Up on Cripple Creek...

I'm partly shocked that I bought this album (The Band, self titled) so late in life. Another part of me is just plain thrilled. Why?

This 1969 classic (fondly called the Brown Album for its super sleeve) followed their Music From The Big Pink (1968), an album many believe to be the best ever recorded. Eric Clapton, in the liner notes of Blind Faith's deluxe edition, sums it up when he described Music From The Big Pink as having the most significant impact on him "whose versatility and harmonious unity seemed blissfully free of the corrosive intensity which had fueled Cream".

But for now, let me focus on this one. Like MFTBP, many believe this to be the most perfect rock album ever made. And I mighthave to put this up with Moondance and Born To run.

The Band are Levon Helm, Richard Manuel, Garth Hudson, Rick Danko, and Robbie Robertson. Among them, they have mastered 27 different instruments. Like Elvis (White guy who made super black music), these guys were mostly Canadian (4 of 5) but managed to create a unique style of music that is genuine American.

I never heard another album which such a flow from start to finish like this one. Maybe Van Morrison's Moondance. But this is truly unbelieveable. The lyrics are simple and very intelligent at the same time. The harmonies are the best I ever heard - and the guitaring is so understated that you'd beg to hear more. One only has to watch The Last Waltz to see how talented these boys were. To hold it all back and give a tight recording like this is truly immortal-like.

My favourite tracks so far include:

Across The Great Divide *****
Rag Mama Rag*****
The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down*****
Up on Cripple Creek *****
Whispering Pines****
Jemima Surreneder****
Look Out Cleveland*****

I got Moondance when I was going through a slightly low phase in my life - and it lifted me out of it. This album arrived into my life under similar circumstances. And I feel so much better. Thats why I'm glad I got this now. And I'm so glad I have so much of these classics to discover and appreciate.

Its a beautiful world.