The Band
The Band - Capitol 1969 Comments:"The Band" was the Band's second album, and probably their most consistent and influential. At the time of its release in 1969 nothing quite like it was heard before; apart from, of course, their first album "Music From Big Pink", which is as close as it gets to being an equally strong release.
What makes the Band's early album so great is the simple fact that they have it all. Great songs, concerned lyrics, 3 outstanding lead-singers, brilliant musicians, inventive arrangements and tight playing.
All songs on this album are very memorable, many of them classics like "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down", "Across the Great Divide" and "Up On Cripple Creek".
Some of the quieter song that may not hit you the first times you listen to them, may grow to be favourites like they did for me. "When You Awake" and "Rockin' Chair" belong to that category. A shame the Richard Manuel eventually lost faith in himself as a songwriter, but on this album he still contributes to the song-writing on songs like "Whispering Pines", "Jawbone" and "When You Awake".
He may have felt it too burdening to live up to Robertson's prolific songwriting.
The bonus track features the great outtake "Get Up Jake", known from the "Rock of Ages" live album.
The other bonus songs are alternate versions of songs on the original; all interesting and most of them almost as good as the originally released versions.
A highly recommended album!
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