Robbie Robertson "Contact From the Underworld of Redboy" (1998)

Contact From the Underworld of Redboy
release date: Mar. 10, 1998
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,86]
producer: Howard Bernstein
label: Capitol Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "The Sound Is Fading" - 3. "Making a Noise" - 4. "Unbound" (4 / 5) - 5. "Sacrifice" - 6. "Rattlebone" (4 / 5) - 9 "Stomp Dance (Unity)"

4th studio album by Robbie Robertson when also including his soundtrack album Music for the Native Americans (1994). The sound of his former colleagues of The Band and its great and vast musical legacy still lives on a bunch of albums, and if you don't really know The Band, you should at least check out one of the most legendary live albums, The Last Waltz (1978), either on DVD or as a music album.

Robbie released his solo debut Robbie Robertson (1987) and once again fascinated the world of popular music. Everyone wanted to work with him after that and "we" all yearned for a follow-up that never seemed to come. Storyville (1991) proved to be a bit of the difficult sophomore album. After creating a fine blend of styles he fell for the music of too many others and was so inspired by the sound and music of the Scottish band, The Blue Nile that he simply had to copy and paste on his second album and basically just forgot to make his own music. After that he then made the album of his heart and blood: Music for the Native Americans (1994), which was very well-received in the US but quite frankly is to say it politely: a difficult listen. Not that it's bad, it's just very 'native American' and with little sign of traditional popular music to it... And then - BOOM - he releases this fantastic inspiring album on which he (again) makes his own brew of all his music influences and reveals at least a new one: 'electronica'. 

Had it not been for its inconsistency, I'd rate it higher - it really contains some great tunes that stay with you. This has become one of my favourite albums by this great Indian blooded everlasting old-timer who needs to make more music, or: release more often.

1998 Favorite releases: 1. Grant Lee Buffalo Jubilee - 2. Mark Hollis Mark Hollis - 3. Robbie Robertson Contact From the Underworld of Redboy