Music From Big Pink

An unparalleled fresh and original sound in 1968 with strong ties to the American song tradition, and which served as a huge inspiration for countless acts to follow. The ties to Bob Dylan are strong, but it's incredible for The Band to create a record which sounds wholeheartedly different than what they did while acting as Dylan's backing band. Music From Big Pink is charming with a production making it sound like it was actually recorded in a basement. The vocal harmonies are raw but authentic, and the highlights are plenty: 'Caledonia Mission', the swinging 'We Can Talk', 'Lonesome Suzie', 'This Wheel's On Fire' and of course 'The Weight'.

I've never been familiar with The Band but this really got me. Obviously 'The Weight' is a classic, but 'Tears of Rage' 'To Kingdom Come' and 'I Shall be Released' were also favorites for me. The whole album has an amazing feel, and it's wild to realize it was all recorded in just two weeks. || What really struck me with this album was the forging of rock, soul, and sorrowful old country western into an Americana Alloy. Its beautiful American wanderlust. I love it.

What a rich and earthy album from such a mythic era. So much soul it aches. This is the personification of musical brotherhood to me. I think that most all of them share on the vocals is part of this feeling. It's funny cause many times I tend to shy away from rootsy music but this is the genuine article and I can't help but be drawn in to it. "The Weight" is one for the ages. Always loved "Chest Fever" too.

40. Music from the Big Pink - The Band 20 tracks. This seems to be a collection of tracks rather than an album. There is no flow. Some amazing tracks surrounded by some real fillers that detract from the whole. 3/5

Apparently some people like this. P.S. Natalie played me three covers of songs from this album. Each one was better than the original, and even these I wouldn’t play again.

I love this album so much. I had this vinyl for so long and it broke in my move from UT to CA and broke my heart. Tears of Rage and The Weight are two of my favorite comfort songs. I can’t say anything about this album except to say it is sacred and lovely and you should listen to it often.

Classic album, warm and soulful and a delight to listen to. The Band makes it seem very effortless and laid back, like the album just emerged out of some jam session. This is part of their brilliance. This is a group of highly skilled musicians performing at their peak, clearly having a ball crafting music they love. 100 years from now people will still be drawn to these songs. Fave songs: Tears of Rage, The Weight, I Shall Be Released

I knew The Weight going into this. I really enjoyed it. I don't really have a track by track breakdown or anything specific to call out. It just felt like a really complete record where all the songs were evenly matched, with The Weight being a standout. Very happy I listened to this.

What’s left to say?..a critical moment in the evolution of rock, Americana, alt-country…take your pick…also a demonstration of what can happen when you allow a group of musicians to percolate and figure out what they want to play and how they want to play it…

Love this. Listened 2 times and coulda done more.

An amazing debut from the little band that could These guys combination of folk and excellent vocals caused the whole late 60’s rock scene turn their head and look at what these guys were doing. Hell the album make Cream break up due to it being that damn good.

Greatest Album of All Time? Country, Rock, Soul, R&B? It's got it all.

more like the bland etc

We should talk about the all-time best singing drummers. Any list worth a shit will have the following: Don Henley: He's mainly a lead singer who just happened to play drums. Henley will never be considered one of the best drummers, but we're not listing or ranking best drummers here, but singing drummers. Phil Collins: Similar to Henley in that he's a lead singer who played the drums, but Collins gets a little too much credit for his drumming because his drumming sound in the '80's was so distinct. There's also the whole "In The Air Tonight" drum moment people get a little too excited over. Shelia E.: The best drummer on this short list, and it's not even close. Apparently her career was cut shorter than it should have been because she preferred drumming while wearing high heels. Levon Helm: His drumming style is actually quite similar to Henley's, but he's thought of as a much better drummer than Henley. He didn't have Henley's vocal chops, but his voice was still incredibly distinct, and it's Levon's voice I think of the most when I think of The Band. It's Levon singing lead on my favorite Band songs (none of which are on this album, for what it's worth). Bonus points for being adept at playing the mandolin. These are really the best four, and your mileage may vary on where you rank them. Anyone who is just trying to be cute will include Karen Carpenter (she COULD drum, but sort of gave it up after a while, but she gets props every now and then for people discovering old videos of her playing drums well while wearing a T-Shirt that says "Lead Sister"), the dude from the Romantics (who lucked out by singing lead on their most beloved song), Peter Criss (only because he sang on a handful of songs, although I'd listen to an argument for him being the best lead singer of Kiss, which is sort of like claiming to be the world's tallest midget), Roger Taylor (disqualified for singing a song about being in love with his car), Mickey Dolenz (we're not even sure how much drumming he was truly responsible for), Ringo Starr (as John Lennon once famously noted, he wasn't even the best drummer in The Beatles), Dave Grohl (no, also gave up the drums once he became a lead singer), Kelly Keagy (from Night Ranger, but the only people bringing him up are relatives of Kelly Keagy).

I just can't care about this jangly ass jamming. Love chest fever though.

5 stars for The Weight alone, but the rest is great too.

Good Sunday listening. Went well with today's sunshine 🌞

Clasisc

This is a great album. The best by the band.

Pure songwriting and arranging magic. Love letting this album swarm all around me.

Iconic album, changed music forever

Very glad I had headphones for this album. Loved the way the songs built into The Weight. Especially on my second listen through. The story of both the album and The Band are amazing as well. The fact that both are considered so influential but take their name from the fact they were the backing band for Boy Dylan and then where they recorded most of these songs show the focus on the music rather than the marketability of the group.

Their other record on the list is better, but I think I gave it the same score.

There's a groove here. Solid listen of some slow folksy rock. Girl Talk used The Weight in Feed the Animals.

Just boring Americana

Generic dad rock.

I had a big Band phase about 20 years ago, must admit I've not gone near them in a long time. The Brown album was a particular favourite over Big PInk, but I bookended both of them. Sad to say it doesn't really hold up. There are some fine moments, Tears of Rage etc, but surprisingly a lot of the vocals are variable at best. The songwriting is all over the place and I think reflects a lot of the nurdling around that went on with the basement tapes. I'm genuinely surprised by how ordinary it is, odd. But let's leaven this critique with a concessive; what's good about it is really good.

Loved how a couple songs were named for the idea, not an actual line or phrase in it. Took me back to the time when music was less succinct and more fluid. Sounded like it was fun to make. Easy enjoyable listening if you're in the mood for some older feels.

Some nice jams but nothing more than easy listening to me. Their live video gig is class. Worth a watch

"Wait. Let’s try this again. Do you see the band on stage?" "No, I don’t see The Band, that’s a different group entirely!" "On stage, Skippy! Look, see the band?" "No I don’t!" "Get rid of those John Lennon glasses and look! There, there’s the band!" "No, that’s not The Band! The Band is performing later on. Who is onstage." Beautifully engineered, very impressive as it was recorded without overdubs. Full of 60s rock flourishes that harken back to some of its roots in gospel, boogie, country, and rockabilly - loads of piano, Hammond organ, call and response vocals, counterpoint harmonies. The bass bounces about with a vintage thud. However, it all feels less than the sum of its parts. I can see why critics and other artists raved about them; doesn't mean I have to like it.

Sorry ‘Muricans but this is just tedious. Take A Load Off is decent and I recognise Wheels On Fre from Ab Fab (that version is more tuneful though. The rest just trundles along in a rather dull manner

Quaalude-soaked bluesy-country-rock, eh? The Weight is one of those classic rock staples, but the remainder of this album felt like a hazy Sunday afternoon that’ll leave a hangover on Monday. Beautiful as it happens, but the details aren’t distinctly memorable and you’ve got a strange taste in your mouth the next day.

Not super memorable, feel like I’ve listened to this album 20 times at this point. 2.2

This album no matter which way one looks at it is a solid 5 star. Every song golden. Just one thing. The Weight would have made more sense as the last song, not in the middle.

Simply lovely. Folk goodness that sounds like some dudes jamming

great album. recognized a lot of the hits but had never put two and two together

Lots of good songs and a few truly great ones. Tons of musical ideas happening here. Always happy to listen to the Band

Ground zero for Americana. I forget this is a debut album. Wonderful

Love it. It feels very natural, like I've been invited to a small concert venue to hear a local band. Everybody's having fun and making music they way they want to make it. The Dylan tunes are great and the "Long Black Veil" cover is excellent.

Yes yes yes! Odličan 👌🏻 Jako GDovski, onako kako volim. Uostalom, obrađivali su ih isto, što me ne čudi. Chest Fever i The Weight su mi naj! 5/5, 10/10

Iako je najveći hit ovog benda the last waltz, koji je po meni apsolutni must see (Martin Scorsese direktor), nije ni ovaj album loš Mislim, puno su bolji u tom doku koncertu, ali tamo su isto imali all star postavu, a i bio im je oproštajni koncert pa nije baš fer usporedba Ovdje mi imaju jako grateful dead zvuk, što je meni vrh. Realno, dvije pjesme su baš top, the weight (koja zvuči krivo ako se ne prouče riječi detaljno) i zadnja stvar, I shall be released Ma, kad slušam ovakvu glazbu se zamišljam na svom fiktivnom imanju, kako sa slamom u ustima i šeširom na glavi promatram tikvice kako rastu. Umjesto toga imam cigaru u čvaljama, udaram ovu jebemu tipkovnicu i pitam se šta uopće radim ovdje Desetka

Beautiful mix of psychedelic, blues, and rock music. Singing fits the instruments well, and it's an overall good listen. I'd give it a 9/10.

Incredible album. I kinda forgot these guys were mostly Canadian. Most Canadians are artless chaches who are only good at standing in lines and socializing healthcare. Good for these guys.

An extremely creative album and some of the band's best. Love the cover of the album too and how the mammoth is jamming with everyone else.

This album for me is the genius of community at work. Everybody here is at the top of their game, and the synergy and the joy of playing together is palpable. An island of coherence in an ocean of chaos.

Amazing listen

This album is one of my favorites. I have been a fan of The Band since the mid-eighties when I first watched, "The Last Waltz". Since then, I have increasingly appreciated The Band's music more and more and can see how influential they are to other musicians. The Band was formed by five extremely talented musicians who started as a backing band to Ronnie Hawkins and Bob Dylan. I am glad that they broke away from Dylan, who is a very talented songwriter, but I don't think he is that good of a performer. 5 stars for sure!

this is a masterpiece

I grew up listening to this album and Hanging out in Woodstock/Saugerties trying to get into the Big Pink (apparently, I wasn't old enough). The band was a huge part of my life. This is a great, great album.

Chill, mellow, hard hitting.

I mean, c'mon. It's arguably the best album by The Band. But any album with The Weight, Tears of Rage, I Shall Be Released, Chest Fever, This Wheel's On Fire, and Long Black Veil is probably going to be anybody's best album.

Americana Rock & Roll. A sound all their own. Majestic vocals. Great title for an album and a house.

Whenever I hear The Band, specifically The Weight, I think of the scene in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes when they turn on the hydro dam and the gas station starts working again. From wikipedia: "Bob Dylan offered to sing on the album, but ultimately realized it was important for the Band to make their own statement. Instead, Dylan signified his presence by contributing a cover painting." AND THANK FUCKING GOD. The worst thing that this album does is make you wait till the end of side one to hear The Weight, arguably the most well known song that this group recorded. Side one itself is great, Tears of Rage is a wonderful opener and the variety in vocal performances from different members works really well here. The quality of each of these members of Bob Dylan's touring band really makes you considering how much more talented Dylan's contemporary BAND MEMBERS were as musicians than him. Side two fucks just as hard as side one and has probably the best song on this album, Chest Fever. We Can Talk and Long Black Veil are standouts here too. If The Weight wasn't on side one I would say side two is better bit honestly both halves of this album are as good as eachother. Easy 5/5 from me, will be getting this on LP.

so good, love this album

Great album!

Will this album live up to my memory/the hype? Citizen Cope owes these guys a lot. There's a proto-Southern Rock vibe to this album...so good, but funny that they were all Canadians except for Levon Helm, I guess that's why he's regarded so highly. Caledonia Mission is a great song, really encapsulates the sound of The Band. What can you say about The Weight but that it's an amazing song. Long Black Veil brings it too. They are great storytellers as well and songwriters and musicians. I Shall Be Released is such a great song to close an album on.

The Band came up from the Basement, and from behind Bob Dylan, to record their own album. It is fantastic. So is their self-titled second album. This was recorded in two weeks, live and without overdubbing, per Wikipedia - its strength is the chemistry the band enjoys. Don’t miss the great story song “Long Black Veil,” the strong penultimate “This Wheel’s on Fire,” the jam “Chest Fever,” or the beautiful closer “I Shall Be Released.”

I love the Band so much, this album is a work of art.

Bob Dylan's backing band > Bob Dylan. To borrow a Gram Parsons expression: this is true cosmic American music

The album cover immediately won me over, even before I knew it's Bob's art. The music is adorable, want this album to be among my number 5 family

Easy five for this classic, defining album that led the Americana music movement. All five musicians fantastic. "The Weight" alone makes this album a classic but the rest of the album showcases the bands talents. I will revisit this recording time and time again

“I shall be released” alone is enough for a 5, but this album delivers on all fronts. It’s so loose yet somehow so polished. Great stuff.

A true classic.

I'd heard a lot of songs from this album and knew this album was supposed to be great, but never listened before. And it is great, esp Long Black Veil and the Weight. Gotta give it a 5 on the strength of those classics alone.

Absolutely no complaints. Timeless classic

I think I started listening to this album in the wrong mental state, because I was a bit underwhelmed when I heard the first several songs. I had to take a break and when I came back started listening and really loved this. So I started listening all over again and all was right with the world. This is a really fantastic album. I love the artwork!

So good!

This is the stuff that raised me. Hard to disentangle critical appreciation from sentimentality but I don't even care to try. Banger

Tears of Rage The Weight Chest Fever This Wheel's on Fire I Shall Be Released

Such a great album. I'd heard The Weight before but nothing else. The last few tracks especially I really enjoyed, especially I Shall Be Released and Chest Fever. Will absolutely listen again.

Classic Americana. RIP Robbie Robertson.

I loved it! Beautiful piano and voice, but still a rock album

I could enjoy listening to this once a week for the rest of my life

This was a great listen. Having already heard The Weight I knew these fellas had bangers but man, I liked this a lot more than I thought I would. The vibes I got from this were immaculate. From the bluesy/R&B feel you get the moment you hear the first song to the psychedelic feel you get from the last song. The production on this is just so vibrant and fresh. I'll definitely be listening to this again. May these beautiful soulful men rest in peace. Best - Tears Of Rage, To Kingdom Come, In The Station, The Weight, We Can Talk (MPF besides the one named previously), Long Black Veil, Lonesome Suzie, and I Shall Be Released Worse - NO BAD SONGS 4.50-4.75/5

The Band is one of those artist that just never crossed my radar before. I think that is a great thing as what I would have written them off as dull or just another 60s band. The depth of this album, the vocals.close to perfect

I'm a huge fan of The Band and this one is a classic for me.

Had me smiling the whole time. Such beautiful sounds and the coolest story creating magic in big pink!

Not as good as the brown album but so good. The Weight is perfect.

Only knowing the song The Weight going in, I had some reservations going in, but this is a great album. It has a warm and rich sound with lots of variety. More amazing is that it's from 1968.

Very good. Messy at times but fantastic folky psychadelic. I really enjoy the vocals. Track one sucked me in and I was having a great time until 'the weight' which is the kind of song like 'Our House' from a few albums ago that I've definitely heard before but had no idea when or how. Anyways, 'The weight' is great. Obvious highlight of the whole album. I really liked all the songs and I think the whole thing is beautiful and mystical. The album is tight which is rare for music like this. Considering it came out in 68, this thing holds up great.

Hall of Fame.

Can’t not give this a 5 as it was prob better than Clapton which I also gave a 5 Never made the connection that they did the weight. Great album and favourite song on it was chest fever

Maybe the best music ever made.

The Band have been top of my list to ‘get in to’ for a while, and this didn’t disappoint, I think I enjoyed every track. Controversially, I also quite like the name. When you consider that they were initially Bob Dylan’s backing band, it kind of makes sense. Simpsons: very hard to figure out due to the name

FUCKING UNREAL BANGERS 10/10 LIVE

A classic

Great album; loved it!

I hear every genre in this lp. I also hear the influence this album had on so many bands since 1968. Wonderful and inspiring music.

A masterpiece. Each song is great in its own right, and having multiple band members have lead vocals throughout the album adds to the overall greatness of this album. It’s just so good. 5/5 Listen often

Brilliant record. No notes.

I love every song on this album. The Brown Album will always be my favorite though.

Surprisingly, I’m gonna go with a 5. This album feels way way ahead of schedule for 1968 in terms of the general folksy sound that would come to pass by the mid-70s and early 80s; I think the percussion and guitar work are off the charts here. There’s not a single “bad” track on this album either; there are a few that go a little long, but they’re all great listens as far as catching the ear and keeping it engaged. In general, despite being Bob Dylan’s backing band for a bit, it speaks to the talent that Bob Dylan surrounded himself with for them to produce something that feels this sort of influential and groundbreaking with only a small (but still sizable) portion of his musical DNA scattered throughout the record. There’s just some incredibly cool soundscapes here that have aged fabulously for the 55 years since this album came out, and I think that’ll give it a 5 from me.

I adore this album. Stunning musicianship, brilliant songs, and the sheer joy and earnestness the singers throw at the music is a thing of joy and wonder. Pity Robbie Robertson fucked the band over with their royalties for this music, and after the 2nd album, the dynamic and earnestness starts to slip slowly but surely.

Music from Big Pink One of my favourite albums, although I think I may slightly prefer The Band as a slightly tighter album. I remember being a bit underwhelmed when I first heard it but it gradually got its hooks into me and I now I love it. There’s a lot of density and weight to the music with a simultaneous feeling of lightness and airiness, I think due to how great each part of the band is. Levon and Danko are a great rhythm section while I always love Hudson and Manuel’s piano and organ, with the organ work a particular standout on this record, and Robertson’s superb subtle and sympathetic guitar playing. And then vocally they are such a great blend, there’s something about Levon and Richard Manuel’s voices together I love, complemented nicely by Rick Danko’s slightly jittery voice. It’s hard to pick the stand outs but aside from The Weight I love In A Station, Caledonia Mission, Long Black Veil and Chest Fever. It is and always was going to be a 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐️

Precioso!

The Band has only surprised me. The more I listen to it the more I want to listen to it. 5/5

My childhood nostalgia biased lies heavily on this album. My father and I both loved the Band dearly and would listen to this album on cassette in an old chevy suburban while I was on my way to summer camp. I didn't know how much it'd mean some 20 years later. But, aside from that sentiment this album has a little bit of culture and americana for everyone. With borrowed elements from many many other genres. Incredibly unique song writing motifs that reference religious literature, fictional literature, current and modern events as well as historical events. There is alot to love about this album. You'll find something that resonates with you for sure.

I’m a Band stan

Can hear so many other recent songs in their melodies