CSNY
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, ‘Déjà Vu’, 1970. Hard to imagine now but Cocaine, Pills, Hash & Old were once Gods of the Counter Culture. Their Wembley Stadium show in 1974 was a badge moment for thousands. The original super group. A member of the Byrds, two from Buffalo Springfield, and a Hollie, made for a heady mix. Laurel Canyon was the centre of the Rock Universe in 1970 and these boys were the Kings. What makes it all worthwhile is the harmonies. Beyond everything else, these voices will live forever.
‘Carry On’ kicks it off, big acoustic strum before the voices swoop in with bass, percussion swings in and Stills’ licks float through. Those voices though! ‘Teach Your Children’ is by Nash, the Hollie who knew how to write a pop song and pretty melody. Jerry Garcia plays the pedal steel guitar. It sounds simple but the lyric is deadly serious. Remember Vietnam was still ripping the US apart. Kent State happened just after the album’s release. ‘Almost Cut My Hair’ is Crosby, all piss and vinegar. Once upon a time, wearing your hair long nailed your colours to the mast. An alternative national anthem for millions of freaks, with dirty guitar from Stills and Young. ‘Helpless’ is Neil Young at his best - lost, weary, melancholy, beautiful. I love Neil Young. ‘Woodstock’ another alternative national anthem. CSNY actually played at Woodstock, their second ever gig.
Side 2 opens with ‘Déjà Vu’, out Beach Boying the Beach Boys in a big swirling ocean of sound. ‘Our House’ is Nash again, bringing an English sensibility and mood in another simple song that packs a punch. ‘4+20’ is just Stills with soft vocal and gentle acoustic picking. ‘Country Girl’ is Neil again with more harmonies from heaven. ‘Everybody I Love You’ is straight out of Buffalo Springfield, the rocker in the set to send you home happy.
So, yeah, they’re a bunch of hippies but this is a classic. The cover says it all though: olde worlde America. We need to get back to The Garden…
CSNY
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, ‘Déjà Vu’, 1970. Hard to imagine now but Cocaine, Pills, Hash & Old were once Gods of the Counter Culture. Their Wembley Stadium show in 1974 was a badge moment for thousands. The original super group. A member of the Byrds, two from Buffalo Springfield, and a Hollie, made for a heady mix. Laurel Canyon was the centre of the Rock Universe in 1970 and these boys were the Kings. What makes it all worthwhile is the harmonies. Beyond everything else, these voices will live forever.
‘Carry On’ kicks it off, big acoustic strum before the voices swoop in with bass, percussion swings in and Stills’ licks float through. Those voices though! ‘Teach Your Children’ is by Nash, the Hollie who knew how to write a pop song and pretty melody. Jerry Garcia plays the pedal steel guitar. It sounds simple but the lyric is deadly serious. Remember Vietnam was still ripping the US apart. Kent State happened just after the album’s release. ‘Almost Cut My Hair’ is Crosby, all piss and vinegar. Once upon a time, wearing your hair long nailed your colours to the mast. An alternative national anthem for millions of freaks, with dirty guitar from Stills and Young. ‘Helpless’ is Neil Young at his best - lost, weary, melancholy, beautiful. I love Neil Young. ‘Woodstock’ another alternative national anthem. CSNY actually played at Woodstock, their second ever gig.
Side 2 opens with ‘Déjà Vu’, out Beach Boying the Beach Boys in a big swirling ocean of sound. ‘Our House’ is Nash again, bringing an English sensibility and mood in another simple song that packs a punch. ‘4+20’ is just Stills with soft vocal and gentle acoustic picking. ‘Country Girl’ is Neil again with more harmonies from heaven. ‘Everybody I Love You’ is straight out of Buffalo Springfield, the rocker in the set to send you home happy.
So, yeah, they’re a bunch of hippies but this is a classic. The cover says it all though: olde worlde America. We need to get back to The Garden…