release date: Oct. 4, 1994
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
producer: Robbie Robertson
label: Capitol Records - nationality: USA
Track highlights: 1. "Coyote Dance" - 2. "Mahk Jchi (Heartbeat Drum Song)" (feat. Ulali) (live) - 3. "Ghost Dance" (4 / 5) - 5. "It Is a Good Day to Die" - 6. "Golden Feather" - 10. "Skinwalker"
3rd studio album by Robbie Robertson released as 'Robbie Robertson & The Red Road Ensemble' is a soundtrack album for the TV documentary "The Native Americans" - an American-produced series in three parts and six hours.
Being an actual soundtrack it's quite obvious a rather different album than his two previous studio releases, and the styles represented here are much more shaped towards traditional native Indian music with bits and pieces thrown in from rhythm & blues and the style established on his solo debut from '87. A few compositions are pure instrumentals with strong stylistic bonds to native Indian music, then some sound if leftovers from his debut, and a few points to his 1998 successor with the inclusion of electronica. The lasting impression is a great variety of songs of genuine complexity with some traditional melodic songs scattered all over the album, where the most memorable tracks being the first three.
The reception of the album was quite positive, as I recall it. Together with The Red Road Ensemble, Robertson toured America and Europe playing the music from the documentary much as to celebrate the much forgotten Indian culture. And as a half Indian himself, Robertson was put on a bit of a pedestal of the Indian culture movement with this contribution.
I recall listening to the album with much anticipation when it was all new and also remember my initial confusion as how to digest the whole thing. I think "complex" is a rather neutral kind of term to use when people actually don't fully appreciate something, and from my perspective, the album is generally formed by too many stylistic influences - not that those implications in themselves produce lesser works of art, but here the vast variety of styles point in too many directions; however, the album is far from a lesser work of art as it also contains fine structures and some truly fine compositions. Also, from a personal perspective, I have come to appreciate this much more over the years and today find it much more gratifying because of the album's complexity and despite the many stylistic impressions, you still find that common denominator in the native tone that fills the whole album.
Anyway, Robertson was lauded with this original album, but as a stand alone album, it's... different and somewhat difficult.
[ Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]
