Music From Big Pink

more like the bland etc

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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).

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.

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

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!"

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

I gave this proper attention, and.. eh. I'm taking a 'shrug' on this one. "The Weight" is doing a lot of lifting here, but the last few tracks salvage a weaker front end. Just some standard 'hippie' rock. It's not bad, but it didn't ignite me either. I knew and like (a lot) "The Weight" and "This Wheel's...", plus their version of Dylan's "I Shall Be Released" was... (hesitate)... fine, I guess. The only other standout was "Chest Fever". But, again, the front half of the album wasn't great. Just (3/5), but a pretty low '3'. Not sure it deserved entrance in this list, either. It's competent, just far from compelling and/or exciting.

Just okay, nothing really special.

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

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!

It turns out that I really like the IDEA of The Band more than I actually like The Band, in the way that I think I like the pieces more than I like the sum. The bluesy guitars, the accompanying synth, and even the gospelly sounding white guy (I was embarrassingly old when I realized Levon Helm wasn't black) should add up to something that is right up my alley, but the slow, muddled tempo of most of this album leaves it a bit unremarkable and even forgettable. The weight of the album is really carried by that one track we all know and like, but the load is just a bit too much to bear (see what I did there?). It's still a 3/5, but give me Mountain or The Allman Brothers, who did the same thing better.

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

Three unconventionally brilliant singers. Manuel fragile, ethereal, beautiful; Danko almost as brittle, on the verge of cracking; Helm, deeper, whiskey soaked, limited range: combining to deliver some of the strongest vocal performances ever recorded. I have loved this album, as I do pretty much all The Band’s output, for years; but this is the one for me. The vocals express pain and anger, helplessness, and joy. “Tears of Rage”, “The Weight”, “This Wheel’s On Fire”, “I Shall Be Released” (perhaps the best version of a Dylan song I have ever heard). The songwriting, from Robbie Robertson and Richard Manuel, is excellent, the musicianship is first class. Garth Hudson’s Hammond Organ on “Chest Fever” is as heavy as anything this side of Jon Lord. There isn’t a weak moment on this album.

The Band is everything and now there are no more members remaining. Even if every song isn't a 5/5, this album is a 5/5. I can't in good conscience give anything released before Moondog Matinee less than a 5. It's quite a feat to have a band where technical vocal power isn't really the point, and yet have three great singers (Levon Helm, Rick Danko, Richard Manuel) each bringing something different to the table. Took me way too long to learn that it's Richard Manuel's voice (a rare falsetto turn from him) on I Shall Be Released, as opposed to Rick Danko, who just sounded like that normally. Tears of Rage has that Danko ache and is the perfect opener. Other highlights are We Can Talk, Chest Fever (Garth Hudson's playing!), This Wheel's on Fire, and of course The Weight and I Shall Be Released. I Shall Be Released is a religious experience and I've turned to it in difficult times before, and will probably do so again.

I am not Nigel.

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*

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.

Variety: 3 Adequacy: 5 Listenability: 5 Uniqueness: 3 Emotionality: 2 = 3.6 rounded up to a 4 "I’m a little bit country/ And I’m a little bit rock 'n roll/ I’m a little bit of Memphis and Nashville/ With a little bit of Motown in my soul" While I like a lot of work that could be considered such, I've never been that into Americana/ Roots stuff. It feels too much of a non-genre like Post-punk, where there are so many bands doing such vastly different things it seems like an unwieldy and ultimately meaningless label. I've tried this album before a few times and it hasn't stuck. Yet. Maybe this is lucky number three... four? THE TRACKS Side One "Tears of Rage" - I find Richard Manuel to be the most soulful of the singers in this group, and this holds up really well. A shambling and slow motion, but ill-defined lament. Dylan co-writes here and we get plenty of lyrical ambiguity, which I'm fine with. I don't think there is much of anything deep to find here aside form the emotional quality of Manuel's voice and the great accompaniment. Solid start. "To Kingdom Come" - A generic bit of bluesy rambling. Nothing special. "In a Station" - A bit of orchestral pop to open this one. This stands out as possibly having some late-period Beach Boys vibes. Dreamy and a bit folky. I dig it. Unfortunately not much more like this on here if memory serves. "Caledonia Mission" - This doesn't sound too far from what Crosby, Stills and Nash were doing. Robertson has a bit of a whiney stutter to his voice that I'm not the biggest fan of. Fine. "The Weight" - Classic rock radio staple for a reason. Pulls the trick of sounding like an truly excellent live recording. All the ingredients are here for the formula I guess. Allman Brothers, Skynyrd I think follow from this. Maybe the Eagles as well. Side Two "We Can Talk" - How do you follow up the previous side after that ending? With a pleasantly throwaway bit of guitar and organ I guess. This makes me wish Manuel had done a soul album of some sort. "Long Black Veil" - This one feels like a countrified cover of traditional murder ballad ( looked it up and yep, pretty much). Also not a fan of Rick Danko's vocals either. Just let Helms and Manuel sing everything and I might up my rating of this thing a tiny bit. "Chest Fever" - Some almost priggish organ opens this one, which outs it in stark contrast. Deep Purple underwater and in slow motion? The organ here is the star, by a mile, but we also get swings into some funkiness as well as a Randy Newman-ish detour into New Orleans at one point. Love the variety on this one. "Lonesome Suzie" - The emotional longing in Manuel's voice carries this one. This is how you successfully integrate the high registers into your songs ( pay attention Wild Beasts). "This Wheel's on Fire" - Some of the more interesting instrumentation opening this one, but then it quickly settles into some genericness with forays into Dylan world, mainly apparent on the verses. Danko screws the pooch on this in my opinion though with his vocals. A messy hodge podge. "I Shall Be Released" - Most everything about this works for me aside form the martial drumming bits. Just like a big old curly hair floating in your soup. Nitpicky I guess, but it just puts me in mind of schmaltzy garbage like "Billy Don't Be a Hero". HIGHLIGHTS - Manuel's vocals - Loved how basic the instrumentation was on this. Did not feel overproduced - "Tears of Rage" - "In a Station" - "The Weight" - "Chest Fever" - "Lonesome Suzie" MIDLIGHTS - "To Kingdom Come" - "Long Black Veil" - "I Shall Be Released" LOWLIGHTS - "Caledonia Mission" - "This Wheel's on Fire" FINAL THOUGHTS This album is often mentioned in the same breath as Sgt. Pepper's or Never Mind the Bollocks as it supposedly influenced a whole generation to pick up their acoustic guitars and add some country twang to their rock. And I can see it. The artists themselves can be quoted - everyone from Elton John, to George Harrison, to Dylan himself - so I believe it. I guess I just don't understand the reverence. One of those things you had to be there for I guess. I am always surprised whenever I see this was 1968 though. In my brain this sort of thing is early 70s at the earliest, but I maybe that's proof of the influence. Even so, this will never be a favorite of mine. Aside from hearing "The Weight" once a week if I flip through the classic rock stations, I don't think I feel the need to revisit this one again. The production, the musicianship, and the overall vibe is great. It just next to nothing for me emotionally. I feel no connection to most of it. PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS - Keep "The Weight" and "Chest Fever" FURTHER LISTENING - Tumbleweed Connection by Elton John - Workingman’s Dead - Grateful Dead - Old & In the Way by Old & In the Way - Liege and Leaf by Fairport Convention - Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs by Derek and the Dominoes - All Things Must Pass - by George Harrison

"It doesn't make any difference what city. All cities are alike. That's why I'm out here now...cause I'm from the city, a long way from the city - and that's where I want to be right now." The Stranger on the Highway, Easy Rider (1969) Given the year, 1968, my first thought was this sounds like a band that played at Woodstock. Looked it up and sure enough, there they were. This album had all the range I wanted for a Monday morning commute. A touch twangy, a touch bluesy, with a good dollop of gospel to remind you of church when you’re out there on the road between Sundays. The band name, album title, and cover art brought no recollection to mind. The first few tracks provided some folksy strumming and I thought it was alright. Then we hit "Caledonia Mission" and followed that up with "The Weight" and boy did my ears perk up then. Not gonne lie, I rode that wave until the end of the album. It meanders like an old man talking, telling stories, voicing regrets and weariness. I didn’t want to interrupt the old fellow. This music sits too far away from me in time to claim, but thankfully that time is behind me and I can listen to most of these old tales anew. Also, hindsight shows itself in what came after. I mean I can hear a little Deep Purple in “Chest Fever” or a touch of Cream in. “Long Black Veil”. Take those old records off the shelf. I’ll sit and listen to them by self like Seger. Also, I guess when you spend a year touring behind Bob Dylan and become known as his first "electric" band then you get to call yourself "The Band" and expect people to know who you are. Generic name aside, I was digging what The Band was putting down. A solid 4/5.

Good fall music

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.

#226 Heard Before? Yes indeed. Notes: - it's deeply unfashionable now, but there is something about the singing style where one strains at the very top of one's range that appeals to me. - multiple lead vocalists... the not-so-secret sauce of many of my favorite groups. - the mix is uneven and awkward. these are complex arrangements and i feel like the producer just didn't know what to do with them. - I'm a big fan of all the keyboard/organ/piano work and in general the exciting interplay between musicians. - forgot about this excellent version of "Long Black Veil", one of those pathos-heavy folk tunes I never get tired of. - other than that, few of the songs truly grip me despite structural interest and great performances. Verdict: It's got "The Weight", "Chest Fever" and a simmering cauldron of soon-to-be-realized potential. Listen Again? Probably not. Great stuff, but nothing I'm going to return to for a long time. Turns out I very much prefer their self-titled album.

It's like "The Weight" was ripped from a much more emotive and better record. The other songs are okay, but the massive peak in quality with that track in comparison with the rest is honestly shocking

BEFORE: OK - back into more familiar territory. I like rather than love The Band but I've listened to this before, although I only really remember The Weight. AFTER: This is more rootsy and low key than most of my favourite music and it was hard to put that aside at times, although the playing and some of the singing (see below) is impressive. HIGHLIGHTS: The Weight is a classic - that should go without saying. Tears of Rage does what it says on the tin. Caledonia Mission is fun. The vocal interplay on Long Black Veil and I Shall Be Released is magic. Chest Fever is pleasingly weird - I like the doom-y organ. This Wheel's On Fire has a great chorus. LOWLIGHTS: I listened to a remastered version and the production was pretty muddy - I hate to think how this originally sounded. Even at a relatively short 42 minutes, the slow pacing drags at times and the sheer effort of the singing is exhausting. I wonder if anyone herniated during the recording. We Can Talk should have been a B-side and I rolled my eyes through the cliches of Lonesome Suzie. VERDICT: I know it's a significant album in terms of influence etc. and I can certainly appreciate this but I don't love it. 3 stars.

When Bob Dylan's band first stepped out from his shadows to record their own material, they made a name for themselves as a creative force in their own rite, and helped popularize the emerging Americana movement. The sounds stood as a refreshing contrast (for some) to the psychedelic rock that dominated popular music of this era. Dylan himself wisely took a back seat on this one, contributing only a few songs and an album cover but no actual performances. It was a smart move as it really let the others shine. I do think there's a unique energy to this album and I kind of love that it was made. But it's also not one that I'd probably return to often, apart from the stunning "The Weight" is stands far above the rest of the tracks. I'm glad I heard it though, as it's a good album and a nice piece of music history.

When Paul McCartney said this was one of the 3 best albums he ever listened to, I came into this with HUGE expectations. And i've gotta say, Paul, if you told me Rebecca Black was a generational Female vocalist, i'd believe you. Some people you just dont question their musical opinions. However, in this case. I think me and Paul just have different tastes (hence why he's a musical icon and im here writing reviews lol). I like the instrumentation on this album, and this guy is a cool vocalist to listen to. But i cant ever see myself revisting this album routinely, other than "The Weight" 3/5

“The Weight” is an all-timer, the rest is a warm, enveloping bath of roots rock.

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?

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

Some decent tracks, but altogether I wouldn't say this is anything even above average.

Even the band sounds bored by this music. Every song feels too slow and like every member is struggling to stay awake. High 2.

Un classique d'après certains, moi je l'ai trouvé très oubliable. Rien ne m'a marqué. Note : 2 A réécouter : Non

I love The Weight. I liked a couple of the other songs. But overall it just wasn't for me. I appreciate the significance of the album but I didn't love listening to it. Also, Richard Manuel's strained voice just annoys me.

Aside from the one hit track (Weight) it’s really not very good and has aged poorly. One must wonder if this band (“The Band” 😆) would have gotten any traction at all without their association with Dylan, and their 15 minutes of fame at Woodstock.

I recognize this is more a failure of approaching a foundational work with the knowledge of what will come next, how people took what was original and expanded on it or altered it, and I'd ideally approach this album in a vacuum. But I don't like the folksy rock that spawned from this so I'm not loving this either. I think it's fine, but I know it leads to things like Clapton, Eagles, the less good parts of anyone involved in Crosby Stills Nash (sometimes) Young, so on. I'm also never going to get that excited about something with this much Dylan in it but at least he's not singing 2 or 3, won't be sure until it's time actually time to rate it. not adding to collection (but might revisit it later)

It puzzled me why I don't know this very well, but all became clear within minutes. It's so ploddingly dull, the vocals grate, the music somniferizes (hey, AI tells me that's a word). The Band really are just that - a backing band with no presence. The Dylan songs are marginally better than the rest, but have nothing really to recommend them; there's a good version of "I Shall Be Released" on the Rolling Thunder bootleg with Joan Baez and Mick Ronson, that's about the only positive I can give. The Basement Tapes suck too.

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.

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

Incredible

As good as I knew would be.

Bien.

Un álbum increíble de una banda increíble. Tiene una gran combinación de géneros y funcionan muy bien

Just pure music and songs. Never listened to the album front to back. "Tears of Rage” opens the door with wounded grandeur, and every song that follows seems to answer it: “To Kingdom Come” brings a crooked swagger, “In a Station” softens the edges, “The Weight” delivers the moral heart, and “We Can Talk” lifts the mood without breaking the spell.

Taas ollaan kyllä klassikoiden äärellä. Kuuntelin kolme kertaa viikonlopun aikana tämän, vaikka tosiaan osaisin kyllä muutenkin ulkoa. The Weight on tietysti yksi maailman kaikkien aikojen hienoimpia kevyen musiikin kappaleita, mutta on tässä muutenkin todella kovaa ajoa.

YAAAAAAAAA! I love The Band, I couldn't be happier. God I love an electric organ

A great debut album. Levon Helm’s voice and the harmonies are unbelievable. Great story telling lyrics. A real traditional songwriters album during a time when their contemporaries (Hendrix, The Beatles, Cream etc) were at the height of their expertimental phases and trying to create new sounds with the likes of axis: bold as love and The White Album and Disraeli Gears. You can hear how heavily influential The Band were ion Clapton because in this is a blueprint for what was to come with Derek and The Dominoes. Class from start to finish.

Potentially the most underrated album of all time

I usually save The Last Waltz for Thanksgiving viewing, but maybe I should cheat a little this year. Anyway, this album is like a warm hug. Deeply important to the course of 20th century popular music, but also sounds so good. I love you, Levon.

A quintessential American album, made by a bunch of Canadians. Dylan’s influence is felt but the Band spreads out on their own. Every song is great and the Band never sounded better, even if they would make a better album.

An outstanding first album.

Soulful revival. Being a father of a daughter, "Tears of Rage" seems poignant. I imagine there are many dads out there who lament how fast time together goes "And life is brief", especially when there are challenges, strained relationships, or just dealing with a teenager. "Why must I always be the thief "is something all parents likely ask themselves. Not sure the intention, but there's seems to be a spiritual wresting, "To Kingdom Come" gets us all to wonder if "I see a golden calf pointing back at me." A holy presence continues in Caledonia Mission and facing a watchman, getting locked out of the garden, and leaving the mission behind without what is desire. The masterful storytelling continues in "The Weight," and is accompanied with spirit filling blend of instruments and building vocals "and... and... and put the load right on me.". We all face hardships. and just knowing we have others who will take the load off should bring us all to tears. The Band sure moves me to wiping my eyes. A spirit saving revival style organ pulls at the soul in many of their songs. No other song captures the range of the organ like "Chest Fever." The majestic opening captures such grandeur then blends into a medley of rock and soul with an ending that pulls out all the stops. Music from the Big Pink is already a great album, but with Garth Hudson at the keys, it becomes a legendary.

Absolutely fantastic. Lots of sounds like the Grateful Dead on this album.

Just the best

It's flawless.

It's a tough competition: is this the best Band album or is it 'The Band?' I'll give the slight nod to this one but it's so close. Regardless, both these albums go hard and are tremendous five-star winners. Top tracks: "The Weight," "Tears of Rage," "I Shall Be Released," "Chest Fever"

Classic album.

The Weight, Chest Fever and I Shall Be Released push it up to a 5.

Beautiful and relaxing to hear

The only The Band that matters. Just refining the previous joke. Or kind-of joke. Because the first two albums are world builders.

This is one of those albums that is impossible to separate from the music that it went on to influence. This one kind of changed everything. Keep the context that it came out in 1968. Some astoundingly magical sounds were placed on this record that we think of as common place nowadays. The lyrics are masterful throughout. Please add this to your bag of music to compare other pieces to, it'll help you to be more objective.

A classic. Not as good as their other album on here though. I feel they improved on these songs after and they sound really complete in their later live work. Still a very enjoyable album. The Weight has to be one of the best songs of all time.