My Amazon Reviews: Robbie Robertson

Bidding goodbye to The Band

March 8, 2010

I have always found it ironic that one of the men most responsible for defining the American Genre of music was a Canadian. Robbie Robertson led that band through many highs before they ultimately dissolved, then took another 11 years to release his first solo album. At a mere nine songs, he obviously took his time to compose what he felt were compositions worth hearing, and his 1987 solo debut remains his best solo work. Robertson also made it very clear that he would not be satisfied just making an album that mimicked The Band.

Enlisting producer Daniel Lanois to spin his atmospheric production mist around the new songs, then bringing in admirers to assist with their creation, "Robbie Robertson" emerged as an all-star effort of critical praise and artistic cooperation. Peter Gabriel, Bono, The Bodeans, Maria McKee (Lone Justice) all make appearances, but this is strictly Robertson's show. While the album also has a very late 80's feel to it (having a great deal to do with his guest's influences), all the songs are stellar. The highlights are "American Roullete," where Robertson takes on our idol martyr machine, driving at Elvis, Marilyn and James Dean. The "Broken Arrow" tribute to Band member Richard Manuel was emotionally powerful enough that Rod Stewart took a softened version of it Top 20. While Gabriel's contribution of "Fallen Angel" sounds a tad too close to his own "Red Rain" and U2 made "Sweet Fire Of Love" seem made to force Robertson into a guest on his own album, these are still both good songs.

For me, though, the capper was "Somewhere Down The Crazy River." Delivered as a smokey talk-song, it is also the album's production apex. The Bodeans supply a sweet/sour vocal echo to the chorus as Robertson describes a darkly magic night in New Orleans. It's the least organic song on an already eclectic album, and that's saying something. Robertson would further explore these thoughts and locales on his Storyville, but for "Somewhere Down The Crazy River," he said it all in under four minutes.