Islands (The Band album)

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.

Critical reception

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

Track listing

Side one

Side two

• Sides one and two were combined as tracks 1–10 on CD reissues.

Bonus tracks from 2001 CD re-release

Personnel

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

References