Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young
Deja Vu
Released: 1970
#148 on Rolling Stone's Top 500 Album List
http://www.math.montana.edu/~griff/gifs/csny.gif
Members:
David Crosby- Guitar, vocals
Stephen Stills- Guitar, vocals, organ
Graham Nash- Guitar, vocals, piano
Neil Young- Guitar, vocals, piano, harmonica
Dallas Taylor- Percussion
Greg Reeves- Bass
Track List:
1. Carry On
2. Teach Your Children
3. Almost Cut My Hair
4. Helpless
5. Woodstock
6. Deja Vu
7. Our House
8. 4 + 20
9. Country Girl
10. Everybody I Love You
Information:
After their hugely succesful debut album, Crosby, Stills, and Nash were instant superstars. In CSN's first album, Stephen Stills had firmly planted himself as the leader of the group. He was the lead producer of all their songs, and he commonly stayed up all night in the studio perfecting them. They had just performed at Woodstock in August of 1969, and they were heading towards their next album. After recruiting bassist Greg Reeves, Stephen Stills tried to get his former bandmate of Buffalo Springfield, Neil Young to join. Young reluctantly agreed even though he was working hard on his own solo career. When Neil joined, Stills was very relieved. After working so hard on CSN's first album, he knew Neil was also a wizard in the studio and this would help take pressure off his shoulders. Known as the first supergroup and "The Beatles of America", Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young were born.
1. Carry On:
This is a great, upbeat start to the album. Acoustic guitars bring in the group's luscious harmonies. A soloing guitar in the background gives the song a foreign/Middle Eastern feel. The song suddenly breaks into a harmony solo, and a funky bassline dueting with an Arabian organ solo. Fantastic lyrics, also. A Still's classic. 5/5
2. Teach Your Children:
This is Graham Nash's best song other than Helplessly Hoping featured on CSN's first album. A fantasic slide guitar is played by the group's friend, Jerry Garcia. This song has a very Wild West/country feel to it. Nash sings emotional lyrics that fit the song's mood perfectly. You can even hear is British accent leak through some of his singing. Overall, a great vocal performance by the group, and the song finally ends with Garcia's soloing slide. 5/5
3. Almost Cut My Hair:
This is a true Crosby hard rock classic, and one of the best off the album. There are two soloing guitars in the background filled with distortion. They even seem to be fighting with each other as if they were siblings. Crosby delivers one of his best vocal performances ever. He always had trouble finding his own singing range since he had been a harmonizer all his life. But, thanks to the experience of their last album, and Stephen Stills, he found it perfectly. The song is subliminally talking about his own drug addictions, and how he doesn't want to fall victim to his own habits. Another great. 5/5
4. Helpless:
It's Neil's turn. A soft piano and electric guitar open this emotional song about his life in Canada. Young's vocals are truly legendary and recognizable, and this song will guarantee it. His trippy lyrics make this a great "falling to sleep" song. The rest of the group sing a background chorus and hum during the verse. This is a great song, and it deserves to go into Neil's catalog. 5/5
5. Woodstock:
CSNY sing about the legendary concert, Woodstock. This song was originally written by Joni Mitchell, who was another good friend of the group, and who was having a relationship with Graham Nash. A famous guitar riff opens the song, and Stills opens the lyrics. There is also a great guitar solo in this song, along with the crazy piano in the background. CSNY deliver another great vocal performance, and the song perfectly captures the mood of the concert. 4/5
6. Deja Vu:
This song opens with some soft scat and acoustic guitars then fades out quickly. It then reopens to a fast rhyme about the experience of Deja Vu, and slower paced vocal solo by Stills. Every member play perfectly in this song, the piano, the guitars, and their vocals. Next, the song goes into vocal practices with the group's harmonizing "Na's". The soloing guitar towards the end gives off a very peaceful sound and feeling to the song. The song ends with the group singing "We have all been here before" and giving the perfect impression of Deja Vu. 5/5
7. Our House:
Nash's second classic off the album. This is a song you either love or hate, but too bad, I like it. Nash sings about a quiet life in a house with a peaceful family of his own. He plays piano while the group harmonizes with his "La's". I believe there is a harpsichord mocking Nash's piano playing. Some would find this song corny or cheesey, but I mostly like it. 3/5
8. 4 + 20
This is by all means, my favorite song off the album. Stephen Stills is alone plucking his acoustic guitar. He sings about his current loneliness, and his difficult childhood with his hard working father. These are some of Still's greatest lyrics:
Morning comes to sunrise, and I'm drivin to my bed.
I see that it is empty, and there's devils in my head.
I embrace the many colored beasts.
I grow weary of the torment, can there be no peace?
This is a truly emotional song, and it almost gives hints to Still's suicidal tendencies. 5/5
9. Country Girl:
Neil Young's mini-opera on the album, and definetly one of his best. It's divided into three parts, A: Whiskey Boot Hill, B: Down, Down, Down, and C: Country Girl. Whiskey Boot Hill starts off the song very slowly, and is very catchy. Neil plays piano and there is what I think, a timpani in the background. An organ opens into part B, Down, Down, Down. Neil wrote fantastic lyrics throughout the whole song, which were sung beautifully by the group. Finally, part C: Country Girl, opens. Three hits on the crash cymbal introduce the best part of the song. The organ continuously plays with a soloing harmonica next to it. A perfect song. 5/5
10. Everybody I Love You:
The final song of the album opens with a fast-paced guitar riff, and a funky feel. There are very odd lyrics in the song, with a cool guitar solo behind it. The song then stalls into the chorus, with the group thanking you for listening to the album. Good ending. 4/5
http://www.enoise.com/images/csny_tour.jpg
CSNY practicing backstage
From Left to Right: Young, Nash, Crosby, Stills
Overall rating: 4.5/5
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