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Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums of All Time - Rated 100/500!Having played together in various forms since 1958, when tapped by Bob Dylan eight years later for his next reincarnation, this core of four Canadians and one Arkansas cracker would finally get their chance to emerge from backing others. Signing with Capitol Records, they set up shop with Dylan in Woodstock, NY and recorded a collection of songs in 1968 (three co-written with his Bob-ness) that became Music From Big Pink. Definitely an outgrowth of the legendary Basement Tapes, it was tracked in a time of envelope-pushing studio experimentations and pop psychedelia. Robbie Robertson's lyrics and the group's arrangements were unlike anything else on the scene.
Terms such as 'American Gothic' have been tagged to their subject matter, a lot of which was rooted in American history. They tempered these images with surreal touches of carnival, traveling medicine show and minstrel genres, mixing r&b, folk and country with blues, soul and gospel. Once, when asked to define such a melding, drummer and one of the group's three great vocalists, Levon Helm famously deadpanned "rock and roll".
Indeed. All five members shine brightly on this debut: Helm plus pianist Richard Manuel and bassist Rick Danko trade lead vocals, high, low and in-between, plus come together for moving harmonies. Multi-instrumentalist Garth Hudson fills in the slots with every type of keyboard known to man while guitarist and chief songwriter Robertson provides the glue with his tasty guitar and visionary arrangements. Music From Big Pink is a watershed album in the history of rock.
Other titles by The Band on Limited Edition Mobile Fidelity SACD include Northern Lights - Southern Cross (MOBSA2047), Rock of Ages (MOBSA2046), and Cahoots (MOBSA2045).
"Big Pink" was a garishly pink house in Woodstock, New York, where the Band — Dylan's '65-66 backup band on tour — moved to be near Dylan after his motorcycle accident. While he recuperated, the Band backed him on the demos later known as The Basement Tapes and made its own debut. Dylan offered to play on the album; the Band said no thanks. "We didn't want to just ride his shirttail all the time," drummer Levon Helm said. Dylan contributed "I Shall Be Released" and co-wrote two other tunes. But it was the rustic beauty of the Band's music and the incisive drama of its own reflections on family and obligations, such as "The Weight," that made Big Pink an instant homespun classic." - www.rollingstone.com
Features:
• Super Audio CD
• SACD Stereo SACD Layer
• This Hybrid SACD contains a 'Red Book' Stereo CD Layer which is playable on most conventional CD Players!
• Numbered, Limited Edition
• Mastered From Original Master Tapes
Selections:
1. Tears of Rage
2. To Kingdom Come
3. In a Station
4. Caledonia Mission
5. The Weight
6. We Can Talk
7. Long Black Veil
8. Chest Fever
9. Lonesome Suzie
10. This Wheel's on Fire
11. I Shall Be Released
