Music From Big Pink

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.

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

more like the bland etc

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.

Wasn't it the guy behind The Cleveland Show who once said that the Band's music was like listening to someone sitting on an accordion? Quite mean, and his dumbass cartoon sucks, but there's a kernel of truth. There's a pleasantly wheezy feel to proceedings that evokes an old timey sensibility, even if the music was (then) modern. What strikes me, especially in our age, is just how cohesive not just the separate songs are, but also the musicians themselves between each other. It's very comfy and organic, true, but there's also a generosity at its heart. No big stars, just a collective of lovely instrumentation knitted together to form the overall whole. Special stuff.

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

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.

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

another album that i cannot be unbiased about. i adore this album. not only was it extremely groundbreaking at the time, the songwriting and the musicianship here is great. i don't expect everyone will like this. the vocals here are a bit rough around the edges, the sound is very laid back. but i love it. robbie robertson's songwriting is great, but also all of them are great and underrated musicians in their own right. it doesn't get much better than this!

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.

Really enjoyed this, will be listening again! Manages to be chill background music while also being interesting to listen to.

Banging album, could see this being played at a sad afters back in the 70s - fav song the weight - least fav this wheel’s on fire

9/10

Folk rock with a really rootsy feeling to it, wonderful song writing, love the live feel and raw vocals and harmonies.

this album is stunning front to back, and i really think The Band deserves the level of notoriety given to The Beatles. such a defining and influential band.

A really good album without The Weight , but definitely 5 stars or A with it.

One of the few albums that changed the course of rock history. It made eight-minute blues-rock solos and french horn sections suddenly seem passé.

An absolute classic, and very soulful. Five stars and an addition to my Tidal library.

I will be forever grateful that Bob Dylan chose not to sing on this record. The Band is such an incredible band, and the fact that they were able to develop their own style and share vocal duties amongst themselves really led to something special. As someone who has always loved The Band, and watched the Last Waltz multiple times, I’m really glad this record came up. It’s this wonderful combination of blues, folk, and rock n roll. There’s so many other influences sprinkled throughout, but it’s really hard to describe as anything other than just “The Band”. In my opinion Robbie Robertson is incredibly underrated as a guitar player, and I think this album is a really good example of how talented he was. The solo on “To Kingdom Come” alone is enough to push him into the upper echelons of 60’s and 70’s guitarists. I’m really happy to have listened to this album again, and I’m also very happy that it exists. 5*

I love this album with my whole heart, though I always think about the look they must have had on their faces when Bob Dylan popped in saying "Hey I made this painting for the cover! You guys like it? You can be honest with me!"

Woah. Just, great shit, truly. This album is just like, pure concentrated Americana right into the veins that scratches your soul juuust right. The Weight is obviously the creme de la creme, but We Can Talk and Chest Fever just fucking rock, man. Hell, they're all great! Can't pick just one. I know a lot of people think that the Band doesn't stand out much in this day and age, but that's because they did it first, who the hell wasn't inspired by their music? That's why its everywhere. Listening to this album start to finish, I can't help but here all of the great songs that came after as well, from all the people who heard this album, and loved it, too. Beautiful stuff.

Good stuff if you're sad in a bar. A sad bar full of sad people with music that only makes them sadder. The bartender is sad and so is the cat.

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.

Some obvious classics. But (unpopular opinion) The Band doesn't particularly stick out to me as a talented collective. I have heard covers of their hits that are better than the originals.

This album is not quite my style but I honestly enjoyed it a lot. Their voices are nice and I think each song has a great flow and rhythm. I like "chest fever" a lot the vocals really stick out to me. I think overall this is a great album but not something I usually listen to

This was a new one for me. Not bad but didn't sustain my interest.

I love The Weight so I expected to love this, but the killer to filler ratio was a bit off. It probably didn’t help that what I’d always assumed was a comedy “crazy Chester” voice in The Weight might just be how Rick Danko sings?

Just okay, nothing really special.

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

I don't know if it's the remaster but I can barely hear the vocals. This album feels like a more organized Grateful Dead project but without the Bohemian spirit. There are definitely some progressive elements for the time but they try to do too much in every song rather than showcasing the variety of styles and techniques across multiple songs.

"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

The tone is just exquisite, with such a loose, rangy, epic feel. Perfectly orchestrated too - like Bob Dylan (in this era) but with more gifted vocals. Instant favourite.

Give me the Band on a desert island - live - and I’d never want to leave. I was skeptical after the first three songs, but after the turnaround at ‘The Weight’ it was all aces! A couple of new faves for me (“Chest Fever” and “We Can Talk”) and a bunch of comfy old standbys plus what may be the best folk song ever (I don’t think I need to name it).

An album that’s seeped into my DNA. I find it hard to believe there was a time in history when this album didn’t exist. Beautiful.

Agree with all the other 5-star gives.

When it comes to revolutions in music, we often tend to flock towards the most obvious and familiar; the kind that has long rattled the senses and reverbrates settings to this day and when it comes to the Canadian-American makeup that comprised The Band, they only needed one to completely upend rock as they saw it. Things had gotten hedonistic and overtly psychedelic to the point of parody and overexposure; it had seemed that there was now a point of no return. As soon as the needle hit the groove, San Francisco had been dethroned as the it capital of the rock world; it was now the rustic, homely, nondescript place called Woodstock where there stationed a house that gives this album its name. If they had ended things here, Music From Big Pink would still cast a long shadow and leave the deepest of impressions that would be hard to shake off. Listeners in the past fifty plus years have been wishing to have been flies on the wall during that time of blissful musical alchemy ever sense.

One or two misses but everything else is so good it doesn't matter

Old weird America gut checks the excesses of 60s psychedelia, and though it rocks, all that mournful organ and cracked three part singing are lonesome, strange, and sad. I mean, hard to think of another album that has more tragic opening and closing songs.

This is great. I've listened to it less over the years compared to their self-titled album, but still hugely pleasurable and influential. Went back to watch Scorsese's The Last Waltz last year, which is a great end (or starting) point for The Band. Back to the Basememt Tapes after this.

A perfect album. I loved every minute of this. The balls they had to open with the first son, astounding! The way the vocals play off with each other, the organ sound in the background. It's so soulful and unique. Can see how this influenced so many bands to come.

Better than Coldplay

Listened before?: Yes! Love this album, have a copy in my car right now!

Crunchy dusk music from a house in the woods. A moment in time.

Perfect. Chest fever. Best organ in rock

This is the hundred seventh album I’m rating. I've listened to The Band before and it was pretty good. Adding to my Playlist - Tears of Rage, To Kingdom Come, In a Station, Caledonia Mission, The Weight, We can Talk, Long Black Veil, Chest Fever, Lonesome Suzie, This Wheel's on Fire, and I Shall be Released Not Adding to my Playlist - Nothing. All in all I liked 11/11 songs. Just as good as The Band.

Mysterious rock-gospel-country-soul. I do believe the hype. This is one of my favorite timeless albums of all time.

Those who don't love this just aren't folkpilled and americanamaxxing enough this is genuinely an amazing album.

Не все понравилось, но только из-за двух главных хитов готов влепить пятерку. Хороший альбом, в меру экспериментальный и спокойный в то же время

Ich fand den Sound cool und nickte richtig mit. The Weight einfach ein klasse Song und ich muss sagen das 1000 Albums mich definitiv näher an Country und den klassischen Rock gebracht hat. Gerne wieder wie Ebayer sagen würden! 5

Tears of Rage and The Weight make this album a 5 automatically. It helps that all the other songs are great as well. I do prefer their next album, but this might have higher highs. 5 Stars.

Great start, loved it. Cool hearing what I assume is the original version of I shall be released.

Estuve a punto de calificarlos con UNO, les di una segunda oportunidad, 1968...uhmmm..me cambiaron radicalmente, ahí les va mi 5.

Sloppy awesomeness. Pure, jamming, fucking gold. The Weight is one of the greatest rock songs of all time. On top of that, you've got Tears of Rage, Long Black Veil, and I Shall Be Released. This album was made for drunken sing-a-longs. It's imperfect, which is what makes it so damn good.

The Band is één van de beste muziekgroepen die ooit op onze aardbol hebben rondgelopen. Wat moet het als muzikant weergaloos zijn geweest om met deze mannen te kunnen jammen en muziek maken. Er zit zoveel flow, zoveel muzikaliteit en zoveel dynamiek in de nummers. Omdat ze daarnaast ook nog variëren van leadzanger en welk instrument in de schijnwerpers staat ontstaat er een meer dan één kunstje. Het album the Band is misschien nog iets completer maar als debuut met een fantastische hoes (en met the Weight...) verdient ook deze 5 sterretjes. 8,5/10 Highlights The Weight Long Black Veil I Shall Be Released

I shall be released.

Sweet country soul music, rough around the edges and full up with heart. Goes down more easily than a PBR tinny on a front porch in summer time. This one was the definition of a pleasant surprise.

Another one of my favorite albums of all time, that I have heard a million times and probably don't love as much as used to. But the songs are so good, and the feeling is one of a kind. It is this woodsy/rural type of atmosphere with a sense of doubt and melancholy, engulfed in soul/and a sprinkle of swirling psychedelia. Quite a masterpiece!

absolute gold.

say less, lol

THINKIN: The sonic palate defines and transcends American music. Many voices that mesh into one. Democracy in music. PERSONALLY: Many all timers on this album, ending with I Shall Be Released is unmatched. ALT TITLE: Kingdom Come

They say everything can be replaced They say every distance is not near So I remember every face Of every man who put me here I see my light come shinin' From the west down to the east Any day now, any day now I shall be released They say every man needs protection They say that every man must fall Yet I swear I see my reflection Somewhere so high above this wall I see my light come shinin' From the west down to the east Any day now, any day now I shall be released Now, yonder stands a man in this lonely crowd A man who swears he's not to blame All day long I hear him shouting so loud Just crying out that he's been framed I see my light come shinin' From the west down to the east Any day now, any day now I shall be released Worth listening to the whole album, which is great, for the excellent end track. 5/5

The Weight is already one of the top songs of all time. The rest of the track list could be nothing but white noise and this would be a 5 star album. Luckily, the rest of the songs are good too

were we a serious nation, we'd put rick danko's face on the loonie. "give me five timbits for a danko," we'd say. "sour cream glaze." levon got an elton john song, manuel got the stick shift, robbie got his screwdriver. garth got a twofer with the river AND wayne's buddy. it's only fair.

Unreal songs and even better playing

crazy chester followed me 🫶

Great music. Timeless. Make your way to The Big Pink in NY when in the area.

idc what anyone else says this was BRILLIANT ✋ they're still just as good without Dylan. The weight is a classic, other personal highlights were tears of rage and lonesome suzie but picking favourites was really hard this time. This album is another piece of irrefutable evidence that the late 60s gave us the best music in modern history!

Literally making their name as bob dylan's first electric band im not surprised to find some superficially similar elements and ofc a couple of dylan-written tunes, but what i didnt expect to carry over was the capacity to make me blubberingly emotional for reasons i literally cannot articulate. so unassuming but somehow feels like some kind of earthen magic. wraps around u and lays u on like, some moss or something. the weight is maybe slightly the best song ever made. feels like it has somehow implanted new, pleasant memories into my brain. and man thats a contender for the best album cover ever, isnt it

Highlight: The Weight Nice mix of folk and roots rock with jazz influences.

Most excellent

Outstanding

Love this, such good music. Not my daily go-to, but I will be listening to it again. I know The Weight is overplayed on Sirius radio, but the rest of the album deserves to be heard too!

• 5/5 • Beautiful album - The Weight is obviously the highlight, but every song holds its own • Practically the Platonic ideal of Americana/Roots Rock • The engineering is so in the background that it almost feels live, and they sound like they're having a ball playing together

I Shall Be Released is such a powerful song to me. I liked how this extended album had an Acapella version among the extra tracks.

This is The Band's debut studio album after breaking away from Bob Dylan (though he wrote three of the songs on this). It's a good thing they did that, this is just super enjoyable from start to finish. I don't know that I can pinpoint exactly what I like, but it just feels super listenable. It has this Americana-roots rock thing going, the vocals are strong, the songwriting is solid (it's literally Dylan for some of it, but strong throughout). It feels like the precursor to a lot of the music that I really like a lot, because it probably was. A timeless sound that's quite a bit different from a lot of the other late '60s releases. No notes from me, this was great. Favorite song: The Weight Other: Tears Of Rage, To Kingdom Come, In A Station, Caledonia Mission, We Can Talk, Long Black Veil, Chest Fever, Lonesome Suzie, This Wheel's On Fire, I Shall Be Released 12/2/24