The Band - The Band
|
List Price: Our Price: $7.35 You Save: $4.59 (38%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $7.10 (click here) Category: Music CD See more new music releases 
|
|---|
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
Free Music Notes for The Band
Free Music Review: 40 years on
Hit: 5 Stars
Probably not a great deal has been mentioned about 2009 being the 40th anniversary of the Band's second and finest album. This is not surprising given that they were often overshadowed by more image-oriented, commercially accesible, and generally less interesting bands at the time. I myself recently noted 2009 being the 40th anniversary of Led Zeppelin's first two albums, but this was more of a tongue in cheek gesture as opposed to the adulatory yelps of sycophantic fandom that the Zeppelin review page is replete with. When I accurately criticized Zep as being derivative of blues music, a fanatical type commented underneath quipping that everything in music is derivative of everything. I think it's important to distinguish the difference between influences and derivation as that commentator was unable to do. He was a little overwhelmed by what I had said in my review and clearly out of his depth.
Back to the point, The Band had literally an incalcuable array of styles they incorporated into their performance during their ten years or so of existence. That a single group could perform such a wide variety of music, from elements of country, folk, rockabilly, occasionally even soul and hard rock, is perhaps most attributable to the individual members that made up the Band, their own disparate interests, and the fact that they all were multi-instrumentalists (save Robertson). This then is the first thing that makes the Band special. It is not that any one of their myriad musical influences originated with them, but rather the several different parts (extraordinarily wide by rock standards) combined to create a truly innovative and unique sound. Certainly unlike anything else going on in the late 60's. This was a group interested in making quality music as opposed to following behind whatever banner of any of the sundry collections of fad rock going on at the time.
The second key ingredient here is the voices. Three lead singers, all unlike each other and pretty much unlike any other voice in rock music at the time. A lot of bands struggle to produce a single interesting vocalist, this group had three. The rough, raspy, southern drawl of Levon Helm complemented the songs he sang in a way that no one else would have been able to ("Dixie" being the supreme example). Rick Danko, somewhat higher than the others, but capable of producing at times an incredibly impassioned delivery (the live version of "It Makes No Difference" off of the Last Waltz). I don't know whether it's coincidental or not, but many newer singers, particularly of the folk/rock sort of persuasion sound to me very reminiscent of Danko. Thirdly, my personal favorite, Richard Manuel. I don't think there's another singer with a wider range than Manuel in the rock/pop genre. Deep and soulful, sometimes deep and menacing. Sometimes high and soulful, sometimes high and menacing. Sometimes everything in between. Many of my favorite songs from the Band owe as much to Manuel's vocals as anything else.
Thirdly, the songwriting. Unique for the time to be sure, but it remains if not singularly unique, at least still warrants praise for its unusual quality and high degree of intelligence. Robertson's songs are historical/literary in nature, but the emphasis is usually on the historical. "The Night They Drive Old Dixie Down", a reaction to the end of the Civil War from the loser's perspective is probably the greatest example. "King Harvest" which deals with the formation of unions in response to labor abuses and more specifically in this case, the smothering of small farmers. Elsewhere, "Across The Great Divide" and "The Unfaithful Servant", although probably not as well known as "Dixie", are nonetheless two of Robertson's finest historical narrative songs in my opinion. Conversely, some tracks place the emphasis on a literary quality, that is a character based lyric. The outstanding example of this, "Rockin' Chair". It is not often that a songwriter of 25, as Robertson was at the time, speculates on old age and a bygone era by virtue of creating a lyric and character in a music performance. Ray Davies of the Kinks is one of the few that I can think of. Also of note is a track that doesn't really fit any of the above descriptions of Robertson's songwriting and that may be because it was co-written by Richard Manuel. The haunting, piano lead "Whispering Pines" is one of the finest and most overlooked Band songs. That's the importance of this album which can't be stressed enough. A compilation won't cover it. You may get the best known ones, but you'll miss out some real gems; "Whispering Pines", "Rockin' Chair", "When You Awake", etc.
Free Music Review: Not bad, but still sounds digital!
Hit: 2 Stars
I had high hopes for this remaster from Audio Fidelity. And for sure, it is not bad, and has it's merits. However, it is doubtful that this remaster was done from the true original analog master tapes, and even the liner notes are silent as to the source used, relying only on engineer Steve Huffman's name, gained through exhausting self-promotion.
Sonically, it exhibits a smiley-face eq with prominent bass and a tipped up brightness on top, with elements of digititis on high transients betraying the likely DAT source. Or maybe Huffman just needs a better digital setup? Mobile Fidelity has their own, proprietary all analog tube mastering chain and only use true analog masters.
Audio Fidelity should maybe use the excellent engineers of MOFI for their product. This one is good, but not enough of an upgrade over the current Capitol remaster to be worthwhile. Still sounds too digital, unlike the now defunct DCC. Pass.
Free Music Review: This is not the gold disc or the Japan mini lp!
Hit: 5 Stars
UPDATED - okay the reviews are all mixed together for all the various versions of the Band. If it is says Audio Fidelity and its $30 or so, this is the one you want!
Although this is one of the all-time greats, and this version is fine in every way, I know it is not the gold disc which came out a week or so ago, nor is it the limited edition Japan disc, as noted in the description. No way are they selling that for this price! Hopefully someone will read this and correct it.
Free Music Review: Review for Audio Fidelity Gold Remaster-Excellent remaster for the first time from the original master tapes
Hit: 5 Stars
One of my favorite albums and one of The Band's best, their self titled second album sounds terrific in this remaster. The sound stage, dynamics and detail that are often missing from "modern" remasters are all here. Audio Fidelity has done a nice job with this reissue and Steve Hoffman's remaster nicely captures the warmth of the original recording and Hoffman uses the original master tape for the first time since the original pressing of the album (let's just say that one band member has had it all this time and wouldn't give it up).
If you're going to buy the regular remaster from 2000 that sounds pretty good as well and does have the advantage of the additional alternate takes for other tracks on the album but it doesn't sound as clear and warm as this edition.
The big difference between this and the previous reissue aside from the master being used for the first time in years is that this has only the original 12 tracks for the album plus "Get Up Jake" an outtake from the sessions that should have been on the original album. The outtakes that were on the reissue of the album aren't here but that's a small issue for me as this album has never sounded this good on compact disc before.
Free Music Review: Superb sonics, sound stage and instrument separation
Hit: 5 Stars
For CD (or LP) reproduction, no one masters like, or better than, Steve Hoffman. If you have a good stereo system and care about the warmth of the overall sound, the depth of the sound stage, and the precision of sound separation, this new gold CD is well worth the cost. This version is even noticeably better than the Japanese reissues, which I also own. It is the closest that you will have a CD sound like an LP but without the scratches. As a side note, there are only thirteen tracks on this remaster, the original 12 plus one previously issued bonus track (Get Up, Jake).