Self Portrait (Bob Dylan album)
| Self Portrait | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 8, 1970 | |||
| Recorded | April 24, 1969 – March 30, 1970 | |||
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| Length | 73:15 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Producer | Bob Johnston | |||
| Bob Dylan chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Self Portrait | ||||
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Self Portrait is the tenth studio album by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. It was released on June 8, 1970, through Columbia Records. The album was produced by Bob Johnston and was Dylan's second double album, after Blonde on Blonde (1966). The record is compiled of cover songs, live recordings, and new originals, while the arrangements and vocal performances continue in the country vein of the preceding Nashville Skyline (1969).
Self Portrait was released to negative reviews and confusion from critics and fans alike. Criticism was directed at the album's production, performances, and the lack of new material. Dylan himself has since referred to the album as having been released with the purpose of confounding the public's expectations of him, and to counter the "spokesman of a generation" tag which had been placed on him throughout the 1960s.
Despite the critical reception, the album was a commercial success, reaching number four in the US and topping the chart in the UK. Retrospective reviews have been more positive, with reviewers praising the choice of cover songs and arrangements. In 2013, Dylan released The Bootleg Series Vol. 10: Another Self Portrait (1969–1971), which resulted in further positive critical revaluation.