Islands
Studio album by
the Band
ReleasedMarch 15, 1977 (1977-03-15)
RecordedDecember 1972 – January 1977
StudioShangri-la Studios; Village Recorders, Los Angeles, California
GenreRock
Length35:15
LabelCapitol
ProducerThe Band
The Band chronology
The Best of the Band
(1976) 		Islands
(1977) 		Anthology
(1978)

Islands is the seventh studio album by the Canadian-American rock group the Band. Released in 1977 to mixed reviews, it is the final studio album from the group's original lineup.[1]

Primarily composed of previously unreleased songs from the Band's career (including their 1976 cover of "Georgia on My Mind", which was recorded to aid Jimmy Carter in his presidential bid),[2] Islands was released to fulfill the group's contract with Capitol Records, so that the soundtrack to their film The Last Waltz could be released on Warner Bros. Records.[1] In the CD liner notes, Robbie Robertson compares the album to the Who's Odds & Sods.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
Christgau's Record GuideC+[4]
MusicHound Rockwoof![5]
Q[1]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[6]

John Bauldie in Q called the album "a ragbag of old outtakes and otherwise unplaceable new numbers."[1]

Track listing

Side one

No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
1."Right as Rain"Robbie RobertsonRichard Manuel3:52
2."Street Walker"
Danko3:16
3."Let the Night Fall"RobertsonManuel3:11
4."Ain't That a Lot of Love"
Levon Helm3:09
5."Christmas Must Be Tonight"RobertsonDanko3:38

Side two

No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
1."Islands"
instrumental3:54
2."The Saga of Pepote Rouge"RobertsonDanko4:14
3."Georgia on My Mind"
Manuel3:09
4."Knockin' Lost John"RobertsonRobertson3:50
5."Livin' in a Dream"RobertsonHelm2:52

Bonus tracks from 2001 CD re-release

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
11."Twilight" (Single version)Robertson3:17
12."Georgia on My Mind" (Alternate take)Carmichael, Gorrell3:51

Personnel

The Band
Additional musicians
Production

References

  1. ^ a b c d Bauldie, John (March 5, 1991). "Review of Islands re-issue". Q. Vol. 84. p. 10.
  2. ^ Morris, Chris, Liner Notes to Islands CD release
  3. ^ Islands at AllMusic
  4. ^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: B". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 0-89919-026-X. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
  5. ^ Graff, Gary; Durchholz, Daniel, eds. (1999). MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Farmington Hills, MI: Visible Ink Press. p. 72. ISBN 1-57859-061-2.
  6. ^ Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian, eds. (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). New York, NY: Fireside. p. 42. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
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