1970 Rollin’ in Sight for Dylan Fans

Columbia Records already put out an album cobbled together from outtakes from the sessions for Bob Dylan’s Self Portrait and New Morning LPs – released without Dylan’s involvement to near-universal derision in 1973, during the very brief period Bob had left Columbia for Asylum Records, Dylan consisted solely of covers of other people’s material.

The forthcoming 3-CD collection 1970 (Feb. 26) is a much more carefully constructed overview of those sessions, tracked in March, May, June and August of that year. In addition to alternate takes of songs such as “If Not for You” and tracks that never made it to either album in any form, the centerpiece of the compilation is nine songs featuring George Harrison on guitar and vocals – a mix of Dylan touchstones (“It Ain’t Me Babe,” “Gates of Eden”) and covers (The Everly Brothers’ “All I Have to Do is Dream,” Carl Perkins’ “Matchbox” and a medley of Shirelles and Crystals hits!) Other players on the sessions include Charlie Daniels, David Bromberg, Al Kooper and Buzzy Feiten.