The Band - Islands (1977)

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.

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), 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. 

In the CD liner notes, Robbie Robertson compares the album to the Who's Odds & Sods. 

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

Theoretically, even though the Band had given up touring as of Thanksgiving 1976, they were going to keep making records, and Islands was the first album released in the new era. 

Only it wasn't; it was the album they scraped together to complete their ten-LP contract with Capitol Records and the last new full-length album the original five members ever made. 

The playing, as ever, was impeccable, and the record had its moments, notably a Richard Manuel vocal on the chestnut "Georgia on My Mind" that had been released as a single in 1976 to boost Georgia governor Jimmy Carter's successful run for the presidency. 

But the songwriting quality was mediocre, and the Band had set such a standard for itself in that department that Islands couldn't help suffering enormously in comparison.

Side one

1.  Right as Rain  (Robbie Robertson) - 3:52 

2.  Street Walker  (Robertson, Rick Danko) - 3:16 

3.  Let the Night Fall  (Robertson) - 3:11 

4.  Ain't That a Lot of Love  (Homer Banks, Willia Dean Parker, Levon Helm) - 3:09 

5.  Christmas Must Be Tonight  (Robertson) - 3:38 

Side two

1.  Islands (instrumental)  (Robertson, Garth Hudson, Danko) - 3:54 

2.  The Saga of Pepote Rouge  (Robertson) - 4:14 

3.  Georgia on My Mind  (Hoagy Carmichael, Stuart Gorrell) - 3:09 

4.  Knockin' Lost John  (Robertson) - 3:50 

5.  Livin' in a Dream  (Robertson) - 2:52 

The Band

• Rick Danko – bass guitar, vocals
• Levon Helm – drums, vocals
• Garth Hudson – organ, synthesizers, saxophones, accordion, piccolo on "Islands"
• Richard Manuel – piano, electric piano, vocals
• Robbie Robertson – guitars, lead vocal on "Knockin' Lost John"

Additional musicians

• Jim Gordon – flute on "Islands"
• Tom Malone – trombone on "Islands"
• John Simon – alto saxophone on "Islands"
• Larry Packer – violin on "Islands"

Production

• Ed Anderson – engineering
• Neil Brody – engineering
• Rob Fraboni – engineering
• Nat Jeffrey – engineering

Notes

Released:  March 15, 1977 

Recorded:  December 1972 – January 1977 Studio Shangri-la Studios; Village Recorders, Los Angeles, California 

Genre:  Rock 

Length:  35:15 

Producer: The Band 

Label : Capitol Records

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