That’s because this group of Canadians plus Helm reflect much feeling for American culture and history not to mention the earthy arrangements and beautiful vocals….Helms had a nice rough sandpaper-y voice and Bassist Rick Danko was able to move back and forth between an uncertain quaver and hitting the high and low notes but the my favorite singer of the three was Richard Manuel whose beautiful falsetto conveyed all manner of sad emotions-loss, uncertainty, sympathy, loneliness….He is one of the greatest singers I’ve ever heard.
Bruce Springsteen and other American based rockers who spin their tales of America lack an authentic feel….With their deliberately raspy voices and endless collection of flannel shirts, they just seem like posers….Not to mention their mediocre music.
The music of The Band was not necessarily based on roots rock but quite inventive largely due to the keyboards and synth work of Garth Hudson….His presence on keyboards is a bit like Keith Moon on drums for The Who as it dominates many of the songs.
There has been some controversy in recent years as to how much of The Band’s catalog guitarist Robbie Robertson really wrote….Their music certainly had a collaborative feel with voices and instruments falling into each other overlapping, drowning each other or harmonizing in a deliberately ragged way….I love how the sounds run together on the first two Band albums....The three songs Richard Manuel wrote on their first album are classics....Too bad he didn't write more on subsequent recordings.
And yes it’s true that their first two albums MUSIC FROM BIG PINK and THE BAND were their best….The former contained their best musical arrangements and sound and the latter their best songwriting but STAGE FRIGHT and CAHOOTS are decent albums….Every Band album had at least a few classic songs.
My favorite Band songs – In A Station, Lonesome Suzie, Unfaithful Servant, Whispering Pines, Sleeping, The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, We Can Talk , Hobo Jungle
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