No one will agree on which Bob Dylan album is his best. He created such a vast number of songs in so many varying styles, some of which may appeal to someone more than others, that it is hard to lay down the judgment, "This Is Best."
That said, for me, this is Dylan's best electronic work. For the uninitiated, let me briefly give a little history: Dylan had started out as a folk singer/song-writer doing topical songs, "protest songs" as some called them. Whatever you want to call them, they were social in matter and perspective. (See, "Blowin in the Wind").
Ah, but wait. Dylan wanted a change. Around 1964-65 he began to write music you might say is a bit freer than his earlier material. In several interviews from the time, he says he was getting bored doing the whole solo guitar gig thing and wanted to work with a group, he wanted a different sound.
Alright, so he did an album called "Bringing it All Back Home," which is sort of half and half. Eleven songs on the album, seven are the new electronic sound--famously, "Maggie's Farm" and "Subterranean Homesick Blues"--and four are in the "old" style--"Mr. Tambourine Man," "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue."
Great music, it's a really fun album, but because it mixes styles, it doesn't exactly feel even. Still a gas to listen to.
But, later in 65, Dylan released this album, "Highway 61 Revisited." This album is pretty damn near perfect. Unlike its predecessor, it doesn't mix styles, but fully explores the electronic music Dylan had adopted. Moreover, it is not as long as its successor, "Blonde on Blonde," (which many people consider Dylan's best, and the third most important rock album of the era). "Highway 61 Revisited" thus gains a sort of balance which allows you, while listening, to absorb the music a bit more completely.
Now, my reasons for preferring this album are contained in what I have more or less described. Listening to this album is not just enjoyable, enlightening, almost spiritual, its easy--at least as easy as Dylan gets. Don't mistake me, I don't mean to say easy as in, not difficult, I mean easy as in, the album is smooth, its length manageable, its music potent while being well constructed--it flows well. One can become intimate with this album in ways I don't think it is possible to be with "Blonde on Blonde" (although I do love that album as well). This is a good album to get if you're interested in this particular style Dylan worked with. I only know a bit about the folk and pretty much nothing about his later work after "Blonde on Blonde," so for any info on that, you'll have to hunt it up yourself. But, if the electronic music is your scene, this is a great place to start.
I think I should add that I'm just a fan of Bob Dylan, and that any criticism of his work is out of my own meager brains. I don't presume to tell you what Bob Dylan thinks, or what you should think. I do hope that you'll enjoy the music.