The enduring popularity of tribute albums and the arrival of this seventeen-track homage to The Band is occasion for long-overdue ground rules for projects of this sort:
1. Ask yourself why. If the participating artists simply want to signify their admiration for the honorees, tell them to try a karaoke bar. In this case, Lee Ann Womack’s crack at “The Weight”, Gomez’s “Up On Cripple Creek”, Jack Johnson’s “I Shall Be Released” and Blues Traveler’s “Rag Mama Rag” are all pleasant and reasonably accomplished, but never inspired or adventurous.
2. Don’t invite unflattering comparisons. I don’t care who fronts your band, they’re not going to outsing Rick Danko, Richard Manuel or Levon Helm. The only acts that come close here are Rosanne Cash, who finds unmapped territory to explore on the standout “The Unfaithful Servant”, and the Roches, who show admirable instincts in their treatment of “Acadian Driftwood”. On the other hand, Jakob Dylan does a hell of a job demonstrating what an unmatchable turn Manuel did on the original “Whispering Pines”, and Bruce Hornsby pimps “King Harvest” — one of The Band’s most powerful recordings — into MOR. That’s progress for you.
3. If the music is worth revisiting, it’s worth revisiting from a different angle. Respect to Trevor Hall, who takes daring liberties with “Life Is A Carnival”, Jackie Greene for his muscular “Look Out Cleveland”, and Steve Reynolds for his ballsy, austere cut at “Stage Fright”. My Morning Jacket singer Jim James has the vocal spook to recast “It Makes No Difference”, and the amped-up guitar scores bonus points for alluding to, without aping, Robbie Robertson’s licks; wish I could say the same for the slavish sax solo.
4. If you’re gonna steal, don’t be obvious about it. You might think Widespread Panic’s notion of adding horns to their chest-thumping reading of “Chest Fever” as an interesting innovation — if you’ve never heard Rock Of Ages.
