Make A Little Magic/Jealousy [Remastered] - Dirt Band

Don't Get Frightened By The Band's Thrid Album Release

Advantages: Great Tracks Throughout, In A Different Style To Their Others
Disadvantages: A Few More Bonus Tracks Would Have Been Nice

In the album catalogue of The Band, Stage Fright is often seen as their third best album behind their two previous releases, and that is a far assessment, but in my opinion it is an album that is so different from their previous records that it is quite a difficult one to judge against their others. As an album, it has to be one of my favourite albums by The Band to listen to, but then I have always enjoyed the more rock based style that they take on here. And this is what makes this album so different to Music From Big Pink and The Band (The Brown Album), as it doesn?t contain some of their more folk/roots backing, instead moving into more guitar, piano and drums, which isn?t a bad thing, as they are equally as adept at this as they are at the backing used on their previous albums. The title of the album and some of the lyrics within ...

Robin_Hod12 03.08.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Stage Fright [Remastered] - Band (The)

The End Of The First (And Best) Form Of The Band

Advantages: A Few Of Good Tracks
Disadvantages: Nowhere Near The Same Degree Of Quality As Their Earlier Work

Much has been said of this record in terms of whether or not The Band really wanted to make it, most putting it down as simply a way of getting out of a contract with Capitol, so that The Last Waltz, their grand finale, could be released by Warner Brothers. Thus for most they would assume that this album did not get off to the best of starts and was doomed to linger at the back of their catalogue, and in a sense this is not to far from the truth as it is definitely not their best work, but it still contains a smattering of tracks that I am glad to own a piece of. The album in truth is made up of a collection of B-sides and outtakes, with a couple of covers and a few new tracks, but this makes for an interesting listen, that far from being entirely cohesive is still a rewarding listen. Even though the lyrics and the instrumentation never ...

Robin_Hod12 24.07.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Islands [Remastered] - Band (The)

"I Want To Be There When The Band Starts Playing..."

Advantages: Instrumentally And Lyrically Sublime
Disadvantages: None, Unless You're Not A Fan

, and this idea continues throughout with Robertson claiming that after overloading with guitar solos during Dylan's 1966 tour, he wanted an album where the other instruments were given more of a voice, and for that I can am entirely in his debt as it makes it a far more interesting listen that what it otherwise may have been. The track itself is quite dynamic with the chorus building up with what would become the classic Band harmonics with each voice given its own place and not simply forced into a harmony. 5. The Weight ***** Probably the most well-known track by The Band, this track is for me a highlight of the album as it works on so many levels, with the laid back verses and chorus that simply allow you to amble along with them as they take you through this rather odd almost-narrative piece. The simple drum work by Manuel is great as it ...

Robin_Hod12 24.07.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Music From Big Pink [Remastered] - Band (The)