Levon Helm Albums (8)
What The Critics Say
In a musical career that has spanned six decades, Levon Helm has made more than a few excellent albums working with other folks -- most notably as drummer and vocalist with the Band, as well as backing Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Muddy Waters, John Martyn, Rufus Wainwright, and literally dozens of others. But as a solo artist, Helm's record has been considerably spottier, with well-intended disappointments outnumbering genuine successes, so it's good to report that at the age of 69, Helm has found his second wind as a recording artist, cutting two of his most satisfying solo sets in a row. Following 2007's excellent Dirt Farmer, Electric Dirt is every bit as impressive and finds him sounding even stronger than he did on that comeback set. Dirt Farmer was Helm's first album after a bout with throat cancer nearly silenced him, and his vocals sounded firmly committed but just a bit strained; two years on, Helm's voice is nearly as supple as it was during his days with the Band, and even when it shows signs of wear and tear, his sense of phrasing and his ability to bring the characters in these songs to life are as good as they've ever been. While Dirt Farmer leaned toward acoustic music in the Appalachian tradition, Electric Dirt aims for a broader and more eclectic sound; "Golden Bird" sounds as if it could have been gleaned from the Harry Smith anthology, but the opening cover of the Grateful Dead's "Tennessee Jed" swings with a solid New Orleans groove like an outtake from the Rock of Ages concerts, a pair of Muddy Waters numbers are subtle but passionate acoustic blues, "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free" is joyous gospel-infused R&B, and "White Dove" is fervent and heartfelt traditional country. Larry Campbell, who co-produced Dirt Farmer, returned for these sessions, as did most of the same band, bringing a similarly organic touch to the music, and the bigger sound of this album seems to suit everyone involved, with Helm's drumming sounding especially lively and well-grounded. And though Helm only wrote two songs for this album, they're two good ones, especially "Growin' Trade," a tale of an aging farmer who has taken to raising marijuana, and what could easily have been played as a joke is a moving account of one man's conscience as it wrestles with his heritage and love of the land. Not unlike his old buddy Bob Dylan from Time Out of Mind onward, Levon Helm seems to have rediscovered his knack for making great records in what some might have imagined would be the latter days of his career; Electric Dirt sounds fresh, emphatic, and as effective as anything Levon has cut since the mid-'70s, and one can only hope he has a few more discs in him just this good. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
During the Band's original run (from 1968 to 1976), Robbie Robertson may have been the group's strongest songwriter and the idea man behind most of their best work, but Levon Helm was truly the group's heart and soul with his tough, sinewy Arkansas vocals and his indomitable, loosely tight drumming. Robertson' solo work since leaving the Band has been the product of a man whose lofty ambitions outstrip his ability to make them interesting, but Helm's music has been the greater disappointment; with the exception of 1980's American Son, most of his solo recordings have been thoroughly disposable, offering plenty of good-time boogie but none of the gravity one might hope for from the man who made "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" come to such compelling life years ago. Which is why Dirt Farmer is such a pleasant surprise; it's easily Helm's best recorded work since American Son, and an absorbing look back at his roots as the son of a farm family in the rural South. Dirt Farmer was produced by Larry Campbell, a session guitarist and member of Bob Dylan's road band, in collaboration with Amy Helm, Levon's daughter, and they've assembled a solid but clutter-free acoustic band for these sessions, and the simple but iron-strong backdrops and superb songs are just what was needed to bring out the best in Levon. Helm survived a bout with throat cancer that was diagnosed in 1998, and his voice is noticeably more weathered than it once was, but in many respects the additional nooks and crannies suit this material beautifully; his interpretations of traditional rural folk songs like "Poor Old Dirt Farmer," "Little Birds," and "False Hearted Lover Blues" sound thoroughly authentic but with a bracing sense of force and commitment in Helm's vocals, and if Steve Earle's "The Mountain" and Buddy & Julie Miller's "Wide River to Cross" aren't venerable classics, they sound like they should be once Levon's done with them. Though Helm adds a touch of boogie to "Got Me a Woman" and a jumped-up interpretation of the Carter Family's "Single Girl, Married Girl," in this context they add some welcome spice to the stew, and Helm's drumming remains superb. Dirt Farmer is a hard-edged but compassionate and full-hearted set of roots music from a master of the form, and it's a welcome, inspiring return to form for Levon Helm after a long stretch of professional and personal setbacks. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide
'Live at the Palladium NYC, New Years Eve 1977'
Release Date 4/18/2006
Tracks 13
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What The Critics Say
In November 1976, the Band called it quits with a well-publicized Thanksgiving Day farewell concert, but Levon Helm made it clear to anyone who cared to listen he thought the group was foolish to throw in the towel, and within a year Helm was on the road with a band designed to show fans how much he had to offer. The RCO All Stars certainly lived up to their name, featuring Helm on drums and vocals, Mac Rebennack (aka Dr. John) on piano, Paul Butterfield on harmonica, Steve Cropper and Fred Carter, Jr. on guitars, Donald "Duck" Dunn on bass, and a horn section featuring Howard Johnson, Tom "Bones" Malone, Lou Marini, and Alan Rubin. While the group's sole studio album showed the supergroup's songwriting chops were not all one might hope for, they certainly had chops and swing to spare, and this live recording of the All Stars on-stage as 1977 was about to fade into 1978 in New York City testifies to their power as a live act. While Helm takes the lion's share of the vocals, he has the good sense not to hog the spotlight, with Rebennack and Butterfield singing some leads, and the musicians are in fine fettle throughout as the horn section blows up a storm, Helm's drums strut like a bantam, Rebennack's keys add rollicking color, and Cropper throws some razor-sharp solos into the mix. And while the song selection here, like on the studio album, is good but not great (the best numbers are the most recognizable covers, in particular "Good Night Irene," "Milk Cow Boogie," and the Band's "Ophelia"), playing before an enthusiastic audience the All Stars give these numbers just enough juice to make the difference. Helm obviously meant the RCO All Stars to be a band that would rock the party, and on this disc you can hear them do just that; fans of any of the acts on board will have a great time with this album. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide
'The Midnight Ramble Music Sessions, Vol. 1'
Release Date 2/21/2006
Tracks 26
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What The Critics Say
In 2004, former Band drummer Levon Helm, eager to get back into playing music on a regular basis after surviving a bout with cancer, began staging a series of small concerts at the recording studio on his estate in Woodstock, New York. Calling the shows "The Midnight Rambles," a different set of guests tagged along once or twice a month while Helm and his cronies played house band, and on October 23, 2004, Helm set up with guitarist Fred Scribner, bassist Michael Merritt, and bluesman Little Sammy Davis on vocals and harmonica. Like the other shows in the Midnight Ramble series, the gig was recorded and videotaped, and The Midnight Ramble Music Sessions, Vol. 1 features 12 songs from that evening. A more accurate billing for this show would have been "Little Sammy Davis with the Levon Helm Band," since Davis is the clear frontman at this show, and Helm, in deference to his throat problems, doesn't contribute any of his trademark vocals (and while his drumming chops are in fine shape, the repertoire has him playing little more than a steady shuffle most of the time). Davis is a good harp player whose style suggests a more laid-back variation on Little Walter, but his vocals have weakened with age, and though there's a relaxed and comfortable mood to this music that befits a house party with friends in attendance, it rarely catches fire the way you wish it would, and this ends up coming off as a guitar pull with some A-list players rather than a soul-satisfying blues session. This ramble was probably a great party, but The Midnight Ramble Music Sessions, Vol. 1 suggests you really had to be there. (The album is packed with a DVD including the same performances that appear on the CD, and while the video is well-shot and edited, it ultimately isn't any more exciting to watch than to hear.) ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide
'The Midnight Ramble Music Sessions, Vol. 2'
Release Date 1/1/2005
Tracks 9
Label Levon Helm Studios
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What The Critics Say
The second installment in Levon Helm's Midnight Ramble Music series -- albums drawn from jam-session style concerts held at Helm's studio in Woodstock, New York -- is a more engaging listen than the first, largely because it offers a lot more variety along the way. While the first set was a straightforward blues with Little Sammy Davis fronting the combo, The Midnight Ramble Music Sessions, Vol. 2 has been culled from four different gigs, and the song list ranges from the laid-back but potent funk of "The Battle Is Over but the War Goes On," the rollicking down-home shuffle of Bob Dylan's "Don't Ya Tell Henry," the tough blues workout of "Borrowed Time," and a heartfelt cover of Ray Charles' "I Want to Know" (the set is dedicated to Charles' memory). Helm also brought in some notable friends to sit in for these recordings, including Dr. John, former Chuck Berry piano wizard Johnnie Johnson, Jimmy Vivino from the Max Weinberg Seven, and Bob Dylan sideman Larry Campbell. But the big surprise here is that Helm is singing again, and singing well; he was diagnosed with cancer of the vocal cords in 1998, and surgery and radiation treatments reduced his voice to a shadow of its former self for several years, but if there's a bit more rasp to Helm's instrument today, he sounds stronger than anyone would have a right to expect on his vocal features, and he's audibly jazzed to be able to take the mic again (his drumming is in fine shape, too). The Midnight Ramble Music Sessions, Vol. 2 has its share of flaws, most notably an overwrought performance by Sean Costello on Lowell Fulson's "Blue Shadows," but for the most part this is a set of roots rock that balances ragged and right very well indeed. (This release includes a DVD that features footage of the same performances included on the CD, as well as a bonus rehearsal of "Don't Ya Tell Henry.") ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide
'Souvenir, Vol. 1'
Release Date 8/22/2000
Tracks 12
Label Breeze Hill
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What The Critics Say
This album is a mixture of live material from 1996 and 1997 and tracks recorded at Levon Helm's home studio. Talented band the Crowmatix is a salty group of Woodstock musicians, including longtime Band collaborator and producer Professor "Louie" (aka Aaron Hurwitz), Band drummer (throughout the '80s and '90s) Randy Ciarlante, Marie Spinosa, Jimmy Eppard, and Mike Dunn. The Band's Garth Hudson also makes an appearance, playing horns on "That's Alright," while longtime Band guitarist Jim Weider contributes slide to "Poor Little Fool." As the previous song titles suggest, this is a very bluesy affair, mostly devoid of the more folky and country elements of the Band. Helm called the album Souvenir because he saw it as just that, a souvenir for the fans rather than a focused, major-label effort. And the album should be appreciated in the spirit in which it was created. That having been said, anyone who has been moved by the long legacy of the Band will be delighted to hear Levon in fine throat backed by first-class musicians. Highlights include live versions of Bob Dylan's "Don't Ya Tell Henry," "Milk Cow Boogie," and the Band staple "Rag Mama Rag." These tracks capture one of the finest bar bands on the planet. All establishments should be so fortunate. ~ Erik Hage, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
While recording a few songs for the movie Coal Miner's Daughter, in which he played Loretta Lynn's father, Levon Helm and friends just kept the tape rolling. American Son offers ten songs (the single "Blue Moon of Kentucky" b/w "Working in a Coal Mine" offers two more) from those productive sessions. A band of Nashville veterans replaces the superstar lineup of Helm's first two albums. The resulting record has a relaxed groove that kicks in with "Watermelon Time in Georgia" and doesn't let up. The terrific "Hurricane" evokes the Band's second album, while "Violet Eyes" and "China Girl" are highlighted by engaging harmonies. American Son is considered by many to be Levon's best solo album. ~ J.P. Ollio, All Music Guide
'Levon Helm & the RCO All-Stars'
Release Date 1/1/1977
Tracks 10
Label ABC
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What The Critics Say
Ex-Band drummer/vocalist Levon Helm could not have surrounded himself with a more talented group of musicians for his first solo outing -- Booker T. and the MGs and Dr. John anchor the RCO All-Stars. But while there is no question that the band can really cook, Levon's homey Arkansas twang gets a little lost in the mix. In general, though, the songs are buoyed by Paul Butterfield's blues harp and the crack horn section, especially on the soulful "Rain Down Tears." ~ J.P. Ollio, All Music Guide
