whispering pines

Though I’ve been exposed to their hits over the years, the appeal of The Band’s music has always eluded me. Lately though, I just can’t get enough of them. Their unassuming songs place more emphasis on cultivating a groove and a feel than on impressing listeners with their musical complexity. The members, all multi-instrumentalists who shared vocal duties, each brought something different and equally valuable to the table. Capably getting down on pianos, guitars, bass and drums in an old-timey fashion, The Band made folksy, gripping music that appealed to those with an inclination to unfettered roots rock and an aversion to overblown and long-winded jams. The fragility of the vocal on “Tears of Rage” and the slow build on “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” speak to both the frailty and the grandeur of their sound. Too, most of the songs foster a sense of community (as evidenced by the film The Last Waltz), bringing people together for a good old-fashioned swig-n-snort sing-along.

LISTEN TO JAWBONE, THIS WHEEL’S ON FIRE and WHEN YOU AWAKE