Reviews (page 7 of 14)
Not really my thing, but decent.
Another all time great Canadian band. This is likely my favourite offering from them. King Harvest is my favourite track. I have to admit, this album has become a little stale to me due to repeated exposure.
Gubbe gubbe gubbe gubbe gubbe. Beste låt: Nei.
Noen kule partier, ellers ganske medium album
All dad-rock er ikke like kul nei. Kjedelig og altfor twangy for meg.
really enjoyed the blend of voices!
Absolutely YES boys. Delighted to have found this. Makes me want to rent a large car with no top and drive it to California. The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down is a weird listen, even though the instrumentation is great.
The artists that make up The Band are complete musicians. And that high level comes through in spades on this album. I mean, how many acts can you name that have 3 different lead singers? “Up On Cripple Creek” and “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” are two stand outs. But really there is melodic beauty in every song on the album.
Would this be dad rock? I dunno, but my dad likes it. And for good reason, cuz this is pretty darned good rock.
Loved this trip down memory lane
Their best album. Period.
I really like the keyboard/organ parts, which I think I said about the last one, they just expand the songs a lot I feel like, the clavinet in one of them really makes it stand out from other boring guitar based blues stuff. There are quite a lot of standard blues/country rock stuff, like the Jemima Surrender one, which I think just falls quite flat overall, the brass is cool though. I think the more folk and non blues ones are the best. Favourite songs: across the great divide, when you awake, up on cripple creek, whispering pines, rockin' chair, look out Cleveland, The Unfaithful Servant. Overall around 7/10
Great album!
Liked this
Enjoyed the album. 3.5
Love em now that’s what I call music
Really good, will listen many times again
3.5 nice
great
This album disappointed me. A lot of the songs sound the same. Blitzkrieg Bop still hits though.
Nope
Un álbum no muy memorable. Sí me pareció agradable, pero en lo personal debo decir que no tengo mucho para resaltar. Una calidad de grabación aceptable, un buen trabajo de voces y una linda energía. Pero no mucho más para decir
This album is great. I only knew one or two songs. I really enjoyed this.
I know I’m supposed to like this but it kind of underwhelmed me.
This album is solid. It is a little too "western" for me, but it is pretty good! Really nothing to rave about or talk bad on. It was fine. Liked Album: "Across the Great Divide" , "When You Awake" , "Up On Cripple Creek" , "Jemima Surrender" , "Look Out Cleveland" , "The Unfaithful Servant" , "King Harvest (Has Surely Come)"
This is fine, but I doubt I'll ever listen to it again. 2.5
Really solid album and fun to listen to. It's not really my style, but it held my attention. I only really know the Band from The Last Waltz, so it was cool to listen to a full album. Probably more of a 3.5 for me, but bumping.
This one’s always felt like slipping into a battered armchair in a wooden cabin, warm light spilling through the window, and someone handing you a drink before launching into a story. It’s earthy, rich, and timeless, and I find myself really sinking into the details each time. The album feels like it’s lived a full life before I even pressed play. “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” still hits like a freight train — I don’t even need to be American to feel that loss. “Up on Cripple Creek” has that swampy, playful groove that I can’t help but hum later, and “Whispering Pines” just quietly guts me. It’s understated in all the right ways. I think what keeps me coming back is how much care is packed into the arrangements. Everything feels like it’s been placed there with intent, but it never feels overcooked. The voices blend like old friends passing the mic around a fire, and the whole thing carries this worn-in honesty that’s hard to fake. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it doesn’t have t
I'm sure this was influential, it was largely inoffensive but it didn't do much for me. 2 stars may be harsh but just wasn't for me really.
i liked it
I had a friend in college who was really into these guys and Bob Dylan, so I'm pretty familiar with this album. But I never loved it the same way he did; I've always been more of Neil Young and the Byrds, when it comes to folk rock of that era. They're like totally serviceable and everything, but the Band doesn't really do anything that stands out from the pack for me. "Up on Cripple Creek" is my pick for a song from this album, but even then I mostly remember it from seeing a live video of Bobbie Gentry singing it once! Now *that's* someone you ought to hear before you die.
A fun album, and I found myself liking/saving the least-played songs (per Spotify tracking). "Jawbone" and "Jemima Surrender" were personal standouts
Good
I am not sure if I like this or not. The genre is not my style, but it doesnt sound bad. I was gonna give it a 2, but I think a 3 is fair.
Enjoyed this a lot more then the last one.
The Band. You could read that one of two ways. It could mean “that’s THE band”, as in a group who is truly great. Or it could be more like “who’s playing? I don’t know, the band”, as in “I have no clue who that is.” While I know who The Band is, this album is decisively in the latter camp for me. There is nothing that is interesting about this album. Even the hit, Up on Cripple Creek probably should have an “a” where the “i” is, because it’s an average song at best. There’s just so little here to really be that excited about. I guess at points like on The Unfaithful Servant, I could hear something that pre-dated early Counting Crows, but even that had me thinking, I could go for listening to August and Everything After right now rather than this. Evidently this is a concept album, though I would much rather listen to Pink Floyd’s The Wall or Queensryche’s Operation Mindcrime album. Just a below average album from a below average band that is unremarkable on both fronts.
Cover 5.5 Great album. Fun songs. Generally not my era but really like this album.
Pretty boring and repetitive, but not bad as background music if you're in the mood.
Very good
Do not understand the appeal - this is boring as shit from start to finish. They sounded great with Bob Dylan and his songs up there in front of them, but this is just dreck, so far as I am concerned.
Durchschnittliches Rockwerk der Sechziger, mit für meinen Geschmack zu viel Problembearbeitung.
I liked the hits on this one and it was generally more uptempo than Music from the Big Pink. Still, not for me.
Now I remember why I stopped listening to Southern country rock in the 70s.
Inoffensive, which also means it there were no real standout tracks
This wasn’t bad but I got a bit tired of it
A simply stunning album from 5 musicians at the top of their game.
So good. All ridiculously good musicians and singers. Absolute classic
I guess you can hear their influence on later artistes. Didn't really grab me at all.
Alabama vibes
Apparently this is referred to as "The Brown Album" but I didn't think it was that shit. Didn't particularly hold my attention by did have me tapping my toes. 3/5 seems fair. Favourites - Across The Great Divide, Up On Cripple Creek, Rockin' Chair
Album’s fine. Doesn’t particularly do anything that by that point in time hadn’t already been done - but, does what it aims to do well in a relatively succinct and crisp manner. Across the Great Divide (7/10) Rag Mama Rag (5/10) The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down (7/10) When You Awake (6/10) Up On Cripple Creek (6/10) Whispering Pines (5/10) Jemima Surrender (6/10) Rockin’ Chair (7/10) Look Out Cleveland (6/10) Jawbone (6/10) The Unfaithful Servant (5/10) King Harvest (Has Surely Come) (6/10) 6/10
Good
Good to listen to walking on a sunny day
Great album, love the variety of rhythm and instrumentals. Great storytelling and a few bangers as well.
Funky feel good album, shocked that they are from Canada. Also learned they got their big start as a tour band for Bob Dylan before going out on their own. Cold beer and a body of water should accompany this music. Up On Cripple Creek was a favorite.
Hitting on women by asking them to just surrender is a choice. Not a terrible listening experience (apart from Rag Mama Rag or Jemima Surrender). Just not my choice of music really.
Band isn't entirely playing together in some places in the album, like they just heard the singer come in with a great idea and they all just tried to wing it and play along. Is "Jemima Surrender" about rape? Couldn't wait for it to be over.
know it like it
1. Muy 60's F is For Familywy? Así. Mid-good. 2. Fun. Liked. 3. Too country boring 4. Same. Boring. 5. Funky, good. 6. No. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11: Nada que ver. No gusta. 12: Se puso funky, not bad. 2 mano.
Just a banger
Masterpiece
Usually don't love this genre of music but for some reason The Band is different. To me, this album is American Beauty, but sang in tune (and this is coming from someone who really likes the Dead)
Who would have thought that a bunch of Canadian Civil War reenactors could produce such sublime music? Not only did they do it with this album, but continued for years afterwards A five album and a five star group.
This album was fantastic. I’m a big fan of roots-rock, so I was predisposed to like this one but holy ravioli this is good. “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” is super catchy, “Jemima Surrender” is high energy and fun, “Rag Mama Rag” is really good. “Up On Cripple Creek” is super catchy and awesome. “Look Out Cleveland” as well, and “Across The Great Divide” is a great pop song, and the closer “King Harvest (Has Surely Come)” is also really good. I realize that this review has kinda turned into a song list, but it truly is that good. It’s got this bluesy, and almost jazzy sound at parts, with a rock and country backbone that makes this an amazing listen.
I remember I didn’t really enjoy the first The Band album we got a while back but this was better. The last song sounded like Should I Stay or Should I Go. Also I feel like a self titled album should be the first thing an artist puts out. Low 4
I think music from the big pink was the first album I listened for this (like 75% sure). It's cool to see how my music listening has evolved and gotten like way way more fun and broad bc of this. I think Taylor swift was #1 artist on Spotify wrapped a few years ago. No hate just judgement. this album was fine but im not super into it.
5/10 - I like the night they drove old Dixie down the rest was alright
Fine. Like one song I really like, indifferent about rest
rips
Before I started listening to all these albums, I thought one of my favourite genres of music was classic rock. It turns out, that's not fully true. It's really more this type of classic rock; roots/Americana rock. That said, I still don't have much of a desire to listen to any classic rock, though. I did like this, though. Would rate 3.5.
Saved by interesting phrasing and musical tendencies, high 3
ENJOYABLE LISTEN. SOME CLASSIC TUNES.
This kind of country rock is not my genre of music at all, but...this album is good. Great musicianship and songwriting that all feels very genuine.
It’s good, got a little bored tho. Would listen to this album on a roadtrip maybe
Solid southern rock.
Never drew me in
It's more good old-head stuff.
Meh
Some really good songs on this album! Good country and bluesy band
Actually better than I remembered
Rating (1-5): ✩✩✩✩ (But it's probably low compared to other four stars) Will I be listening to this again: I wouldn't mind What do I like about it: It's nothing spectacular but getting to 4 stars means that I actually saved the albuminstead of only some songs heheeh What I dislike about it: Nothing Higlighted songs: The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, Up On Cripple Creek, Whispering Pines, Look Out Cleveland
Looking forward to this one. The only Band album I’ve listen to is the last waltz. Fantastic top to bottom. No notes. More please.
I liked this more than under the big pink
kanada kanada kanada.. weee going backt too dixiieee dixie dixie laaand Kunpa olisin puuvillan maassa, vanhoja aikoja ei ole unohdettu; Katso pois! Katso pois! Katso pois! Dixie LandKunpa olisin puuvillan maassa, vanhoja aikoja ei ole unohdettu; Katso pois! Katso pois! Katso pois! Dixie LandKunpa olisin puuvillan maassa, vanhoja aikoja ei ole unohdettu; Katso pois! Katso pois! Katso pois! Dixie Land kanada kandad akänäädä.. mikä maa tämä on: hintti: hoolokausti holokausti... öööö... KNÄDÄ. oooooo käääääändääääää. mitä vittua nyt taas. semmonen albumi joo totas biitldes similar to bijädles sometimes? whispering pienis
Okay bit dated.
Iconic album from an underappreciated and legendary band. Some slower songs but bolstered by Rag Mama Rag, The Night They Drove..., Up on Cripple Creek, and King Harvest. If you haven't done so, please watch the Last Waltz. 8.75/10 (4.375/5)
Never gave it a chance before as an album but worth it
This was tedious and self-indulgent. The sort of music a certain type of guy finds "important".
Really enjoyed this album! I was surprised how modern the sound is.
Helt ok men inget jag reagerade på
Boring, but not bad
Really good, although some songs sounded a bit generic
Personally, not for me...
Some real good folk rock/country rock. Makes me want to go to a log cabin and become a conservative.
*Knew: Up on Cripple Creek and Night They Drove Old Dixie Down (Whipping Post isn’t on this album) *Combo typical The Band sound (CCR, Allman Bros, etc) and some Van Morrison vibes *Really liked some of this album. Didn’t so much like the aggressive harmonizing and violin. *Hard to rate because some is great. But definitely not all. RATING - 7
I honestly thought this album was just kinda trash. Didn't hear any songs I really liked, and just sat there annoyed through most of the album. They were like a bad Beatles.
Did not know all the tracks on this early album, couple certified bangers. Great band and this album sneaks into a 4
I always get a little sentimental listening to The Band. Had heard tracks off this one, but not the whole thing. Enjoyable, listenable, as I expect from this group.
It's funky, and probably warrants further listens - whether it'll get them, TBD!
Mark has this on vinyl. He has several fun facts about them to share. They were Bob Dylan’s band.
Interesting music. Very familiar sounding. Either they were ahead of the game or copying the styles of the time. Definitely getting Beatles vibes but quite enjoyable.
Mediocre singing, simple and grey tunes. 5/10
Another album from the band, and again I feel it’s just okay.
I tried to get into this album when I was much younger. I'm not doing that again.
A little generic, but basically fine. What's their obsession with the South, though? It's like they think the South's cool.
Buenisimo
On the one hand it has an all time classic song. On the other hand it’s a fairly unremarkable set of songs. I can see how it might have been a thing, and how it endures. But ultimately it’s not for me.
Some great songs, especially “The Night They Drove ol’ Dixie Down.”
It's amazing.
In most songs I found the vocals and the way it produced grating and hard to listen (Whispering Pines being the exception).
goat band name
Just based on the song Up On Cripple Creek, which is the only song I knew from The Band’s self titled album, I thought I would enjoy this record. Unfortunately, The Band was very underwhelming and I only liked four songs total. The call back to older Americana just didn’t do it for me. I can only get to a 2 rating for this album. 2/5
it was decent, but folk/country really isn't my thing
The Band sounds like Canadian CCR. Every song sounded like they were trying to convince me they were from Texas or something though. It almost sounds like a parody of American country-rock that was popular at the time. Overall a fun album that doesn't take itself too seriously.
Not really something I'd listen to a lot of, but I can appreciate that there's some great musicianship and songwriting on display here
A band named the band dropped a self titled the band album named the band. (3.0/5.0) I liked it. Probably a Album that will tune better when the sun is out. It has something to it.
some good songs, a little too country leaning for me
Fun jam band vibes with generally good vibes.
Honestly, I don't really want to hear from Bob Dylan, let alone his hugely boring back-up band or whatever.
Old school folly/rock. Pretty medium. Fave:jawbone
The Band is fine.
yeah it was okay. classic oldie blues rock
no additional notes. 5/5 album, will never not get me tapping my foot
About as good as it gets.
Definitely good music, more or less background music for me. Not any songs I would put on repeat.
Bit nothing to me to be honest, don’t think I’ve heard them before, but nothing really stood out to me.
Great songs and performances.
It's fine. It's not Big Pink, which is great.
Still not particularly my thing, but I have to agree that it's flawless.
In my last review I mentioned initially skipping over The Band’s solo songs on The Last Waltz (if you haven’t seen it run to a TV now) Over time that dynamic shifted and I became a massive fan of The Band. I think I prefer Music From Big Pink but this isn’t far behind. The genre “Americana” is usually pretty vague, but in this case it’s the perfect descriptor. A collection of American music genres and stories, with a unique sound and astonishing song writing. Can’t go wrong with these guys.
It makes me kind of mad that The Band has so many Canadians in it. Their music feels very American to me. They should be considered one of the best American bands of all time. Why aren't they American? What the hell.
Surely some great tracks on here. My favorite is Rag Mama Rag. I really dig the simple style that makes The Band so distinct and easy to jump into. From my perspective, some of the songs dont really carry the necessary energy to keep my attention. The Night They Drove Old Dixie is one of those popular cuts that I dont love. Somewhere near the 3.5 mark for me. Id love to crack this open around a fire instead of a plane ride, so keep that in mind when you (or I) read this down the road
One of my favorite albums. Not a dud in the bunch, and so many great songs. I'm not sure why a mostly Canadian band made a concept album as a diehard confederates, but by god it's a great one. Glad to have this one resurfaced so I have an excuse to listen to it again
An all-time great (North) American band. I've only known Band greatest hits, not this full album. Apart from the classics, loved Jemina Surrender, Jawbone, and King Harvest. The ballads don't hit quite as hard as say a CSNY slow jam, but gotta give these guys a top rating as one of the best bands to ever do it. Also love the cockiness and simplicity of their name, like a New Yorker insisting that anyone in the world should know what they mean when they say "The City".
rrrrrrraaaaaaaaggghhhhhhggggghh
The Rating
Which one?
★★★½
4/5
This was Great! The Band got a nice vibe to them and it feels like something I haven't really heard before. It's one of my new favorites so far! 9/10
Grand respect pour The Band. Excellents musiciens. Up On Cripple Creek.
i love this shit so muchhhh
3.5
J'ai de la misère à m'y coller pour plus que 2-3 tounes à la fois, mais je suis définitivement un fan de ce genre de son et de vibe, Americanaaaaa!!
Never been a huge fan, but I understand how great they are in their scene.
Solid band, solid album. They aren’t flashy and only play what the song calls for.
Déjà un classique pour moi! Je connaissais déjà bien. Les mélodies sont accrocheuses, les chansons bien ficelées. Top 5 meilleurs albums des années 60. Je le réécouterais 100 fois. Highlight: The night they drove old dixie down
Boring
one of the downsides to me insisting i write about All These Albums is that i think it does occasionally adversely effect my actual listening experience at least a bit...not enough to where im super rethinking anything lol but i did spend too much of this listen trying to articulate differences from music from big pink and i just dont think theres a lot to be found over there...maybe as i return to it itll become easier to articulate, but the fundamental strengths are all the same and make for an album im sure is just as good or close...just gotta let it sink in over a few more listens. the band just continues to combine a stellar melting pot of creative voices into something that appeals equally to weirdos and normies...earthen and mystical like no ones business. only potential quibble relative to big pink is what feels like a slight de-emphasis on my favorite element of the band, the organ sound, but it still functions well as a kind of Secret Sauce and occasional centerpiece like the absolutely beautiful whispering pines. just clearly an all time great band. i gotta watch the last waltz.
Just not my kind of music.
I really liked a few of the songs on here. The rest were fine but I wouldn’t go back and listen to them again.
Classic rock at its finest. Tapers off near the end but still an impressive work.
The missed opportunity to call this "The Album" is something I will never forgive The Band for.
Not my favorite- ive never been a big the Band guy. Overall- 2.5/5
Like if the Grateful Dead thought the Civil War was about states’ rights
this would either be my least favourite 3/5 or my favourite 2/5
I really like this but it's not that remarkable, or consistently strong. Some songs I really love (Whispering Pines, Drove Dixie Down) and others are just meh. I think there are too many other artists of this ilk/era who absolutely smashed it out the park. This comparatively falls flat.
Solid folksy rock album by this great band called The Band. Lots of people praise it but I need to listen to it a bit more to embrace its quality. It's certainly there.
Well, it is what it is.
This is one of the best late 60s Country Rock albums I've ever heard. Lovely mix and sound throughout. Not gonna revisit it too often, but definitely deserves the love
As one half of long standing and iconic rock band Houmous & Chutney I really appreciate the simplicity of band names. 4.1
Not my usual Jam, at times I could feel the bluesy roots but mostly felt distracted by what was going on
Good stuff
Love this album. The best band album for me
There were more interesting notes and lyrics in this one compared to Big Pink, hence the 3 (compared to 2 for BP). I guess it's a win that this project made me like The Band incrementally more, but I still don't like them like that.
I think the headline for this album is "Fun Twangy Instrumentation, Suspect Vocals". The Night is an interesting song, just a wood-chopping brother of a Confederate martyr who wishes those damn Yankees hadn't destroyed the local railroad and extracted all the local wealth, damn carpetbaggers. At least they left the wood. Guess this this song from 1969 was written before the South undermined the Reconstruction Era and prioritized Jim Crow laws.
Ohio Mentioned! (Or at least an Ohio City) Well, the lost cause ideology in "The Night they Drove Old Dixie Down" is really too bad, because it's their best song. My general approach has always been to appreciate the song for what it is, while keeping in the back of my mind that the Arkansan view of the Civil War is mythological at best. But ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Anyway, this is the high point of southern rock. This album is fantastic. Much better than big pink, which I was disappointed by (I remembered loving the band, but that album had only fleeting glimpses of greatness). My love for the Band must be mostly tied to Dylan and this album.
They have a better sense of their sound in this album than in the Big Pink, and it leads to a better album overall.
Honestly, I had a lot of fun with this album. Each song didn't feel tired, even when they were using motifs used a million times. That being said, with nothing overtly fresh, this ended up not getting a five from me.
I dunno, i didn't quite understand them. Yeah, they seem cool. A mix of rock, blues, a lil bit of country. Maybe they were super influencial, but not my taste. Still better than Adele tho. Songs saved: 2/12
The night they Drove ole Dixie Down is one of the most impactful songs as far as letting my mind wander. “Virgil quick come see , there goes Robert E Lee”. Imagine a war in your own freakin backyard. Besides Cripple creek the album is just ok…. But I can’t get past my love of Dixie.
Honestly...just expected more. Some bangers on here, but the album as a whole is just not great.
Not that great. I expected better.
This is one of those albums that seems familiar, like it was played a lot when I was really little. Really liked it.
Maybe a little left of neutral.
SHUT UP. IT'S THE MOTHERFUCKING BAND. LISTEN TO THE BAND!!!
Twangy roots apparently isn't my thing. Thought I'd like this but too often it just reminded me of the Grateful Dead.
Just sounded like classic rock. Occasionally different sounds/instruments were used than I expected to hear but mostly uneventful for me.
https://rateyourmusic.com/music-review/JesseOverPessi/the-band/the-band/255750798
3.25/5 liked the country/folk influence and the beat
Great, easy listen
I really liked this surprisingly. I thought it was going to be more kitschy but it does actually sound really good. 7/10 Favourite: The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down Least Favourite: Jawbone
Guess you had to be there. Easy listening follky stuff, not for me!
I imagine that it wasn't expected that The Band would, or could, top Music From Big Pink but damn if they didn't pull it off. Robbie Robertson steps in to the lead songwriting role but everyone plays an important role and together they create a(nother) masterpiece. I love the songs, I love the musicality, I love the harmonies, I love this album.
Soft rock; kinda got a twang and odd lyrics.
yeah, cool, man
Classic.
A few great songs amongst some mediocre recorded songs in BFE New York.
There is a reason they are The Band.
I actually like this album, the one thing I can’t get past is the vocals they just aren’t my cup of tea. And purely because of that I don’t think I’ll be reaching for it. I liked When You Awake and Jawbone.
very original name. not so original music. still very good. 4/5
didn't really get a good chance to listen to this one!! very cool folky vibe, again not my cup of tea and prob wouldn't listen again.
I listened to this on the way home from work on Friday 😊. It’s got a nice relaxed and care free vibe to it. Up on Cripple Creek is an awesome funky song! I think you might have played this album af Ulladulla once or twice dad? Or am I mistaking this for a different album. I loved it, it’s saved on my Spotify and I will listen to it again.
No thanks. Maybe there is something profound or interesting about their lyrics which I missed but musically it was boring and tedious. And calling yourself The Band is the height of wanker-ness. Dad - unsure Dust - probs not your thing
Esch okay aber halt nüd speziells
I rather enjoyed that. Free wheeling stuff from a band that like what they're doing
Solid album, but there's nothing too special about it for me personally. This is somewhere between rock, country and folk. For me it lacked the energy or more interesting musicianship, both in ballads and in more upbeat songs. The songs seem kind of bland and simple at times, with simple progressions and melodies. Having said that, the album is still fun to listen to and has some interesting songs. One of the high points for me are the guitar solos and the easy going nature of the album, making it perfect to listen to on a lot of occasions. Would give it 3.5 if I could.
Ehh
When I saw the uninspired name of this group, I knew this was going to be uninteresting, and I was absolutely right. If you can’t put any thought process into your group name, it’s unsurprising the music follows suit..
Fun! I kinda love old stuff like this, I like a bit of folk too. It occasionally veers into the dull, but generally it's fun and there's some real bops on here with a real sense of time and place.
Classic sound. I've never appreciated The Band as much as I should, but such a fun album. I feel like this sound does not really exist anymore. very evocative of the era.
Eh
Listened before?: No I love Music from the Big Pink but never listened to much beyond that album. I'm immediately loving this one, too.
Love some classic rock but wasn't familiar outside of "Chest Fever". Surprisingly good. Not my fave thing. Jemina Surrender is a bop. 8/10
Still don’t like the pretentiously named band. Don’t need to record “the night they drove old Dixie down,” boo hoo the south. Meh I say. Couldn’t finish it. Thus 1 star.
I found their first album boring and unfocused, but I'm blown away at how much better this followup is. It's a solid folk-rock album. The music is soft and relaxed, but still has a crisp and focused sound to it. The balance between stompers and ballads is just right. The elements of country and southern styles is great, even though I'm not a fan of country. Some of these songs you have to catch yourself feeling warm and nostalgic for some down-home southern life you never lived. Vocals and songwriting are varied and enjoyable. 4.5*
Roots rock!
Average
Background 70’s ccr vibe.
A few cool moments and a couple of good songs weren't enough to save this ultimately uninteresting album
Really liked this americana revival folk album. Didn't find it dull at all.
It's fine... Joan Baez has much better versions of a lot of these songs.
Pretty good
Interesting. Surprisingly fresh sounding. Not really my thing, but was a fascinating first listen
This is the first time I've sought out music by The Band, but of course I'm familiar with the band (heh, redundant much?), namely Levon Helm. The only other band member name I recognize is Robbie Robertson, but I couldn't have told you a lick of what he was all about before the revelation of this evening that he was the principle songwriter in The Band. I've entirely avoided Bob Dylan to this point (maybe mostly on purpose, guilty as charged), so my only significant existing connection to The Band is Levon Helm's work with Neil Young, which I enjoy. This album has a really cozy feel, great songs and really convincing performances. It definitely makes sense as to why this is such a universally loved album. Whispering Pines stood out to me as a really good ballad that I hadn't heard before. I get Grateful Dead vibes from a lot of the music, a band I'm already much more familiar with. It was an enjoyable listen, and while I'll likely revisit as well as check out more from The Band, nothing earth shattering or life changing for me at the moment.
It’s ok. Not my cup of tea per se but a pleasant way to start the day. For a layman this is run at the mill country folky swampy music
The night they drove old Dixie down and up on cripple creek aside I found the songs to be a bit long for me. Not my favorite The Band album but still enjoyable.
Nice, very chill already knew some songs I heard in folk playlists.
I'm too much of a zoomer for this. I would listen to most of these songs again in the background, but it isn't my taste. Some creep shit lol.
I assumed this had the potential to be boring. I was very wrong. This is also a really good progression from Big Pink.
Not for me. Don't particularly like the fusion of rock and country. Barely listenable.
Remarkable singer, talented musicians. Not my style of music
It’s probably sacrilege to say it, but The Band really doesn’t do it for me. I’ve never been possessed to put on one of their albums, I don’t care about The Last Waltz, I don’t even like Bob Dylan that much. I get it, but it’s not for me.
Pretty good folk/country, with a more modern sound than I expected from the era.
The hits that I've previously heard are the only tracks that stuck with me.
Absolute gas.
Rund og god
It is apt that The Band has such a generic name, because their sound is awfully generic. I remember very little of their music despite listening to this album twice in a row. "Across the Great Divide" may be the most memorable, but not entirely for good reasons. The twang on that titular line is spine tingling. The trumpet connecting sections is foot tappingly good. But the subject matter is odd, seemingly about a man being threatened by his wife with a gun - possibly for doing drugs and gambling all their money away. For this, she seems to be the villain, and the singer assures Molly he tried to keep his hands to himself, but just couldn't, and he'll definitely do better next time and "crawl across the great divide" This line of misogyny is found in much of the subject matter.
meh. Would I listen again: No Deserves to be on this list: No 1.2
The top track by plays is "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down". The tune is fine but I don't love the singer's voice. The other song that has a lot of plays is "Up On Cripple Creek", which is better. I also kind of dig "Look Out Cleveland".
If Big Pink was a solid 3, this is a weak 3, largely because "songs focusing on people, places and traditions associated with a traditional view of Americana" feel a little off putting when the weird idolization of some mythical American past is currently being used as an excuse to ruin the present.
Look, you can claim your mournful song about the fall of the Confederacy is actually an anti-war song generally, but when you choose a specific perspective to privilege over ANY other perspective in telling that story, your choice speaks for itself. Also, this album went hard on the jug-band vibes. Picture the Muppets' house band playing these songs. It's not hard.
Very solid album. No need to skip songs. Just let it play.
So very mediocre
3 out of 5. First time listening to them and better than I thought they'd be.
Won’t listen again
No strong feelings on this. Enjoyable listen but I've kind of already forgotten it
Great choice for 60s American folk music. The Band (1968). I enjoyed a few songs more than the ones that got the most airplay. Many bands including Grateful Dead (1965) and Canned Heat (1967) jumped on the Folk style music after Bob Dylan (1961) came on the scene.
This is a great album. These guys deserve more recognition.
For an album in the 60’s, pretty cool blend of genres to create a nice listening album whilst I walked the streets at night time.
Completely forgettable and uninspiring but not bad, It's a good listen tho.
Låter gammal Americana av dette albumet :) (litt folksy også) Tørr og romslig lyd. Har hørt dette albumet flere ganger, men det griper meg ikke helt som andre albumer fra samme tidsperiode og sjangerstil. Trenger noen fler spins med lyrics :)
Cripple Creek. Such a catchy and satisfying lyric. Can only listen to so much twangyness tho.
Really make full use of the multi-instrumental prowess of every band member. I’ve always been curious about this group but never listened before. Pretty consistently groovy but didn’t remember more than a tune or two after one listen.
I’ve been listening to these hillbillies a lot lately and I think I am starting to understand why so many people, especially musicians, like them.
A timeless classic. Big fan of Jawbone and The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down. Big thanks to my dad for ever getting me into The Band.
Lots of classics on here, nice honky tonk sounds to the tracks I didn't know.
7/10.
A nice tune here and there but not my style of music at all
dont fully get the magic behind them but not a bad album at all
Funky, mountain sound
apparently this band that combined Americana, folk, rock, R&B, jazz and country influenced everyone from George Harrison to Elton John to Eric Clapton to the Who dropped this second album in 69. They started out as Bob Dylan's first electric band on tour and later formed a separate unit that has frequently been called one of the influential bands of all time. It's cool to hear the background and then hear the wide range of influences on this album. Definitely worth a listen.
Classic album. I listened to it with my 4 month old and even she was smiling through it.
Solala....
Folk stuff which I don't really care for.
Alright, let's ditch the "classic" vibes and go for something a bit more, uh, "artisanal." "The Band," yeah, the self-titled one, it's like, way more than just some dusty record-bin find. It's this whole vibe, right? Like, they managed to distill the essence of some forgotten backroad Americana into these perfectly imperfect tracks. The whole thing's got this raw, almost grainy texture, with those vocals that sound like they've been aged in a whiskey barrel. And the way they weave those instruments together? It's not about showing off, it's about creating this whole mood. It's the kind of record you put on when you want to feel something real, something that's got a story to tell.
The bands album is not revolutionary but it’s compact , sounds good and has a few diff interesting instrumental beats. I enjoyed it ok
Has a good feel to it, twangy and catchy. Good for roadtrips but makes me feel like an old guy with a mustache sitting on a porch waiting for death to take me
Another great album from the 60's! There's not much to say about it, it's just great. Not the best album in the world, but great. I'm gonna leave 4 stars.
Every time I hear The Band I am happy to have visited.
Ok, not exactly my vibe
custom_rating: 5
Masterpiece! Favorite songs: Up On Cripple Creek, The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, Across the Great Divide, Rag Mama Rag, Jemima Surrender, Look Out Cleveland Least favorite songs: Whispering Pines 4/5
Likes: laid back. Sounds like a bunch of friends jamming. Decent harmonies. Like less: instead of sounding like a mash up of genres, it sounds like they don’t know what they want to sound like. Some of the instrumental breaks aren’t very interesting. Some sentimental songs that were cloying.
Pretty fire to be honest
Good start, not that good middle. Got boring, but I probably need to listen to it a few more times.
Lovely album
This was good. Highlight was Up On Cripple Creek. The rest was fairly typical late 60s early 70s rock.
THE band. That’s it folks. Pack it up. Time to go. Once we’ve heard THE band, what is the point of continuing. The finality. The omega. The band. Apparently comes from Canada too. I’ve obviously heard a few of the radio songs that these guys produced. God bless Canadian content laws. Introduced me to the Band and of course, the real band, Loverboy. Whether you’re snuggled in beside the fire in Pugwash, or you’re in the *shudder* outside world, let’s see what The band has to say. Ugh. This isn’t great. Riverboat music. Long time readers of this *ahem* “column” should be aware of two things. Firstly, their own failing sanity, and secondly that riverboat music is how I describe music that has jaunty piano and sounds like it would go down better with a sarsaparilla and a view of the mighty Mississipp’. In other words, the worst music ever conceived. Another trip on the Tulip of Missoura or whatever. Mama. Please take me to a song that doesn’t sound like it would be enjoyed by white guys who defend plantation owners while working as waiters on their yacht. Yeah see? Civil war jams. I’m always right. Completely infallible as a reviewer. Triggered, liberals? Wait. This about the south falling. That is pretty good. The song sucks, don’t get me wrong, but hey, we love the fall of racist regimes. At least we used to. No we all just bicker over which of the billionaires have the best tasting boot. God bless ‘murica. Yeah this vocal performance was ROUGH. More bad vocal harmonies. This feels super messy. When you awake, a group of Canadians will be above you, pretending to be American in a way that is even worse than that sounds. Oh they will also be pretending to be folksy to cover up bad musicianship. Radio song. Intro to a swamp themed kids show. Swamp Critters competitor. Hey. I’m a fair man, and in fairness? This song rips hard. A drunkard’s dream if I ever did see one. The song that is. And buddy, colour me six shades of sloshed. This is a change of pace, and the vocals are slightly better than we have heard. Oh wait. Here come the horrible harmonies. This is the elusive “Sixth Harmony” that the iconic pop quintet “Fifth Harmony” tried to keep hidden. The 7th harmony beckons a slug-like deity from its cavern beneath the ocean floor and will bring about the destruction of humankind. The apocalypse is at hand!! What the hell does this mean? I’ll rip my shirt and let my river flow? I’m telling you, this music was designed for patrons of middle American steamboat revival tours. This tour is for the adults where the river is a metaphor for your dick. Now. Who wants to wear the captain’s hat. I like the folk elements of this track but the music just isn’t coming together on these tracks. Honestly? Getting away from the piano is the my favourite decision they’ve made so far. Saying “ol’ rag time Willy” a 1000 times made me want to hang myself from the plastic replica bust off the bow. Grab your partner and spin ‘er round, make sure she don’t touch the ground. Look out (American city) there will be (weather event). Look out Vilnius, there will be scattered showers over the Caspian Sea. A opening that sounds like you’re being haunted by the least talented rejects of a 1950’s doo wop casting call. The curse of the forgotten Belmonts OoOoOoOoO We WeReNt VeRy TaLEnTED OOooOoOoOoo. Jokes aside, it gets better as it goes on. But that start. Consider my timbers shivering. This is fine. I guess. I’m so bored. I laughed, I grooved, I cringed. The perfect funny song. But yeah, it’s actually kinda good. Damn guys. Why choose now to be likeable and somewhat cohesive. It even has the riverboat organ! And I like it??? I have been waiting in sufferance, and all the while, an oasis was withheld? Choking on mediocrity for 3 quarters of an hour with a cool drink of water being concealed from sight. This thing was a mess and not even close to in a charming way. I understand that these guys might look cool or whatever, but I wanted so much more from this. It just doesn’t sound good. Even later songs from this group are so much better. But hey, if you’re a man in his late 80’s fading into the final fog of dementia who is now unable to discern current reality from the dreamlike recollection of your childhood, then have I got “The Band” for you! Hoping this album got Ban(ne)d in most of the world. It came from Ontario, and it died on a steamboat outside Peoria. 1.5-2 HIGHLIGHTS: Up on Cripple Creek, King Harvest (Has Surely Come)
Don’t need to say anything lol it is perfect
Catching up by listening to the ones I already know god this is such a classic like it’s broken good wow wow I wow
Complete day 2
This is the second album allocated to me that features The Band, the first being Bob Dylan’s 1966 bootleg where they perform as his backing band. To me, The Band is criminally underrated. The Brown Album may not be as groundbreaking as their debut, but it’s my personal favorite of theirs. Music does not get much better than this album folks.
It's a solid classic rock album with some all time hits and a southern flair from some northern dudes. 3.5
Fun, well-written stuff with lyrics that are probably creepy if you think too hard about them, but it's too country for me to really know lol. I think he keeps calling his lover 'mama' though. Enjoyed more than I thought I would, but calling yourself 'The Band' is bold, and not quite warranted for them I think
“Up on Cripple Creek” and “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” were five stars. The rest was pretty forgettable.
unfortunately the album did not excite me much.
Not really for me
este álbum me sorprendió en todos los sentidos, no esperaba demasiado de este genero musical pero gran parte de él fue muy agradable de escuchar. aún así, siento que el álbum pierde un poco de gas al final, los últimos 3 temas te hacen ver a la seguidilla de los primeros 5 temas como un sueño lejano, pero definitivamente no te hacen olvidarlos, simplemente no están a la altura del disco en general. muy bueno y definitivamente voy a volver a escucharlo.
No soy fan de The Band, más allá de sus más conocidas canciones (The Weight por encima de todas) y The last Waltz que marcó el fin de una era. Este, su segundo disco, fue muy bien recibido por la crítica, aún sigue siendo muy reputado pero a mí no me termina de llegar. Prefiero a The Byrds o Los Flying Burrito (ni que decir de Gram Parsons). De este destaca sin lugar a dudas The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, con cadencia y estilo similar a The Weight.
Might be the best American album of the 60's. Made by a bunch of Canadians. This thing slaps, there's not a bad song. My favourites are The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, When You Awake and Jawbone. This is an easy 5 Stars. Iconic fucking cover as well.
Did not catch me. Sing sang stuff.
Best
Hated it, thankfully it was short.
this is such a disjointed listening experience. pick a lane instead of being bad at all of them. the gall to call yourself THE band. you're barely AH band
sure. 2.5
Fine??? I liked this more than I remember liking Big Pink
Really funny name really original, good ambiant music, wasn't focused much on lyrics but it was fun to listen but classic nothing particular.
The band by the band by the band by the band By The band - The band 3
The term originates from the Latin word evocare, meaning "to call out"
Alotta good songs at the start but it loses its way around the halfway point, still really good though.
So hard to dislike the Band. Just about every album rips. The 'brown album' is no different
The Band, not really my band, and not really my album either. But okay, except for "Rag Mama Rag," the album is bearable for me. I prefer Joan Baez's version of "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down," but "The Band" doesn't do a bad job either. So, give it three stars and get rid of the album.
Well... it's fine I guess??? For the 60's??
Some what dated
Про-ход-няк. Ничего интересного в этом альбоме я не нашел, мотивы песен не запоминаются, и по вайбу он напоминает уже просмотренный мной next, поэтому выше 2 этому альбому я не могу поставить. Проходные 2/5
This was just meh to me
I don't know this Band! Oh! The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down is their song! That's cool to know.
Needs a more original name.
Good ole folk, Country, americana rock. Good songs, good stories, good musicians, good vocalists, and a good groove. They don’t pack a punch in the studio as well as live (The Last Waltz is my go to for them), but this is still a solid album.