Have You Ever Re-Lived the Same Morning?

Overall Album Score: 8.5 out of 10

Was Self Portrait the self-indulgent storm and now Dylan has essentially gone back to the basics with New Morning? I guess so! It's a New Morning! Rumor has it that Self Portrait had the world thinking that Bob Dylan was completely washed up considering the negative criticism it had (and is still getting). New Morning, apparently, was Bob's attempt to shoot down these rumors and to prove that he still "had it" as an artist. Unfortunately, this also might have contributed to a more half-hearted album that was necessary. Some of these songs, I think, might have been benefited from a little bit of polishing! Ultimately, there are merely two gems on this album, when I've been used to hearing more from him! Nevertheless, this is a higher-quality effort than Self Portrait, even though I think that Self Portrait was a fairly high-quality album in the first place. The only things that are really benefiting New Morning are that the album is much shorter and the basic absence of those bad back-up singers! (Although they do show up in all their rancid glory on "Winterlude," which for all I know might have been originally intended for Self Portrait). Nevertheless, New Morning did manage to prove Dylan's point.

The major differences between New Morning and his mid-60s albums are that the instrumentals are much tighter and there is some pretty nice piano playing. Also, if you add in the factor that these songs aren't quite up to matching Dylan's glory days, then you pretty much know what New Morning is like.

It's true that Dylan abandon his 3-album stint toward country rock. Now, he's doing a sort of lounge-lizard thing. Also, Dylan's not doing his high-pitched, goofy voice anymore. We're back to that good old wheezing. However, some of his singing here really irritates the heck out of me, whereas that was somehow avoided when I was listening to his 60s stuff. Maybe he just wanted to get really ugly on here for some strange reason.

I am also going to add that Dylan took a little bit of an album-releasing break, which for some reason critics don't really seem to address. This album was released in 1970 and his next album, a soundtrack called Pat Garret & Billy the Kid would be released a little bit under three years later. In 1972, Dylan took up an acting role in the film of that aforementioned soundtrack. I guess the guy also could have used a little break ... and he had just might as well take that break on film.

Overall Album Score: 8.5 out of 10 (This definitely isn't as good as Dylan used to be in the mid-60s, but it's still a solid album, and a must for anyone who likes any of Dylan's previous works.)

Average Song Score: 8.4 (Oops! This definitely isn't Dylan's greatest set of tunes ... but they're still pretty good overall.)

Album Tilt: 8.5 (This album, while not always easy to digest 100 percent of the time, is still a solid one that I enjoy. There are a few gems in here as well.)

Artist Rating: 8.5 (After that controversial Self Portrait, it was a bit of a relief that he would go back to making his good old normal albums again. But Dylan is still experimenting.)

Track Reviews

If Not For You 10/10

I'm familiar with this track from George Harrison's good old album All Things Must Pass, and I'm not sure which version that I like better. George's version is certainly better-produced (utilizing that wall-of-sound). However, at the same time Dylan's version is lighter and it is played slightly quicker. In conclusion, I like both versions! The melody is nice and the instrumentals are right-on.

Day of the Locusts 8.5/10

It's not great but this track is good. The melody is very fine to listen to. The lyrics, in particular sound like something a normal rock star would write. Except, if Bob Dylan is a "normal" rock star, he would be an exceptionally above average one! Again, I have to appreciate the instrumentals here ... they sound much tighter than they were on albums such as Blonde on Blonde.

Time Passes Slowly 8/10

For me, this one is a little bit tougher to digest. The melody isn't particularly hook-filled. Dylan's passionate vocals, while they are affecting, they get a little bit irritating. (Alright ... they get irritating on most of his mid-60s albums, but somehow I am unable to overlook that fact here.) This track doesn't enthuse me at all.

Went to See the Gypsy 8/10

Again, I know that this track isn't bad at all. The melody is there and it has hooks. However, I just don't find it remarkable at all. The lyrics, of course, are as strong as ever. Nevertheless, I want to be HAPPY about listening to a song! This is solid, but altogether unremarkable.

Winterlude 7/10

HOLY CRAP! Who invited those female singers from Self Portrait to sing on here? Bob must have been shagging them or something. For some reason, I just really hate these singers! The melody on this one, while it's there and in simplicity, it's not beautiful. In fact ... I find the whole song overall listenable, but slightly annoying!

If Dogs Run Free 9/10

Hey! Bob Dylan invites a scat singer and goes to the nearest coffeehouse, puts on a beret, sunglasses, and rhythmically talks a poem. Now ... when artists attempt to do this, they have to be real poets. There are too many times I hear stuff like this, done seriously, and I groan because the poem SUCKS. But, as we all know, Bob Dylan is a poet. Now ... I am wondering about this scat singer sometimes. She's obviously a quite talented singer, but there are too many times in here that she sounds like she has a hairball caught in her throat or something! (*HCHK!*) But the point is that Bob Dylan attempted jazz and he pretty much succeeded. There's some nice piano work on here, too! If anything, I like the addition of this track in the album for the diversity of it.

New Morning 10/10

I'm never going to figure out if I like this track or "If Not For You" better. Both of the songs you don't have to strain whatsoever to enjoy! "New Morning," however, is definitely much more dramatic and moving.

Sign on the Window 9/10

This is pretty darn good! Bob Dylan sings this one very well. The instrumentation, while they're fairly minimalist, do feature one nicely-played piano! This one reminds me of an above-average track from Dylan's old folk days ... except he replaced the acoustic guitar with a piano. Nice!

One More Weekend 7/10

I'm probably getting spoiled, but this R&B song really does pale to the songs that precede this! Of course, I never really liked R&B so ... there ya go, I guess. But I do know one thing: this is the most derivative and least fresh song of the entire album.

The Man in Me 7.5/10

I hope he's paying rent! No ... I can't seem to particularly get into this track very well. However, I recognize perfectly that it was certainly put together well and it's even bold. I don't, however, see it as being anything to-die-for special. It seems fairly overbearing to me. The lyrics are definitely good, though. They're Dylan-esque, don't you see.

Three Angels 8.5/10

Well, this song definitely isn't overbearing. I've been finding Dylan's singing voice a bit too much on this one. However, on this track he just talks them! Bob Dylan can make a good song, certainly, if he just talks the lyrics. If it wasn't for the heavenly chorus that we are hearing in the background, this song would just be cold! Dylan's voice is good for penetrating the soul ... this song doesn't really do that so well. Nevertheless, it is still fairly good.

Everybody e-mail your comments tonight here!!!!!!!