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Rating:
THE REVIEW
"Self Portrait" was an album to forget. Only a few months pass and Dylan returns with a better record. Not extraordinary. A technical rehearsal for a resurrection?
We'll have to wait a bit longer. Dylan is doing few concerts at this time (1970), he's shaken off heavy labels and tries again with something different. He abandons the crooner voice and releases "New Morning": only three of the songs from this album will be performed live... maybe even Dylan doesn't love it too much. Yet, in his autobiography, he dedicates an entire chapter to it, explaining that it was supposed to be music for a theatrical opera, a shelved project, but the songs remained.
Strengths: "Day Of The Locusts", which speaks about the day of his honorary degree at Princeton with irony that's not too veiled, "Time Passes Slowly", "The Man In Me", the two final recitatives, "Three Angels" and "Father Of Day", undoubtedly fascinating.
The others do not rise from the limbo of mediocrity, suffering from a hurried arrangement. For those who don't know, "Winterlude" is the mother of "Buonanotte fiorellino", "If Not For You" resembles "Tutto quello che un uomo" by Cammariere (there's an identical, and horrible, verse). The children beat the mothers 2 to 0. Nothing more, nothing less. A transition album, pure and not simple: Dylanesque.
PS: I gave it 3/5 but I know there are some true fans of the album who might protest... "If not for you, my sky would fall, rain would gather too, oh what would I do if not for you!"
. Come on, Bob can do better!
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Summary by Bot
New Morning is a follow-up to the dismissed Self Portrait, presenting a mix of strong songs and mediocrity. The album acts as a transitional piece for Dylan, reflecting his experimentation with a theatrical opera project. While only a few tracks stand out, the album holds a special place in Dylan's autobiography. The overall rating is moderate, acknowledging both its flaws and its significance.Tracklist Lyrics Videos
Bob Dylan
American singer-songwriter Robert Allen Zimmerman, known as Bob Dylan, is a major figure in 20th-century popular music, noted for pioneering songwriting and continual reinvention across folk, rock, country and blues.127 Reviews
Other reviews
By Hungry
"This album, often criticized, is in reality a small, in my opinion, 'pop' gem of Dylan."
"New Morning is one of the few rock episodes of the album... speaking of the joy of being still alive with the loved one next to you."
