itchin' to travel as Dylan assaults your mind with image after image. The cowboy ballad, "Romance in Durango" will have you dreaming of Mexico and the Old West. "Sara" will have you waxing nostalgic for your lost love, if you've got one. But the real gem on this album is "Black Diamond Bay" a song about a volcano erupting on a South Pacific island, how the people there handle it and how those back in America don't even care. This is just one really good album.
 Very good Dylan, save for the awful Joey....Jan 02, 2010
This is one of my favorite Dylan albums, one that I play a lot more now. When I bought Together Through Life, that album reminded me of this album, in that David Hildago's accordion flavoured Together Through Life like Scarlett Riviera's violin flavours this album. Dylan co-wrote 7 of the 9 songs on Desire with Jacques Levy, and Dylan co-wrote 9 out of 10 songs on Together Through Life with Robert Hunter.
Desire came right out after Dylan's masterful Blood on the Tracks, so comparisons are inevitable. While Blood was far more personal and raw, I find I like Desire more than Blood. Desire has a real unique sound to it, almost like it's a soundscape and a whole concept rather than just a few songs. The opener, Hurricane, is one of Dylan's finest hours, detailing the wrongful imprisonment of Ruben "Hurricane" Carter. My favorite here is Isis, a "song about marriage", as Dylan said once. I like this studio version more than the great live version on Biograph (recorded during the Rolling Thunder Revue tour). Mozambique, One More Cup of Coffee, and Oh, Sister are beautiful, mystical songs, more about creating atmosphere than about their lyrics. Romance in Durango is lovely, Black Diamond Bay is epic, and the last song, Sara, is masterful and painful, as Dylan wrote it about his soon to be ex-wife, who was reportedly in the studio when he recorded it. There's no nuance or ambiguity to the song; it's straight from Dylan's heart to his wife's heart. It's a tough listen, but it's a great song.
The only song that should have been dropped is the infamous Joey. Most Dylan aficiandos hate this song, and while the music is nice, the lyrics are really boring, and it goes on for 11 minutes, making it Dylan's worst epic song. The studio version isn't as pedestrian as the horrible version off of Dylan and the Dead (for me, Dylan's worst album ever), but Desire is a long album (nearly an hour), and they could have left this song off easily, and the album would still have been fine. It actually would have improved it greatly.
Desire is a strong Dylan album, a unique one, in terms of both sound and attitude, making it one of his most unique and overlooked ones.
My Favorite Dylan recording of all timeNov 11, 2009
Been a Dylan fan forever and this is by far my favorite recording. Have it in LP, 8 Track, Cassette, MP3, and CD. and never tire of listening to it.
A MasterpieceSep 11, 2009
I listen to this CD over and over on the CD changer and never get tired of it. Dylan is a genius for sure. Don't hesitate; just buy it. You'll be a Dylan fan for life.
The Master Story-Teller Does It AgainAug 08, 2009
When it comes to powerful songs few if any can match Bob Dylan. This album goes beyond just great music. Each song is a tale woven by a man who possesses storytelling skills on par with many top flight poets and novelists. You can't go wrong with this one. When this album was done playing, I was in awe. And few albums have had that effect on me. Desire is a certified classic.
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based on 47 reviews
