Originally intended as a semi-secret copyright extension dump -- a limited-edition release designed as a way for the label to exercise their rights on recordings, not something for general consumption -- 1970 wound up getting an official release in February 2021 due to overwhelming consumer demand. Much of that demand is certainly due to the presence of a complete session with George Harrison, a jam that happened on the first day of May 1970. Bob Dylan and Harrison play a few oldies -- some written by Dylan, most shared ...
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Originally intended as a semi-secret copyright extension dump -- a limited-edition release designed as a way for the label to exercise their rights on recordings, not something for general consumption -- 1970 wound up getting an official release in February 2021 due to overwhelming consumer demand. Much of that demand is certainly due to the presence of a complete session with George Harrison, a jam that happened on the first day of May 1970. Bob Dylan and Harrison play a few oldies -- some written by Dylan, most shared favorite tunes -- strolling through their performance with convivial ease; it never seems like they're recording with an eye on a finished record, they're just playing for fun. The same could be said of the rest of this triple-disc, 74-track set, all capturing sessions that were later parceled out on Self Portrait and New Morning. Some of the songs are new compositions intended for a new record -- there are outtakes of "New Morning," "Went to See the Gypsy," "Winterlude," and "If Not for You" -- yet most of this collection is devoted to covers and revived older Dylan songs. Not everything was played to completion, some songs were played just for fun, and the kicker is that the best material from these sessions already appeared either on the finished albums or on such archival releases as 2013's revelatory Another Self Portrait (1969-1971). So why is 1970 an enjoyable listen, much more enjoyable than these copyright extension collections usually are? A lot of that is due to freewheeling ease of a band that usually features Charlie Daniels on bass and Russ Kunkel on drums, with David Bromberg, Al Kooper, Ron Cornelius, and producer Bob Johnston making appearances alongside several unknown musicians. Listening to Dylan lead these groups through a loose rendition of Harry Belafonte's "Jamaica Farewell," an extended, almost funky jam on "Long Black Veil," a friendly boogie through "Matchbox," and competing versions of Jimmy C. Newman's Cajun country stomp "Alligator Man" is a hoot, plus there's something almost touching in hearing Bob tentatively sing Paul McCartney's "Yesterday" on the same session where Harrison jammed. Nothing major, then, but the modest pleasures of 1970 are certainly worthwhile. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi
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