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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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*

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.

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

Fuckin sick as hell

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

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!"

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

Bit dull. Also a dreadful name for a group.

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]

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!

Sort of boring

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.

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.

Hokey, but not in a charming way.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

Mediocre singing, simple and grey tunes. 5/10

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

The Brown album was my first vinyl by The Band and it's still one of my favorites!

I was probably going to listen to this once or twice this week anyways. Now's as good a time as any!

Really great album both musically and lyrically. Interesting lyrical themes and a deep layering in the instrumentation. Some really great tracks here too. This is a classic album for me. Waffling on a 4 or a 5. Going to say the 5 side of a 4.5.

The Band! Nou dan verwacht je ook wel wat. Rock uit 1969 (ha 69), letsgo! Het 2e nummer, reg mama reg pakt mij wel. Echt old school rock n roll. Lekker man. Oh wat, ik heb gwn een nummer van hun in mijn eigen lijstje staan, haha! Ik kende ze dus wel. Mooi man. The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down. Wat een leuke verrassing. Genieten. When You Awake raakt ook precies mijn favo stijl. Beetje country, beetje gevoelig, beetje rocky. Prachtig. Dit album is opweg naar 5 reten. Whispring Pines is dan net een beetje te langzaam voor mij. Niet dat ik mij irriteer, maar om toch objectief te blijven. Och heerlijke piano in 'Look Out Cleveland'. Ik geniet. Jawbone ook echt een lekker nummer met mooie rifjes. Ja, dit is voor mij gewoon echt een gewldig album. Raakt precies waar ik van houd. Objectief zal het zeker niet zijn. Maar het is simpel, rauw, beetje rock, beetje country, hier en daar een rifje. Voor mij gewoon perfect. 5 reten

Honestly... not bad! For a band called The Band with the album called The Band, they did a decent job at being, well, the Band! Enjoyed this overall, good vibes. 'Up On Cripple Creek' was my fave.

Absolutely YES boys. Delighted to have found this. Makes me want to rent a large car with no top and drive it to California. The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down is a weird listen, even though the instrumentation is great.

Loved this trip down memory lane

Their best album. Period.

A simply stunning album from 5 musicians at the top of their game.

Great album, love the variety of rhythm and instrumentals. Great storytelling and a few bangers as well.

Just a banger

Masterpiece

Who would have thought that a bunch of Canadian Civil War reenactors could produce such sublime music? Not only did they do it with this album, but continued for years afterwards A five album and a five star group.

This album was fantastic. I’m a big fan of roots-rock, so I was predisposed to like this one but holy ravioli this is good. “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” is super catchy, “Jemima Surrender” is high energy and fun, “Rag Mama Rag” is really good. “Up On Cripple Creek” is super catchy and awesome. “Look Out Cleveland” as well, and “Across The Great Divide” is a great pop song, and the closer “King Harvest (Has Surely Come)” is also really good. I realize that this review has kinda turned into a song list, but it truly is that good. It’s got this bluesy, and almost jazzy sound at parts, with a rock and country backbone that makes this an amazing listen.

Actually better than I remembered

Looking forward to this one. The only Band album I’ve listen to is the last waltz. Fantastic top to bottom. No notes. More please.

Really enjoyed this album! I was surprised how modern the sound is.

Mark has this on vinyl. He has several fun facts about them to share. They were Bob Dylan’s band.

It's amazing.

goat band name

no additional notes. 5/5 album, will never not get me tapping my foot

About as good as it gets.

Great songs and performances.

In my last review I mentioned initially skipping over The Band’s solo songs on The Last Waltz (if you haven’t seen it run to a TV now) Over time that dynamic shifted and I became a massive fan of The Band. I think I prefer Music From Big Pink but this isn’t far behind. The genre “Americana” is usually pretty vague, but in this case it’s the perfect descriptor. A collection of American music genres and stories, with a unique sound and astonishing song writing. Can’t go wrong with these guys.

It makes me kind of mad that The Band has so many Canadians in it. Their music feels very American to me. They should be considered one of the best American bands of all time. Why aren't they American? What the hell.

One of my favorite albums. Not a dud in the bunch, and so many great songs. I'm not sure why a mostly Canadian band made a concept album as a diehard confederates, but by god it's a great one. Glad to have this one resurfaced so I have an excuse to listen to it again

rrrrrrraaaaaaaaggghhhhhhggggghh

Grand respect pour The Band. Excellents musiciens. Up On Cripple Creek.

Déjà un classique pour moi! Je connaissais déjà bien. Les mélodies sont accrocheuses, les chansons bien ficelées. Top 5 meilleurs albums des années 60. Je le réécouterais 100 fois. Highlight: The night they drove old dixie down

one of the downsides to me insisting i write about All These Albums is that i think it does occasionally adversely effect my actual listening experience at least a bit...not enough to where im super rethinking anything lol but i did spend too much of this listen trying to articulate differences from music from big pink and i just dont think theres a lot to be found over there...maybe as i return to it itll become easier to articulate, but the fundamental strengths are all the same and make for an album im sure is just as good or close...just gotta let it sink in over a few more listens. the band just continues to combine a stellar melting pot of creative voices into something that appeals equally to weirdos and normies...earthen and mystical like no ones business. only potential quibble relative to big pink is what feels like a slight de-emphasis on my favorite element of the band, the organ sound, but it still functions well as a kind of Secret Sauce and occasional centerpiece like the absolutely beautiful whispering pines. just clearly an all time great band. i gotta watch the last waltz.

Classic rock at its finest. Tapers off near the end but still an impressive work.

Love this album. The best band album for me

Ohio Mentioned! (Or at least an Ohio City) Well, the lost cause ideology in "The Night they Drove Old Dixie Down" is really too bad, because it's their best song. My general approach has always been to appreciate the song for what it is, while keeping in the back of my mind that the Arkansan view of the Civil War is mythological at best. But ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Anyway, this is the high point of southern rock. This album is fantastic. Much better than big pink, which I was disappointed by (I remembered loving the band, but that album had only fleeting glimpses of greatness). My love for the Band must be mostly tied to Dylan and this album.

I imagine that it wasn't expected that The Band would, or could, top Music From Big Pink but damn if they didn't pull it off. Robbie Robertson steps in to the lead songwriting role but everyone plays an important role and together they create a(nother) masterpiece. I love the songs, I love the musicality, I love the harmonies, I love this album.

yeah, cool, man

Classic.

There is a reason they are The Band.

Listened before?: No I love Music from the Big Pink but never listened to much beyond that album. I'm immediately loving this one, too.

Love some classic rock but wasn't familiar outside of "Chest Fever". Surprisingly good. Not my fave thing. Jemina Surrender is a bop. 8/10

Roots rock!

Nice, very chill already knew some songs I heard in folk playlists.

I assumed this had the potential to be boring. I was very wrong. This is also a really good progression from Big Pink.

Absolute gas.

This is a great album. These guys deserve more recognition.

A timeless classic. Big fan of Jawbone and The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down. Big thanks to my dad for ever getting me into The Band.

Every time I hear The Band I am happy to have visited.

Don’t need to say anything lol it is perfect

Catching up by listening to the ones I already know god this is such a classic like it’s broken good wow wow I wow

This is the second album allocated to me that features The Band, the first being Bob Dylan’s 1966 bootleg where they perform as his backing band. To me, The Band is criminally underrated. The Brown Album may not be as groundbreaking as their debut, but it’s my personal favorite of theirs. Music does not get much better than this album folks.

Might be the best American album of the 60's. Made by a bunch of Canadians. This thing slaps, there's not a bad song. My favourites are The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, When You Awake and Jawbone. This is an easy 5 Stars. Iconic fucking cover as well.

Best

The term originates from the Latin word evocare, meaning "to call out"

So hard to dislike the Band. Just about every album rips. The 'brown album' is no different

The generator is on a heater at the moment. Three elite albums in a week! With this release, the Band make their case for the best debut and sophomore album combination of all time. One of the more bizarre things about this group is that the guy who sings lead on most of their songs, Richard Manuel, isn't as often discussed as Robertson, Danko, or Helm. I've wondered if getting relatively little screen time in the Last Waltz is to blame for that. Anyway, he has one of the great voices, and this record is his masterpiece.