When Robbie Robertson and the rest of the Band split into two camps in the late '70s, who ever thought Robertson would get the worst of the deal? After all, Robertson had written just about every important song the Band had ever recorded and his biting Stratocaster work was essential to the Canadian group's sound. As it turned out, Robertson's solo albums have been embarrassing duds, while his ex-partners have released two superb efforts as the Band: Jericho (1993) and High on the Hog. Levon Helm, Rick Danko, and the late Richard Manuel handled all the vocals in the Band's heyday, so the voices are still there; the rock-solid rhythm section is still there; and so are Garth Hudson's inimitable, intoxicating keyboard parts. --Geoffrey Himes