Big Skies & Crazy Rivers

 

Robbie Robertson - Robbie Robertson [WX 133 UK 1987 24-Bit FLAC]

Courtesy of a rather excellent Warners eighties pressing, comes the 'debut' long player from Canadian rock legend Robbie Robertson. If you enjoyed my recent Daniel Lanois post, then you may well need this as a fine accompaniment, again in a choice of resolutions.

As older readers will testify (you know who you are), Robertson is revered for his work as guitarist with The Band (and The Bob), however it is this album which opened up his work to me. I was working for a large British music chain store at the time of release, and courtesy of my boss (a huge Band-fan), this album seemed permanently stuck on the instore turntable playlist. As an indie-boy, I guess I would normally have been expected to turn my nose up at this kind of americana-riff-rock-stuff, however my appreciation was completely the opposite so consequently this album has stuck with me since.

Backed with an impressive line-up of backing musicians: Peter Gabriel, U2 (all of them), Daniel Lanois, Bodeans, Maria McKee, Tony Levin, Gil Evans, Terry Bozio and a Neville Brother amongst others, this album rocks out in places, but for me the atmospheric detail and the creative production behind Robertson's gravelly yet soulful tones make this a stand out album of its time and genre.

A1 Fallen Angel

A2 Showdown At Big Sky

A3 Broken Arrow

A4 Sweet Fire Of Love

B1 American Roulette

B2 Somewhere Down The Crazy River

B3 Hell's Half Acre

B4 Sonny Got Caught In The Moonlight

B5 Testimony