Music from Big Pink
Artist: The Band
Community Score: 8.16

None of the Band's previous work gave much of a clue about how they would sound when they released their first album in July 1968. As it was, Music from Big Pink came as a surprise. At first blush, the group seemed to affect the sound of a loose jam session, alternating emphasis on different instruments, while the lead and harmony vocals passed... Read More

I Can Help - MONUMENT
Artist: Billy Swan
Once in a Blue Moon
Artist: Frankie Miller

This first album by Scotland's Frankie Miller features pub-rock favorites Brinsley Schwartz as his backup band. That alone is reason enough to own this record. Add to that a nice batch of songs (mostly originals) and you have an enjoyable album. ~ Jim Worbois, All Music Guide Read More

Rick Danko
Artist: Rick Danko
Community Score: 8.00

Recorded after the breakup of the Band in 1977, Danko's debut featured guest shots from Eric Clapton, Ron Wood, Doug Sahm, Tim Drummond, and Gerry Beckley. Even with all the extra firepower, it's an uneven effort at best with "Java Blues," "Shake It," and "Brainwash" being particular standouts. ~ Cub Koda, All Music Guide Read More

Star Collection
Artist: Buffalo Springfield
Expecting to Fly
Artist: Buffalo Springfield
The Best of the Band
Artist: The Band

With The Best of the Band, Capitol Records began the inevitable process of repackaging the music of the Band, which the company would do at increasing length without solving the fundamental problem that the Band, despite the quality of their individual songs, was not a singles act and was hard to summarize in a compilation. That said, for the... Read More

Live Rust
Artist: Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Community Score: 6.50

All the kudos Neil Young earned for Rust Never Sleeps he lost for Live Rust, the double-LP live album released four months later. Live Rust was the soundtrack to Young's concert film Rust Never Sleeps (he had wanted to give it that title, but Reprise vetoed the idea, fearing confusion with the earlier album), and likewise was recorded October... Read More

Backtracks
Artist: Poco

A nine-song compilation of Poco's tenure at ABC Records, 1975-1982, judiciously chosen. Later expanded for CD release and retitled Crazy Loving: The Best of Poco 1975-1982. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide Read More

What a Long Strange Trip It's Been
Artist: Grateful Dead

What a Long Strange Trip It's Been is a two-disc compilation of the Grateful Dead's tenure at Warner Bros., 1967-1972. Well-chosen, it contains many of their best songs from the period and is notable for giving album release to the studio-recorded single version of "Dark Star," the Dead's most requested song. Relative newcomers to the band... Read More

Blues for Allah
Artist: Grateful Dead
Community Score: 8.00

The Grateful Dead went into a state of latent activity in the fall of 1974 that lasted until the spring of the following year when the band reconvened at guitarist/vocalist Bob Weir's Ace Studios to record Blues for Allah. The disc was likewise the third to be issued on their own Grateful Dead Records label. When the LP hit shelves in September... Read More

Garcia
Artist: Jerry Garcia
Community Score: 9.33

This disc was a happy byproduct of the Grateful Dead re-signing with Warner Bros. It was mutually beneficial for Bob Weir (guitar/vocals) as well as Mickey Hart (percussion), and his criminally overlooked debut long player Rolling Thunder (1972). Jerry Garcia's (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, pedal steel guitar, bass, piano, organ, samples,... Read More

Billy Swan - MONUMENT
Artist: Billy Swan

At a little under 26 minutes in length, Billy Swan's self-titled album (on CD combined with the LP Four) is nonetheless a testament to the fact that he was more than just a one-hit wonder. The band of musicians gathered is impressive, including Bobby Wood on piano, the Jordanaires on backup vocals, and Carl Perkins on two numbers written by the... Read More