Stephen Stills is the debut solo album by American musician Stephen Stills released on Atlantic Records in 1970. It is one of four high-profile albums (all charting within the top fifteen) released by each member of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young in the wake of their 1970 chart-topping album Déjà Vu, along with After the Gold Rush (Neil Young, September 1970), If I Could Only Remember My Name (David Crosby, February 1971) and Songs for Beginners (Graham Nash, May 1971). It was primarily recorded between CSNY tours in London and Los Angeles. It was released in the United States on November 16, 1970, and in the United Kingdom on November 27, 1970. The album features many themes common to 1960s' countercultural beliefs, with many songs directly inspired by Stills' on-going and previous relationships with girlfriends and members of CSNY. The album was an immediate commercial success, in both the UK and the US, going top ten and being certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. In 1974, it was ranked number 70 by the NME writers in their best albums of all time. The album was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. It was voted number 129 in Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums in 2000.
Music for people who clap when an airplane lands. Neil Young is Mario, David Crosby is Luigi, and Stephen Stills is Toad. I will not elaborate further, but there are mountains of factual evidence to support my claim. Four albums featuring this guy on a list like this is insanity. That's like four crusty phone videos by your drunk neighbor Ted on a "1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die" list.
I am a stereotype but sometimes that's okay.
Okay
Stephen Stills' Stephen Stills hung out with me on my drives to and from my first day of work on this continent, amiably addled company on the way in, something of a guardian angel through the scary rainstorm coming home. Just a very easy album to get on with, hang-out yacht rock. The tunes are laid back, as are the jams - long enough to get absorbed in, short enough to swerve tedium. It's more a vehicle for eyes-closed emotional vibes than for melodies. Earnest, sincere and hopeful, this is music I would once have despised, mistaking doomed idealism for complacency. What the heck is the percussion doing on the opening Bucks Fizz song? Whatever it is, I like it! ‘Love the One You’re With’, I can imagine Clapton hiding behind his heroin beard when Stills was playing that back to him. This list always leads me back to Clapton, my Anti-Mecca. And Neil Young, my hairy Vatican. With one eye to Si's review, this is not as good as 'After the Gold Rush', but better than Young's songs on 'Deja Vu'. On that subject, this record has inspired an idea to reenact the making of Robert Altman’s “The Big Sleep”, with Stephen Stills as Philip Marlowe/Elliott Gould, Graham Nash as gangster Marty Augustine, David Crosby as Sterling Hayden/Roger Wade/Hemingway, Rita Coolidge as Eileen, John Lennon and Yoko Ono as Robert Altman, and special guest star Eric Clapton as Terry Lennox, whom will be shot by Stills at the climax. Neil Young will play the naked hippy girls living across from Stills. As too many of the cast are already dead, this will have to be a written exercise. The twist ending is a final shot of Crosby/Hayden rising back out of the night sea, eyes black, described in Hemingway barks.
A timely companion to After The Gold Rush earlier in the week. Went into this with low expectations, as I have thought Love The One You're With to be a weird and terrible song since I saw Bucks Fizz perform it at Thorpe Park randomly over 35 years ago (disappointingly instead of their current hit at the time which was a real banger, even without any ripped skirts). But I digress: LTOYW is awful here too, the rest isn't as bad although run-of-the-mill, '70s singer/songwriter stuff. Go Back Home is pretty good. Stills seems to be the least interesting of the CSNY set, but I've heard worse solo albums. Yawn
Something about this type of music that just soothes my soul! Just good old classic folk rock with some awesome harder guitar riffs in there. And backing guitar in sone tracks by Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and other legends! This is a great album. Listen again: yes Purchase for my collection: yes Favourite Song: Love The One You’re With
All those years I thought that voice belonged to David Crosby
What a tremendous album from the Stills of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. Album standouts include Love The One Your With, Do For Others, Old Times Good Times, Go Back Home, Cherokee, and We Are Not Helpless.
Can't do much better than Stephen Stills.
Pleasant surprise. A little more three dimensional than CSN, a little more 'rawk.'
I thought this would be mostly Americana songs in the vein of Love the One You're With, but it was very eclectic. Some blues, soul, and funk mixed in. And I enjoyed reading about and listening for the other notable musicians who contributed, like Ringo and Hendrix.
4.95/5 je reexoute. Très bon e chanson d'un super artiste.
I enjoyed that hell out of this. Really good songwriting, delightful performances, and great production. There's such a good blues vibe here. It's chill but still energetic. I can't really find anything bad to say about this one. Over the corse of the relatively short album it steadily rose from a 4 to a 5-star album. That's despite the saxophones and jazz flute, mind you. The guitar work on "Black Queen" alone is enough to overcome a half-dozen saxophone solos. Which is good because "Cherokee" pushes my limits on both.
Man this was really great. Great arrangement, vocals, songs, and not horribly dated like much of the stuff of the era. Very strong from start to finish. 9/10.
Great record.
One of the first vinyls I bought because it was easily obtainable at thrift stores. It kicks ass. Love the whole thing still to this day
Significant contributer to the rock genre. I‘m loving the blues and rock combinations in the songs. Knew him already from CSN(&Y). Love their songs too. Personal Top3 in no order: Old Times Good Times Go Back Home Black Queen
Really enjoyed that album and there are definitely some songs, i will enjoy further on. Never heard of Stephen Stills before, but his lyrics and guitar skills are outstanding and top class. I am really glad now, having joined this 1001 gen app. My top 3 in a particular order are: 1) Do for the Others 2) Go Back Home (awesome song concerning the sequences of e guitar, bass and piano. Outstanding e guitar solo btw) 3) Black Queen (really enjoyed the country style guitar parts) 4.8
Didn't really care for his collab work with Bing Crosby and Ogden Nash, but this album kinda slaps.
Hendrix and Clapton as features on the same record is pretty incredible. Then you’re gonna flute it up another notch on Cherokee? Get out of town
Delicioso álbum
Folk. Blues. Rock
Blues. Folk. Emotion. 70s Rock. Best Song: Cherokee
One of the four horsemen of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young! Stephen Stills, credit the guy for spelling his name right. I really liked this project, some cool sound territory explored. A couple really great guitar tracks, and some that just plain rock. "Love the One You're With" seems like a classic, I really like the background choir on that song. This guy's great. Not sure how much solo work he did but if there's more like this I hope we get another album. Favorite tracks: Love the One You're With, Do for the Others, Old Times Good Times, Black Queen. Album art: Mr. Stills sitting in the snow next to a giraffe statute of sorts. I like the font used for the top. I wonder if he was cold shooting this picture in just a polo? 4/5
I enjoyed this a lot. Great listen and a great artist.
I have a playlist called 'Warm and Fuzzy' that this would fit really well into. Dreamy, cosy, classic rock for wintertime (as the album cover suggests). Liked 'Old Times Good Times' and 'To a Flame'.
For some reason I didn't want to like this as much as I did, but it's got a laid back soulfulness to it that I can't deny. The reason I was cautious going in is probably because of the hippie sentiment of the overplayed opening track. I feel that's one anthem that hasn't aged gracefully. Once you get past that though, this is one smooth ride. Covers alot of ground in its 39 minutes.
I enjoyed this, and was a bit taken aback by the stylistic differences from song to song. These CSNY guys really know their stuff. However, I was not super taken overall. All the songs were good, not great (except Love the One You're With) 3.75/5
3.5 considering i expected to really dislike this, i was pleasantly surprised. the first half was definitely stronger than the latter in my opinion but it was overall very pleasant background music while i was getting ready. church was my favourite it made me quite happy to listen to.
Shocked: there was me thinking that this was going to be a shit album by an artist that I've never heard of and I would spend my time slagging it off but yk what I'm not going to do that bc it's actually quite good. It has hit it's target of being a rock record which gives you that cosy feeling inside, it may not be the most technically advanced but a nice relaxing time.
Mjög kósí plata.
Have and love this album
Before Marvel, there was the Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young extended universe. Just like Marvel, they cranked out content but unlike Marvel, almost everything they did was high quality. This album is no exception!
8/10 solide album. très plaisant. hard rock, rock, soul. beau mélange. a revenir
Solid
I have always liked Stephen Stills voice but have never listened to his solo work. The album starts with his hit, 'Love the One You're With' which feels more akin to his work with CSN(Y) with its layers and production. I really enjoy the more stripped down songs like 'Black Queen' as they show Stills at his most raw and playful. Overall, this is an easy to listen to psychedelic folk/blues/roots record. The caliber of musicianship is insane. The album credits list Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Booker T. Jones, Ringo Starr, and Cass Elliot in addition to David Crosby and Graham Nash. Something about it feels a bit undefined, but I chalk that up to Stills finding his identity outside his massively successful supergroup.
Feels like a perfect record to take us from the sixties into the seventies - enough grounding in folk rock songwriting to feel familiar, enough movement into a heavier, orchestrated sound to feel fresh. Really enjoyable.
Not a lot different from CS&N, which I think is a good thing. Good listen, especially the first half
Great music, however would have liked just bit more blues rock or blues guitar by Stills
Another great album from a great artist that makes great music.
I was expecting something sort of straight ahead folky, but there was a lot going on here. Strings, background vocals, horns, and electric guitar (including some from Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton no less!) This is really a great album, so glad I got the chance to listen to it. 4 stars.
A whole lot of clean guitar playing and singing that sounds like it's coming from the next room. Best track: Go Back Home
The most enjoyable album by one of Crosby, Stills or Nash (and arguably Young) that I've heard so far. Those records have generally been good but a little on the boring side. Not this. Stills goes straight for soulful bluesy folk rock with a big commercial sound. He throws everything at it, drenching the album with gospel choirs, strings, Springsteenesque raspy vocals, guitar licks, saxophone, and even a touch of jazz flute. It's not subtle and it's not particularly clever, but its instantly enjoyable. Rating: 3.5/5 Playlist track: Love The One You're With Date listened: 21/09/23
Strong material throughout with a couple of real standouts, but not really breaking new ground on CS&N(& sometimes Y) territory, and a little unfocused.
4 - nice easy listen
As lovely as anything he did in the groups he belonged to in the sixties.
Great album and voice
The power of friends.
Great!!
3.75
Album 202 of 1001 Stephen Stills - Stephen Stills Rating : 4 / 5 Favorite Track : Love the One You're With Wonderful album. There was a time when I wondered why Stephen Stills had the following he did. Now, I wonder why he doesn't get more attention for his work. Great songwriting, great production. Great career. This album has many guest musicians including Clapton & Hendrix. Good stuff.
#1 already familiar with this one. Stills was as good as any songwriter at the time.
I enjoyed this album a lot more than I thought I would. Varied and interesting the whole way through.
Gefällt mir! 7.5/10
Rating: ** 4+ ** Notes: Really nice Album. Listended to it during work and got little bit unfocused.... but was nice to work to :) loved the choire. Have to listen it again... maybe its a 5 then. Songs which stood out in no particular order (credits to Uncle Gue for the idea): "Love the One You're With" ------------------------------------------------------------- Rating Scale: 1- very bad 2- bad 3- neutral 4-good 5-very good additonaly -/+ sign if necessary
On a bright sunny Friday I found this album pretty annoying. Listening again the next day, a rainy, grim, lazy weekend morning, I love it.
Decent music, I mostly liked the folk/gospel direction. I never realized Love the One You're With had a message that I strongly disagree with, but hey now I do. What an unfortunate (to me) message for such a catchy song.
This gets 4 stars for Cherokee
Did not expect to like this as much as I did. There's an abundance of CSNY and their associated work on this list so I wasn't looking forward to it. I was pretty happy with this. I didn't know he was responsible for "Love The One Your With" I always thought it was some one hit wonder
Pleasant sounds for a morning commute. Classics are classics for a reason.
Stephen Stills? Stephen Stills what? Oh STILLS! Like him off of Crosby and Nash! I have already established I know nothing of their work and the album that has appeared so far wasn’t great. I had zero expectations. The album cover doesn’t give anything away. A random dude freezing his bollocks off, sitting on a bench that is covered in about 12 inches of snow. Obviously he’s playing a guitar. And obviously there is a small wooden pink giraffe stood next to him. Of course there is. None of that gives any indication to the whole bunch of tracks that are absolutely dripping in orchestral gospel warmth. Like if Primal Scream had done a whole album like Moving On Up … but better. I thought this was great. I’m really starting to worry that I’m turning into a dad from US sitcom in the 90s.
Good sounds, nothing flashy.
First track amazing Album closer is incredible Everything in between is pretty great 4/5
While listening to each one of these songs I keep reminding that this was released in 1970 - before Sticky Fingers, before before Springsteen’s albums and before most of Zeppelin’s work. It is impressive the swing, versatility, power this album has. I came with low expectations and was surprised. Definitely will come back to this album.
Waffled between a 3 and 4 star on this. Overall a 4 star album with a couple of 2 or 3 star songs. But, I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
folk 2.5/5 not bad but not for me
Kan ik wel handelen.
Ik vond dit erg mooi. Punt.
I thought maybe this would be another country album by the cover art. It was not. It was actually quite nice. I listened while at the gym so I wasn't jotting down notes as I listened. But I enjoyed the bluesy sounds to it. And some good sax on the second to last song.
Klasik Stills. 3 super pjesme, ostatak solidan bez ijedne loše 1. 3 2. 3 3. 3 4. 4 5. 4 6. 3 7. 3 8. 3 9. 4 10. 3 3,3
Great opener but for me downhill from there.
Música para boomer que agrada a mi alma milenia.
This didn't stand out for me as much as I had expected it to.
Interesting eclectic album. Fun
Hit or miss.
Fun album and I really enjoyed Love the One You're With, I know I've heard that before. Honestly there were a few on here that felt familiar. Love this album art too, a classic winter scene with a giraffe? Ok Mr Stills.
Enjoyable. Not mind blowing, but nice.
Love the One You’re With is a standout song. Clapton and Hendrix are also on a couple songs.
Like but don't love this album
This was ok as background music as I was doing housework.
Substantially better than the NY albums we've had. Great voice and pleasant music.
quality folk rock. stephen stills, the overlooked member of CSNY, shines on this one. great voice. solid effort. highlights: “love the one you’re with”, “old times good times”, “black queen”.
3/5. A pretty decent album, some more guitar licks than I was expecting based on the cover but not anything that stands out. The hit song from the album gets real old real quick. I have skipped it through my listens sometimes.
Després d'aportar la millor cançó de Buffalo Springfield, i de ser part protagonista d'una de les superbandes més importants de la història del rock, Stephen Stills encara semblava que havia de demostrar la seva vàlua. Aquest va ser el seu manifest. Acompanyat d'un seguit d'artistes de primera línia, va donar el millor que tenia a dins. I, malgrat tot, encara estava lluny del que feien altres comrades, com Neil Young o el David Crosby d'aquell any
A fun and varied album with some great guitar playing and singing. Not gonna call it a favorite or anything, but it's solidly good. 3.5
Stills solo tracks all the expected folk-rock goodies, and his guests lend turns both rollin' and jazzy to a few tracks. It's a combination that works in theory and practice, and as a record falls somewhat short of a cohesive statement. The playing is strong; Any connection between the musicians comes across as professional, collected.
Les Stephen Stills continuent de se démultiplier dans ce nouvel opus. On dénombre désormais pas moins de 43 individus composant le groupe. Où s'arrêtera ce clonâge industriel? Bien malin celui qui saura nous le dire.
Malgré une pochette d'album qui laisse penser que Stephen Stills (Leader) va jouer tout seul, la réalité sera tout autre. Il s'agit encore à ce jour de l'album qui compte le plus de Stephen Stills jamais recensé. Ils sont si nombreux qu'il est pratiquement impossible de tous les compter.
Stoner tunes.
It's your dad's favorite vinyl.
I didn't realize he wrote "Love the One You're With" even though I've heard it so many times - it's one of those songs that just keeps showing up. Really strong start to the album with that one, but after a couple songs it seems to get indulgent and rambly, and in the end doesn't hold together as a particularly strong album.
The first half is 4 stars and the rest is forgettable. Not the folk album I was expecting from the cover but cool
Quite disappointing in all honesty as it could have easily been a really spectacular album.The first slow three songs drag and while they do sound nice are quite forgettable. This perhaps is what makes Old Times Good Times all the more explosive. The rumbling bass is energetic and of course the guitar solo is impeccable. Easily the best song. The next song Go Back Home is another excellent display of Stephen's guitar skills and give off real Hendrix vibes. However the vocals are a let down. The same problem is evident in Black Queen and again in Cherokee. The album finishes with an outro that sounds massive sonically but only after several minutes of aimlessness. Had it been a blues instrumental album I'm sure it would have made a much greater impact as that was by far the most memorable elements of a lacklustre album.
The leadoff "Love The One You're With" is great, very catchy but the album is a bit of a letdown after that. Still fine for a singer songwriter rock album, but doesn't have the same punch as some contemporaries.
It was fine, some pretty good moments, but overall not too outstanding.
Decent folk rock, but if I never heard “Love the One You’re With” again, it would be too soon. Rancid song. C
A bit of hit or miss. I like Love the One You're With and Cherokee, but many of the other songs didn't leave a strong impression.
Highlights: Old Times Good Times, Cherokee Leave Em's: We Are Not Helpless, Black Queen Overall Thoughts: This album as a whole was pretty basic and there isn't too much to complain about. It sounds like a blend of indie, pop, soft rock, and singer/songwriter music. Most of the songs are pretty safe and they're fine, but nothing really caught my ear and engaged my listening. It is pretty impressive that Stephen is still putting out music. Unfortunately I can't endorse the first record of his career as extraordinary, although I could imagine some potential for growth throughout his discography. In conclusion, this falls under the "forgettable" area from this project that it seems like a lot of these records are subject to. Score Breakdown: 3.210 & 3 -> 3.105
Ok album. Could hear some early 70s folk and blues influences.
First song is the only great one; the rest is ok, I wouldn’t object to having it on in the background…