Buffalo Springfield, C.S.N.Y

I was in the car listening to Radio 2 today, and they played a Buffalo Springfield song. It reminded me I havent explored this band enough yet.


Ive liked Neil Young for years, but as far as Buffalo Springfield and Crosby Stills Nash and Young go, I only have the C.S.N.Y album 'Deja Vu' which is obviously fantastic.

Just wondered if I could ask you fine chaps/chapesses which CSNY and Buf Sp. albums you would reccomend, and why?

Heres hoping I can get you out the closet!

Chris

 

So you heard the Johnnie Walker show too? It was on in the car when I was coming home from work, For What It's Worth, Alone Again Or and Somebody To Love... what a great three in a row!

CSNY. This is simple. The first album (can't recall the title), Deja Vu (which you have and featuring Our House, Woodstock and Teach Your Children) and Four Way Street. The latter is a double live album, heinously over-priced in the stores but well worth it for the acoustic set on disc one alone. The output since (American Dream, So Far (a comp) and Looking Forward) has been patchy at best. Indeed, the latter isn't really a collaborative record at all, Neil Young's participation is, IIRC, on three or four songs, backed by his own band, that were out-takes from the Silver & Gold album.

Springfield... that's a little trickier. I'd suggest Buffalo Springfield and Buffalo Springfield Again. These are the first two albums, the last one (Last Time Around) isn't as good. If you want to play safe, the Retrospective compilation can usually be found fairly cheap.

If you like these, then you might also try looking into Poco, Richie Furay from Buffalo Springfield was in this band and they did some great albums, their "Live" probably being the best.

You might also want to try American Beauty & Workingmans Dead by the Grateful Dead as well. Gram Parsons GP/Grevious Angel is another no brainer, as would be the Flying Burrito Brothers or some latter era Byrds stuff.

 

The first album is CSN because Neil Young was elsewhere.
The ones I'd agree with above:

CSN
Deja Vu
4 way street
B Springfield Retrospective - maybe worth a try, but don't be dissapointed. They're one of those vague SF-ish type groups [like the G Dead and Love] that are just a mess to non-druggies.
I could never get GDead, or Gram Parsons, or Qucksilver Messenger service, or Flying Burrito Bros, or Ozark Mountain daredevils etc! They all just seemed to be trying to be cool by being quirky rather than music. But then I come from the bluesy side of CSNY. If THATS the stuff that floats your boat, also try:

Super sessions - Bloomfield, Stills, Cooper
America - Homecoming
Loggins and Messina - Sitting in

The last 2 are top30 albums in my rating

 

C, S, N & Y - Deja Vu

C, S & N - Carry On

 

C.S.N.Y. - American Dream was pretty good too

 

The First CSN album is good (though not as good as Deja Vu) and can be picked up cheap (£5) anywhere.

Buffalo Springfield Again , is Essential.


After these I'd be tempted to check out the First Stephen Stills Solo album which is excellent. You could then go for the Manasses (sic?) album which is also good but not so cheaply available.

 

oops, I forgot I had Stephen Stills CD 1st album also.

It is great, yeah.

If it helps anyone, my favorite songs from Deja Vu are the rockier tracks like 'almost cut my hair'.. ?

I found 'retrospective' on vinyl for 1.76 plus foreign p&p, so about 5 or 6 quid.

I'll give it a whirl, I like an experiment

thanks everyone

 

Yeah, second Manassas, some great sounds - Steve Stills one of the most underated guys around.

Suite : Judy Blue Eyes (CSN&Y) - one of the great great songs of our generation and still blows me over when I hear it today. Nostalgia ain't what it used to be....

The later CSNY efforts (like Daylight Again) are absolutely dire so I tend to think of them in their prime (ie. early years) when their vocal harmonies were just heaven. And some brilliant songs.