Track Listing

1. Strawberry Wine
2. Sleeping
3. Time To Kill
4. Just Another Whistle Stop
5. All La Glory
6. Shape I'm In
7. WS Walcott Medicine Show
8. Daniel And The Sacred Harp
9. Stage Fright
10. Rumour
11. Daniel And The Sacred Harp
12. Time To Kill
13. WS Walcott Medicine Show
14. Radio Commercial

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #17875 in Music
• Released on: 2000-09-11
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Original recording remastered, Original recording reissued, Extra tracks
• Dimensions: .22 pounds

Amazon.co.uk Review
The Band's third studio album is also their third-best studio album, and that isn't bad. It's not as synchronous as Music From Big Pink or as overpowering as The Band, but that's part of its appeal. The quintet's first two albums were such towering achievements that the group came to lean on its songs, turning the lion's share of them into concert staples. Stage Fright is littered with lesser-known Robbie Robertson compositions possessing more modest charms than the overplayed likes of "The Weight" and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down". The title track is uncommonly hard-eyed and modern; Richard Manual's vocal, like most of his turns at the mike, is sparkling. (Manual also shines on the reflective "Sleeping" and the up-tempo "Just Another Whistle Stop"). "All La Glory" is a gorgeous lullaby, while "Time To Kill" sounds like the Band doing Creedence Clearwater Revival. This isn't the place to discover this great North American band, but it's definitely a stop worth taking before your exploration is completed. --Steven Stolder

From Amazon.com
The Band's third studio album is also their third-best studio album, and that isn't bad. It's not as synchronous as Music from Big Pink or as overpowering as The Band, but that's part of its appeal. The quintet's first two albums were such towering achievements that the group come to lean on their songs, turning the lion's share of them into concert staples. Stage Fright is littered with lesser-known Robbie Robertson compositions possessing more modest charms than the overplayed likes of "The Weight" and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down." The title track is uncommonly hard-eyed and modern; Richard Manual's vocal, like most of his turns at the mic, is sparkling. (Manual also shines on the reflective "Sleeping" and the uptempo "Just Another Whistle Stop"). "All La Glory" is a gorgeous lullaby, while "Time to Kill" sounds like the Band doing Creedence Clearwater Revival. This isn't the place to discover this great North American band, but it's definitely a stop worth taking before your exploration is completed. --Steven Stolder

CD Description
The third Band album reflected the group's response to the critical and popular success of their first two albums. Several selections, notably the title track, articulate the sense of disquiet and panic resulting from fame, life on the road, and tensions within the band. The set still offered the quintet's mesmerising cross-section of American music--soul, country R&B and pop--but where previous releases took a largely historical perspective, this collection was contemporaryand confessional.
The ribald, carnival atmosphere of "W.S. Walcott Medicine Show" reads as an ironic comment on showmanship, while songwriter Robbie Robertson sculpts a chilling portrait of personal and national disillusionment in the early '70s. From its startling title and emblazoned rainbow cover art to the intense, personal, and sometimes unsettling music within, STAGE FRIGHT showed a new side of the Band, one that deepened their collective voice and their unassailable air of authenticity.

Customer Reviews

An Overlooked Classic
This album, produced by any other band, would be a crowning glory - a staple of desert island lists and top 100 collections, but the Band had just produced the "Big Pink" and "The Band" albums ushering a quiet revolution in rock'n'roll. "Stagefright" has suffered by not being simply Volume 3, it has the reputation of being the beginning of the end for The Band, and a downbeat album at that.
Well, the latter half of the album is certainly darker than previous Band material - 'The Rumor' is certainly disquieting in its portrayal of smalltown gossip, 'Stagefright' is hardly cheering whilst 'The Shape I'm In' charts the narrator's disintigration. But this is only half the story - 'Strawberry Wine'sung and co-written by Levon Helms kicks off the album in true goodtime style with a great bassline and some nifty drumming. Levon also sings 'All La Glory' (about Robbie's baby daughter) as though he were cradling the child with his voice, a personal favourite this one and Garth Hudson's organ solo is gorgeous. 'Sleeping' is one of Richard Manuel's dream numbers, and whilst not quite in the class of 'In the Station' or 'Whispering Pines' it remains utterly charming. 'Time to Kill', a mid paced rocker about the delights of a rural retreat also deserves a mention.
It's Rick Danko though who is the hero of this album not only for his constantly delightful basslines but for his showstopping performance vocal on the title track - the total vulnerability of the central character is perfectly conveyed. This track also contains some of the Band's best ensemble playing.
From the darker side of the album both 'The Shape I'm In', sung superbly by Richard, and 'The Rumor' ( one of only two tracks to feature the group's trademark vocal swapping) are standouts. 'Daniel And The Sacred Harp', the other track to feature vocal swapping, is highly regarded by the one friend of mine who shares my taste for the Band - yet it leaves me indifferent, the mythic story and the instrumental 'colour' are too deliberate and simply don't ring true. Yet it is sung beautifully by Levon and (especially) Richard - a lot of people I'm sure will and indeed do love it.
In all this album represents a shift in direction, but hardly a falling off - the songs are superb and the Band remain the finest most versatile and least selfish bunch of musicians I can think of.
The bonus tracks are interesting but most times I switch off after the album proper.
The newcomer should buy the first two albums first - but don't stop there, this album in particular is crying out for your attention.

****½
A little less idiosyncratic than The Band's first two albums, the melodic and literary "Stage Fright" may seem more immediately accessible than "Music From Big Pink" and "The Band". It's not a better record than those two ("The Band" remains the Canadian-American roots rockers best effort), but it contains some of The Band's catchiest and most enjoyable songs.

Garth Hudson's characteristic organ is somewhat less dominant than on previous recordings, but otherwise the arrangements are the same as always, a deep foundation laid down by bassist Rick Danko and sublime rock drummer Levon Helm, and Robbie Robertson's guitar on top. Richard Manuel's excellent piano playing is also very prominent, partciularly on the beautiful ballad "Sleeping", and the swinging boogie of "Time To Kill", and Manuel's expressive vocals are as good as ever.

Other highlights include the guitar-heavy "Just Another Whistle Stop", which contains one of the few extended guitar solos Robertson ever recorded with The Band, and the dark tales "Stage Fright" and "The Shape I'm In".
On this album, as on "The Band", Robbie Robertson was in full control of the songwriting, writing or co-writing every tune, and his guitar playing is generally more prominent than it had been before. Also, Garth Hudson recorded his first sax solo, and you should really notice Levon Helm's wonderful drumming on songs like "The Rumor", "Just Another Whistle Stop", and "Stage Fright".
Although "Stage Fright" may not be quite as amazing as its predecessor, it is a wonderful album in its own right, and one of The Band's three best records.

Another Band Classic
By the time Stagefright was released in 1970 The Band must have been sinking under the weight of critical acclaim for their first two albums, Music From Big Pink and The Band. Listening to this over 35 years later it is unbelievable anyone could have called this dissapointing. Completely different to the other two albums it has a harder edged feel and is probably more accessable. One thing in common is the brilliant, seemingly effortless musicianship and the very top quality songwriting.
Personal highlights are Strawberry Wine, All La Glory, The Shape I'm In, Daniel and The Sacred Harp and The Rumor. Lowlights don't exist here.
If you like any other Band album you will love this. Only a genius like Garth Hudson could play a solo on an instrument sounding like a stylophone and command your attention throughout and bring a classic like Shape I'm In to a brilliant conclusion. Buy it and see what I mean.