The Band - Music from Big Pink
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Free Music Notes for Music from Big Pink
Free Music Review: Music From Big Pink
Hit: 4 Stars
The Band-Music From Big Pink ****
It took a long while to come around to The Band though I'm glad I finally did. See I just didn't get what all the fuss was about. I always loved their work with Bob Dylan but when ever I heard them on their own I was just turned off, so I decided to give it another chance and bought Music From Big Pink. Needless to say it changed my mind. It wasn't the nice soulful vocals, or Robertson's great guitar work. It was the sound of the band as a whole; as they are truly a sum of their parts. But honestly the organ work was what really had me hooked. I don't think I have ever heard a better organ player. Such resonance and heart in his playing.
The album was named after the big pink house where the music was recorded with Bob Dylan, as he wanted to either play on the album or write songs to help the group out, and they kindly declined except for 'I Shall Be Released' which is the weakest track on the album. 'The Weight' is obviously the big single and one of the bands strongest numbers. 'Chest Fever' is dark and haunting. In a class of it's own on an album so great.
Also on this release are eight bonus tracks of outtakes, demos, and other assorted songs. Among them is a smokin' cover of the blues standard 'Key To The Highway.'
Music From A Big Pink is an album that no one should miss out on, and The Band is certainly not a band you want to pass up either.
Free Music Review: This is THE album
Hit: 5 Stars
This album literally has no peer. Especially when you consider that it was originally released in 1968. It is emotional, formative, revolutionary, etc.
You can hear the emotions when you listed to Richard Manuel sing about loneliness. Or Garth Hudson putting his all into the organ. Or Levon Helm drawling out his words. Or Robbie Robertson playing a great riff. Or Rick Danko singing in his country-bumpkin voice. It was formative in that it heavily influenced so many musicians, as it has been said--there were a lot of blues musicians walking around England with this LP under their arm. You can see that it is revolutionary when you consider that it truly was counter-countercultural in its revival of folk/country/americana within the framework of popular music. It came just when when people were getting sort of sick of cheezy psychedlia. And The Band "rebelled against the rebellion" by including a picture of them with their "ruralish" families on the album. They were going back to what most countercultural icons were trying to get away from. And the front cover certainly runs counter to the ego-trips that many other musicians were pulling off at the time. If you didn't know: The cover art is a painting by Bob Dylan!
Here are some thoughts on individual tracks: "Tears of Rage" is powerful, patently SLOW and DRAGGING. "To Kingdom Come" is forceful and jumpy. Sometimes it is maligned, but it is one of my favorites. I love the "Tarred and Feathered" part.
I'm not a huge fan of "In A Station". Its the only track that isn't amazing, in my opinion. I don't think I've ever encountered any other album where only one track was in this category!! "Caledonia Mission" is funky and a great showcase of Rick Danko's talent. If the "The Weight" weren't so overplayed whenever anything remotely close to the band is mentioned, I think we'd find it to be even better than it appears! It really is a fine song! Actually, its more of a "tale" than a song. "We Can Talk" is another one of my favorites. The part that goes something like "I'd rather burn in Canada than freeze down here in the south" is priceless! "Long Black Veil" is great though perhaps not as remarkable as some of the others. "Chest Fever" is funky and just plain odd, in a good way. At the beginning it parodies some classical music (with a great intro by Garth), then it rambles with slightly non-sensical lyrics, but a great progression and rhythm. "Lonesome Suzie" show cases Richard Manuel's great talent (and probably showcases some of his deep personal struggles too). "This Wheel's On Fire" is great. The voicing on this is just priceless. You have to listen to it, I can't put it into words well. "I Shall Be Released" is a quite fitting conclusion to the album.
There is remastering and they've added tracks on this album. The extra tracks are good, though I am a bit of a purist and am sort of iffy about seeing the outtakes on there. But its no big loss. You get the original songs (remastered that is) plus the extras! "Key To The Highway" is my favorite of the extra tracks, though many will probably disagree with me on that one.
If you haven't listened to this album, please do so!! ESPECIALLY if you feel informed about 60's music. So many stereotypes of 1960's music are SHATTERED by this groundbreaking album!! In my opinion, you just can't beat this! Its well worth whatever you have to shell out to get it. It has intelligent, thoughtful, emotional lyrics. It has a distinct, American sound. It is black music, blues music, country music, folk music, gospel music, etc. And yet remains grounded! It is jovial, minimalistic, but heavily spirited. I'll take this over The Beatles, Jimmi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, The Who, CCR, Cream, Jefferson Airplane, etc. ANY DAY! No comparison!
Free Music Review: Amazing group
Hit: 5 Stars
I first got this one when i was about 13 'way back in the 60s" and it still sounds great today.It was very influential to Eric Clapton, Costello etc etc etc.
The travails of the 5 memders are cronicled in 2 books if you care to read them.
Also Levon just got a much desreved GRAMMY!
Free Music Review: Not deserving of its reputation...
Hit: 1 Stars
There are many great and iconic albums from the late sixties, but this isn't one of them. The 'singing' is annoying, the songs are mediocre at best, and the playing is sloppy. These guys played and sang like they were perpetually stoned. I thought Bruce Springsteen was over-hyped! The Band's Robbie Robertson once said Procol Harum had one hit and played it over and over. I say everything the Band does sounds like "Cripple Creek." I for one wouldn't waste a second listening to this so-called 'supergroup.' Have a nice day!Free Music Review: Music From Big Pink
Hit: 5 Stars
Music from Big Pink
Great detail of music on this CD.