I often buy a CD just because I feel I ought to have heard something by this band/artist, so seeing a The Band 'best of', I thought I'd risk a pound. I knew little apart from them being well-known and having something to do with Dylan, and on the sleeve I recognise the name Robbie Robertson, but that's all.
From the start, it's apparent what I've let myself in for - largely pleasant country rock in The Weight and The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, but also tiresome rock'n'roll in Ain't Got No Home, followed by a horrible version of Dylan's I Shall Be Released. Change is Gonna Come is tolerable, but then a wholly unnecessary reworking of The Third Man Theme removes all the menace and mystery from the original zither tune. Things brighten up with Don't Do It and Stage Fright, but it's still quite ordinary. Long Black Veil is a weak cover (I'm more used to the Nick Cave version) and River Hymn is more average country rock.
Does the world need another version of Georgia On My Mind? No, thought not. Not The Great Pretender. This compilation ends with 4% Pantomime, a stronger bluesy number, co-written and graced by Van Morrison.
In my opinion, the best songs on this album are the original songs, but even they seem ordinary, and not to my taste.
2* - not for me. A mixture of average country-rock and uninspiring covers.
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