Customer Reviews

Robbie Robertson

5 star:		(51)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Why this album did not create more of a cultural splash upon its release is a mystery to me. As another reviewer notes, it is as great as "Music from Big Pink," while bearing almost no resemblance to that work.
Great music, lyrics, performances, and production (by Daniel Lanois of U2 fame) In my opinion, Robertson's first solo album is one of the greatest musical works of the 20th century (I include Hendrix, Gershwin, Lennon-McCartney, Schoenberg, Stravinsky, Strauss, etc.). Finally, "Showdown at Big Sky" is one of the two greatest songs written about the nuclear sword of Damocles. (Pete Townshend's "Why did we fall for that?" being the other.)
His second solo effort, Storyville, is almost as good.

Don't get me wrong -- I'm a big fan of the Band, from debut to Dylan's basement tapes to the Last Waltz. But Robertson must have had an out of body experience to come up with these renderings. A masterful performance with distinctive production by Daniel Lanois. Memorable cameos by U2 and the Bodines.

Many albums contain one or two songs which are worth listening to. This album does contain a couple of stand out songs incuding "American Roulette" and "Somewhere Down the Crazy River," but is one of those rare gems which doesn't have a wasted note. Robertson's voice is spectral and haunting. The music is lush, driven by an insistent almost Native American drum beat and punctuated by an electric guitar which almost speaks, and leaves you breathing hard not from the notes it plays, but from the notes it doesn't play. This album is almost a spiritual experience. Great stuff!

Robbie Robertson's solo debut is a radical departure from his former work with The Band. The sparse feel-good country rock compositions are gone. This release could very well be titled `Peter Gabriel Meets U2' if is was not for the fact that Robertson is clearly in command. Gabriel's African rhythms dominate `Fallen Angel' and `Broken Arrow.' Bono and The Edge lend a hand on `Sweet Fire Of Love' and `Testimony.' Bono's passionate pleading vocals are contrasted by Robertson's gravely speak-sing delivery.

The music has an overall feel of danger: it is rich, powerful and pounding. The bass guitar notes crack like thunder. `American Roulette' is the perfect driving song. Speeding along a deserted Nevada straight away at 120 miles per hour is living on the edge of fear.

The disc begins with `Fallen Angel,' a slow tempo loving tribute to a departed friend. It is filled with loss and longing. The fear and anticipation of Judgment Day (Showdown At Big Sky) will knock you out of your seat. Peaceful and melodic, `Broken Arrow' (with its references to the Prince of Peace) is a brief relief from `Showdown.' Love and redemption set `Sweet Fire Of Love' ablaze. `American Roulette' is a dangerous game played by superstars - and it sounds hazardous too. That dark mysterious place on the wrong side of town is `Somewhere Down The Crazy River.' Again, menace and horror are the center of `Hell's Half Acre': it may very well be a scene of carnage from any war. The outlaw is filled with shock and regret when "Sonny Got Caught In The Moonlight.' The album closes with a funky 'Testimony.'

Robertson's most captivating lyrics are lines from the Bible: five of the nine compositions include multiple Biblical quotations. The Good Book is a deserving choice as a reference on the subjects of love, fear, danger, despair, peace, comfort and redemption.

Robbie Robertson gives you what i will called "naturs own" experience when it comes to music. When you try to listen to it, with open mind, it will lift you up as a human beeing. Certainly Track 6: Somewhere down the crazy River is in that category. That song has a certain touch of magic. It`s the space inbetween the different instruments, and the voice of Robbie Robertson, which will spin your soul into the direction of happines.
But how can you go wrong when you get help from Peter Gabriel and U2. When listen trough this CD, it have many highpoints, but there are some minor problems wich don`t
give it a 5 star, probably because sometimes the U 2 soundpicture make Robertson a "copycat" of U2. But when you listen once again at Somewhere Down the Crazy river, you are back on the track again. Listen to the wind, listen to the sea, listen to the nature. The voice of Robbie Robertson fits in there,....somewhere probably over the rainbow, when the words stops, and the music take over.

This CD is by far, my favorite album. It has a bit of everything...ballads, rock, alternative. (hey, Check out the tracks with U2...They are fantastic!!) "Fallen Angel" is both moody and spiritual. I can't help but put this CD in on a long trip up north.

Anybody who thinks Popman Stewart's version of Broken Arrow is better than Robertson's is absolutely irrevocably insane.

This is one of the most original and innovative efforts by an American (well, closer than England, at least) artist since Dylan hit the scene. Robertson's First Nations roots in music comes out in some of the most beautiful, high pitched, spiritual and soulful outcries, which blend with that deep voice like sweet and sour do on the palate. Crazy River is an absolute masterpiece.

Don't think twice - snatch this one up.

Some things I feel qualified to say about Robertson's solo debut album from 1987 after living with it for twenty years now:
As a librarian with emphasis on music composition, it still fascinates me how coherent the material on Robbie Robertson is, how well it all works together as a (non-concept) whole, even with the personnel changes from track to track. The similarities to Band material ("Showdown At Big Sky" and "Sonny Got Caught ITM") and the differences (which are everywhere) put some amount of focus squarely on intrepid producer Daniel Lanois as a highly artistic "treater" of Robertson's well-crafted songs. Lanois is just so flat-out capable of using the studio as his instrument (much like his mentor Brian Eno) that it's possible he could work this kind of magic with anybody's stuff, regardless of quality. Make no mistake, though - Lanois starts out with good stuff here and then makes it even better. That long 10-year post-Band gestation period probably helps explain why most of these comps are so solid to begin with (think of all the discards there must have been). But consider also that when Robertson was pressed by David Geffen to make a follow-up for release, it took him 4 years and the results were "ehh" - still good songs but not nearly as impressively produced with no Daniel Lanois on board for Storyville from 1991.

More that I can say 20 years on: As a guitarist, I am still to this day finding stuff to cop off of Robbie Robertson, and not just Edge stuff from what I consider to be one of the album's two stand-out tracks, "Sweet Fire Of Love". "Hell's Half Acre" is the other one, and little-known 6-stringer Bill Dillon gets major credit for his work. The spoken rather than sung vocal sections of "Somewhere Down The Crazy River" also make for great practice jams when you want to try out some suave blues lines. What gets me fed up is that these folks who are telling me they can't stand Robertson's singing (here or anywhere else) are the same ones who seem to love this latest Lucinda Williams West thing. Some people say there's no accounting for taste. Well, I say there is, but I also say that everybody has a tin ear one day a week.

I wouldn't want to be without Robbie Robertson for many reasons: excellent comps, great production, U2 cameos, Peter Gabriel cameos, Tony Levin's stick, Manu Katché's drums, Gil Evans' horn section. My only complaint - at less than 45 minutes, it's over too soon. How about a re-issue with 20+ minutes of bonus material, Mr. Geffen? My only other complaint about anything anywhere - try to ignore those irrelevant reviewers on these pages who just want to kvetch about RR as an actor in Scorsese films. We live in a world where an Austrian bodybuilder can become governor of California, and where an incompetent idiot can become president of the US, twice, so go write some reviews about them and leave Robbie alone.

A truly "American" album, very spiritual, ethereal, sort of like a thunder storm. "Fallen Angel" has the dignity, insistence, and defiance of an unbroken man, "Big Sky" is one of the most dramatic songs I have ever heard; I have seen two hour movies with less emotion, drama, conviction, action, and passion than this song.

Robertson's voice is a unique instrument. I kind of like it, not only because it sounds unique, but because Robbie forces you to understand what he tells you, almost like a griot.

Clearly one of the best debuts of the 1980's, and undeniable confirmation of Robbie Robertson's stature in music history.

I was lucky enough to have a father who listened to good music. I grew up with Robbie Robertson, Peter Gabriel, Ricky Lee Jones and U2 blazing out of our speakers. The other day, I visited my father and, looking through the old casettes (yes, there was a time when we all listened to tapes, remember?) I rediscovered this album. I had goosebumps listening to it. "Fallen Angel" and "Broken Arrow" are absolutely breath taking. I think some of the best lyrics ever are included on this record. I keep hoping Robertson will come out with something new, something that addresses the current world situation. He's a poet.