[adamaley]

Hi there,
One day, on one of my internet music rummaging sessions, I downloaded the album,
Uncut - Across the Great Divide - Music Inspired By the Band.

http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/d9/8f/11cac060ada0d2aa13e1e110.L.jpg

It's a great compilation done by contemporary artists. This album has detoured my musical trajectory significantly. I'm slowly appreciating rock music more and more. It's inspired me to delve into the music of Mercury Rev, Sufjan Stevens, and the Drive by Truckers.

I need two albums by The Band that you feel encompass the most of their essence. That you feel are essential and most importantly, musically and emotionally satisfying. Thanks in advance.

[adamaley]

Yes, I am looking for album titles to purchase. I will check out your link. Does it play entire songs? What are your two favorite albums by The Band?

[Daedalus Audio]

all good but my two favorites are : Jericho  and To Kingdom Come

[ted_b]

With The Band you have three options:
1) get two of their studio albums (my recommendation) that flow the way they were intended
2) get their anthologies/best-of's and you will not miss out on great individual songs hidden on the other dozen or so albums you don't get in option 1.
3)  get The Last Waltz, a penultimate live event documented by Martin Scorsese and helped out by Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, etc.

Frankly, my advise is start with option 1, go to option 3, then fill in with all their other albums.  I dislike anthologies frankly. 

One early, one late.  Both freaking classics....

[Wally King]

In my humble opinion, you need three:

The first, "Music from Big Pink," the 2nd, "The Band," and the live album, "Rock of Ages," which I've always thought was way better than "The Last Waltz."

[brother love]

The two essential Band albums to own are by far & away their first two releases:

Music from Big Pink (my all time fave of theirs) & The Band.   

But don't take mine or others word for it.  Rolling Stones Top 500 albums of all time had these two from The Band rated the highest (#34 & #45 respectively) ...

http://www.mlscmusic.com/content/Charts%20Awards/Rolling%20Stone%20500/Rolling%20Stone%20Top%20500%20list.pdf

[decal]

Their first and second albums should be in every music collection.

Music From Big Pink
Samples


The Band
Samples

[ted_b]

The two essential Band albums to own are by far & away their first two releases:

Music from Big Pink (my all time fave of theirs) & The Band.   

But don't take mine or others word for it.  Rolling Stones Top 500 albums of all time had these two from The Band rated the highest (#34 & #45 respectively) ...

http://www.mlscmusic.com/content/Charts%20Awards/Rolling%20Stone%20500/Rolling%20Stone%20Top%20500%20list.pdf

I completely agree that the first two are most special...but thought the OP should have one from later in career for better understanding of where they went.  No arguments though.

[adamaley]

It will take about 3 minutes for you to find out the answer yourself.

Unfortunately, I'm not at a location where I can play music at the moment. Thanks to everyone for the suggestions so far. Ted_b, I agree with going with albums as opposed to Greatest hits. Anthologies could also be overwhelming. So far, the album, "The Band" seems to be rolling off everyone's tongue. I'll start there. Should "The Big Pink" be my second?

[Diamond Dog]

My votes would be for The Band and Music from Big Pink.
The Last Waltz is too cluttered up with guests to really serve as a summation of what The Band itself was about. There is ( as previously mentioned ) also the live album
Rock Of Ages which is a little more rockin' but is mainly focused on earlier material ( which is OK by me ). The "come-back" album Northern Lights Southern Cross has some great stuff on it but I'm not sure it's the equal of the first two albums ( although it does show the evolution of the band ).

D.D.

[rajacat]

I have the CD version of The Last Waltz and I'm disappointed with the sound quality.

I also have Rock of Ages in vinyl which I like much better with an excellent live performance reasonably well recorded.



I've had trouble finding CD releases that have very good sound quality. It's a shame the this great group wasn't recorded better. Is there a decent CD release of Music from the Big Pink? I'd like to know.

I'd also like to know what version of The Band to buy.

[ted_b]

I have Big Pink on hirez DVD-Audio.  Very nice.   

MOFI has hybrid stereo SACD's now of Big Pink, Cahoots, Stage Fright, Rock of Ages and Northern lights .  i own Cahoots and Northern lights in these formats.   The Hoffman/Gray remaster of The Band is Audio Fidelity label and very nice, but many say the 200 remaster (with addtl 10 cuts or so, mostly demos) is well done and not a remastering butcher job of loudness and harshness like so many others.

[brother love]

I completely agree that the first two are most special...but thought the OP should have one from later in career for better understanding of where they went.  No arguments though.

Same here ted_b. All Band releases are a cut above.  I particularly love the live albums: Rock of Ages & The Last Waltz.

[adamaley]

"The Big Pink" will be the second. I'll surely check out "Rock of Ages" later. I've usually preferred live albums to studios. Hopefully I get pulled down the same path a recommendation of "Saxophone Colossus" took me with jazz 5 years ago. I don't expect this to be a thread simply about me finding music to try out though, it could be a nice appreciation spot for the group. What is everybody's favorite "The Band" song and why?

[ted_b]

One reason I LOVE The Band is their diversity.  Each member (except for Garth, normally) takes a turn at lead vocals, writing and producing.... and Robbie's writing is amazing and puts him in the Hall regardless of whatever else.  For these reasons I cannot have a favorite Band song, just as I cannot have a favorite Beatle song.  Depends on the mood, the day, the time of day, the external influences (    ) etc. 

[brother love]

What is everybody's favorite "The Band" song and why?

Richard Manuel’s haunting voice from Big Pink’s “Tears of Rage” will leave a mark that will stay w/ you forever more.  Robbie Robertson’s guitar is stellar on that one too.

Second favorite is also from Big Pink “The Weight”.  I saw the film “It Might Get Loud” recently & the Page/ Edge/ White session ended with “The Weight”.   

[vinyl_guy]

Their first and second albums should be in every music collection.

+1 
I also like Rock of Ages and The Basement Tapes with Bob Dylan.

[adamaley]

Richard Manuel’s haunting voice from Big Pink’s “Tears of Rage” will leave a mark that will stay w/ you forever more.  Robbie Robertson’s guitar is stellar on that one too.

Second favorite is also from Big Pink “The Weight”.  I saw the film “It Might Get Loud” recently & the Page/ Edge/ White session ended with “The Weight”.   

Nice. This is what I like to hear.

[ted_b]

Not necessarily an all-time fave, but lots of fun, is Richard's duet with Van Morrison on the Robbie-Van penned "4% Pantomime" from Cahoots. 

[Scottdazzle]

Their first and second albums should be in every music collection.

Music From Big Pink
Samples


The Band
Samples

Absolutely +1