The Band - The Band [Remastered and Expanded]

Initially renowned as Bob Dylan's backing group, the Band emerged from the singer's shadow to proclaim a distinctive talent. Drawing upon a musical canon embracing soul, country, folk and rock `n' roll, the quintet created a unique sound that was quintessentially American. Its rustic qualities were enhanced by principle songwriter Robbie Robertson who created vistas suggestive of a pre-industrial age, and as such, captured the restlessness of the late 60s without the need for explicit manifestos. Expressive singing, sublime melodies and telepathic musicianship instils The Band with quality, but its adult themes and perspectives ensure an absolute timelessness. An all-time critics' favourite.

[HBdirect-com]

The Band:

Levon Helm (vocals, guitar, mandolin, drums)
Robbie Robertson (vocals, guitar)
Rick Danko (vocals, violin, trombone, bass)
Richard Manuel (vocals, harmonica, baritone saxophone, piano, drums)
Garth Hudson (accordion, soprano, tenor & baritone saxophones, trumpet, piano, organ, clavinet)


Additional personnel: John Simon (tuba, horns, electric piano).

Producers: The Band, John Simon.

Reissue producers: Cheryl Pawelski, Andrew Sandoval.

Recorded in Hollywood, California, 1969.




***



Album Reviews:

Rolling Stone (12/11/03, p.110) - Ranked #45 in Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums Of All Time" - "…Robertson's stories truly come to life in Helm's man-of-the-soil growl, Rick Danko's high tenor and Richard Manuel's spectral croon…"

Rolling Stone (10/18/69, p.44) - "…The hymn-like quality of the voicings, the use of counter-point and contrapuntal rhythms by the singers, the weaving of voices in and out into a pattern that grows each time you hear it, are the things that make the sound of this music so compelling…"

Rolling Stone (2/3/00, p.61) - 5 stars out of 5 - "…a sound that had a strange glamour and a seductive abstraction….THE BAND was where the group filled in the map….The people were flesh and blood…and they gathered to talk and brag about what mattered to them….The songs were uproarious, full of outrageous double-entendres…"

Entertainment Weekly (9/1/00, p.81) - "…[One] of the best albums in rock history….These remasterings sound incredibly rich, and each has alternate takes….this is reissuing done right." - Rating: A

Q (10/00, p.139) - 5 stars out of 5 - "…Even stronger [than their debut, MUSIC FROM BIG PINK] with [Robbie] Robertson's elegiac songsmithery…in full bloom…"

Down Beat (10/01, p.66) - 4 stars out of 5 - "…This has the authority and radiance of beaten gold…"

No Depression (9-10/00, pp.102-3) - "…An undeniable classic of North American roots music, exploring folk, gospel, country, rhythm & blues, soul, funk, and rock & roll…"

Mojo (Publisher) (10/00, p.126) - "…Their masterpiece, with its myth-creating sepia sleeve photograph and its astonishing breadth of resource and reference…"

Canadian Essential.

Popularly known as the "Brown Album," this is the collection people first think of when this august outfit's name is mentioned. The four-parts Canadian, one-part Arkansan quintet's sophomore effort boasts more soon-to-be-staples than any other Band studio recording, what with the likes of the Joan Baez hit "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down," "Across the Great Divide," and "Up on Cripple Creek" standing out among the dozen uniformly memorable tracks. Lesser-known group originals such as the achingly lovely "Whispering Pines" and the cryptic "Unfaithful Servant," however, play crucial roles in giving this 1969 classic its unique flavor. Given the high standard established by The Band and its better-still 1968 predecessor, Music from Big Pink, it's not surprising the Band peaked early as a recording group. As with all the 2000 Band reissues, this remastered reissue boasts a number of bonus tracks, though all but "Get Up Jake" are alternate takes of album selections.

[Steven Stolder, Amazon]

The Band Official Homepage

The Band at Wikipedia




Tracks:

01. Across The Great Divide (2:54)
02. Rag Mama Rag (3:05)
03. The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down (3:33)
04. When You Awake (3:13)
05. Up On Cripple Creek (4:35)
06. Whispering Pines (3:58)
07. Jemima Surrender (3:32)
08. Rockin' Chair (3:43)
09. Look Out Cleveland (3:10)
10. Jawbone (4:21)
11. The Unfaithful Servant (4:17)
12. King Harvest (Has Surely Come) (3:40)

Bonus Tracks:

13. Get Up Jake (Outtake - Stereo Mix) (2:18)
14. Rag Mama Rag (Alternate Vocal Take - Rough Mix) (3:05)
15. The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down (Alternate Mix) (4:16)
16. Up On Cripple Creek (Alternate Take) (4:51)
17. Whispering Pines (Alternate Take) (5:10)
18. Jemima Surrender (Alternate Take) (3:49)
19. King Harvest Has Surely Come (Alternate Performance) (4:29)

FLAC-image
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5


MP3 @320 CBR
Part 1
Part 2


Complete scanned artwork (600dpi)
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More Remastered and Expanded CDs with The Band will be posted in the coming days/weeks!