The Band - Music from Big Pink
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Free Music Notes for Music from Big Pink
Free Music Review: Before the "Americana" image---in a league of its own
Hit: 5 Stars
The word "Americana" gets tossed around a lot when people talk about The Band--so much, in fact, I think people don't even think about what it means and think it's synonymous with The Band. In reality, except the country ballad cover and "The Weight," you'd be hard pressed to really find this so-called "Americana" (which critics invented after The Band's second album) on Music From Big Pink at all. What you WILL find, is some incredibly slippery, mercurial music that owes a lot to The Band's rock and roll roots (not to mention their gospel, blues and classical roots) as the Hawks as well as their recent collaborations with Dylan, who was in the process of rewriting the rules of songwriting himself. The result was Music From Big Pink, a totally unique album in The Band's catalog, and an utterly original contribution to American/Canadian rock history.
The album daringly kicks off with a slow song, Richard Manuel's collaboration with Bob Dylan, "Tears of Rage." Simply put, nobody had made this kind of music before. Manuel's rich, soulful vocal floats over piano and Robertson's guitar fed through a homemade effect box. Fat drums and bass lock down a dirge-like beat and flittering organ chases the corners of the background as Manuel sings a father's lament. One listen to this mysterious soul lets you know you're in for a treat the likes of which you'll probably never hear again.
As the album progresses, The Band reveals its multifaceted talents--the tempo picks up on "To Kingdom Come," the lyrics become more mysterious (with lots of religious imagery) and Manuel again sings, this time in tandem with Robbie Robertson. What kind of music is this? It certainly rocks, and it has a solid, funky bottom to it, but you really can't label it rock, folk, blues or anything. This is the point when it's probably better to concede that labeling Music From Big Pink with a genre name wouldn't be a successful enterprise, and it'd be better to just let the sweet sounds wash over you.
"In A Station" begins with multi-instrumentalist virtuoso Garth Hudson playing a classically-inflected clavinette line then swerves into unknown territory, with spacey slide guitar and fantastical lyrics. Manuel wrote and sang the song (backed by Rick Danko), proving The Band not only has multiple singers but also multiple contributing composers. "Caledonia Mission" fuses blues and folk with that ineffable Band sound, and bassist Danko sings, exposing another vocal tool to the group's disposal.
"The Weight," probably the group's best-known song keeps up the mysterious songwriting combined with Hudson's wild piano and drummer Levon Helm's (the group's only American member) southern drawl. "We Can Talk" is one of the albums funkiest, hardest rocking numbers, with a sort of jug-band break that's pretty weird--who else would make music like this? "Chest Fever," another mish-mash of styles, starts with Hudson quoting a classical toccata and features yet another drunken-sounding jam break. The album closes with the heartbreaking love song "Lonesome Suzie," and two Dylan collaborations, the dark, driving "This Wheel's On Fire" and the wispy, ethereal "I Shall Be Released," with Manuel's priceless falsetto soaring to the very end.
Music From Big Pink remains today a totally essential recording, sparking as much musical influence as Dylan's contemporary material, and launching The Band into the spotlight. I recommend it to any fan of rock, since it's an important historical moment, as well as the beginning of a great collection and trip through The Band's compelling, rich musical career. I hope you enjoy the magic.
Free Music Review: A Rock Classic!!
Hit: 5 Stars
It was very brave of the Band to open their debut album with the long, slow and dark "Tears of Rage" . They were praised for this at the time, but now more than three decades later, the song may scare away new listeners which is really a big shame because is one the Band's greatest and probably their most influential album. It's not that "Tears of Rage" is a bad song; it just may take some time to get into it.
"Music From Big Pink" was actually the only Band album with two equally important songwriters; by their fourth album "Cahoots" keyboard player and occasional drummer Richard Manuel had completely stopped writing. This was really a shame, because his material on "Big Pink" equals that of Robbie Robertson. The relaxed and slightly whimsical "We Can Talk" is one of the catchiest tunes on the album and in my opinion an early Band classic. Another outstanding Manuel tune is "In a Station", which somehow reminds me of the legendary Danish band the "Savage Rose".
Darker Manuel tunes like "Tears of Rage" and "Lonesome Suzie" may be harder to get into, especially for people who have not grown up with the music of the Band. Interesting to hear the jazzier and faster alternate version of "Lonesome Suzie" among the bonus-tracks; actually I find that version more appealing.
Of course Robbie Robertson turned out to be their main song-writer and he also shines here on the debut-album. "The Weight" is more or less their signature tune; a great song showcasing all three lead-singers. In fact one of the great things about this great group is that it had these three singer whose vocals blended uniquely; especially on their earliest albums.
Another Robertson classic is the organ-riff based "Chest Fever" which eventually becane a Garth Hudson live tour-de-force.
The bonus-track are all good, though several lack in sound - "Basemant Tapes" sound. The last tune "Ferdinand the Imposter" could really have been great; also the country-inpired "If I Lose" is also quite charming
Free Music Review: the beginning
Hit: 5 Stars
What a great start for one of the most influential bands in American music. Loose but very cohesive, soulful with a rough hewn touch.... still sounds great after all these years.... and to think, they just got better and better!Free Music Review: Music Review
Hit: 3 Stars
I am a big fan of The Band and this was one of their first cds. I liked it pretty goodFree Music Review: One of the greatest albums, no doubt about it
Hit: 5 Stars
I first heard this recording in the late 60s -- it spoke to me strongly then, and speaks just as strongly almost 40 years later. I can't say that about many records made in those times. I'm not nostalgic, I'm not a guy that sits around and listens to old Beatles and Rolling Stones albums... but I still love to listen to music from Big Pink on occasion, it just plain holds up over time. As a musician myself, I would disagree with some of the reviewers that this music is "simple". It most certainly is not... the songs and performances are quirky and complicated, and so is the production. The sound is a bit muddy compared to their later albums which were no doubt higher-budget affairs. (This record was made in a house, not a studio!) To me, Music From Big Pink was never really topped by the group, although it was equaled by the second album "The Band".
I find it difficult to criticise Music From Big Pink in a conventional way. To me, the term "Americana" doesn't really cover it. There are elements of R & B, blues, country, hillbilly, and gospel but I can't think of any other record that blends influences and genres into a very special sound the way this one does. Music From Big Pink has a mysterious and moody quality to it that is unique in pop music. It is not a familiar recorded sound at all, neither now nor when it was first released, and if you are new to this group, give this record time to grow on you -- I think you will be rewarded. It is a snapshot of an group that was just full of talent. If you have never heard it before, tor the best impact I would stop the CD before the additional tracks play, they are interesting but I think they would dilute the experience for the first-time listener.
If you like the Band I highly recommend the documentary DVD "Classic Albums - The Band" that gives some fascinating insight into the recording of the Band's first two albums.