#14: Rock of Ages — The Band (1972)
Recorded across a high-energy New Year’s Eve residency at Manhattan’s Academy of Music, this magnificent live set features a massive, sprawling horn arrangement masterfully written by New Orleans funk legend Allen Toussaint. The resulting performance of The Weight pushes the band’s signature Americana grit into a soaring, brass-heavy gospel territory completely unmatched anywhere else in their extensive catalog. It remains an elite masterclass in roots orchestration.
