The Band

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.

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.

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

Fuckin sick as hell

Can't go wrong with THE BAND!

Didn't listen, but have listened.

Epic

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

Still sound great

Some of these songs suffer for having superior performances on the Last Waltz, but the album is superlative all the same.

A yearning for Americana of old. This is the second of two showcases for why The Band are in high contention for being the best band of the 60's

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.

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.

Excelent album! Added to the favourites. Accross the great divide and whispering pines are my highlights

An awesome album. Lots of songs I knew but didn’t realize were on this album. Will listen to most of this album again soon

It's a classic.

Top quality all the way through. Not a well song on the album and some absolute classics.

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

10th September 2021 Supposed to listen to this on Friday but ended up listening on Monday morning when back at home to work for the week. Has an immediate place and sound, so easy and fluid but grooves when it needs to. Love it.

Masterpiece.

I liked this one, as I anticipated I might. It was nice background music for what I was doing around the house, and it was a genre that I enjoy.

Mumford & Sons should sue

Love it

This is amazing. I know this is one of those albums that just gets better the more familliar you get with it. I am considering just giving it a 5 because I know I'll regret if I don't have it as one of the greats. I love the cover too :)

Could only be improved if it was called the album.

I have listened to many of these songs before but a new song from this album is 'whispering pines'. The album is good for this time of year and just overall amazing.

This is very very very good album, 4/5/5 for me

My favorite Band albums are Big Pink and Rock of Ages (Don't Do It best cover ever), but love Cripple Creek and Jawbone. I want to dislike The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, problematic at best, racist at worst, but Levon's vocal is so incredible, it hurts my brain!

Honestly mostly avoided The Band because they were Dead-adjacent (a bunch of my hippie coworkers like TGD and these guys, so scared me off). There's a lot more pulse here, as opposed to TDG, so I don't feel the comparison is *that* just. Good blend of blues, folk, rock, and maybe a little bit of southern rock and creole. Favorite tracks: "Jemima Surrender", "Up On Cripple Creek", "Rag Mama Rag"

The band, good band

Classic, loved it.

Wholesome as heck

Good! Classic!

Some songs I could recognize, but otherwise feels like a standard good-quality folk rock album from the time. Solid, but not exceptional.

Yo, I am all about the fucking band! Nice stuff bros keep up the good work!

Great album, gotta love the band

I haven't listened to a lot of 60s-70s rock for a while... Listening to The Band, I'm surprised how much more 'unified' their sound is, compared to modern tracks. Every instrument sounds more together, more at peace with each other in the mix, than a lot of the modern stuff.

Easily recognized the influences on rock bands after. Especially the grateful dead riffs. The beginning of the album eases into their sound with songs that reflect pop rock of late 60s. By the middle of the album is when I was really drawn in to a new unique jam sound. I feel this is when The Band is at their best, mixing rock and a little country with a blues jam style.

Classic!

Old time pseudo-Americana fronted by mostly Canadians shouldn't work this well, though like most things of its vintage the politics and social sensibility haven't aged perfectly.

false

This album made it feel like I was at the end o a 90s movie and everything was going to work out. Very nice

This is a good album

Country rock about being American and having your barn burn down. Some really awesome use of 7ths and unpredictable chord changes. Pretty cool band. Completely new to me. Love the first track across the great divide

The bigger hits on here I know and like but don’t love. I can see how this was a big influence though. Some of the tracks were pretty forgettable. I bet these guys were super fun live. 3.5 stars

If “Unfaithful Servant” is the next to last song on your album, then you can name your band whatever the hell you want.

Folk rock. Bastante bueno.

so fun. never listened to this whole album. great southern rock.

Better than I realized. Really good.

Better than I had expected, albeit a little plodding in places. I do like a singing drummer.

flock rock. MUY BUENO!

Great stuff.

New a few of the songs before listening. Album matched expectations. A top album. Can see why they are referenced as an influence for so many that followed

Okie Dokie

Not my kind of thing, but pretty cool!

Very good

This is definitely my type of music. I’ve always love The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, but it was nice to hear the rest of this album. Very ragged folky bluesy sound.

Already loved songs off this album, whole thing was pleasurable. Would give 4.5 if possible

favourite tracks: up on cripple creek, jawbone

groovy

Pretty good! I was having a stressful day and this helped put me in a better mood. Fave song I think was Across the Great Divide.

Started strong, catchy songs and decent tunes. Seemed to have a bit of everything rock related (county, blues, ballad, folk) Would listen again.

Classic Rock. Great stuff will have to relisten.

Did not know this was their second album in 1969. Cripple Creek as a standout.

A bit too soft and country for me personally, but I enjoyed this album overall. Favorite Track: When You Awake

Classic album

I love the band

I really liked this!! eagles reminiscent

It’s the band!

Voll mein Ding im Oldie-gewand

Tolles Album, super zu hören.

Country, Liberal, Ahead of Time

nice album with great songs

This is good…. Classic alt American rock; done really well. The Band, the band!

3 classic songs and the rest were forgettable

Good album but not all tracks are equally memorable.

1969 worth to listen again

Sublimació de les aportacions del primer disc. Protoamericana i arrels del folk americà passat pel filtre dels 60. Sense la frescura de 'Music from Big Pink' ni els seus aires improvisats, però amb cançons més treballades i millor acabades. No hi són 'The Weight', ni 'Tears of Rage, ni 'I Shall Be Released'... però sí que estan 'The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down', 'Up on Cripple Creek' o 'Across the Great Divide'...

I never liked the Band. Still don't. So I can't give this album 5 stars. But I appreciate the artwork and musicianship here. Wide range of instruments and sounds, decent two or three part harmonies. Some real solid songwriting. The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down and Up on Cripple Creek are deserved popular songs. Whispering Pines, Rockin Chair, and King Servant were nice songs I didn't know about. Rag Mama Rag reminded me why I don't like the Band.

I have heard "Music From The Big Pink" and "The Last Waltz" a few times, so I am pretty familiar with the Band. The vocals always grated on me a bit. I'm not sure which singer it is, but he always sounds overly whiny. I know I should let that go. I mean, if I like Neil Young and Ian Anderson's vocals, this guy should be up my alley. But there's no forcefulness there. Then there's some of the songs... "Jemima Dancer" and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" are definitely problematic (God, I hate that word.) songs today. At least "The Night" is a better song. "JD" is not that good to begin with. It's a good first effort by the group, but they definitely went up from here in their later efforts. They are NOT a group I have to get every 50th anniversary super deluxe edition set for, but a good comprehensive set would be good for me. I'd give this a good 3.7, minus "Jemima Dancer" (wow, what were they thinking?"

Classic rock is classic. That Jawbone song is a banger.

Ok this is gonna be late 60s folk rock for sure. And it is but not as super folky as I expected. It's not bad or good, it just is. Rock n roll and perfect harmonies etc etc. Boring by about halfway through, but not shit so 3/5.

Not terrible, but not something I'd return to.

3.2

Good album if not my style of music. Favourite song was Across the Great Divide.

Honestly, I liked the rest of the album way better than their most popular song, The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.

Decent album. Good for a mellow mood.

I like 'The Band', rock music. But it has something country to me. Did not know they were the band of Bob Dylan.

A definite classic, very easy listening, but nothing truly breathtaking

Fun and poppy with slightly haunting lyrics. Almost twangy enough to satisfy me.

Not a great start, but i love where it went

Major southerner energy, ehhh 3/5

pretty fun

decent 1970s country rock. Not great, but also not bad.

Buenos ritmos, melodías y tonos. Quizás le falte algo de chispa.

Yer Daw loves this one... and I think it's pretty cool too.

Nice. Should listen to it again

Goes all over the place, every song is so different it feels like a compilation. "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" and "across the Great divide" stand out tracks. Hard to judge it without an appreciation of the times.

fine

6.75

Sounds like early 70s Lynyrd Skynyrd

Rustic beards. Best Tracks: Rag Mama Rag, The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, King Harvest (Has Surely Come)

Immediately sounds like a bunch of white dudes robbing black music of the time. Soul, blues, OG R&B etc (like Otis Redding). It's good music, but can't help but feel a bit like it isn't original. Developed though as the album went on, became more folly and Bon Dylan-esque, some good sounds. Jemima Surrender was decent. 3. 5 / 5.

Тоже батя-рок, но уже с более негативной коннотацией. Тут уже отец на шашлык жарит, а скорее неторопливую зарядку. И при этом мешает читать. Между делом спрашивая: "Нравится? Но это же суп-пер". В таком батя-роке тоже есть мотивы, которые быстро усваиваются, но при этом они довольно скоро начинают бесить, а не подталкивать к напеву всуе. А то, что не бесит, оно хоть вроде и приятно, но на душе не оседает. Волею выходных вынужден слушать этот альбом чаще, чем слушал бы в будни. И вот после нескольких славных заходов начал уже сильно надоедать. Это раз на 4-5-ый. За такое четвёру ставить - уже грех. Но и вовсе парашу ебенить - хейтерство. Сойдусь с собой на тройбане. P.S. Наименования коллективов, что метят в безликий минимализм, вызывают некое отторжение. Особенно когда "the" в начало ебенят. Возможно, вьетнамские флешбеки по урокам английского. С The Beatles у меня таких проблем нет, так как "Beatles" - выдуманное слово, а с Queen нет, потому что, собсна, "the" не завезли. Группа "группа", конечно, вызывает некоторые приятные ассоциации с партией "Партия" Внука Елькина, но также и неприятные ассоциации с рок-группой "Рок-группа". Так же, как второй парень слева напоминает и Николая II, и Варга Викернеса.

вау, дженерик рок эгейн. на этот раз кантри. ну ничего не сказать, достойно, пошёл ебать свою кузину

Not bad, but really not my cup of tea.

Not much to say. Good album but not something I'd listen to regularly. I really only know "The Weight" from their previous album.

Late 60s pop/rock. Similar to the Beatles. Seemed fine, some decent tracks, not my favorite.

Some interesting bits of instrumentation elevate it above generic sixties blues rock and I quite enjoyed it, but I'm unlikely to ever listen to this again.

Musically its quite good. Very of the time lyrics though.

Cool album, not really my vibe

wasn't sold by the first song but I liked it more and more as it progressed.

Não é mau mas não é memorável. Meio folk which isn't bad

06/06/2021 Ricardo was here

Iconic

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

Ok...1 or 2 good ones..the night they drove old Dixie down.....

Good album…but it is not ‘Music from the Big Pink’

Mostly good

Pretty good…nothing special

Can see how they influence bands like The Eagles who also had that Country Rock sound.

These chicks don’t even know the name of my band.

Good mixture of rock n roll, folk with a bit of soul. Not too country. Listenable. Not quite a 4

Enjoyed it more than I expected, not being a Dylan fan It's a bit Good Ol' Boys and I can hear how they have influenced so many after them

Can see what the fuss is about may relisten

Clearly good but not my thing

A bit more AOR/Country/Americana than I usually listen to. I can hear the musicality of the album and admire the audible collaboration between the band members, but it's not really my cup of tea.

Nice and loose

Not always what I would pick our, but still a good album. Favorites: The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, Up On Cripple Creek, Whispering Pines

Pretty good. 6-7/10

This wasnt too bad of an album. Nice and easy to listen to.

Before this, my familiarity with The Band pretty much ended with "The Weight," which got played to death on the radio throughout the 70s. I never could figure out why it was such a staple, except the chorus lends itself to drunken singalongs. Listening to this self-titled release provides a clearer picture. The Band is a roots-rock band, mining pretty much the same territory as The Grateful Dead at the time. In fact, I had heard Up On Cripple Creek before and mistook it for a Grateful Dead track. Both bands share a loose (some might say sloppy) approach, with wobbly vocals, but I'd say that's intentional--they're avoiding slickness in favor of feeling and authenticity. Both bands approach various genres with respect, but aren't afraid of modernizing the textures, let's say with a clavinet on Up On Cripple Creek. And like the Dead, they don't restrict themselves to any specific genre like country or honky-tonk, but feel free to borrow from a variety of genres. This album is a modest, low-key effort, which tends to camouflage its strengths. One is that The Band has a real feel for Americana, unlike most modern attempts at the genre. Paradoxically, that makes the then modern interpolations of organ, clavinet, horn charts and so on an enrichment instead of a distraction. Another is that they're equally adept at ballads as rockers and everything in between. Over the course of an album, The Band builds up a ramshackle charm. The problem, if you can call it that, is that this music is comfortable like an old ratty coat. It's not designed to impress. It's meant to envelop you and keep you warm. I can't imagine ever going back to listen to this album from beginning to end, but I am going to put it on my 60s Spotify station.

7/10

A mixed bag of an album. Simple rock with a bit of country. Liked "Night they Drove Old Dixie Down" and "Up on Cripple Creek". But "Whispering Pines" seemed out of place on the album in my opinion. Though still enjoyable overall

It was OK... But not for me at all. Rating: 5/10

It's good stuff, but nothing I'd go out of my way to listen to. The classics are certainly good (The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" and "Up On Cripple Creek").

Frekar predictable, en gott í þessu.

Meh

Ok but pretty mundane, like their name

This just isn't for me. It's fine, there's nothing bad about it, but I don't see myself ever coming back to this album. 2/5

If I was trying to be purely objective I think I would score this higher, but it's veering a bit too close to country for my own tastes. Not for me, and I can't imagine ever revisiting, but I wouldn't run to turn it off if it came on the radio.

Enjoyable and breezy, but nothing super memorable! I prefer the cover version of "Drove Old Dixie Down". A few songs stood out, "Look Out Cleveland" was fun!

Not my favorite but def a great show of musicianship

Helt ok, mysigt i bakgrunden. Kanske lite country/dylan för mig, men ej dåligt.

Unpolished. Fun swamp rock vibes.

Great band but this album is not my favorite offering from them. Huge fan of their live stuff.

Another late 60's Americana/roots/folk/country/blues rock thing I firmly believe I won't listen to (in fact, just listened to the first song).

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 don't like

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

Bit dull. Also a dreadful name for a group.

Boooring

Band without Dylan is no bueno

Meh

Not the biggest fan of this genre of music

Their sound is okay, just a little quiet for my taste. They could be pretty funky if they tried, but they're pretty chill instead, with some base guitar. Probably a 2/5 unless songs 6-12 get better.

false

1, 2 ganz nette Songs

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

хз

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.

I like what this album may have inspired, but overall I'm not really a fan. Track 5 has a really cool lick though. Highlights: Tracks 1, 3, 4, 12.

Sort of boring

not totally sure how to categorize this. kinda blue grass I guess. 2.5

I was always a Band fan. This shows me I'm more of a fan of The Band's greatest hits/The Last Waltz. I hate it but this is a 2.5 for me dog.

Too slow and country for me!

meh

Very old school. Not my favorite.

Funky but in a kind of generic way. Looking at the date, it seems like similar music that I'm familiar with from the 70s originates with this album making it proto-70s funk. neat.

Es un clásico con buenas canciones, cada canción tiene su toque especial, pero creo que no es para mí

I have three 5s in the last 5 days, so I guess I was I my zone and this one took me out of it. For it it was boring and couldn’t listen to it in only one sit

57 The Band - The Band 12 tracks. Too lazy to create a band name never mind about name their album, the music is just as lazy. Little bits of quality surrounded by loads of mediocrity. 2/5

It was an okay experience. Not overly my cup of tea but I respect and appreciate the guitar work and overall songwriting. The couple of singles have certainly grown tiresome over the years, tho they're not without a certain charm of life.

I was just completely bored throughout this album. This album was not fun to listen to for me, sorry.

That took all of my strength to get through. Not my thing. I like a lot of albums from the 60s. So that’s not it. Why all the hype with this? Their last show was supposedly the second coming. 1.75 stars

Not digging the bland, Beatles-country-bluegrass-esque fusion here. Nothing memorable on this one.

Currently 4 songs in. I hate it. Currently 8 songs in. Make it stop, this album is the best way to slow down time because it feels like an eternity. Yup. Hated it.

Meh

I hate this shit. Absolutely hate it. Every time I think it might get better, it gets worse. I loathe it with every fiber of my being. If there is a hell, certainly it is The Band. But at least now I can say I gave it a fair chance.

The band sucks. Did not like anything they did, at all. Stopped halfway through, couldn't do it anymore.