Shadow Kingdom

Shadow Kingdom
A black-and-white photo of Dylan playing harmonica into a microphone
Studio album by
ReleasedJune 2, 2023 (2023-06-02)
Recorded2021
StudioVillage Recorder (West Los Angeles)
Length54:00
LabelColumbia
Bob Dylan chronology
The Bootleg Series Vol. 17: Fragments – Time Out of Mind Sessions (1996–1997)
(2023)
Shadow Kingdom
(2023)
The Complete Budokan 1978
(2023)
Singles from Shadow Kingdom
  1. "Watching the River Flow"
    Released: April 13, 2023

Shadow Kingdom is the 40th studio album and second soundtrack album by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released on June 2, 2023, through Columbia Records. It is Dylan's first album of new studio recordings since his 2020 album Rough and Rowdy Ways. The songs were recorded at Village Recorder in West Los Angeles in early 2021 to accompany Alma Har'el's film Shadow Kingdom: The Early Songs of Bob Dylan, which was shot later.[1] Although no musicians are listed in the credits, various sources have identified the session players as consisting of veterans such as T Bone Burnett and Don Was.[2][3][4][5] It is the first album in which Dylan plays with a band that features no drums or percussion.[6]

Shadow Kingdom consists of new recordings of 13 songs from the first half of Dylan's career plus a new instrumental song titled "Sierra's Theme". The album was preceded by a single for "Watching the River Flow", which was released on streaming platforms and as a YouTube video on April 13, 2023.[7] The performance of "Forever Young" from Har'el's film was released as a standalone video on June 2, 2023.[8] The album received universal praise from critics.[9][10]

  1. ^ johnnyborganblogg (May 25, 2023). "What You See Is Not What You Get. About "Shadow Kingdom", Bob Dylan, 2023". Johnny B. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
  2. ^ Bals, Fred (May 2, 2022). "Return to Bob Dylan's Shadow Kingdom".
  3. ^ Wise, Brian (May 22, 2023). "Dylan's Shadow Kingdom Out In All Formats On June 2". Rhythms Music Magazine. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
  4. ^ "My DREAM Became REAL. Tracking LIVE With Bob Dylan". Retrieved May 28, 2023 – via YouTube.
  5. ^ "Ira Ingber Interview on The Paul Leslie Hour". Retrieved May 28, 2023 – via YouTube.
  6. ^ Carty, Pat. "Album Review: Shadow Kingdom – The Early Songs Of Bob Dylan". Hot Press. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  7. ^ "Watching the River Flow". Retrieved May 27, 2023 – via YouTube.
  8. ^ "Bob Dylan – Forever Young (From Shadow Kingdom)". Retrieved June 2, 2023 – via YouTube.
  9. ^ Williams, Richard (May 18, 2023). "Bob Dylan – Shadow Kingdom". Uncut. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
  10. ^ "Bob Dylan's Shadow Kingdom Reviewed". Mojo. 2023. Retrieved May 26, 2023.