In the 15 months between the release of and , issued a series of recordings in different styles that could have prepared his listeners for the differences between the two LPs. His two compositions on the album returned him to the styles he had pursued before delving into the of ; two other singles, also emphasized those roots. But a single, rocked as hard as anything on the second album. was recorded with the aid of , a 17-year-old unknown whose piano was a major instrument, turning one of the few real rockers, (which had unsparing protest lyrics typical of ), into a more stately effort than anything on the previous album and giving a classic tone to the title track, a mystical that featured some of 's most imaginative lyrics and became one of his most memorable songs. But much of consisted of love songs, which consolidated the audience had earned through his tours and recordings with ; its dark yet hopeful tone matched the tenor of the times in 1970, making it one of the definitive albums, and it has remained among 's major achievements. ~ William Ruhlmann