writebeforebreakfast asked: I agree with all that has been said. The four "S" albums are great and so is Infidels. Empire Burleque he started to lose me (though it does have Dark Eyes, Tight Connection (done better on outtakes and then supper club), and it even has I'll Remember You (which worked better in Masked and Anyon.). Knocked Out Loaded has Brownsville Girl and not much more.

I do disagree on Down In the Groove. While it doesn't hold the water of Oh Mercy, it does set a trend that was done better in Good As I Been To You, World Gone Wrong and the Never Ending Tour. Down In the Groove consists of a majority of covers. Now they are a tad overproduced but the looseness in which they are played is the real reason to love them. This isn't Dylan doing Self Portrait (where he tried to sing like they were on previous records) this is Dylan changing the method's of the song to fit his needs. He made them his own and they work, a trend he continues to do today. Traditional Music.

Down in the groove at first listen seemed a very sloppy album to me. Uninspired and hastily done. Played it twice and rejected it as an inferior Dylan album. I will return to it and post my findings. Dark eyes is a gem on Empire Burlesque (but is also appears to be an unfinished song, recorded hastily). Brownsville girl is the gem as i wrote already on Knocked out loaded. All in all i still think Empire, Down and Knocked is a dip in Dylan’s oeuvre.