Oh Mercy

by Bob Dylan

Overview

Oh Mercy was hailed as a comeback, not just because it had songs noticeably more meaningful than anything Bob Dylan had recently released, but because Daniel Lanois' production gave it cohesion. There was cohesion on Empire Burlesque, of course, but that cohesion was a little too slick, a little too commercial, whereas this record was filled with atmospheric, hazy production -- a sound as arty as most assumed the songs to be. And Dylan followed suit, giving Lanois significant songs -- palpably social works, love songs, and poems -- that seemed to connect with his past. And, at the time, this production made it seem like the equivalent of his '60s records, meaning that its artiness was cutting edge, not portentous. Over the years, Oh Mercy hasn't aged particularly well, seeming as self-conscious as such other gauzy Lanois productions as So and The Joshua Tree, even though it makes more sense than the ersatz pizzazz of Burlesque. Still, the songs make Oh Mercy noteworthy; they find Dylan quietly raging against the materialism of President Reagan and accepting maturity, albeit with a slight reluctance. So, Oh Mercy is finally more interesting for what it tries to achieve than for what it actually does achieve. At its best, this is a collection of small, shining moments, with the best songs shining brighter than their production or the album's overall effect. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	08/18/2017
Label:	Columbia
UPC:	0889854384210
Rank:	6637

Tracks

1. Political World [Album Version]
2. Where Teardrops Fall [Album Version]
3. Everything Is Broken [Album Version]
4. Ring Them Bells [Album Version]
5. Man in the Long Black Coat [Album Version]
6. Most of the Time [Album Version]
7. What Good Am I? [Album Version]
8. Disease of Conceit
9. What Was It You Wanted
10. Shooting Star [Album Version]

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Bob Dylan   Primary Artist,Organ,Piano,Guitar,Vocals,Harmonica,Guitar (12 String)
Daniel Lanois   Guest Artist,Dobro,Guitar,Omnichord,Lap Steel Guitar
Rockin' Dopsie   Guest Artist,Accordion
Cyril Neville   Guest Artist,Percussion
Mason Ruffner   Guest Artist,Guitar
John Hart   Saxophone
Larry Jolivet   Bass
Tony Hall   Bass
Alton Rubin   Drums,Washboard
Darryl Johnson   Percussion
Brian Stoltz   Guitar
Malcolm Burn   Bass,Keyboards,Mercy Keys,Tambourine
Willie Green   Drums
David Rubin   Washboard
Paul Synegal   Guitar

Technical Credits

Christopher Austopchuk   Design
Suzie Q   Photography
Mark Burdett   Design
Bob Dylan   Composer
Greg Calbi   Mastering
Mark Howard   Engineer
Malcolm Burn   Mixing,Engineer,Mixing Engineer
Daniel Lanois   Mixing,Producer,Mixing Engineer
Trotsky   Artwork