Crosby, Stills & Nash and Neil Young CDs and releases, Deja Vu, CSNY

Déjà Vu (1970 - ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED) TIP

For Déjà Vu, the trio added a fourth guitarist and songwriter, Neil Young, and a bass player who wanted to be a songwriter, Greg Reeves. Actually, Neil was added right after the first album to shore up the live shows. Live, it was always CSNY until 1977. CSN, composed of players unable to work with their prior bands, was already a volatile, outspoken, ego-driven group. Adding the mercurial Young created an even more unstable chemistry (see Crosby’s Cowboy Movie on If I Could Only Remember My Name).

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Looking Forward (1999)

Remarkably, this is only CSNY’s third studio album. Looking Forward is not an instant classic, but it is a solid set of music, a first step. CSN and Neil Young were working on albums separately when Neil visited a CSN session to play on an acoustic Stills song (which is not on the album). He listened to what they had done so far and was apparently impressed. He decided to join his old partners, offering a selection of songs he had recorded for his next album.

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Live It Up (1999)

Beware of albums with extraterrestrial cocktail weenies on the cover. It is hard to believe that CSN could make an album this bad. In spite of the presence of three great songwriters, outside material and songs written with/by band members is surprisingly dominant. This is very disappointing given that CSN had hardly been releasing a lot of product. In fact, since 1977, they had released four solo albums and two full band studio projects. One would expect a backlog of good songs, but this release seems to indicate a complete song writing breakdown.

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Crosby Stills & Nash Box Set (1991) TIP

This 77-track, 4-CD set remains one of the best boxes devoted to a single music act that one can buy, covering the output of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young across 22 years, from 1968 until 1990. The first thing that becomes apparent, beyond the excellent sound (which was a revelation at the time, when only extant editions of the group's work were the early, substandard CD editions), is the sheer worth of the material. This is unquestionably the best of CSN's 'greatest hits collections'. Most of their best work is here. This is not necessarily an album for a CSN novice; it's diverse and best purchased after having sampled some of their earlier original work. Some of the versions on this 4-disc set are alternative takes. For example "Dark Star" is a live version that is quite different from the studio version as many songs are. Stills "Love The One You're With" is here in all it's original glory as is Graham Nash's "Cathedral", the whimsical "Marrakesh Express", "Woodstock" and the rest. With all the old classics mixed in you have some of their newer work as well.

Carry On (1991)

This the short 2-CD version of the above mentioned box set.

After The Storm (1994)

This represents a return to form. CSN had just been on a very successful tour as a trio, with no band, and the after effects are felt here. The songs sound like the band worked together, with Stills sharing vocals on Nash songs, Nash and Crosby collaborating on These Empty Days and Stills helping Crosby with the writing of Camera. The pure trio format is not used here, with Stills and a studio band playing almost all the music. But the arrangements and production are much improved over the dismal Live It Up. The material holds up well to the more simple arrangements. This is a collection of solid songs.

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Another Stoney Evening (1998) TIP

David Crosby and Graham Nash's 'Another Stoney Evening' captures the vocal-focused half of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young at the peak of their talents, their relevance, and before the excesses of the rock and roll lifestyle wrecked havoc in David Crosby's life. The chosen tracks (certainly more than 15 were performed...) from this October 10, 1971 concert at the 3,000 capacity Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles are all drawn from the five official previous releases by various incarnations of CSN&Y, including a pair of David Crosby and Graham Nash solo discs, and the then soon-to-be-released first David Crosby-Graham Nash studio endeavor.
The liner notes by Steve Silberman give adequate background on this particular performance, as well as the bootleg disc called "A Very Stoney Evening" from which this disc draws its name. The two recordings are from different nights on the same tour. This is a very desirable disc for Crosby and Nash fans.

Thousand Roads (1993)

This is the David Crosby Masterpiece! Spellbinding and humbling music because when you hear an album like this you realize the difference between pure genius talent and the rest of us! Every single track is between 4 and 5 stars with Hero, Too Young to Die, Old Soldier and Through your Hands being the absolute standouts. Too all of us who survived the suicidal moments of our teens - Too Young to Die is an anthem in remembrance of those wild nights out on the road. "Too fast for comfort, too low to fly, too young...to die" And I ask any parent to attempt to stay dry eyed listening to "Through your Hands" "when you ask, why am I not noticed, I say - Your voice does not command!

It's All Coming Back To Me Now (1995)

This is a fantastic live recording recorded in 1993 at The Whisky A Go Go, Hollywood - one of the best in years. David Crosby assembled an exceptional group of musicians, especially the lead guitar, keyboard player, bass player and as always great lead vocals from David. There is a nice mix of old and new tunes. The old tunes are different enough from the original recordings to be enjoyed all over again, and new track "Rusty and Blue" is great. Good vocals on several songs from Graham Nash and others. The result is one great recording.

In Concert - King Biscuit Flower Hour (1996)

Recorded in 1989, David Crosby was fresh out of prison, clean and sober, and by the sound of this live recording, was out to prove he could still be an important musician. He manages to prove just that ! David offers up a compelling song list, delving back into his circa-1970 CSN&Y compositions such as 'Guinnevere', 'Deja Vu', 'Wooden Ships', 'Almost Cut My Hair' and 'Long Time Gone', along with tracks from two CS&N reunion's, 1977's 'In My Dreams' and 1982's 'Delta'. This King Biscuit recording is culled entirely from one night's performance, so the possibilities for an off-kilter performance or poor recording quality are high, but neither materializes as an unfortunate circumstance. In fact, Crosby and the band sound tight and energized!

Stills Alone (1991)

The man really comes through in spite of everything else you might find to criticize about this effort. Listen to his riffing on Amazonia, or his vocal intensity on Tree top flier. The song selection covers the range of his interest and each song, even the covers, bear his indelible stamp. This is just a great and heartfelt recording by an American treasure. There is no one else like Stephen Stills, and this album is pure, unadulterated Stills, blemishes and all.

Ragged Glory (1990) TIP

After a long period of unfocused weirdness, Young spotted grunge around the corner and declared unity with the loud, scruffy sounds coming from Seattle. The countryish ballads, such as the opening "Farmer John," get roaring Crazy Horse treatment, and the headbanging "F*!#in' Up" is the most self-effacing rock anthem since the Who recorded "I'm a Boy." Amid the clatter, though, there is beauty: Crazy Horse's sympathetic backup vocals turn "Mansion on the Hill" into a pretty pop song despite the electric guitars, and even the white noise that closes the 1990 album is soothing in a scream-therapy kind of way.

Weld (1991) TIP

Live Rust gets the most props, but if you're looking for a live document of Neil Young and Crazy Horse at their speaker-shredding, stage-scorching best, Weld is an absolute must-own. Fired up by the success of 1990's Ragged Glory, and outraged by the eruption of the Gulf War, Young and his cohorts attacked their 1991 tour like men on a suicide mission. An angry, gunshot-laced version of Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind" is the closest thing here to an acoustic reverie; the rest of the album offers up staggeringly intense electric versions of Neil songs both current ("Crime in the City," "Love to Burn," "Rockin' in the Free World") and classic ("Cortez the Killer," "Cinnamon Girl," "Powderfinger"). The back-cover photo of a disheveled Young cradling a broken-stringed guitar pretty much says it all--no one could have unleashed a sonic onslaught this brutal, and emerged unscathed from the experience

Arc (1992)

For those of you who didn't get quite enough feedback, arena reverb, or raw electricity from 1991's live Weld album to suit your tastes, Neil Young thoughtfully compiled this bizarre aural document. Originally included as a bonus disc on early versions of Weld, Arc is 35 minutes of stray guitar explosions, feedback screeches, stage announcements, and drum checks, all edited together to form a continuous (and actually rather compelling) listening experience. Call it Neil's delayed reaction to Lou Reed's Metal Machine Music, or think of it as his personal scrapbook of the Ragged Glory tour. Either way, you probably won't play it very often, but it's still a nice oddity to have in your Neil collection.

Harvest Moon (1992)

When Neil Young seems about to zig, he zags. Two years after 1990's loud Ragged Glory, he retreats to an old world of steel guitars, gentle folk melodies, and pristine country choruses. (That's Linda Ronstadt, who helped make 1972's Harvest a hit album, singing backup on the follow-up.) Young name-drops Hank Williams, Jimi Hendrix, and his old dog, King, in rich reminiscences about the musical ride he and his fans have shared since the late '60s. The album, as Young sings in "One of These Days," is "a long letter to all the good friends I've known."

Lucky Thirteen (1993)

This album features notable guest artists including Gail Davies, Rufus Thibodeaux, Waylon Jennings and Crazy Horse to name a few. The album is subtitled Excursions Into Alien Territory, Lucky Thirteen is a compilation of material young recorded during the 80's, a time when he was roaming all over the musical map in search of inspiration. Some of the more unusual byways traveled by Young included Gary Numan-flavored electro-pop ('Pressure'), traditional country ('Once An Angel') and rockabilly ('Get Done').

Unplugged (1993)

Based on past form ol' Neil should have been about ready to kiss off the sizeable audience he recaptured with Harvest Moon with an amp-shredding noicefest. Instead he aims to please here with vintage repertoire, the debut of a 1976 gem ("Stringman"), some tasty departures (the pump-organ "Like A Hurricane") and a heart-tugging "Helpless". The Unplugged backlash does not begin here

Sleeps With Angels (1994)

If Neil Young has a pronounced weakness, it's a lack of focus. Restless to a fault, he's apt to rush into the recording studio without fully forming his ideas. Sleeps with Angels is that kind of album--and yet it's one of his best. Jarred by the death of Kurt Cobain (the rock & roll martyr quoted Young in his suicide note), he dashed off this collection of songs in 1994 with backing from his steadfast electric warriors, Crazy Horse. At least two songs--the title track and "Change Your Mind"--seem to directly refer to Cobain. Others--"Driveby" and "Safeway Cart" among the most striking--are mesmerizing and gloomy. Still others--"Piece of Crap," "Blue Eden"--are raw and cutting. Goes to show an elegy, no matter how somber, needn't be a hushed affair.

Mirror Ball (1995)

Substituting eager Pearl Jam for wizened Crazy Horse, Young returns to the Ragged Glory formula--big guitars, droning rhythm, mystical poetry--for this one-off 1995 CD after a joint concert tour. Pearl Jam, especially new drummer Jack Irons, focuses Young's ideas and challenges him in ways the more forgiving Horse never does. "Downtown" became an immediate rock-radio hit, and the song's three-chord force keeps even the lines about dancing hippies and Jimi Hendrix from getting stale. Singer Eddie Vedder shows up sporadically but makes the most of a shadowy bridge on "Peace and Love."

Broken Arrow (1996)

The Youngian reaction principle--which dictates that our hero follow commercial monsters (After the Goldrush/Harvest, Rust Never Sleeps) with willfully difficult busts (Time Fades Away, Hawks & Doves)--finally kicks into effect after a long string of straight ahead bestsellers. The man's unpredictability has been a major reason he's remained vital for nigh on 30 years, so it's good to see he's still cranky enough to serve up these raw, sloppy, and, for hardcore fans, invigorating jam sessions with his fave band.

Dead Man (1996)

Musicologists looking for evidence of Neil Young's connection with the avant-garde likes of Sonic Youth need look no further than this uncompromising soundtrack to Jim Jarmusch's film Dead Man--the first post-punk western to make any sense at all. The music here is scattered and fragmentary, and performed mainly on electric guitar. Though Young's instrumental musings work well in the film, this soundtrack album will be of interest mostly to hardcore Young fanatics (for whom the feedback epic of "Weld" was too brief). The film's most accessible piece of music came during the opening credits, with Young blending acoustic and electric guitars to great dramatic effect. Unfortunately, it's not on this CD. Rent the video.

Year Of The Horse (1997)

Long may he run, sure, but Young and friends sound like they're in dire need of a creative refuel on this ho-hum live set. The man's clearly coasting. He knocked off the Broken Arrow studio disc without a second thought, and here the tapes roll for 83 minutes in capturing an OK performance (highlight: "Slipaway," the labyrinthine disc-two opener) that is effectively nothing more than an officially sanctioned bootleg. Let's hope he either gets inspired enough to deliver a Sleeps with Angels-style opus or finally wraps work on what should an awesome archival retrospective.

The Byrds BOX SET(1990)

When the Boxed Set first appeared in 1990 its 90 tracks offered a wealth of treasures to Byrds fans. Almost all the traditional classics were here, with sound quality upgraded over previous CDs. There were also a surprising number of previously unheard songs which had failed to make the original albums, including some first-rate material. Alternate takes of previously released songs were also here, either for the first time or rarities previously available only on obscure albums like "Never Before" (e.g., 'Baby Blue' '65 in monaural is followed by an early version of 'She Don't Care About Time'; this is the unreleased single aborted in favor of 'Turn! Turn! Turn!' b/w the familiar take of 'Time'). There were also a significant number of the original album cuts presented in entirely new 2-track to 8-track remixes of the separated master tracks. Finally, McGuinn/Crosby/Hillman recorded four entirely new tracks in 1990 exclusively for the Boxed Set. A completely remastered equalization of this entire package presented all tracks at about the same volume with new bass/trebel balances.

Greatest Hits (1999 - EXTRA TRACKS, ORIGINAL RECORDING REISSUED & REMASTERED) TIP

The 12-string electric guitar may never recover. As long as there are baby boomers roaming the earth, its airy jangle will signify psychedelic innocence and optimism refracted through the peculiar light of mid-'60s Los Angeles. With Roger McGuinn leading, the Byrds kicked off American rock history with a merger of Bob Dylan's words and the Beatles' melodic energy. The results are here: "Mr. Tambourine Man," "The Bells of Rhymney," and "Eight Miles High" still jump off the airwaves. The midpoint between Dylan and the Beatles is a one-of-a-kind place, where optimism and innocence still sound smart.

CPR (1998) TIP

CPR is excellent music any David Crosby fan will consider essential. CPR is the finest music he has ever made, in my opinion. From the shimmering harmonies, to the jazzy chords and rhythms to that unmistakable Crosby tone... this album is landmark for the poetic songsmith and his compadres. Often times a father/son project will be less than great, and people stumble across it out of curiosity. This band is the perfect vehicle for the talents of David Crosby.

Live at Cuesta College (1998)

Recorded during CPR's first tour at Cuesta College at San Luis Obispo, CA. Tracks (acoustic!): In My Dreams, Tracks in the Dust, Homeward Through the Haze, Rusty & Blue, Thousand Roads, For Free, Morrison, Somehow She Knew, 'til It Shines on You, Time Is the Final Currency, Where Will I Be/Page 43, Delta, Déjà Vu, One for Every Moment, Guinnevere, Wooden Ships.

Live at the Wiltern (1999)

This is an awesome double CD! I happen to have been at this particular concert and knew then how special this night was. Tight musicianship and emotional playing is what you hear! Crosby's voice and stories are as good as ever. Jeff Pevar's guitar mastery is second to none. This guy can play and play oh so good ! James Raymond's piano playing is top notch as well as the songs of his that are performed on this CD. Not to mention the guest musicians that evening. Marc Cohn, Graham Nash and Phil Collins. This CD is a must have . You will cherish it forever !