The Band - Music From Big Pink (Remasters)
The album (the debut full length) was first released in 1968. This CD-rip is from the 2000 remastered and expanded re-issue edition.
CD cat.#: 7243 5 25390 2 4
EAC-rip to FLAC-image - see Log file for rip-info.
Tracks:
01. Tears Of Rage (5:24)
02. To Kingdom Come (3:22)
03. In A Station (3:35)
04. Caledonia Mission (2:59)
05. The Weight (4:39)
06. We Can Talk (3:07)
07. Long Black Veil (3:06)
08. Chest Fever (5:19)
09. Lonesome Suzie (4:04)
10. This Wheel's On Fire (3:14)
11. I Shall Be Released (3:19)
Bonus Tracks:
12. Yazoo Street Scandal (Outtake) (4:02)
13. Tears Of Rage (Alternate Take) (5:32)
14. Katie's Been Gone (Outtake) (2:47)
15. If I Lose (Outtake) (2:30)
16. Long Distance Operator (Outtake) (3:58)
17. Lonesone Suzie (Alternate Take) (3:00)
18. Orange Juice Blues (Blues For Breakfast) (Outtake - Demo) (3:40)
19. Key To The Highway (Outtake) (2:28)
20. Ferdinand The Imposter (Outtake - Demo) (4:00)
Ripped and upped by Toxxy...enjoy The Band ;-)
***
Amazon.com essential recordings.
Music from Big Pink stands as one of those rare albums that turned the rock world on its axis. On this record, released in 1968 at the height of the psychedelic revolution, the five members of the Band (along with producer-sideman John Simon) eschewed spacey diversions, opting for an earthier route. Soon enough, wah-wah pedals and tape loops were making way for fiddles and mandolins. The group's most democratic effort (Robbie Robertson would soon emerge as the ensemble's mouthpiece), the debut's 11 songs come from Robertson, bassist Rick Danko, and pianist Richard Manuel, who contributes two songs and cowrote the doleful opener, "Tears of Rage," with Bob Dylan. Manuel's role would diminish from this point hence and the balance he brought to the quintet would be missed. Many would argue that Big Pink's sequel, The Band, represents their crowning achievement. The truth is, Big Pink is the purest distillation of the Band, and their preeminent recording. This remastered reissue is generously expanded to include nine bonus tracks, a bunch highlighted by a Robertson rarity ("Ferdinand the Imposter") and a cover of the Stanley Brothers's "If I Lose." --Steven Stolder
***
Although the five musicians who came together in the late 1950s and early 1960s to back up Canadian rockabilly singer Ronnie Hawkins probably had played thousands of shows and had made numerous recordings, none of these public appearances gave much of a clue about how they would sound when they released their first album as the Band in July 1968. If people at that time had heard the 1967 sessions later dubbed "the basement tapes" that the musicians had made with Bob Dylan, they would have been better prepared. As it was, "Music From Big Pink" came as a surprise. At first blush, the group seemed to affect the sound of a loose jam session, the arrangements giving alternating emphases to different instruments, while the lead and harmony vocals passed back and forth as if the singers were making up their blend on the spot. In retrospect, especially as the lyrics sank in, the arrangements seemed far more considered and crafted to support a group of songs that took family, faith, and rural life as their subjects and proceeded to imbue their values with uncertainty. "Tears Of Rage," the lead-off track, was a lament by parents about a rebellious child; "The Weight" considered various acts of kindness that went wrong; and "I Shall Be Released," the closing track, expressed the hopeless hope of a prisoner who determined his salvation by viewing the world in reverse ("I see my light coming shining from the west unto the east," he sang, as if the earth were spinning in the opposite direction from its usual course). Other songs took on the theme of declining institutions less clearly, but the points were made musically as much as lyrically. Tenor Richard Manuel's haunting, lonely voice gave the album much of its frightening aspect, even when he wasn't singing lead (especially his moans in "The Weight"), while Rick Danko and Levon Helm's rough-hewn styles reinforced the songs' rustic fervor. The dominant instrument was Garth Hudson's organ, which could be icy and majestic, his other keyboards introducing novel sounds, while Robbie Robertson's unusual guitar work further destabilized the sound. The result was an album that reflected the cultural and political turmoil of the late '60s in a way that emphasized the tragedy inherent in the conflicts.
Nevertheless, "Music From Big Pink" came off as a shockingly divergent musical statement only a year after "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", when rock had moved toward ornate productions. Bob Dylan, the Band's mentor, had begun a move back to a simpler, if more ambiguous style with "John Wesley Harding" six months earlier, and "Music From Big Pink" initially attracted attention because of the three songs ("Tears Of Rage," "This Wheel'S On Fire," and "I Shall Be Released") he had either written or co-written. Soon, however, as "The Weight" became a minor singles chart entry, the album and the group made their own impact, influencing a movement more toward roots styles and country elements in rock. Over time, "Music From Big Pink" came to be regarded as a watershed work in the history of rock, one that introduced new tones and approaches to the constantly evolving genre.
The CD reissue released on August 29, 2000, was remastered for a clearer sound that produced a more detailed sound picture, making those rambling arrangements easier to appreciate. The reissue featured extensive liner notes by Band expert Rob Bowman and included nine bonus tracks, expanding the running time from 42 to 74 minutes. Among the new material, there were alternate takes of "Tears Of Rage" and "Lonesome Suzie" (the former only marginally different, the latter a completely different approach to the song); versions of four songs previously released on the 1975 album "The Basement Tapes" ("Yazoo Street Scandal," "Katie'S Been Gone," "Long Distance Operator," and "Orange Juice Blues [Blues For Breakfast]"); covers of country and blues material ("If I Lose," "Key To The Highway"); and one original song probably from the group's initial demo session ("Ferdinand The Imposter"). None of these recordings sounded like they should have been included on the original album, but they provided an interesting addenda, especially for aficionados who might need a reason to invest in yet another reissue of this classic album. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
***
The Band emerged from months of seclusion with this enthralling debut album. It followed a lengthy spell accompanying Bob Dylan, which culminated in sessions known as THE BASEMENT TAPES. Three songs herein were revived from those recordings, and the remainder showed a similar pastoral spirit. Where contemporaries sought expression in progressive music, the Band were largely reflective, creating atmosphere from traditional forms and distilling the results in an economical style. The Band's ensemble playing and rural voices were best captured on "The Weight," an elliptical composition that displayed their craft to perfection. Americana of every hue can be gleaned from this collection, the depth of which left a marked impression on audiences and musicians alike.
Originally released on Capitol (7777 46069).
Includes liner notes by Rob Bowman.
9 Bonus Tracks
Recorded at Big Pink, West Saugerties, New York.
Reissue producers: Cheryl Pawelski, Andrew Sandoval.
Engineers include: Don Hahn, Tony May, Rex Updegraft.
The Band: Richard Manuel (vocals, keyboards); Rick Danko (vocals, bass); Levon Helm (vocals, drums); Robbie Robertson (guitar); Garth Hudson (keyboards).
Producer: John Simon.
Rolling Stone (12/11/03, p.108) - Ranked #34 in Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums Of All Time" - "...An instant homespun classic..."
Rolling Stone (8/31/00, pp.69-73) - 5 stars out of 5 - "...[One] of rock's few perfect albums, [an] immaculate reflection of [its] times [with] master fictions told with the spit and color of a fur trapper's memoirs...the bonus tracks are sweet gravy..."
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 - "...Almost anonymously shifted the boundaries for what rock might aspire to be....it's still a collection to rake the breath away..."
Uncut (9/01, p.108) - "...Austere yet fascinating, enduringly impressive both as an aesthetic manifesto and a wonderfully understated display of controlled artistry, MUSIC FROM BIG PINK remains a landmark recording which no serious collector can be without..."
Down Beat (10/01, p.66) - 4.5 stars out of 5 - "...Invoking the experience of working-class folks through music and words...[this] overflowed with distinctive singing and musicianship..."
No Depression (9-10/00, pp.102-3) - "...Brilliant....enhancing one's admiration for [their] achievements..."
Mojo (Publisher) (10/00, p.126) - "...In its mixture of the mundane and the weird, of traditional and avant-garde gestures, BIG PINK retains all of that original transfixing magic..."
[CDUniverse]
***
One of the twenty greatest albums ever.
5.0 out of 5 stars.
Before I bought this CD I had only heard The Weight and it was the main reason I bought this CD. To put it simply I was blown away by it. This album is the reason Eric Clapton disbanded cream and it is easy to see why. Every aspect of this album is beautiful and every song is great, not one stands out above the rest. I have since compiled a large collection of The Band, but this one will always be my favorite. The blending of the three voices is heard most on this album, with Richard Manuels standing out the most. In my opinion his voice is one of the most beautiful ever, and one listen of I shall be released should convince anyone of this. The album is a drastic departure from anything being recorded around the same time. It starts of with a slow song, Tears of Rage, very uncommon for the day. The songs all have a very old feel to them, and there is a lot of gospel flavor incoporated into them. It is basically the perfect album. Every band member was equally important to every song and each is one of the best at their respective instrument. In my opinion this is one of the best albums ever and this new remastered version is even better. The bonus tracks are pretty interesting especially if you don't already own the basement tapes. If you are looking to get into The Band start with this album and work your way through their catalog. It is the kind of album that gets better each time you listen to it and no music fan should be without it.
[review by Amazon user]
***
More Than A Classic!
5.0 out of 5 stars
It's great to see such a terrific album finally get the treatment it deserves-remastered sound quality, an expanded CD booklet, and the real "gravy"-all the bonus tracks! This is the album that created a musical revolution in 1968 (no small feat for the 60's!) Influencing everybody from the Beatles to Eric Clapton (whom even went so far as to make a pilgrimage to Big Pink to hang out and jam!) This was honest, well-written (by Robbie Robertson, Bob Dylan , Richard Manuel, Rick Danko) well-played (three superb singers), just plain great music! The classics are here "The Weight", "I Shall Be Released", "This Wheel's On Fire"-but others in the original line-up are just as good: "We Can Talk", "Long Black Veil", and " Tears of Rage" also standout. The bonus tracks are reason to buy this CD alone!-These are rare songs that only collectors have been able to hear: "Ferdinand The Imposter", "If I Lose" and "Orange Juice Blues" are finally available in pristine CD quality! Can we give this album 6 stars?!!
[review by Amazon user]
***
The Best of The Band.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Allow me to preface this review by saying that I'm not any sort of Band scholar, more of just a casual patron of the arts...but hot damn, is this one hell of a CD. In my vast collection of albums, I can't think of one that boasts instrumentation as innovative as "Big Pink." Each song's a symphony in itself, seemingly composed by a roots-rock Phil Spector or something. There's not a single bad song on here, although they're all very different; if you're only familiar with the acoustic sound featured on "The Weight," you may be surprised to hear the lush organs, synths and strings on all of the other tracks. Believe me though, it works perfectly. The scope of this album is so vast that you wouldn't believe it was possible to achieve, but The Band really pulls it off. Truly, The Band is the superlative example of a band, where each member contributed equally to the group effort. This reissue is so clutch, too: the sound is great, and the bonus tracks add what is essentially a companion album to the original tracks. Whomever was in charge of compiling the tracks really knew his stuff. Kudos for including "Ferdinand the Imposter," a terribly recorded favorite from "The Genuine Basement Tapes," because it is such a damn fine song.
[review by Amazon user]