The Band

The Band played at my 14th birthday party. They were all stoned and one of them threw up all over my new yellow pullover that my nan had knitted. I can't thank them enough. It was hideous. She was so shit at knitting. A pathetic laughing stock in the needle world. Grandad later divorced her because of her knitting. Honestly, it was so bad. Fantastic at sewing though.

Could only be improved if it was called the album.

The longer I listen to albums on this list, the more I'm starting to doubt my own ability to recognize good songs. I keep getting albums like this where the only songs I really like are the ones I've already heard. Feels like I'm good at recognizing music but not critiquing it. "Up on Cripple Creek" and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" are 5+ stars but everything else is a 3. 3.5 stars overall.

Robbie Robertson found a way to position himself as the leader of The Band. The front man if you will. The alpha of the group, despite the fact that he NEVER SANG LEAD on any of their songs. And we're talking about a band - THE Band - that had three great lead singers. In fact, legend has it they even had to mute Robbie's mic during The Last Waltz because he just couldn't harmonize with Levon and the boys. Apparently Robbie's plan was to make sure the other 4 members of The Band soaked themselves in booze and drugs while he remained sober and took all of the songwriting royalties he could. But just look at that photo of The Band on this album's cover. Who do you think is the leader of this motley group? Certainly not the dude on the far right who looks like a cross between a substitute high school teacher and a failed character actor. No way. It's the gruff lookin' fella out front on the left. The singing drummer, who would also take turns on the mandolin and guitar. The one who would play Loretta Lynn's father in Coal Miner's Daughter and Jack Ridley in The Right Stuff. He's also the one who sings lead on The Band's best songs. Levon Helm deserved better, or at the very least some of the spotlight Robbie Robertson refused to give anyone but himself. Tune in for next time when I talk about why The Last Waltz soundtrack should be on this list, perhaps in place of Music From The Big Pink. But make no mistake: This is the country rock you're looking for. Better than anything by The Byrds or The Flying Burrito Brothers. It's as close to a perfect album as any on this list. I listened to the Deluxe Edition on Spotify because that's just who I am. I'm a completist. Maybe that's why all my friends call me Whiskers.

Meh, good to listen to while drinking beer in the sun. Dad probably likes this album

A little too old people day drinking in the park for me. Also full of super casual misogyny.

A folk rock masterpiece. Every song has just the right amount of twang and dirt without it turning into outright country. The Band really gets rolling and there’s not a bad track on the album.

It's acceptable rock music with Western influences, but it's not particularly exciting and doesn't have anything catchy enough to make me want to give it a second listen.

I wasn’t expecting much when I saw I had an album made in 1969. What a fool I was. I was hooked from the opening to the closing track. Each song had a unique sound to it while still being one piece of the complete puzzle. Up on Cripple Creek was extremely catchy while King Harvest was my favorite. I knew after my fourth listen of the day that this was a resounding five stars. I can’t think of a single flaw to say.

I've tried to get into this album before, but found it as cheesy as the Calico Saloon at Knott's Berry Farm (and I say that as the world's greatest fan of Tumbleweed Connection which is, shall we say, "inspired" by this record quite obviously). It's also probably shoulders some blame for the glorification of confederate losers in popular culture - I don't want to hear any song about the Civil War that isn't titled "Glory To Tecumseh Sherman" or "You Lost, You Racist Cunts"; repeat after me: THE SOUTH WILL NEVER RISE AGAIN! Nevertheless, this won me over eventually, good tunes, great musicians, yadda yadda. Grudgeful 4*

Just really not my cup of tea, hope they sort the harvest out.

Bit dull. Also a dreadful name for a group.

this would either be my least favourite 3/5 or my favourite 2/5

Sort of boring

Fuckin sick as hell

Dylan established the style of songs described by Greil Marcus as 'weird old america' on his John Wesley Harding album and Basement Tapes, but The Band pushed it to a whole new level with their first few albums. I find it staggering that this album exists, its magic.

absolutely cozy and lived-in well-deserved classic. plays like your favorite pair of jeans. fav track: the unfaithful servant

Critics may refer to the band as being contemporaries of the Beatles, Rolling Stones, etc. but I think that’s a bid generous. This is good for what it is - early American / southern rock. I’m sure they are fun to watch jam but this didn’t really do it for me

This album is an all-time forever favourite of mine. It gives you everything in perfect measure. It's emotional yet ebullient, earnest yet flip, folksy yet full of soul; it's a masterclass in storytelling and songwriting. It takes the listener on an incredible journey of good ole' times with quirky characters through wholly visceral places. It's amazing how pleasantly relatable and fun it can be one moment and how swiftly it turns deep and contemplative. Helm's vocals have always been the standout for me, he has a way of evoking deep emotion so easily while maintaining this unique twangy cool. Every note drips authenticity. He's so convicted about everything he says; I believe him and I feel like I know him intimately too. It's remarkable the way he can open up and draw you in to his world in the same breath. I just love this album so fucking much "... and I dig it!"

"I started to play the song yesterday, and stopped myself. Again, I was angry. Again, another story about the blues of Pharaoh, and the people are invisible. The people are always invisible. "These motherfuckers," I mumbled to myself." -Ta-Nehisi Coates, about 'The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down'

absolute Jizz. the most interesting thing about this generic 70s dirge is that the album cover makes them look like 19th century miners. calm down SHACK, miners with an E. also worth pointing out how shockingly shite their choice of name is. i bet they felt like legends when they settled on that.

Brilliant album, so much variety often in the same track.

The Band's first album, Music from Big Pink, seemed to come out of nowhere, with its ramshackle musical blend and songs of rural tragedy. The Band, the group's second album, was a more deliberate and even more accomplished effort, partially because the players had become a more cohesive unit, and partially because guitarist Robbie Robertson had taken over the songwriting, writing or co-writing all 12 songs. Though a Canadian, Robertson focused on a series of American archetypes from the union worker in "King Harvest (Has Surely Come)" and the retired sailor in "Rockin' Chair" to, most famously, the Confederate Civil War observer Virgil Cane in "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down." The album effectively mixed the kind of mournful songs that had dominated Music from Big Pink, here including "Whispering Pines" and "When You Awake" (both co-written by Richard Manuel), with rollicking up-tempo numbers like "Rag Mama Rag" and "Up on Cripple Creek" (both sung by Levon Helm and released as singles, with "Up on Cripple Creek" making the Top 40). As had been true of the first album, it was The Band's sound that stood out the most, from Helm's (and occasionally Manuel's) propulsive drumming to Robertson's distinctive guitar fills and the endlessly inventive keyboard textures of Garth Hudson, all topped by the rough, expressive singing of Manuel, Helm, and Rick Danko that mixed leads with harmonies. The arrangements were simultaneously loose and assured, giving the songs a timeless appeal, while the lyrics continued to paint portraits of 19th century rural life (especially Southern life, as references to Tennessee and Virginia made clear), its sometimes less savory aspects treated with warmth and humor. [Source: https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-band-mw0000192897]

Hokey, but not in a charming way.

i couldn’t shake the feeling that this album was inspired and was recorded by the Muppets Electric Mayhem band. i can really hear it when the second vocalist comes in—sounds just like Floyd!

halfway through, dont like this at all so far. okay surprisingly the last 3 tracks were okay. enough to bump it up to a 2.

Basically fine, but not very interesting. Is it honky tonk? It sounds honky tonk. What is honky tonk? Not massively keen. Terrible band name.

I’m starting to doubt my love for music because of this list which I have NEVER done before, what the fuck xx

Although I think you get diminishing returns from the studio albums of The Band as they move away from their debut, this album is just a notch below the mythic "Music From Big Pink." An A to Big Pink's A+. This album has "Cripple Creek" on it for God's sake - can't be anything less than five stars. Quite possibly the most soulful thing a group comprised mostly of Canadians ever recorded (besides "The Weight" that is). My second favorite track is definitely "Jawbone" with its triumphant chorus and swirling 6/4 time signature. This is the record where they really stepped out from Bob Dylan's shadow and established themselves as a complete creative powerhouse in their own right. I love that they have multiple vocalists, as they are each suited to different material, and I especially love the interplay between them, but I have always gravitated most towards the songs where Levon Helm's southern twang takes the lead. Man I just wanna get good and drunk and listen to this on repeat all night.

Up on cripple creek alone is worth 5 stars

Always a consistent point of view, but never felt one note or stuck in a box. A lot of songs we like sound like this- you can really hear how massively influential The Band is.

Look, you can claim your mournful song about the fall of the Confederacy is actually an anti-war song generally, but when you choose a specific perspective to privilege over ANY other perspective in telling that story, your choice speaks for itself. Also, this album went hard on the jug-band vibes. Picture the Muppets' house band playing these songs. It's not hard.

So very mediocre

Terrible

God, this is bland.

It took a bunch of Canadians, with just one American, to make one of the greatest albums about the American experience.

I am sorry but anyone who reviews this album and gives it 2 or 3 stars should remove themselves from the site and be obligated to listen to 24 hours straight of The Foo Fighters. This album is a classic of country flok, country rock, folk rock, blues, you name it. Yes, Robbie Robertson was a putz but he was an excellent songwriter and his voice on several tracks make this album a classic.

An all-time great (North) American band. I've only known Band greatest hits, not this full album. Apart from the classics, loved Jemina Surrender, Jawbone, and King Harvest. The ballads don't hit quite as hard as say a CSNY slow jam, but gotta give these guys a top rating as one of the best bands to ever do it. Also love the cockiness and simplicity of their name, like a New Yorker insisting that anyone in the world should know what they mean when they say "The City".

Alright, let's ditch the "classic" vibes and go for something a bit more, uh, "artisanal." "The Band," yeah, the self-titled one, it's like, way more than just some dusty record-bin find. It's this whole vibe, right? Like, they managed to distill the essence of some forgotten backroad Americana into these perfectly imperfect tracks. The whole thing's got this raw, almost grainy texture, with those vocals that sound like they've been aged in a whiskey barrel. And the way they weave those instruments together? It's not about showing off, it's about creating this whole mood. It's the kind of record you put on when you want to feel something real, something that's got a story to tell.

Groovy Americana jam music that sparks pure joy. The Band has a way of sounding like a loose live performance that invokes nostalgia, intimacy, and camaraderie that draws in the listener. I particularly appreciate their imperfect vocals, limber drumming, and piano forward instrumentation. Some really unique compositions on this album, but as always the lyrics are timeless. “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down”, “Up On Cripple Creek”, “Whispering Pines”, “Rockin’ Chair”, “Jawbone”, and “The Unfaithful Servant”.

It's all about being in the right place at the right time. People were weaning off the psychedelia peace and love Aquarian trail and were looking for things that were a little more homespun and threadbare; they just needed answers. The Band were the answer. With little use for effects and plenty of usage of harmony and chemistry, the Canadian-American group hit the sweet spot; the kind of spot that would influence some of the then-biggest names in rock at the time to develop similar approaches towards that style. And it wasn't a flash-in-the-pan moment either, this was the result of a near decade's worth of work and toil and a tad bit of luck to get to where they were, sepia tinged and all. This all brown album should have been covered in gold, for that's all there is around it. An absolute monster of a record with earworm grooves that get stuck in one's head for a while, even if the songs are often seen as either little spoken of or problematic in modern parlance. Knowing the story of The Band, it is a crying shame that lingering tensions soon took hold and manifested into something less than ideal but, when they were at the top of their game, they were amongst the very best.

The Band chose the best name ever for any band. They truly deserved it. Here was a group of musicians who could effortlessly construct the tightest yet loosest tunes I've ever heard. Everyone in the group can shine without overshadowing the other. There's tremendous talent and no showing-off. It's incredibly tasteful and always very musical. The wide styles and three singers make for a diverse set of songs on this self-titled second album released in 1969. Fantastic record! Favorite track: 'Whispering Pines' and 'King Harvest' (or really anything on Side 2).

Folk, rock, 1969. Essential record for all the rock n' roll lovers and one of the most influential albums in the history of music. This is a true masterpiece full of great and memorable songs both lyrically, vocally and instrumentaly (eg. Whispering Pines, Up On Cripple Creed and basically any other track). If you want to spend 44 minutes listening to beautiful music this may be the right LP.

A great folk rock record from a talented band, this has you foot stamping and toe tapping right from the off. Brilliantly crafted, no foot placed wrong, joyful.

The gold standard for roots rock/Americana. Just impeccable songwriting and musicianship.

Hubby- I did not like that Tidal automaticallyplayed Bob Dylan afterwards -1 star

No. 238/1001 Across The Great Divide 4/5 Rag Mama Rag 4/5 The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down 5/5 When You Awake 4/5 Up On Cripple Creek 4/5 Whispering Pines 4/5 Jemima Surrender 4/5 Rockin' Chair 4/5 Look Out Cleveland 4/5 Jawbone 4/5 The Unfaithful Servant 4/5 King Harvest 4/5 Average: 4,08 Just a great folk rock album.

Easy listening, nothing in particular jumped out at me though

Very generically 60s. Not bad, not great.

Not much that special but I didn’t find it bad or boring. 6/10

the band. by the band. yeah..... it's the band again. this one has a bit more energy to it than their debut, and a little more of a funk flavour too, which i appreciate. definitely helps it to not sound quite so much like the type of shit a dj is putting on at the end of the night at a wedding reception this time. but despite being free of that association, it's still not very interesting to me.... instead, they kinda just start sounding like a worse creedence clearwater revival. not really a fan of the lost cause stink on "the night they drove old dixie down", either. intentional or not, this sucks, man..... this all makes it particularly frustrating that i actually really like the last track on the album. "king harvest (has surely come)" absolutely 100% slaps, and it just makes me wonder why the fuck they waited the length of the entire album to move into this plucky funk groove. like, damn, i could've been listening to this type of sound for the last 40 minutes instead?? what are we doing here???? idk how to score this one honestly, until that last track i was thinking another 2 but "king harvest (has surely come)" is a 5 star track. i guess it's a begrudging 3. maybe i'll look into whether they made more songs like that? but since there's no more the band coming up on the list for us now, maybe i'll just leave well enough alone and be glad i don't have to form opinions on the rest of their music anymore. whatever.

Thought this was a bit better than the other The Band album on the list, but not to enough of an extent that I'd revisit. One of the top reviews describes this as music for old people to day-drink to in a park, which is a fair assessment to my ears.

What weird mix of bangers/classics, and just absolute half-baked cringe. Not suitable for hands-off full album consumption.

Its an ok album, very 60s sound. Nothing spectacular.

бенд зе бенд что за хуйня

Solid album, couple of classics. First half was kinda samey but there was some variety in the back half. Could be a fun cookout / campfire type album. 3/5

Yeah, Ok I gues, maybe it's just too old for me...

Ja, Up on Cripple Creek en The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down zijn tijdloze klassiekers. De rest zijn zesjes. 3.0, op de kop.

If Big Pink was a solid 3, this is a weak 3, largely because "songs focusing on people, places and traditions associated with a traditional view of Americana" feel a little off putting when the weird idolization of some mythical American past is currently being used as an excuse to ruin the present.

No strong feelings on this. Enjoyable listen but I've kind of already forgotten it

dont fully get the magic behind them but not a bad album at all

The Band’s The Band feels very old-timey, and I don’t mean that in a bad way. It resembles a past time in America, a quieter and calmer, more traditional way of life, which is a cool theme for the album. However, when it comes to it, I am not re-listening to anything on here, because realistically none of it is noteworthy. Yes, its an ode to the past, and yes, it makes me feel like a cowboy, but on track like Rag Mama Rag, its just so boring. My favorite was King Harvest (Here They Come), but that wasn’t all that either. All in all, The Band is a mid album. Best Song: King Harvest (here They Come) Worst Song: Rag Mama Rag

I was not in the mood for this today, perhaps not for music at all, but given how parts of this still linger in my head, this is probably a good record, though I've a lingering suspicion of this sort of earthy, country-blues racket.

256/1089 i’m just not really receptive to this type of music, i can sort of see the quality if i try to be objective but it just mostly doesn’t really interest me. it doesn’t help that there’s been enough of this genre on this project already my stand outs were King Harvest (Has Surely Come), Rag Mama Rag, The Unfaithful Servant 29/100

Middling 60s album that didn't really get my attention.

4/10 60's bluesy Americana that I just found boring and unremarkable on my listen. Even if I'm in the mood for this sound I would like to reach for other stuff. I thought Across the Great Divide was the best, so after the first track I was losing interest

This sounded like a cookie cutter band from the 60’s

having just listened to music from big pink, it's obvious the band's sounds have crystalized on this album. it's more refined, it's more focused on genres / genre blend. unfortunately, i just don't really care much for where they took their sound - i found music from big pink was more interesting and engaging than this. highlights - the night they drove old dixie down, look out cleveland, king harvest

Mediocre singing, simple and grey tunes. 5/10

Some music just wasn't made for me

I thought I wasn't Southern enough to enjoy this band, until I learned this band is from Canada. I hate them now.

My least favorite bands’ favorite band.

The Band by The Band? What the hell man. So boring I couldn't even finish it.

Not my type of thing and didn't get the appeal

That’s better than previous one. The vibe is such a positive, light and chill. U relax while listening to this music. I was observing sunset during listening to album and vibe was emphasised by these songs. Whispering Pines is playing while I’m writing it and that’s so good. I really like it. It might be even 5stars/5. I wasn’t paying attention on lyrics tbh, just sound.

A staggering masterpiece of American rock.

100% Classic.

This is an excellent album withe several memorable tunes. The musicianship is superb. Songs sung well by the whole band.

Listened to this for the first time driving down from a drug fueled weekend in Saugerties, NY which feels somewhat appropriate. I’ll admit I was surprised to find after listening that it is so highly regarded. The song craft and general blend of sounds is very good for a late 60s album but not love at first listen for me. The second listen was a bit better. I’ll give this a ceremonial 5 in the hopes that as I listen to it more this summer I will come to feel the music in a way that makes me understand why it’s one of the best of all time.

One banger after another.

Folksy, gritty, bluesy rock at its best.

I went through a huge the band phase over 30 years ago. a former co-worker of mine couldn’t stand them and asked why i liked them so much. i told him i couldn’t intellectualize why i liked them so much. i still can’t. this is a remarkably good album, with "the unfaithful servant" and "king harvest (has surely come) creating one of the best album-ends of all time. _music from big pink_ was my intro to the band, and is a very good album, but the s/t album is their masterpiece

I liked this album its good

Yes, Rick Danko's voice is bad. But that doesn't make this less than a perfect album.

If you’re already a fan of the songs from Music from Big Pink and The Basement Tapes, then this album by The Band feels like a natural next step. It’s a laid-back record packed with incredible lyrics, rich musicianship, and some of the best storytelling the group ever put to tape. That storytelling is really what pushes the album to another level and makes it such an easy repeat listen. The songs flow effortlessly from one to the next, giving the whole album a warm, lived-in feeling that’s perfect for a long drive or a quiet night in. It’s the kind of record that only gets better with time, and one I’m definitely looking forward to adding to my vinyl collection.

The only band that matters.

Excellent. Classic, timeless album.

A+

5 star for me. All talented guys and went totally against the grain. Every song is incredible.

It’s crazy watching how my taste has evolved throughout this whole process and how my opinions can change. I went back and listened to Music From Big Pink again. What the fuck was I smoking when I wrote the review for it? Banger after banger after banger, and you know what? They topped it here. I listened to this four times today. They weren’t in a row because I stopped after two to listen to the four hour deluxe edition of The Last Waltz. The essence of America can only be understood by Canadians.

Long loved Band and feel, alongside Stagefright, this is my favourite album of theirs. From the jollity, and fabulous lyrics of Up on Cripple Creek to the dark and deep King Harvest has Surely Come it’s a classic through and through.

Very good

Yeah still love the band

What type of massive ego does it take to name yourself THE Band, as if you're the only musical group that matters? Turns out the answer is no ego whatsoever. They couldn't settle on a name and eventually it became a self-deprecating joke that they weren't important enough for a name. Which is especially funny considering how influential The Band has been to folk rock and how many major artists they've worked with (most notably as Bob Dylan's backing band during the recording of one of his best albums, Blonde on Blonde). Here, in their self-titled album, they're just as loose and groovy as on their debut but with an even greater focus on Americana and even break out some interesting experimentation (is that honest to god funk I hear in "Up on Cripple Creek?"). This album doesn't quite hit the same highs as Music from Big Pink but you'd be hard pressed to call it a weaker album since its more thematically cohesive. Some critics have even argued its a concept album and I can see it. Outside of Clearance Clearwater Revival, few bands have ever thought as long and hard about Americana and then distilled those thoughts into 40 minutes of back to back classics.

Loved it!!

Bien.

Have listened to this about 5 times now and its a real grower. I started a bit meh low 2 - but its swampy/country charms have worked on me and its now a 5 and added to my spotify favorites.

Guter Sound, klingt genau wie Music from Big Pink

Favorite album so far

The Fuckin' Band. Enough said. Music From Big Pink is typically considered their best album but I think this one is my favorite.