I was like so many of you who loved The Band and stayed away from this album, strictly on the fact that Robbie sang lead on the whole album. I have always been a Richard Manuel fan above all others in The Band, but would agree that Robbie's songs are what really made it. He has an amazing gift for story telling, and his words in Richard's, Rick's, and Levon's voices are the true spark of brilliance in The Band. But then my uncle played "Somewhere Down The Crazy River" and I sat, stunned. What an amazing, brilliant track! So I went and got the record, put it on, and sat spellbound through the nine stunning tracks that encompass Robbie Robertson's first solo album. Highlights include "Fallen Angel" (with Peter Gabriel's fantastic vocal contributions), "Broken Arrow", "American Roulette", "Sonny Got Caught" (with background vox by Rick Danko), and of course "..Crazy River". Incredible instrumental contributions abound, and the songs are some of the best Robertson has ever written.
I think the key to getting into this album is viewing it on a different plain as The Band. It is a drastically different album, with different songs, and a different atmosphere. If you can look at Robbie's solo works as just that, and not extentions of The Band, you will fall under it's inimitable spell.

Unlike many other reviewers here, I'm NOT a Band fan. (Don't hate 'em, just don't love 'em.) And if you're looking for more Band, you're out of luck here, unless you can put your preconceptions aside and approach the album with an open mind. I would never have picked this album up on my own, but my husband introduced me to it. If I listen to it now, I skip through several of the songs: I can't stand Hell's Half Acre, or Sonny Got Caught... but I absolutely adore the real emotion that goes beyond pretty singing on Broken Arrow. Mind you, I do appreciate good singing, having taken voice lessons for many years -- I just don't think that it's necessary for a singer to sound like Michael Buble' to create a distinctive sound. And distinctive this is. Our cassette tape is wearing out (yeah, it's that old), so I think we're going to purchase only the MP3 tracks we really like.

My family follows the Powwow trail & really enjoy Native American music. Robbie Robertson was introduced to me by fellow Powwow followers. I really enjoy this musice & the artist is exceptional!!!

lt's amazing Robbie can play any instruments with Richard Manuel's blood all over his hands.

This album and Storyville are fantastic albums with a lot of character, great rythymm and wonderful melodies. If you are a lover of great music and can open your mind to something different then I gurantee you will enjoy this CD.