The Band - The Band - Greatest Hits
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Free Music Notes for The Band - Greatest Hits
Free Music Review: Great Compilation
Hit: 5 Stars
I love this CD. The Band's music is just outstanding. "The Weight", "Up on Cripple Creek" and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" are the major hits on here but some of the lesser known songs to the casual fan are just as great. "Chest Fever" is just too cool. "It Makes No Difference" will almost bring a tear to your eye. "Ophelia" and "Rag Mama Rag" make you want to party. My favorite is still "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down". Being born and raised in the south as my father and his father before, this song holds a special place to me and gives me chills everytime I listen to it. Amazing that Robbie Robertson, a Canadian, could capture so much of the emotion and pain from the point of view of a Conferate soldier after the Civil War has ended. He doesn't get into the right/wrong part of it like alot of artists who arent' from the south do(I'm talking about you Neil Young), he just writes the song from the point of view of having everything you've known and your entire way of life being changed forever. If you only own one album by The Band this should be it.
Free Music Review: Smash Hits vol 1!!! (... Dust on Mother's Bible)
Hit: 3 Stars
The Band - perhaps the only rock 'n' roll band whose career and music Faulkner might have imagined - as defined by this predictable compilation, made their mark as one of the most important and fascinating (and sometimes maddening) American (you prefer Canadian?)rock 'n' roll bands beginning with the release of their truly audacious debut "Music From Big Pink" in 1968 until their worthy but slightly off-putting finale, the film and album "The Last Waltz", was issued almost exactly ten years later. They were not very prolific, issuing only six studio albums of original material - after "Big Pink" came "The Band" in 1969, followed by "Stage Fright" (1970), "Cahoots" (1971), "Northern Lights - Southern Cross" (1975), and "Islands" (1977). I like all of these records, but the consensus is they're an uneven lot, the best appearing early on. In addition, there's a wonderful album of covers, "Moondog Matinee" (from 1973, a year in which David Bowie, Bryan Ferry, John Fogerty, John Lennon, and The Carpenters were among the artists offering 'self-portraits' - thanks, Bob - in the form of LPs of non-original material), a superb live set, "Rock Of Ages" (1972), and "The Best Of The Band" (1976), with one new song to bait fanatics. A few more studio originals were scattered on singles and the mostly live "Last Waltz", but that's still a pretty small body of work from a group working together long before their official debut. Of course, they famously collaborated with Dylan again in 1974 (the underrated "Planet Waves, written by Bob and recorded in three days, and the live "Before The Flood").
Since "The Best Of" there have been quite a few anthologies that all contain the same 10 or so 'classics', as well as three boxed sets (they got it right the third time). What's so dispiriting about this latest comp is how it predictably shaves off all the rough edges of The Band's career, which is far more quirky and interesting than those bookended ten years suggest. Since 2000 some of that 'shadow history' has emerged, thanks to superb expanded remasters of all their albums, as well as the excellent and aforementioned boxed set, "A Musical History" (2005). The box finally delves into the group's pre-Band history, and if you think either 1976 or 2000's "The Best Of" portrays this group's range, listen to the blistering rock 'n' roll the Band, ne The Hawks, made with Ronnie Hawkins. The box offers a few savage morsels, and for a more comprehensive look at the early days, track down the 2-CD set "The Roulette Years" (Sequel/UK) issued a decade ago, offers close to 60 tracks recorded 1959 - 63. Levon was with Hawkins as far back as 1957 or '58, and all five Band members were aboard by the end of 1961. Robbie wasn't always interested in restraint as a guitar player - on those 1961 - 63 Hawkins sides he's like a cross between Hubert Sumlin and Johnny Thunders. Check out 'Suzie Q' or 'Who Do You Love' for some of the most savage rock 'n' roll guitar ever....And then we have the scattered, occasional studio tracks made with Dylan during 1965 - 66, such as the single 'Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window' (also on the box, which should have offered a few more), as incendiery as the Stones' Freudian raveup 'Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing In The Shadow?'. By 1967, with Dylan off the road following his bike accident these six men were functioning as real collaborators, resulting, of course, in "The Basement Tapes" (and when will that masterpiece be upgraded and remastered?), timeless, surreal, haunting, and hilarious music written by Dylan, Richard Manuel, Robertson, Levon Helm, and Rick Danko, individually and in various combinations that would never be repeated after "Big Pink"...
Unless you define yourself as a casual music fan who wants a modest collection of quality popular music to play when guests visit (in which case you wouldn't have read this far), skip this dull anthology, which doesn't offer a single track that's not readily available on those 1968 - 77 Capitol albums (they even omitted the first "Best Of's" lone rarity, 'Twilight'). Get a few of The Band's now-expanded original albums, or read Levon Helm's autobiography; check out the boxed set, which begins around 1961. You'll find mystery, fragments of an American dream and a ghost story. And you'll come back for more.
Free Music Review: excellent album of hits by The Band
Hit: 5 Stars
The Band finally struck real gold in the late 1960s; and from there on in they produced some pretty awesome music. Although die hard fans will never be pleased with this single CD tribute; many people will like it very much anyway. It also makes a great introduction to The Band for newcomers.
The track set begins with "The Weight." After a brief but solid guitar intro, the singers come in and "The Weight" takes off like a jet! The arrangement blends rock with just a twist of country to produce a great sound; and they sing this number flawlessly! "Chest Fever" opens with some awesome electric guitar playing; and the organ helps to bolster this number also. "Chest Fever" is a solid rock piece that features The Band singing at their very best; they sing of a man spurned by a woman who's a pretty tough cookie and the pain he continues to experience at her loss even after time passes.
"The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" showcases The Band performing a great country ballad about life during the Civil War. Their use of the guitars, drums and percussion really works well on "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down." In addition, "Rag Mama Rag" displays their versatility with a country ballad. "Rag Mama Rag" is about a man dumped by his woman--but he remains hopeful that their relationship will resume anyway.
"Stage Fright" has an elegant piano intro and the electric guitars bolster the melody well. I predict you will also enjoy "Stage Fright." "When I Paint My Masterpiece" starts with an accordion that gradually gets louder before the vocals start; and this song is about a man who wants to be alone together with his woman and have a happy life in the future. Awesome number! Listen also for "Arcadian Driftwood;" this number sports a country flavor with flute, guitar and some awesome vocals! "Arcadian Driftwood" explores how tough life can be for some people.
The liner notes include a very lengthy, informative essay by Rob Bowman; and the artwork is very good. We get the song credits, too.
Just one listen to this CD proves beyond doubt that The Band was remarkably talented. We are better off for their sharing their fine artistry with us; and thank goodness we can still buy their fine albums in our times.
Great job, guys! Hope you regroup soon--and rock on !!!
Free Music Review: nice band retro
Hit: 5 Stars
very nice compilation.
Could have included a few more Dylan classics they also recorded...
Free Music Review: (4.5 stars) Hell yeah
Hit: 5 Stars
Well, it's not perfect: I'd have rather had the powerhouse live Don't Do It and the chilling ballad Whispering Pines than the terrible cover of When I Paint My Masterpiece (Dylan's original is so much better!), and the miserable Saga of Petoute Rogue, from the equally miserable Islands album. All told though, this is THE place to start with the Band. You get most the best from the first record (which is a must) and the self-titled (which is another must), all the best from Stage Fright (which is decent) and Cahoots (which isn't the best Band album by any means), most the best from Northern Lights - Southern Cross (which is underrated and NOT just a bunch of synthesizer crap, but a collection of solid songs), and only one song from Islands (which is a waste of our time). You get ALL the classics: The Weight, Chest Fever, Tears of Rage, The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, Up on Cripple Creek (their best song in my never humble, usually outspoken opinion), Rag Mama Rag, The Shape I'm In (Oh... you don't know...), Life is a Carnival and Ophelia (love that tuba!) all on the same album. I mean, how can you go wrong with this one? How can you miss? If you're only gonna get one Band CD, you might want to make it this one - if you like what you hear, get the first two.