The Band is the BAND and this is their best album. Every song is a gem. I almost regret that this version of the album, with added tracks, has been issued since the original with its 12 perfect songs doesn't need any additions. But don't let that stop you. From rollicking good time music like Rag Mama Rag and Jemima Surrender to the melancholy of Whispering Pines and Rocking Chair the Band does something very few albums or novels can do well: bring to a life a cast of characters from another time and make them human. While every song is great, King Harvest stands at the top of the Band's work with its desperate farmer pleading for nature to save his crops. The ensemble playing is incredible. The highest achievement in songwriting and performance.
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