""Knocked Out Loaded" is ultimately a depressing affair," wrote Anthony DeCurtis in his review published in "Rolling Stone" magazine, "because its slipshod, patchwork nature suggests that Dylan released this LP not because he had anything in particular to say, but to cash in on his 1986 tour. Even worse, it suggests Dylan's utter lack of artistic direction." In the Howard Sounes book "Down the Highway: The Life of Bob Dylan", it is reported that Dylan said "if the records I'm making only sell a certain amount anyway, then why should I take so long putting them together?"