Cahoots | 
| Artist: The Band
Label: Capitol
Category: Music
List Price: $11.98
Buy New: $6.35
You Save: $5.63 (47%)
New (26) Used (14) from $5.41
Rating:  37 reviews
Sales Rank: 50903
Format: Extra Tracks, Original Recording Reissued, Original Recording Remastered
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 25391
UPC: 724352539123
EAN: 0724352539123
ASIN: B00004W50Y
Release Date: August 29, 2000
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | Life Is a Carnival | | • | When I Paint My Masterpiece | | • | Last of the Blacksmiths | | • | Where Do We Go from Here? | | • | 4% Pantomime | | • | Shoot out in Chinatown | | • | Moon Struck One | | • | Thinkin' out Loud | | • | Smoke Signal | | • | Volcano | | • | River Hymn | | • | Endless Highway [Early Studio Take][*] | | • | When I Paint My Masterpiece [Alternate Take][*] | | • | Bessie Smith [*][Outtake] | | • | Don't Do It [Outtake-Studio Version][*] | | • | Radio Commercial [*] |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Here's where the Band stumbled. This 1971 lapse followed two consensus classics (Music from Big Pink and The Band) and the dicier but still worthy Stage Fright. Consequently, expectations were high. But, despite moments of excellence ("Life Is a Carnival," "When I Paint My Masterpiece," their first Dylan cover since their debut), primary songwriter Robbie Robertson repeatedly comes up short. "Last of the Blacksmiths," "Where Do We Go from Here," and "River Hymn" are overwrought attempts to recapture the unaffected longing for the past that marked the first two albums, while the likes of "Smoke Signal" and "Volcano" are merely forgettable. Still, Van Morrison's rambunctious duet with Richard Manuel on "4% Pantomime" and the weird "Moon Struck One" help make Cahoots a worthwhile curio for those interested in digging deep into the Band songbook. The remastered reissue includes four quality bonus songs as well as a vintage radio spot. --Steven Stolder
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| Customer Reviews: Read 32 more reviews...
 An okay album, now remastered with one great bonus track August 30, 2000
15 out of 16 found this review helpful
The Band is one of my favorite bands, and their first two albums are unanimously prized as two landmarks in rock history. In recent years, people have come to appreciate later, underrated albums like "Stage Fright" and "Rock of Ages." However, popular opinion for "Cahoots" hasn't gotten much better, and for good reason. Very few of the original album tracks are good, and only two, "4% Pantomime" (a great duet between Van Morrison and the late Richard Manuel) and "Life Is A Carnival," could be ranked as true, great Band classics. Actually, "Life Is A Carnival" never felt like much of a song; what really breathes life into it is the exuberant horn arrangement done by legendary producer/writer Allen Toussaint. Another popular favorite is "When I Paint My Masterpiece," a good Dylan song that doesn't quite get the definitive treatment here. (I still prefer Dylan's recording, produced by Leon Russell.) As for the rest, there's nothing abysmal or unlistenable. It's just not all that good.
What does make this album worth owning now is the new reissue by Capitol. For one thing, the sound is better, having been remastered from the original master tapes. But more important than better sound is the legendary studio version of "Don't Do It," by far the best bonus track on the reissue. I've always loved the Band's rendition of this song ever since I saw them perform it in their film, "The Last Waltz." For years, the only official release of this song was a great live version from "Rock of Ages," but unbelievably this studio take is even better. I have to warn you, the sound isn't phenomenal; at the time, the only available source was a demo record. (EDIT: The original tape was eventually found and used for the Band's box set, "A Musical History.") It still crushes every version ever made like a grape. It's a great rarity, a Motown song done better than Motown.
 The Band's Portrait of Americana is Shattered May 4, 2003
Bud Sturguess (Seminole, Texas, USA)
9 out of 10 found this review helpful
Out of The Band's entire resume of studio albums, "Cahoots" is probably the most interesting. Though the previous record, 1970's memorable "Stage Fright" first saw the outfit breaking away from the intense portrait of Americana they had trademarked, choosing instead a loose reaction to the terrors of performing and public display, this 1971 effort is much more down-to-Earth, but that never detracts from its spark. And though most will cite "Stage Fright" as having a 'dark' quality, that deep realism is actually found in "Cahoots."
A majority of critics claim that this set finds head songwriter Robbie Robertson's work to be 'dried up.' But perhaps it was with "Cahoots" that Robertson's songwriting, and the efforts of his Bandmates, found a new life; to be exact, the album's body of work shows that Robertson had most likely realized that his vision of old-fashioned Americana that the outfit perfected on "Music From Big Pink" or "The Band" was all a dream, and the reaction to this shattering realization is vividly portrayed here. 'Last of the Blacksmiths' is definite proof, as is the lyrically bracing 'Where Do We Go From Here?' A reading of Bob Dylan's 'When I Paint My Masterpiece' sets The Band's intentions in stone, while the opener 'Life Is a Carnival' (penned by Robertson and vocalists Levon Helm and Rick Danko) may actually be a bit sarcastic. "Cahoots" is probably noted most for '4% Pantomime,' a duet showcasing the late Richard Manuel and guest Van Morrison, and this track could possibly be a telling of the hard-eyed aspects of the music industry. However it is the closing 'River Hymn,' a tune full of mystery, that speaks the most.
"Cahoots" will probably never be appreciated for what it is by the critics, and will probably never be justly praised by the fans either, but it is nonetheless an interesting and gripping album as only The Band could create. Too bad Robertson didn't thrive on this newfound songwriting view while it was still beating--their next effort would be a collection of covers, the "Moondog Matinee" and their next album of originals, 1975's "Northern Lights-Southern Cross" would find The Band starting from scratch.
 First things first... April 27, 2004
R. A. Kett (Ann Arbor, Michigan United States)
11 out of 13 found this review helpful
...the album is good. A step down from the previous album? Sure, but when only two of your five members are truly inspired to work, you are going to run into problems. Of the eleven tracks, five are quite strong, three are quite weak, and the others traipse between.
The album's like a journey through the world. "Life Is A Carnival" is the fourth straight brilliant opener that evokes New Orleans (down to the Allen Toussaint-arranged horns). "When I Paint My Masterpiece" is a brilliant Dylan-penned second track that evokes Europe (dig Manuel's drumming). "4% Pantomime", with Belfast's own George Ivan Morrison on second vocal, really evokes the musician lifestyle, frantic, manic and drunken. "Thinkin' Out Loud" has a great piano part and a nice metallic (upright?) bass part. "Volcano" features a strong vocal by Rick Danko and great horns by Garth Hudson. They all get five out of five stars.
"The Moon Struck One", to contrast those first five, blows. The lyrics are definitely Robertson's worst. It's the only Band track I have a hard time listening to. I give it one out of five stars. "Last of the Blacksmiths" and "Where Do We Go From Here?" sound uninspired. Out of five stars, they get 2.5 stars.
"Shoot Out In Chinatown", "Smoke Signal" and "The River Hymn" are decent enough, but are a step down from "Carnival", "Masterpiece", "Pantomime", "Thinkin" and "Volcano". Out of five stars, they probably all get 3.5 stars.
Averaging that out, you get an average of 4.15 out of 5 stars. A step down from the previous three, but worth a listen.
Not Half Bad. January 7, 2006
Al Goehring (DeKalb, IL USA)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
Cahoots definitely exceeded my expectations. Much like The Band itself, it is an acquired taste that, once acquired, becomes addicting and absolutely beloved.
The strange thing is how panned Cahoots is. Granted, it had a tough act to follow - "Big Pink," "Band" and "Stage Fright." Granted, it isn't the masterpiece that those are. But I compare it to anything else around today and it beats the pants off it.
First of all, I am with every other reviewer in that "Life is a Carnival" and "When I Paint My Masterpiece" are both fantastic.
But I would go on to say that "Last of the Blacksmiths" is actually one of my favorites. It appears to be one of the most widely disliked tunes on the album. I find the song itsself, especially Robertson's guitar and Manuel's percussive piano. "Last of the Blacksmiths," I think, is one of the album's highlights, not low spots.
"Moon Struck One" is rather pathetic. Although Manuel gives an inspired vocal performance (his voice would deteriorate over the years), Robertson's lyrics are... just not good. "And it looks like he's really really hurt." You'd have to hear it... it just doesn't work. At all.
The rest of the album is quite good, although River Hymn is a little affected. "Thinkin' Out Loud" has some GREAT piano work. "Shootout in Chinatown" is lighthearted fun, and "Smoke Signal," while not a great song, has a VERY cool intro. And "4% Pantomime," featuring a very inebriated Richard Manuel and an equally plastered Van Morrison, is one of their funnest songs ever.
Personally I find Cahoots to be a success, not a failure. It's just not as much of a success as their other work. Listen to it without comparing it to their first two albums. It will shine all on its own with quirky charm.
Stumbled?!? In yer dreams! May 27, 2001
DrDanny (Sunnyvale, CA United States)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Maybe it didn't sell as well as earlier albums, and maybe some critics didn't like it, but as a musician I'm here to tell you it's terrific. I'd give it 5*s but that has to be reserved for the truly great Rock of Ages set. Face it, The Band never appealed to the masses -- they just went over the average person's head, I think. This disc has some truly remarkable performances, and belongs in every Band fan's collection, as does the entire reissue series. All are uniformly well produced -- the clarity is amazing -- and taken all together, the liner notes form a detailed and well written history of the group's output. Shoot Out in Chinatown, Volcano, and Thinkin' Out Loud are standout songs, and Life is a Carnival is still a masterpiece.Stumbled? No, they just veered off in a direction no one predicted, when the critics wanted another "brown album."
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