_Levon Helm_ is a complete departure from the feel of his earlier albums. As the CD's liner note point out, this was Levon's most commercial recording to date. Unfortunatly, Levon's style does not translate well to the slick 80's production.
To make matters worse, there is not a single memorable song on this album. "Willie and the Hand Jive" is passable but it doesn't hold a candle to Eric Clapton's 1978 recording of the song. The telling "You Can't Win Them All" and "Lucrecia" are sub-par songs awash in overly slick electric guitars and echoed drum tracks.
Only one thing prevents _Levon Helm_ from being a one-star album: his voice. Even with the horrible production and lousy songs, the voice is THERE.
Overall, this is by far the weakest album to have Levon Helm's name on it. If you need your Levon fix, it is recommended that you try out _RCO All-Stars_ or _American Son_. Even better, check out the three '90s Band albums.
