The Band

I think this is pretty solid folk rock. Catchy and it kept me engaged for the entirety of the album. Not going to be a go to album but it has its time and place. 7/10

Excellent

Played this a lot. A true classic

This is a very good album. 4 stars at least. It's interesting how the different members of the band share leading vocals (not Robbie Robertson, though). I like most of the songs here (definitely, no filler). In particular, I enjoyed: "The Night The Drove Old Dixie Down", "Up On Cripple Creek" (probably my favourite), "Across The Great Divide", "Whispering Pones", or "The Unfaithful Servant". Overall, this is 4,5 stars (I'll probably save the 5 stars for "Music From The Big Pink").

Not for me but not bad

Certainly deserving of inclusion In 1001 albums to listen to before you die. Just look at the artists who cite this as having influenced them. Interesting trend of ratings. One wonders if the down raters would hear something different if they realized The Band were almost all Canadians; or were on any way familiar with Joan Baez’ take on The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down; or bothered to consider other artists who had covers of some of these originals.

Good

A great delve into Americana roots rock by a bunch of (mostly) Canadians. It's hard to go wrong with most anything The Band does.

They thought they were so tough naming themselves The Band. The album name doesnt even make sense, why didnt they name it The Album? Probably because they knew blackpink would make a better album. The album cover looks like 5 coal workers after a long day in the mines. I like the trumpets on across the great divide. Some good songs on here, Rockin' chair and Look out Cleveland. Best Song: Up On Cripple Creek Worst Song: Jawbone.

Up on cripple creek and the night they drove old Dixie are standout songs on this album. Good vocals with a cool sound

This isn't The Band, just a band — and not a very good one. The generic vocals and repetitive song structures make this album uninteresting and dull. The track list is heavily front-loaded, leaving the latter half a long and drawn out process with little reward. However, there are some stand out songs, notably "Across The Great Divide" and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down." While I dislike the extreme and exaggerated country accent prevalent on this record, I can appreciate "Up on Cripple Creek." Ultimately, though, no song is truly extraordinary or terrible; Every song is one away from par.

Leuk

It was ok. Much like the other album of theirs on this list, nothing really stood out, but it was nice to listen to. Whispering Pines was by far the standout track and the one that stood out. 3 stars

Yeah this was great. One or two songs I didn't totally vibe with, but listened twice. It's pretty relaxed mostly so idk that it'd make it into common listening, but very enjoyable.

This was fantastic - knew pretty much all the songs as they came on. The Band absolutely the folk rock 60s/70s thing. Liked all the tracks but 'Jawbone' worth a mention.

Loved the last song, all album is OK tho

Their 2nd best album.

Really good album, love this

2.0

Who would have thunk that the band with the most generic name on the planet would produce the most generic music on the planet?

Hit or miss for me - Up on Cripple Creek will always be an all-timer...I liked Jemima Surrender,

why am I not liking it more?

Not really my style but listenable

Well, it's not Brit pop techno shit. It's not crap rap. It's decent. There is better from the era. Much better. But it doesn't make me want to turn it off. 3.2. Rounded down. 3.

No. Not looking forward. Actually, this is where repeat listening is important. The way I am doing this seems good for me, because I really am reevaluating albums on the second or third time through. This is certainly one of those. I believe I gave this a very indifferent 3 the first time. But this time? I was far more into it. I’d say it’s an enthusiastic 4. 4 Boolean: True

Not at all my thing. Couldn’t finish. RYM: N Saved a song: N

Sounds like fishing music

Hooky country rock. Looking at the cover I hope they look better in person.

I absolutely love this album. It was such a refreshing addition to what was happening musically at the time. I guess it might have been one of first examples of Americana that would become popular later. Every song a gem.

Really enjoyed this. Definitely the best album from the 60s so far in this list

Enjoyed it, on board with what they were trying to do. If I could go half stars I would do 3.5, but in this case we are rounding down as it just didn't quite get all the way to being a round up candidate.

I love The Band, this album not so much. Whispering Pines is absolutely breathtaking. Wish the rest of the album had been just as perfect. Top tracks: Up On Cripple Creek, Whispering Pines, Rockin’ Chair

8.5/10

very enjoyable even if some songs are clearly under

This is a good album. Listening to it felt warm and grounded, with a strong sense of storytelling running through the songs. The themes and overall aura feel lived in and natural, full of character and quiet detail. The playing is tight but never showy. Each member contributes in a way that serves the songs, and the voices blend with a real sense of group identity. There is a clear atmospheric quality to the record that makes it easy to stay with. Nothing feels rushed or forced. The production by John Simon is clean and well balanced. It gives the instruments and vocals enough space while keeping a slightly rough, organic edge that suits the material. The sound has a classic late 60s warmth without becoming dated or thin. The Band is a solid and well crafted record. Good songwriting, strong atmosphere and a consistent mood from start to finish.

Nice

I don't know if I'm in the minority, but I've always preferred this overall to The Big Pink. They're both brilliant though.

ok

Sweet, plaintive, forlorn. There were many moments listening to this album that I was sat back at the beauty of the songs. "Across the Divide" is a very strong start pulling you into the world of the album. "Whispering Pines" breaks your heart. "Jemima Surrender" is disappointingly coercive. This album gets lyrically problematic in a few other places and that brings down listenability to me, doesn't come across as cheeky or edgy but just out of touch. While "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" is a beautiful song- hands down- but I can't get behind a song lamenting the fall of the confederacy?? I am really torn on this album, particularly the first half has some beautiful songs on it that I will likely come back to but I think there is too much love for bad ideas in the lyrics to endorse for posterity. You maybe able to separate the art from the artist but you cannot separate the art from the art, right?

The awkward feeling of knowing that a Canadian band was able to create an album so American sounding makes this album better than "Music from Big Pink" for me

Premium slice of Americana songwriting.

Really loved it. Reminded me of early Neil Young albums. Definitely a record I'll go back to.

Did not like the vocals and did not like the genre. It is music though. 2

Just some fellas yodelin' their absolute pants off. I had a few...qualms with the first half of the album. But oh boy do they pick it up in the second half. There's The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down...then Up On Cripple Creek...then BAM! Look Out Cleveland, Jawbone, The Unfaithful Servant, and King Harvest closing the whole thing out. Even the bad songs are compelling character studies. When it is good it is very very good.

1. "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" 2. "Up on Cripple Creek" 3. "King Harvest (Has Surely Come)"

All time favourite

a fun set of instruments and voices and some good arranging, in a variety of mostly related styles. unfortunately some of them stray out of what i enjoy, and the recording quality is inconsistent.

Decent rock band, would vibe with it as background music. Wasn't blown away overall, but a couple tracks stood out even though they had fewer plays.

Fuck the 60s #69

Loti mid

4.33 lindo album

Probably a classic in its own right but I just don’t fw this

Really good

WIIIIIIITH MY VERY BEST FRIEND

Album 304. The Band — The Band (1969) Something old and dated but chill and just good folk rock from the 60s 3/5 Liked: — Jawbone

The moment the first song started I immediately thought of a Disney movie. That’s the energy I am getting—like feel-good, everything-is-going-to-be-okay energy. In certain songs and instruments, I’m reminded a little of The Beatles and some other bands that I can’t think of right now, but they feel like a mash-up of different bands yet while retaining a unique sound and voice. They’re fun and I really like the energy in here. Each song is so unique and different and you don’t know what you’re going to get.

Day 383 Fairly middle of the road Highlights Look out Cleveland King Harvest

Very pleasant background listen. Im not a huge folksy/country vibes fan but overall this was okay.

Lot of people influenced by this album and you can heat it.

75

What tf is this. Americana concept album. Why are there so many concept albums on here. There can’t be this many concepts in the world. There can’t be. Just so incredibly meh. I mean I like it just meh. So. I may have been a tad too harsh. I actually am really liking this. This is pretty rocking. Wait this is groovy as hell. I'm too judgemental I know I'm working on it. Actually really enjoying this. Favourite: When You Awake Least favourite: Look Out Cleveland

Pre-listening: I’ve always known The Weight and The Night They Drove Dixie Down, so I was hoping to expand the amount of loved songs by The Band. Hopefully, the album will succeed in that category. Best: The Night They Drove Dixie Down. Just one of those songs that you can find so many reasons to play. Drinking with friends, cruising through the night, cleaning the house… just one of those perfectly chill songs. Runner-Up: across the great divide. Because this song just has a great way of opening up the album. It does a really good job of setting. The tone for the rest of the album is gonna be like it helps you kind of understand that idea of independence through the lyrics of the song through the message of the song is one of those really good songs that kind of makes you feel like you can kind of tackle the world on your own, but you might be lonely at times. That’s just great message with the song. Third: unfaithful servant. Just has a way of making you feel sad but also weirdly making you feel like everything‘s gonna be OK. It just has that down in the dumps but you know what we’re gonna be all right kind of a feel to it and I love the melody. I love the town. I love the pianos, always present the song. It’s really good song and kind of sad that it’s on the back end of the album cause it’s like you have so many moments where you’re positive in this album but I think it ends the right way. It’s kind of like it come down at the end at the end of the album. Post listening; the album definitely helped me understand why this band known as the band is so revered I would be curious to know what the reception was when the album dropped like it kind of has that question of like do we count this as rock ‘n’ roll is this Americana is this country is it blues and maybe that’s why they’re called the band because you can’t really categorize them. The album does a really great job of helping showcase how talented the band is but also how lovable the band is the whole time I was listening to it. I kind of wanted to just hike up my jeans go find a dock on a river tie a string to a line cast a worm and see if I catch something. It’s just one of those albums that makes you feel like you can be alone, but it’s an even better album to enjoy with people really just a good album worth listening to for those that don’t know anything about the band. Rating; nine out of 10 Stars; four out of five.

This although had some gravity at the time is very plodding. Some albums are timeless interesting arrangements and provocative lyrics or amazing vocals. This has none really its just there

Good old school album and band!

Really good album, though probably not something I'd listen to a lot. It seems like the perfect album for sitting on a porch with a beer or a joint and bopping your head along to the easy beats....

The impact of this group is clearly notable. This album however kinda lacks, also -1 for all the Confederate flag stuz

It’s so whatever.

Pleasant enough

One of the best albums.

Heard Before? So much. Once upon a time I LOVED this album, but for whatever reason it has been a few years. Notes: - so I'm not really a lyrics guy and seriously I never realized until now that this is "Confederate Nostalgia: The Album". Yikes. - nothing about this album could have been made before the late 60s, yet it feels convincingly and unceasingly old-timey. quite a nifty trick. - i really hate the quick-fade endings used on most of the songs. - sequencing is ideal. so balanced, such a good flow and a perfect finisher. - wah-pedal clavinet! - these arrangements get me every time. so much going on, but everything meshes together beautifully. i can't think of a record that better balances multiple keyboard parts song after song. Verdict: Some unpardonable lyrics aside, this is, to me a masterpiece. It works like memory does, as an imaginary reconstruction of the past. Listen Again? I'll give it another long break, but yes.

q buen openning song

It's just good music.

This sounded so familiar. My alarm rang and interrupted my listen and I couldn't find where I was so I gave up on it. Inoffensive and smooth.

I really enjoyed this album. Nice, classic rock with some folk and funk sounds mixed in. It didn't completely blow me away, but I like what it was doing—and it did it well.

There were definitely moments where I really liked the energy and sound The Band was bringing. A big hang up to me, however, is that at many times I was making comparisons to the lead's singing and Randy Newman's singing. Something about their voice kept making me think of RN. I'd give this a 3.5 if possible.

Sans 'The Weight,' The Band's self-titled second still leaps & perfects the power of Music from Big Pink, a very good record but not this sort of thing. Their closest rivals would be Creedence, but The Band is more in touch w/ the spirituality & religiosity of this country. Politics are not front & center, e'en on a track like 'The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down': 'I swear by the mud below my feet / You can't raise a Kane back up / When he's in defeat.' In other words, steeped in the Bible like Emerson/Melville, these Canadiens + Levon Helm (Elaine, Arkansas) don't write pious or believing music, they sing rhetorically powerful & religious music, secular hymns vibrating w/ all the sharking urgency of The Great Awakenings. I shake too, unbelievingly.

Liked the first half a lot and was preparing a 5, but didn't like the second half

Hard to explain but some of the songs were a little too aggressive for me. Love The Band and love a lot of these songs that I both already did or didn't know but this is probably like a 3.5 for me

Classic and timeless masterpiece. These songs never seem to age, they're still as good as ever 55 years on. The Band decided to pivot from the common Psychedelic and Hard Rock from that era and basically decided what a large part of the 70's would sound like. Beautiful singing here and the interplay between the bandmates is great. It's just one of those evergreen records.

I like this because it is very nostalgic from working in cars in college in the engineering shop. This and music like it is what we listened to

One for the dads

Wasn't a fan of this at all. Its not bad but it's just not for me and this is the second album from the band, the first was enough. 2.5 / 5

The classic rock by the classic rock

Day958 - the band in their prime was something special

Dated

I've listened to this album twice now, and I do not understand the widespread universal appeal. Maybe it was a bigger deal in 1969 for this kind of sound to come onto the scene? But I just don't get it. More glaringly, the Dixie song, despite what appears to be years of attempted whitewashing after its release, is troubling. And that's not applying a current lens to a historical work. It was troubling when it came out at the height of the civil rights movement. Some critics call it an anti-war song, the songwriter was always a bit cagey when interviewed about it - but it feels like a Lost Cause anthem. No need to have that in my listening rotation.

The Band isn’t really an album about the past. It’s an album about how people remember the past. That’s why it feels simultaneously authentic and mythological. And that’s why, more than fifty years later, it remains one of the foundational records of American roots rock.

weak rhymes

Sort of struggled through this one. Too few catchy melodies for an album that seems to aim at being an Americana bar sing-along classic.

Not the worst, but also not all that interesting or worth re-listening to. 3/5.

Fine. The singer’s warbly voice got to me after awhile.

Great collection of songs. I like how The Band's The Band makes a good case for plenty of puns.

Banger after banger,. Liiiittle bit slow 4/5

An album that lacks creativity so much that you understand how they landed on the name "The Band".

A nice southern rock experience. They’ve got great harmonies and their musical style is something kind of special. It’s got a complexity to it that a lot of these older bands didn’t really lend themselves to.

I love The Band but I can’t help but harbor suspicion when Canadian guys are so obsessed with the confederacy.

Tylsää

They're considered to be one of the best bands ever by Rolling Stone Magazine. Clearly, I do not agree with that.

The Band are quite the good band. Not my favorite by them overall, but some of my favorite songs by them. 4/5

Good

toto ja nebudem pocuvat

Seminal but a little boneheaded for my taste these days. I deduct a star for the unreflective Lost Cause-ishness and the quasi-rapiness; I'd be willing to give it back if I could figure out if the message of King Harvest is actually pro-union or ironic. Maybe some uncertainty is what you get when you're Canadians who love Americana music and aesthetics but aren't all that interested in the content.

I can see the appeal, but it's not my kind of thing.

One of the most influential bands of all time, they were so great. Bangers all round. 5.0/5.0 Best Song: Up On Crickle Creek/Dixie Down

One of my all time favourites, this album means so much to me. It reminds me of my dad and also reminds me of Eva. They are such an important band, they did this america sound better than anyone i think and this is an album of wall to wall bangers. Best Track: The Night they drove old dixie down OR King Harvest

1969 americana Up on cripple creek The night they drove old dixie down Jemima surrender

Compared to what Beatles or the Eagels did at the same time, this falls a bit flat honestly. Nothing bad about it really, the album just feels a bit mid, like they are holding back. If more songs were like "Look out cleveland" which is quite groovy I would rate it higher.

Not a big fan of country music but this album wasn't that bad 3/5

Really liked this. Great early southern rock with a real Americana feel. Proto-Springsteen lyrics. Would have on vinyl if I saw it

Not really interested, but I did like the piano on Jawbone

1.5 stars I didn’t really enjoy anything about it and won’t listen again.

Americana

Got some good--if questionable--singles. Like the instrumentation and this blend of blues & rock, but honestly Exile on Main Street does this blend better frankly.

This is fine. But I just don't connect with it. A couple of these songs are quite good, "Cripple Creek," "Whispering Pines," for example. But on the whole - I'm just not into the fake-old-timey-ness that is The Band' whole schtick. THREE STARS

Multiple bangers

The truly the listened to the album The Band by the band The Band

I've listened to this album a few times now, and my opinion hasn't really changed. It's a solid blues and roots rock record with strong musicianship, but it never fully grabs me. There aren't any bad songs, yet there also aren't many moments that make me want to come back. **"King Harvest (Has Surely Come)"** is the clear standout for me. I can appreciate why this album is so influential, but personally I'd reach for bands like Cream if I'm in the mood for this style of music.

The Bland more like

This is a folky country-adjacent record with some grooviness to some of the songs. A lot of it was quite catchy. It felt pretty same-y for most of it, though.

Le groupe au nom le plus original, XD PTDR ! Bon, sinon, musicalement, c'était fort sympathique ! J'ai surtout bien aimé que l'instrumentation soit variée. L'album dure une quarantaine de minutes, donc il maintient sans problème l'intérêt du début à la fin. Seul petit défaut : j'ai pas trouvé ça transcendant non plus. C'était un album de rock de la fin des années 60, quoi. Sympathique, mais pas non plus incroyable.

Cute easy to listen to music. I’d play it at a barbecue or something

Enjoyment: 7/10 Replayability: 6/10 Cohesion: 6/10 Flow/Pacing: 6/10 Artistic Merit: 7/10 Weighted Average: 6.5/10 Review: The Band lent themselves to a leisurely mix of soft and southern rock that's very easy on the ears. Liked Song(s): Across The Great Divide, Up On Cripple Creek, Rockin' Chair, Look Out Cleveland, King Harvest (Has Surely Come) Disliked Song(s): Jawbone Recommend? Yes Heard Before? No

The first time I listened to The Band was The Last Waltz movie, going back and listening to their catalogue afterward at the time I was underwhelmed but over time I have grown to appreciate them much more. These guys were just top drawer musicians and had 3 of the best white male vocalists of all time in Danko, Manuel and Helm, who is also the best singing drummer alongside Karen Carpenter. 4.1

4.4/5

Very good. A few stand out classics on here.

Enjoyable Country Rock. Cripple Creek is the one everyone will remember, followed by "The Night they Drove Old Dixie Down" but there are other good tracks. Just not overly memorable. For me it's edging towards a 5 but perhaps sacrilegiously for me it's not quite there.

Heartful lyrics, good ol' reliable country rock

This is a great album. These guys were just making music they loved.

Nice album overall. Features a few classic songs. I dig the organ parts. It adds depth and keeps it interesting. 3.6/5.0

I have 'Music from Big Pink' in my record collection, and though I enjoy it, this sounds like a better record after a couple of listens.

Okayish songs. Feel like country.

Right up my alley.

Slower groove, almost Steely Dan esque. I like CCR better. Grateful Dead?

Classic Americana rock, Cripple Creek is so damn funny

Tidstypiskt album

Admittedly I didn’t give this one a very fair shot. I can’t get over their stupid Americana while being a Canadian band

Better then I thought it would be but still very unlikely to listen to it again.

Nothing really stood out but I enjoyed it

The Band’s self-titled second album is an understated affair - it is neither flashy nor showy. The musicality is exceptionally high and varied. Rather than individual members showing off with grand solos, every musician plays strictly for the song, creating a tight, unified group sound, and they lock into a fantastic groove throughout. The variety of instruments they cycle through - accordion, fiddle, tuba, mandolin, and clavinet alongside the standard rock setup - highlights their versatility without ever feeling like a technical display for its own sake. The quality of the material is excellent with stand-out tracks being: 'Across the Great Divide', 'The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down', 'Up On Cripple Creek', 'Whispering Pines' (this has a beautiful vocal), 'Rockin' Chair', 'The Unfaithful Servant' and 'King Harvest (Has Surely Come)'. Overall, it is a five-star album, full of melody and well-crafted songs, although it's not quite my personal favourite by The Band - that distinction belongs to the soundtrack to their live concert film, "The Last Waltz", particularly in its expanded box-set edition featuring the full performance. Side one 1 "Across the Great Divide" (5/5) 2 "Rag Mama Rag" (4/5) 3 "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" (5/5) 4 "When You Awake" (4/5) 5 "Up on Cripple Creek" (5/5) 6 "Whispering Pines" (5/5) Side two 1 "Jemima Surrender" (4/5) 2 "Rockin' Chair" (5/5) 3 "Look Out Cleveland" (4/5) 4 "Jawbone" (4/5) 5 "The Unfaithful Servant" (5/5) 6 "King Harvest (Has Surely Come)" (5/5) Total - 55 Average - 4.6 392/1001 206/392 albums reviewed were new to me.

I feel like listening to too many of these albums in such a short time is really making them all kinda sound the same. This feels a lot like every other album from the 60s I've had to listen to for this, there wasn't really that much to separate it from the other things I've heard. That being said, Jawbone and They Night They Drove Old Dixie Down are both phenomenal songs, so at least it has that going for it. Favorites: The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, Jemima Surrender, Jawbone

One of the north stars of this entire musical life, finally arriving as an assigned listen — which turns out to change nothing. Some records are so completely yours that encountering them in a new context only confirms what you already knew. The details are where this record lives. Levon Helm's drumming on "Rag Mama Rag" is chaotic in the specific way that only complete control can produce — playing that sounds like it's barely holding together while being exactly where it needs to be. The jaw harp on "Up on Cripple Creek" is one of those details that has no business working and is absolutely essential to the song. The organ screaming underneath it all — after everything this project has built toward in terms of keyboard understanding, hearing it now from the inside is a different experience than it would have been at the start. "Look Out Cleveland" is underrated in a catalog where almost everything gets overshadowed by the obvious landmarks, which is its own kind of achievement. A record where the deep cuts are this good has earned something that most records never approach. Every song earns a comment, which is the definition of a record with no filler, no transitional tracks, no moments where the band is resting between the good parts. Five musicians who had spent years playing together finding the exact moment where all of that time became something irreplaceable — and then making a record that sounds like it came from a century of American music and invented the next one simultaneously.

Excellent record

eeeeee

I liked their debut more. This was fine but still overall felt bland and generic and not a lot stands out. Likes: Across the Great Divide; Up on Cripple Creek

Day 9: ight

This did not age well.

Det startede skidt, og var ret country hele vejen igennem. Sidste sang mindede mig lidt om noget Electric Six har lyttet en del til.

Jeg er simpelthen ikke Amerikansk nok til det her Canadiske band.

Rambling, folksy, pleasant to listen to.

8 / 10

Comforting somehow, bit bland but generally I liked it.

Bem gostosinho

I don’t know if this is the birth of Americana Rock, but every act since this album owes The Band a debt of gratitude. A road trip soundtrack.

Instrumentally very good but I found the vocals to be somewhat jarring.

Meh

I've heard of this band have heard of some of these tracks. Classic rock. Almost very CCR-ish.

Gets better as it goes along.

Underwhelmed by this one, not a bad album by any means though....

Pretty good album

Solid “dad rock”

2,5

(3/5) I'm sorry, I just can't get into these guys, as much as I try. "Cripple Creek" and MAYBE "Rag Mama.." & "The Night They.." we're pretty good, but the rest just won't click. I've seen recipes where I know I like all the ingredients, but for some reason the way they're mixed just isn't as tasty. That's where I stand with "The Band". Everything I like is here, but for whatever reason it just doesn't appeal to me.. sorry, I guess. They get the '3' because I know there's a lot there, just not for me.

Our second and final effort on the list from The Band, I feel that this is the superior album of the two. The sum of the parts I complained about in Big Pink just seem to fit together better here overall, even if it doesn't have their best single (The Weight) to prop it up. While that album was one I rounded to a 3, this one is a 3.5/5 that I'm still hesitant to round up, illustrating that not all 3s are created equal.

153. The Band - The Band (1969) 7.25.26 Variety: 4 Adequacy: 5 Listenability: 5 Uniqueness: 4 Emotionality: 4 = 4.4 rounded down to a 4 We get to finish off an group's discography, and in order, having reviewed Music from Big Pink earlier on in our quest. That one I ended up liking a bit more than I expected, given all of the annoyances in and around this era of the roots and folk-rock, hippy times. These guys are far less hippyish and more concerned with the Americana aspects, and were legitimately more of a touchstone band than I had thought, even with the reputation as ground zero for the American Roots Rock, taking in all those folk and country influences and stirring them around in their pot. I had mainly been familiar via their hits that still get play, and the super annoying concert film The Last Waltz, which I just did not get, with people seeming to care more about these guys leaving the scene than the Beatles. That one still irks me a bit. But there's still some good will going into this one, so let's see if that can sustain that 4 rating the last one got or maybe even exceed it *fingers crossed* "Across the great divide/ Just grab your hat and take that ride" THE TRACKS Side one "Across the Great Divide" - A great start with Richard Manuel on lead vocals ( their best vocalist in my opinion) on this boogie-woogie piano driven ditty that manages to evoke both classic rock n roll and New Orleans jazz, while feeling soulful and successfully telling a funny little tale of a man possibly begging for his life from a very pissed off lover or wife. How successful he was at the end I think remains up in the air, but the bouncy lightness of the instrumentation against the pickle this guy is in worked really well for me. There are few acts can think of who can get that kind of subtle humor to work - Randy Newman, Supertramp, Dylan, Aimee Mann... This was awesome on all levels. Think I have listened to it 4 times in a row now. "Rag Mama Rag" - Levon Helm takes lead vocals on this one and I'm glad for it. Looking ahead at the credits, it looks like these guys realized that Robertson, and especially Danko were the wink links in that regard, and Manuel and Helm seem to get lead on most. Still three Danko ones to come though... Anyway, this was a very fun mix of more New Orleans jazz and country fiddling that doesn't seem to be about much at all, bit that doesn't really matter with how infectious the groove it. Dig that piano solo with the tuba underneath. "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" - One of, of not the biggest of the Band's hit ( outclassed only by "The Weight" maybe) - it's one I don't hear much anymore, possible for good reason. A song from the first person perspective of a Confederate soldier, full of what on the surface sounds very much like nostalgia and elegy. I've seen it written that this might be a poor take on the material considering most of these guys were Canadians, with Helm being a dyed in the wool Southern boy from rural Arkansas. With him being the singer here though, I think it's a fair cop to be a critical, especially given the dearth of info about any of these dude's politics. In fact it seems like they may have tried to purposefully avoid any such discussions, and I see the term "apolitical" popping up quite a bit in a cursory search. Either way, we get a mournful, very catchy and very detailed bit of musical faux-biography which while still a great song, seems to jave lost quite a bit of its cultural cachet. The combination of the martial drumming, the gospely piano, and Helm's great ( though still very Muppety) delivery make this sound much more epic than its 3:33 run time might indicate. In the hazy fog of my childhood memory I could have sworn this was a full 10:00. "When You Awake" - A fine enough number, that for all intents and purposes is a Country and Western song on paper, but it colors outside of those lines quite a bit, including quite a bit of more traditional folk touches. Danko's vocals are not NEARLY as grating as they were on the stuff from the first album, and while still not amazing, he's playing well within his range here and helped quite a bit by the harmonies. The best part is that down inflection at the end of the chorus, but I think the more I listen to this the more it grows on me. There's something about this one that reminds me a bit as well of "Ooh La La" by the Faces. "Up on Cripple Creek" - Helm is back with another one of their best remembered tracks, though this is not one I ever heard on the radio as a kid. Not sure where I did hear t first, but I still recall thinking how oddly funky it was for the genre. I had to look this up and found that it was a clavinet ( a type of clavichord I think) played through a wah-wah pedal, a few years before Stevie Wonder would improve upon and make this a signature sound. The overall effect is not the oil and water mixture one would expect, but works exceedingly well, and adds bit of sexiness to an already spicy little tale of a truck driver with a .. wandering eye. "Whispering Pines" Manuel takes back the reins for lead duties here, with very fine backup from Helm on a pretty, electric organ driven song where we get much more of a soft rock side that we haven't really seen yet. The gospel influence is strong in pleading vocals as well as the very Procol Harum organ work. Meloncholy slow dance music, that still retains a palpable element of romance. Side two "Jemima Surrender" - Helm with some help from Robertson give us maybe the band's most rollicking, down and dirty number. This sounds like if Lynyrd Skynyrd was a bar band. The combination of the crunchy, nasty saxophone and the lyrics might make even the members of ZZ Top blush a bit. Decent, but not my bag, musically speaking, and veers off the established path a bit too much for me. "Rockin' Chair" - Much folkier, with Manuel back for lead vocals on this very musically on the nose ( the accordion serves to double down on the nautical vibes of the lyrics). The star here though, and the part that keeps this from descending into a straight up sea shanty is the beautiful mandolin playing, and Manuel's emotionally resonant vocals. The effect is that we get successful amalgam that makes the best of its seemingly disparet parts - zydeco-flavored, country, and sea shanty. Lovely. "Look Out Cleveland" - We get a bouncy, soulful rocker with a boogie woogie blues beat that would not have sounded too out of place in the Beatles famous rooftop set, along such songs as "Get Back" and "I've Got a Feeling". Danko again fails to screw the pooch, and actually thought he did a great job here. "Jawbone" - Are we in Bizarro world? What is this mixed up , topsy turvy world where I like the Danko track more than the Manuel one?!! Still, this is ok. It just lacks any real hooks, and is a comparatively boring and understated effort. Manuel still delivers here, but the chorus is the only thing on here that differentiates it from a ton of other , better, bluesy rock numbers. "The Unfaithful Servant" - Damn, I think I owe Danko an apology maybe. He must have done some work in between albums, as he sounds much more solid here, and less like the Squeaky-Voiced Teen from the Simpsons that he did in my memory of that first album. This time, the slight crackle in his voice gives the vocals an emotional weight to this downbeat number, and along with the beautiful playing by all involved, leave us with a very pretty bittersweet sounding number that ends on an unresolved, deflated jazzy note. "King Harvest (Has Surely Come)" - Things end with funky guitars and a dark note, with the sinister vibes of the chorus foreshadowing a tragic tale of sharecropper/ union man ( are there any other kind in music history?) who is very unlikely going to cash in on those hopes of a bountiful crop. All desperation and nervous energy, self-delusion and seeped in dramatic irony of this guy's sure defeat. HIGHLIGHTS - "Across the Great Divide" - "Rag Mama Rag" - "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" - "Up on Cripple Creek" - "Whispering Pines" - "Rockin' Chair" - "Look Out Cleveland" - "The Unfaithful Servant" - "King Harvest (Has Surely Come)" MIDLIGHTS - "When You Awake" - "Jemima Surrender" - "Jawbone" LOWLIGHTS - FINAL THOUGHTS They did it. They pulled me in despite my reservations, and managed to impress me once again. This time, even more so though, with not a clunker to be seen. This still won't be making my list of favorites anytime soon, but overall all it was a much more varied and capable outing than Music from the Big Pink, and the guys sound more mature and even seem to have taken in more influences in the short period between albums. Though "The Weight" from the debut remains their best I think, the balance on this album, along with the very high quality of the deep cuts push this up into higher four territory for me, where the last was a high three that got rounded up. Even poor, maligned ( by me) Rick Danko upped his game. This was a very pleasant listen, and on top of all of that I seem to have fallen in love with "Across the Great Divide" which is shooting up into a spot in my 5-star playlist. I think I might have listed to that so many times today that it's possible it beat the album itself as far as runtime goes. PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS - Even the middle of the road stuff here is fine, and very listenable FURTHER LISTENING - Before the Flood by Bob Dylan and the Band - Workingman’s Dead by Grateful Dead - The Gilded Palace of Sin by The Flying Burrito Brothers - Bobby Charles by Bobby Charles - Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere by Neil Young - Dr. Byrds and Mr. Hyde by the Byrds

When we had “Music From Big Pink” a few months back I really enjoyed it and ended up rating it a 4. This one had a few good tracks but I found that it didn’t land as well for me. It started out great with a rocking opener that I listened to a quite a few times today. “Across the Great Divide” was the standout of the album though and after it it dipped in quality for me and leveled out there. I didn’t care for “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” which was the biggest song off the album. I really dig the roots rockin’ Americana sound here and nothing is truly bad. I like it fine, but there were a handful of skippable tracks. So in the end it’s a 3/5.

Sometimes it takes listening to some duds to appreciate good music. In this case some poor albums preceded this ones listen. It's like the greatful dead got with credence in a cabin somewhere in the middle of Canada and this was the result. Honestly I can't say i am now a fan of The Band, I didn't love this album that much but the respect of the quality of tunes can't be denied.

Nice musicianship and a couple good songs but mostly samey

3.5/5

So country music but its cool good vibes

greatt

8 - first half is real strong, few duds

Just a fabulous, soulful, folky, funky album. Musically agile and inventive in ways that are very subtle. This is an album built out of folk roots but suffused with the R&B-influenced rhythms of Rick Danko and Levon Helm, the classical training of Garth Hudson, the versatile piano work of Richard Manuel and the idiosyncratic guitar of the legendary Robbie Robertson. And every one of them (except maybe Robbie -- debatably) was a wonderful singer. Four Canadians and one American; a backing band (Ronnie Hawkins and Bob Dylan, among others) freed of their backing band chains. The older I get, the more I love these guys. This album, Music from Big Pink and Basement Tapes are all essential listens and rewarding, at that. 5/5

The Band's self-titled album is fantastic. I acknowledge the music is not for everybody, and some may find it to be boring. I have not heard The Band's entire discography, so I can't say if this one is better than Music from the Big Pink. I will find out at some point, because Music from the Big Pink is in this book as well. It would be easy to try to categorize this music, but it feels like the original Americana sound that became so popular years after this came out. Having three lead singers tends to mean no one individual in the band dominates the album's sound. The Band works better as a band as opposed to a group of individuals. The sound can come off as soft rock but I see it as more folk-rock than anything that is intended to be "soft." I still want to know if the Band cut off Robbie Robertson's microphone when they performed live. I am excited to hear Music from the Big Pink but this album certainly deserves to be heard. My favorite songs: Across the Great Divide Rag Mama Rag The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down Up on Cripple Creek Whispering Pines Look Out Cleveland King Harvest (Has Surely Come)

Pretty solid. Couple of bangers. Lot of beautiful yet forgettable rock n roll in here. Super appreciate their textures, harmonies, etc but too much of this was bland.

Just rock solid.

listening to a supposedly remastered cut of this album makes me wonder what the original sounded like. oddly felt like there was a distance between me and the band, like the recording flattened out to accomplish some uniform sound that sacrificed what I'm assuming was some great live chemistry in the studio. with this type of music (largely-acoustic, group harmonies, live feel), I like to hear the imperfections that naturally happen. I didn't get much a sense here -- tightly controlled. there are some fun, charming songs here. there's a Civil War tale that bends time. there's some off-kilter tenderness in "Whispering Pines" that foreshadows a sound that Flaming Lips would mine decades later. "Jemima Surrender" has a solid shout-along chorus. they kinda lose me on the B side. it's not bad, but it doesn't do it for me as much as the first half. "Jawbone" could be half as long as accomplish twice as much. I dig the instrumental solo into the outro of "The Unfaithful Servant" and then the closing song breathes some life back into the record. overall good stuff but not something I'm rushing back to. 3.5 stars.

I wish I liked it more than I do. It’s a lot of tasteful, fun playing in meticulously measured doses. Like, just too much restraint for me, but not bad at all.

Always loved The Band. Makes me think I should rewatch The Last Waltz. I've never listened to their albums front to back but this one definitely delivered.

Fun album

I've heard a lot about this band but never felt like I had to check them out. But man, the praise for these guys as underdog geniuses as if they were 10cc or Alan Parsons has me scratching my head. They're fantastic musicians but this overtly cinematic roots rock sound just fades into itself too easily for me. Cripple Creek was a fantastic funk jam though.

kinda fun :)

Listening notes: Robert E. Lee mention eek Tom Lehrer has ensured that I can never take the word 'dixie' seriously These mfs are CANADIAN??? It's funny how the comments are glazing them like come on it's not all that Running theme with this album is the intro will make me think "ah this'll be good" and then it's just another country song Ffs it's happened again The mater changes on Jawbone are nice Generally good, although there seems to be a strong negative correlation between how country a song on this album is and how much I like it. There are some good riffs and piano parts but also country music so I'd say it averages out around 3.2

good vibe :D i like a groove. again a couple steps removed from my music of choice but i had a good time and could listen again if so inclined. 3.9/5

This band has always confused me. They're fine.

not bad, fun bluesy rock, 3.5

Yeah alright. Not really my thing but obviously well made

Solid album, a lot of it is pretty samesy but it’s good! Always good to hear more from these guys, 4 stars

I listened to it and immediately forgot about it. Not a good sign.

This album is infinitely more enjoyable if you imagine it being played by a family of animatronic bears. The instrumentals are strangely satisfying, but I recommend not thinking too hard about the lyrics as they will hurt your brain.

Didn’t really discover anything new about The Band listening to this album. I liked the songs I already knew (Up in Cripple Creek) but nothing else really jumped out at me.

It's the band, its great music and screams the late 60s to me.its a classic album for a reason.

I really enjoyed this album. Easy to jam too

Favorite songs: Across the Great Divide, The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, Up on Cripple Creek, Rockin’ Chair, Look Out Cleveland, The Unfaithful Servant

Not my cup of tea. Too Southern Countryish :/ I didn’t even listen to the last few songs fully.

After my first listen, I wasn't much of a fan. But the more time I spent with it, the more it grew on me. It's one of those albums that quietly reveals its strengths instead of grabbing you right away. There are a few genuinely great tracks, and the rest of the album is consistently strong. It has a warm, rootsy sound that makes it an easy listen from start to finish. This isn't an album that completely blew me away, but I can absolutely see why it's so highly regarded. It earns a solid 4/5 from me.

Second album so far on this list and this was incredibly bland, inoffensive but forgettable

The Review

Nice to have it in the background

People who say that Music From Big Pink is the better album haven't considered that I heard this one first. I like them sounding like a real band rather than Bob Dylan's basement freaks.

Bit basic and boring. All the songs started to sound the same after the first few. Jawbone was the only song that stood out

It's fine. Kind of just boomer hick slop

So ridiculously forgettable.

They utilized many of the folk music instruments. The mouth harp, harmonica , banjo and organ blended in the classic folk music sound.

Great old sound, would gladly chill to it at a brewery

Not bad, but definitely twangy and got old after 3 songs.

Nothing here gets to the heights of "the weight", and probably not something I'll ever return to as a full album. By far the standouts for me were "Jawbone" and "King Harvest", and maybe "Rockin' chair" as a distant third.

4/5

Rubbish name! They clearly weren't considering their SEO when thy named themselves! The album was ok... where they leaned a little more into the blues, it sounded much better but the folk-country rock didn't do much for me.

the opening track sounds like a sound track for a tv series. ponced a few tracks from oldies. and fucked the rest up.

Sure

Grand

Perfection

The band are iconic for a reason but I think I've listened to The Last Waltz so much that I can't hear the studio versions the same way

This one didnt grab me this time. I think im going through a funny period in my life. Would listen again

too much country and not enough folk for me

Ouvi o álbum todo e não consegui pensar em nada que justificasse algo único, merecedor de 4 estrelas acima da média.

Not as good as big pink but still really like this

Took me a second to connect, but once the Band clicked, their sound and vibes offer a great blend of folk and rock.

wow bangers! saw someone wearing a shirt with this album cover while listening to it

Incredible amount of musical talent in this group. Fantastic

Fine I guess. I know I'm wrong! I could hear some cool songwriting and some cool arrangement, presentation and performance. There's just absolutely nothing that I would especially write home about personally though.

EXCELLENT

3.5

After listening to The Band by the band The Band, I liked the two songs I already knew and the rest of the album was middling to blah. Cripple Creek and Night They Drove Dixie Down aren't fives. They may be fours. They're pretty good. Although, I didn't think either of these songs were by the band The Band. Had I been trying to name the band in trivia, I would have guessed someone else for both. The rest of the album is a mix of 2s and 3s. Very little stood out, and I was getting worn of it until it finally ended. Reading info about this album, it's often called Americana. It feels Southern at times to me, other times Western, but not authentically either. It feels like a teenager half heartedly dressing in a cowboy hat and fake tanned leather vest and plastic sheriff badge for a job at an amusement park that he doesn't care about. The band The Band is considered to be an extremely talented group of artists, but I feel like it is a little bit of a miss, the style is a bit sloppy by design, so their talent feels a little wasted. It's like asking Picasso to paint your shed.

The most average of average albums. I didnt dislike any song, but I didn't really like any of them either. I don't think I'll ever think about this album again. 2.5* Rounded down to 2*

ok yes. now we're back into my vibe. and while i like the band quite a bit - this is not the best of their best.

Strong in parts, but less strong in others - particularly all other songs apart from the hits.

I don't know who needs to hear this, but it's okay to appreciate The Band's greatest hits and not really want to listen to their entire albums. Also it's important to remember that Nirvanna The Band from Nirvanna The Band The Show The Movie didn't just rip their name off from Nirvana, they also ripped these guys off too.

Dad music. I realize I am a dad, but I am not a dad from this era.

I recognize the Band and its members as giants in their world, but this does nothing for me—when it isn't actively annoying me. And I find it more annoying than not. "King Harvest" is okay, but I won't be coming back to this.

If more songs were like whispering pines and rockin' chair I would have given a higher rating.

Yhtyeen Yhtye-levy oli kantrirokkia, aika neutraalia sanoisin. Ei jäänyt pahemmin mieleen, pesin lattioita ja kuuntelin. Ihan okei siis.

The Bandin The Albumilla The Band oli monta The Songia jotka kuulosti The Musicilta. Ei tästä oikein mitään järkevää sanottavaa oo, perus Americanaa, countryä, rockia, mitä olikaan. Mukiinmenevää, svengaavaa, ei kuitenkaan itsellä herättänyt suurempia tunteita, meni siivoillessa aivan hyvin.

I'm gonna cop to being biased towards five stars with this one, I got into The Band in a big way in the mid 80's. I had always liked a couple of the high-radio airplay songs and just made a big pile of their discography and rolled around in it for the next half decade or so. The Last Waltz is still one of my favorite concert films ever. This is a wonderful album and reminds me of my youth and simpler times.

Getting the Band's self-titled album on the 4th July weekend does feel like a trap. A bunch of Canadians singing about the confederacy from an ethically agnostic position is no doubt troubling for some listeners. If you're going to get into it, it's certainly complex. Is it LARPing? Ignorance? Possibly even satire from the northern neighbour who thinks they know better? Most likely it was written with no thought other than for the aesthetic - more like The Beatles putting Hitler on the cover of Sgt Pepper than the intentional provocation of Siouxsie Sioux wearing a swastika ten years later. Indeed, the development of Americana is specifically the development of a weird American aesthetic, a psychedelic playfulness with history and symbology. It starts with Dylan's self-mythologising, so obviously becomes part of the template for his backing band - the past is something you can toy with, genre traits are things to throw together, instruments are signifiers as much as musical tools. The end point of Americana is, like its grandiose cousin World Music, a bloodless hodgepodge of all possible components, with no specificity - all signifier and no substance. The beauty of The Band is that, despite the nascent genre brewing in the record, at no point does it sound like you are listening to a genre. The songs and arrangements take precedent. And, for all its homespun pretence, 1969 is ever present in the funky rhythm section, Garth Hudson's clavinet, and the production - there aren't many albums from that year that sound crisper or clearer, where there is greater separation between the instruments, sounding like a record and not like a folk jam or song circle. And while I advise against listening to the record as a genre exercise, I caution against listening to it as anything more than that - I don't think there is any greater or more poetic intention in the songwriting than to write songs that fit the mould and suit the band. It's a vibe. That is not to say that the multiple songwriters of The Band aren't great songwriters - I think it is clear they are - but they are writing here for a band and a particular band at that: The Band. Sort of archetypal, not individuals; music that exists in a questioning and questionable state of pure music. I use the word pure advisedly, of course. What I mean is that, while well-crafted, King Harvest and The Night They Drove All Dixie Down, say, are no more sincere expressions of the band's hearts than are their beards, which are just as crucial to the aesthetic, of course. 4 Along with Eagles, The Band was my first love in rock music. There was a 17 track career overview called ‘The Band: The Collection’ among my father’s CDs and I hardly played anything else for about a year when I was 11 or 12. Bizarrely the front cover shows only 4 members - Garth Hudson is missing - and Levon Helm is playing guitar rather than drums. The intro to The Weight, which opens that cd, was the first thing I ever tried to figure out on guitar - I put a lot of time into mastering an awkward one-finger version which was nothing like the correct way to play it. I remember too being dazzled the first time I saw The Last Waltz and venerating my dad’s vinyl copy of the soundtrack - the only triple vinyl in his collection; gold-lettered, weighty and much more important-feeling than all the other records. It even had all 5 of them on the cover - although as little gold icons, looking heroic and mythical. That’s what I remember about falling in love with The Band, and at the same time rock music. I can’t recall a thing about the Brown Album though. The record was certainly in the house. I certainly played it. They are all on the cover, in the flesh, and looking very cool. But I can’t remember spending hours pouring over it or relistening to Rockin’ Chair or Jawbone or anything (both crackers btw). It seems to have been strangely peripheral to my adoration for The Band. I suppose it’s because it only has 3 tracks from ‘The Band: The Collection’ for starters; Rag Mama Rag (which I wasn’t fussed on despite that insipirational tuba) Night They Drove…., and Whispering Pines. That last track, in retrospect, was a slightly unexpected inclusion. Whispering Pines wasn’t a single like the others and wasn’t even played at The Last Waltz (would have been a bit of a downer to be fair). I’m certainly glad the compilers included it though because it was, and is, my favourite song by The Band. It’s sadness is almost mocked on the Brown Album. Trapped between the lascivious grins of Up on Cripple Creek and Jemima Surrender the track takes on a quality of increased isolation, accentuated loneliness - Richard Manuel’s gorgeous, vulnerable falsetto vocal underpinning a moment of a sort of noble, religious sexlessness. It represents a sort of musical puzzle as well. The rest of the album feels grounded in one aesthetic - earthy and rustic. Even the sophistications of musical metre and phrasing in Rockin’ Chair and Jawbone and King Harvest tie back in to this sense of straightforward, honest yokeldom. Whispering Pines is otherworldly in every way. It offers no clue in its mysterious harmonic flights of fancy (that little instrumental bridge…Christ!) or in its poetic ambiguity - as to a time and place it could be situated. The organ part seems to point Heavenwards while the tick of that brilliant sparse acoustic guitar ties it to the ground. Levon Helm appearing like a ghost for the call and response verse at the last embodies both qualities. It’s one of my favourite songs by anyone and it both defines the quality of this album for me and entirely ruins it - like someone in tears in the middle of a party. Well the other songs are mostly very good. When You Awake, Jemima Surrender, and Look Out Cleveland are just a bit shit but thoroughly elevated by this group of superb musicians and their spotless instincts for arrangement; amid the poor taste there is superb tastefulness. I honestly can’t think of a better arranged song than The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down. As a piece of recording the Brown Album is sublime. I could just listen to the drum track and be sufficiently titillated. Levon Helm defines his whole wonderful style here on the delicious pop and bounce of that old wooden drum kit. Garth Hudson…my goodness. I will remember you even if the compilers of ‘The Band: The Collection’ didn’t. R.I.P everybody. 4.5/5

this is a prime example of why you should sometimes get "Best of" album of a band. This album has some good tracks bad the boring tracks are so bad that you dont want to hear the album.

It is very much of the genre, one could say as generic as the name. Together with a generous pinch of white-washed historical themes, it's not a mixture I enjoy.

Across the Great Divide Rag Mama Rag The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down Up on Cripple Creek Whispering Pines The Unfaithful Servant King Harvest (Has Surely Come)

OK. I think they’re better when they are Bob Dylan’s The Band, but some good songs.

There's a few good tunes on this one, but most of this just isn't my style. Rather hear these guys behind Dylan.

4/8

Expected to enjoy this more, but it kinda left me cold.

I gave Music From Big Pink a 4-star rating, docking points because while the songs were pretty good individually, it didn't feel much like a cohesive *album*. Did The Band improve their album game throughout the following year? Nah, not really. Still solid music though. Great piano playing (if limited in scope) and solid, simple chord progressions. Too simple, maybe. I kind of interpret The Band as an easy-listening group. Because it isn't revolutionary at all, I can't in good conscience give The Band 5 stars – but I would absolutely spin this again at a dinner party. Very CCR-esque. I guess that swampy soul-rock was a bit of a fad in the popular music world in 1969. Light-hearted and not taken too seriously – in most songs, anyway. I trust the vastly different vocal quality in The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down can be explained by the singer putting on an act. A kind of soul-ish persona, perhaps. You don't hear much of that in modern popular music. Up On Cripple Creek has an excellent sproingy bass tone accompanying an otherwise standard high-quality country honk. Reminiscent of the Rolling Stones around 1969-72. Especially with that perfect-5th-interval harmonising, which is hilarious consistent once you notice it. With later songs like Jemima Surrender and Rockin' Chair, we start to get to very obvious B-sides: ones that lack solid hooks, interesting variation within the song, solos, variation on a theme, and so on. (You know, musical aspects that professional musicians developed for hundreds of years.) Still, there isn't a single miss here. Solid solo in Jawbone despite some pretty crappy group vocals. Great closer in King Harvest, which is peppy, biting, and one of the few to use a minor key. The two hits, and easily the two best songs, both contain datedly offensive terms. This probably reflects poorly on our society or something. Insert microcosm analysis here. 4/5 Key tracks: The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, Up On Cripple Creek, King Harvest (Has Surely Come)

6/10

Not for me. Don’t enjoy the style, particularly the twangy vocal delivery. I heard a few Band songs back in the day. Didn’t like them them, nothing has changed.

Roots Rock/Folk Rock/Country Rock Favorite Songs: Across the Great Divide, Rag Mama Rag, The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, Jemima Surrender, The Unfaithful Servant Least Favorite Songs: I’m gonna go with Rockin’ Chair When I told to my mom that I was doing this project, she really wanted me to talk to me about some of the artists that appeared on the lists (Except for rap/hip hop. That’s not her specialty.). So when I told her about The Band, she was extremely excited to see how I would think about this album. Thankfully for her, I did like this album. Honestly, not the biggest fan of the country sound as I don’t like how country sounds for my ears, but I did really like the album. It has some of the energy that goes with it, and The Band has some really great songs. The only thing that I’ll complain about is some of the songs on the album, I didn’t necessarily like how the singer sounded. But yeah, definitely give this album a listen. 8/10

In my early 20s, I lived with two friends in the upstairs part of a Frankenstein-ed triplex. All of the walls and floors/ceilings were paper thin; if one person in any of the apartments moved, you could hear it. This was during a time where we were partying every night, and what with a few local bars within walking distance, we were out all the time. It wasn't unusual for us to stay until the 2 AM closing time, stumble home, and put on records to listen to for the next couple hours (much to the torture of the other inhabitants). At some point, one of us got a copy of The Band's The Last Waltz on DVD, and we watched that every night for three weeks straight, at full volume and especially watching the performance of "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" over and over and over (I still do both of Kris Kristofferson's fist bumps on cue when those parts in the song come up). The police got called on us a few times for noise violations, and it was such an absolute nuisance that we were one incident away from the landlord evicting us. We made it through our lease and went our separate ways after that, but goddamn those songs are imprinted into my brain. This is all to say, this is a very good album, but it can't top the live performances, which to me are THE versions of this band's songs.

aaaaI've been listening to the hits from this album for half my life, to the point where I take them for granted and they can sound a little corny to me, but when I step back there is definitely a grandeur to them. This time through I liked the lesser-known tracks better, helped me focus more on their sound apart from Dylan and the whole scene. rad1234567890-asasassaaasasasasasasasasasa

I am happy to announce that when it came to The Band's sophomore album, it clicked a lot better with myself and showed that I can in fact get down with this band. Now what I do want to preface is that I don't see this album being anywhere near an "essential listening experience" and I honestly find it to be good and not much more. It makes the Folk Rock sounds of their debut much more clear and enjoyable to my overall tastes while also never doing anything extremely out there or weird. They are simple and to the point, and that is something I can appreciate. Even with that being said, why in the absolute fuck is this considered to be some "greatest of all time masterpiece" it feels like your average Folk Rock project with nothing super remarkable to make me die over this album for. It is standard in my eyes, and nothing more. No need to loose our marbles over where I'd hope most albums to be. Nuff said.

I didn't really like melody, but maybe I was just not in the mood for this album, given it's 12pm on Sunday, so probably not the right time to listen to it

This is the music I pretended to like in high school. I do like it now

Норм но ничего особенного, прикольно под конец прог как будто услышал

Decent enough - enjoyable, but nothing exceptional about it

I have never clicked with this band, and that's ok.

The Music on The Band by The Band

If my wife ever leaves me i will listen to whispering pines and then kms! I liked this one waaayyyy more than Big Pink

Got two of their albums within 4 days of each other. For some reason, I think I enjoyed Big Pink a tad more but this one deserves another listen.

Very good

6/10

Starting from the point i like the Band. From the 1000 challange it would appear im partial to this Americana type music

I think this album is decent for what it is. However, this genre in general does little for me. Bland and pretty unsurprising. The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down is a nice tune but yet still don't want to hear it again after this.

I am learning that I really don’t like the late 60’s and 69 in particular. The Jimi Hendrix Experience- I dig. The rest- pretty sure I could trash it and not shed a tear. I don’t think I am a fan of the 60’s at all. But 69 was the year, right? This is my second time encountering this album. I have multiple projects going. The first time I gave it a 3. It is musically competent. No doubt. Robbie Robertson’s The Night They Drove… is a great song. And the original is by far the best. Yeah- I have to admit this is better than the average. But - argh. 3 Boolean: true, true, ok?

It was fine, nothing groundbreaking

I liked this a bit less than I expected to, but I still liked it a lot.

Should get 5/5 for the album cover alone, they truly look like 1800s railwaymen. Anyway, the tunes are fantastic, brilliant musicianship, amazing singing. I used to prefer Big Pink but I’m turning towards this these days. 5/5, cover notwithstanding

Dad music for drinking beers at a bbq. Not bad. But shoulda named it The Album 3.4

Il n'est pas mal, mais rien ne m'a tenu

You can't just take a name like that. 2.9/5

Country bar music 1990

It is definitely one of the greatest albums in Americana, and beyond its major hits it remain catchy as hell. 9/10 [KEEP]

I think I'll take "Whispering Pines" as a favorite for its very different, introspective vocal delivery. I can't say I've ever heard the appeal in "Up On Cripple Creek". "Rockin Chair" was pretty solid too. A lot of this stuff kinda sounds like a worse Tom Petty with some dated lyrics and interesting adaptation of swamp rock and Appalachian americana. None of it was particularly good, but I can see how it was a new sound to hit the masses in the late 60's. The got a little too bloody breaking down the various rock subgenre walls. 2/5

first impression is weird but not bad? just not my kind of thing. nah the politics on the night they drove ole dixie down ruined it for me. 0/5

up on WHAT creek???

Quite enjoyed it and saved some songs as well.

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.

I'm the hokey tonk man! My oldest asked me why Barney from the Simpsons is singing. I dig how high in the mix the bass is. 1) ** 2)**** 3)** 4)* 5) The bass slaps ***** 6)* (Side A: 2.5/5) 7)* 8)*** 9)** 10)**** 11)* 12)*** (Side B: 2.3/5) 2.5+

perfectly fine. ok. I knew a bunch of them.

Enjoyed a few songs but can't remember anything else about it. I guess that sums it up 🤷🏻‍♀️ 3 ⭐️

Really enjoyed this one! Lot of great harmonies and I love the log-cabin feel.

A little country, a little swing. Enjoyable listening.

Some good songs, some whatever. 3.5/5

I really enjoyed this, which was a surprise.

4/10 - harmless but a bit boring

A staggering masterpiece of American rock.

Almost felt like a "Now Thats What You Call Music" cd

Listened previously. Expectations: High - Verdict: Near Perfect - A stunning collection of songs. Music From Big Pink is a very good album but this is a different kettle of fish. From the very first moment we are drawn into a sepia-tinged, fantastical version of 19th century America. Every single track is fantastic here. Brilliant.

Always enjoyed The Band when come across their music. Let’s see how this album as a whole is. 60s roots rock. Very fun. The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down is a song I’ve liked for a while now. Just a classic sound there. Overall, this is all fun. Just good classic rock. Definitely more that folk rock American sound. Up on Cripple Creek is probably the best known song here and it’s a jam. I feel like the first half is stronger than the back half, but still an overall fun album that I really liked. Somewhere between a 3 and 4. Think I’ll go up to 4. Ends strong on King Harvest.

Their music has never clicked for me, not terrible.

Easy listening, nothing in particular jumped out at me though

The band plays music like every other band.

not my thing at all, doesn't have any nostalgia factor for me either...

It's absolutely hilarious that Americana was (mostly) started by a bunch of canucks. One of them indigenous, no less! Everyone should watch the Once Were Brothers documentary, BTW.

100% Classic.

I usually think of the Band as a singles band. Their bigger hits are their best songs and the deeper cuts aren’t worth it. Their self titled album at least is very much not that. The whole thing is good and there isn’t a single bad song

This is a distinct improvement over the first album, which is still pretty good. This record has a group of good songs along with really excellent arrangements and performances on the part of the group. I really love the way that the horn and organ arrangements enrich the songs. I also didn't remember how funky this material so often was.

Not for me

Bit of a slog

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

Very generically 60s. Not bad, not great.

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