Reviews (page 3 of 6)
Really enjoyed this
Good, varied and a touch indulgent, but still worth knowing. The hit's fine – sort of the ultimate expression or a pithy, justifying maxim for the free love ethos – even if the "rose in a fisted glove/eagle flies with dove" runs quite counter to the practical amatory advice. "Do for Others" and "Church" are strong. "To a Flame" is dreamy, but requires a lot of strings to generate that effect. "Sit Yourself Down" is rock-and-roll self-care / therapy, realistically optimistic and motivationally choral. The rockier tunes are less interesting. The variety is a strength but not all of it is convincing; "Black Queen" and "Go Back Home" seem a reach into funky/bluesy/rootsiness that he can't quite pull off. The gently soaring "We Are Not Helpless" is what SS does best (the latter vaguely predicting of "Colorado" off Manassas and "Southern Cross" all those years hence). Much is made of the appearances of All-Stars but Clapton and Hendrix are one cut each, and the moments are fleeting, though the contributions are solid, if not truly outstanding. Everybody else is just backing vocals – not much to care about there. And why is Mama Cass so far back in the mix if her presence is material? Clearly, this is not as good as Manassas, which is even more indulgent but pays off in being more expansive, too (and has the charming "old fiddle music" side, that's almost believable, almost credible). Still, fine to know if only borderline worthy of being in the mix of this list. This is truly a 3.5 so requires a generous rounding up to get to 4, and it's clearly notch below Manassas, which is dead-on a 4, in one's humble (but reasonably well informed) opinion. He does seem the least rated member of CSNY and claims in lyrics not to care about fame (in at least one song here and at least one on Manassas) which seems like protesting too much and clearly this is best-effort, authentic and earnest music making, delivering at a high level of quality, but perhaps falling short of being truly essential. As to Stills' canonical rating, it is a plausible argument that he is underrated slightly as a solo artist (though rightfully relative to his bandmate Neil Young [to state the obvious]) but given that CSNY has always been slightly overrated, then maybe SS is appropriately rated after all.
pretty great even if most of it feels like background music
Surprisingly great record. Lots of variety in each track and ventures into blues, rock, and soul territory.
Knew the first song ‘Love the one you’re with’ but this was full of nice tracks. Great mix of styles, it was easy to hold your interest throughout. Hard to choose a favorite song. Pleasantly surprised with this album as I was expecting to have a hard time with it
Stephen Stills is the debut solo album by Stephen Stills, originally released in 1970. This would be the first of a string of extremely successful solo albums released by each member of the prolific supergroup Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. This one is definitely one of the stronger solo albums of that era, and probably Stills' best solo effort. This record features some amazing musicians, including Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix. The span of genres is also quite surprisingly diverse, spanning from blues to jazz to folk to funk and soul. It does get a bit self-indulgent at times, especially the track "Old Times Good Times" where Stills decides to drown out half of Hendrix's solo with his organ playing (turning it up unnecessarily loud at these portions, mind you). Overall solid record with some bangers. Stills would go on to release some more good solo efforts (particularly Manassas) but never reaches the same heights as this IMO.
Very good songs on here, stephen stills is indeed quite a good guitar player
Good, I used to listen to this as a kid and still like it
Вот такой фолк слушать по кайфу, запаха навоза не почувствовал
Stephen Stills' first solo outing is made of more ambitious material than anything his Nash & Young bandmates could conjure up (maybe with the exception of Crosby's). Largely pastoral, at times philosophical, daringly outward looking, this brings a bit of the countercultural dream of the 60s into the 70s even when it appeared to not become what it was meant to. Favorites: Love the One You're With, Church (Pt. Of Someone), Old Times Good Times, Sit Yourself Down, Black Queen, Cherokee.
Good guitar, overall good except his annoying vocals sometimes. The background gospel choir vocals saved some of the songs. Best song: Go back Home
Stills sought out to make an album that could not offend anyone and would be listened to by his contemporary white male colleagues. And he succeeded.
Go take a look at the list of musicians appearing on this solo debut. It’s insane.
Nice guitar.
Aftur lendi ég í því að hafa hlustað á grúppu frekar en einstaka meðlim og átta mig á því að ég hef misst af miklu. Þessi plata er mjög ljúf og mun vera spiluð aftur á mínu heimili í réttum aðstæðum. Hugljúf hlustun
Not bad but not as good as Neil Young or CSNY stuff
And if you can't be with the one you love, love the one your with!
Great time listening to this, starts off strong, wavers a bit in the middle but ends strong, I really liked Cherokee
Loved it, I only know him from Crosby, Still & Nash (& Young) fame, so was nice to hear what he was also up to. Good stuff.
A brief look at my summary shows I'm a fan of CSNY, especially the "Y". Admittedly, never really dug into Stills' solo discography, though I've heard "Love The One You're With" through osmosis enough times. The first half of the record is great, but I feel like the back half hits poorly, for different reasons for each song. "To A Flame" is bordering on AM radio gold, easy listening type music. "Black Queen" feels like a jam that doesn't really go anywhere, content to be decent with diminishing returns as the song progresses. That being said, some of these songs really fucking nail it, blending good songwriting with genuine talent. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Love The One You're With", "Old Times Good Times", "Do For The Others"
Liked it more than I thought I would, excellent guitar work and thoughtful songwriting
I didn't get real excited about this album when it came out, but listening to it now I hear several very good songs, some fine guitar, and not much filler. Steve definitely upgraded when he joined Crosby, Nash and then Young, but this is good stuff.
I really liked this album. It's much better than I thought it would be. Stephen Stills is a great singer-songwriter. There's guest appearances from guitar legends Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton. Another surprise from someone I've never heard of. I'll give "Self Titled" 4 stars.
I was expecting a singer songwriter album from the late 60s and I got that but I also got so much more. This album rocks hard. It has soft beautiful songs but it also has some guitar driven rockers that are very impressive, I guess I shouldn't have been surprised since both Hendrix and Clapton contribute lead work on one song respectively. A really good discovery that, though it is definitely of it's time it still manages to sound fresh today. 4.5 stars
Pretty enjoyable — if forgettable — folk rock. I probably won’t seek out more of Stills’ work in the future, but for what it’s worth I thought this album really delivered as far as being an uplifting set of songs that work well when played in succession. A few extended instrumental interludes felt a bit out of place about midway through the album, but it wasn’t a big deal.
Alright, I’ll admit I really enjoyed a lot of these songs.
Wow. Incredible record that's an excellent example of singer-songwriter style of the time. While there may only be a single classic "hit" on the record, every song is an incredibly soulful musical journey.
Stills goes solo tying together soul, funk, and Latin influences with folk, the blues, and an absolutely STACKED featured guest list.
Not my favorite of the CSN(Y) spinoff stuff... but it does have some great guest performances... and overall pretty solid. Going to round up to a 4.
Very good
Loved Buffalo Springfield, and Stills is my favorite out of CSNY. I got this for Love The One You're With but played the shit out of this record for the rest back in the day (Church, Sit Yourself Down, Go Back Home, Black Queen). He's an underrated guitar player, love his voice. 8/10
Nice...who needs c n or y
perus 1970 sooloalbumi nimetty henkilön nimellä, kitaranpaiskuuttaen ja laulaen luennelloin... alle 40min lyhyt katsastus herran mielimaailmasta, ei kuitenkaan pelkkää akustiikkapaskaa vaan tuo rokki elementtejä joka kiihottaa ja yllyttää.. tekemään RIKOKSIA-.... ei olisi koskaan tälläista perkele saatamanppalvomista elektroniikka demoni DEMONI VIEHÄTYS MASIINA.... SE ELEKTRONIEN KITARA... se on antikristuksen kieltä,, se kirkuminen ei ihmiset ymmärrä normaalit ihmiset, mutta jos osaa soittaa niin luciferi saanut kiinni kurkusta... pakottaa rämpyttäneen old times good times
Easy listening. Really like it. The guy is a really good guitar player.
i vibe with these harmonies man. these songs r jus gr8. i FELT that
Smooth as silk and more soul than a shoe
- some nice folky rocky sounds - sorta enjoyed this more than I thought - gets a little groovy in the middle - 3.5
Great album
Fine Stephen Stills album, which was new to me.
Love the One You're With is kinda annoying but the rest of the album is surprisingly good!
good
Some of the songs were lovely but the others I really didn’t like … very dichotomous
Damn! A lot of stills, nash, crosby, & young joint and solo projects on here. Id complain but i like pretty much all of them. This is not an exception
easy rock. never heard of before
Love the one you're with is a fantastic song. Great lyrics bonded to great guitar work. This is generally a uplifting album without being saccharin. A melding of an acoustic folk and blues sound with electric and rock sensibilities. Actual singing is important rather than just a style of vocal delivery. The opening to Black Queen is straight blues styling and some excellent playing. I don't think the singing on it is quite perfect but it is pretty good. I'd love to hear it re-interpreted by some modern bands.
Amazing, wasn't expecting much from the cover and the album name but it was a pleasant surprise.
Really lovely, great stuff, American treasure. 4 stars.
viagem gostosa! a simpatia da capa se confirmou... ps. embarquei tanto que acabou o álbum e fiquei um tempão ouvindo músicas recomendadas sem perceber kkkkkkk
Actually was alright. The back half wasn't as inspired and the production falls flat, but the musical direction is memorable enough to still hold up. Its interesting to look at each member of CSNY and try and figure out why I don't like them as a band. Young's solo stuff is alright (thank god because there's tons of it), and so is this it turns out.
01) Love The One You're With - 8,5 02) Do for the Others - 8,0 03) Church (Part of Someone) - 8,5 04) Old Times Good Times - 7,5 05) Go Back Home - 8,0 06) Sit Yourself Down - 8,5 07) To a Flame - 7,0 08) Black Queen - 7,0 09) Cherokee - 7,0 10) We Are Not Helpless - 7,5 TOTAL: 7,75 (78/100) Nice music, it has everything you expect of the 70's... It even has Hendrix, Clapton, Ringo Starr and Cass Elliot. What more could you wish for.
This was great! I mainly enjoyed Manassas when that came up earlier but it was a bit too long and inconsistent because of that. This was a much more concise and on the whole stronger set of songs and just a good old time
A very good album that doesn't need CN&Y to stand up on its own.
Enjoyed the album. Added quite a few songs to my likes. 3.75-4/5.
Strong upper 4. Lots of love for this album, almost a 5 but not quite. Insane personnel, Hendrix, Clapton, Booker T., Ringo, etc. Live recordings of a number of these songs sit in my all time favorites, but the production does no favors. Great but not the best Stills has done.
4/5
Of all the CSNY guys, S is for sure my fav. Just really appreciate the songs he writes.
7/10. Not bad at all, little over-dramatic. If this truly is my final album on this list from the CSNY extended universe, goodbye, it was an okay time.
Could be my favorite out of all the CSNY-adjacent albums on the list. Or I’ve developed Stockholm Syndrome from having to listen to so many CSNY-adjacent albums (17 and counting!). 8/10
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.
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.
First track amazing Album closer is incredible Everything in between is pretty great 4/5
Good sounds, nothing flashy.
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.
4- если что
Pleasant sounds for a morning commute. Classics are classics for a reason.
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
This gets 4 stars for Cherokee
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.
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.
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
Gefällt mir! 7.5/10
I enjoyed this album a lot more than I thought I would. Varied and interesting the whole way through.
#1 already familiar with this one. Stills was as good as any songwriter at the time.
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.
3.75
Great!!
The power of friends.
Great album and voice
As lovely as anything he did in the groups he belonged to in the sixties.
4 - nice easy listen
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.
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
A whole lot of clean guitar playing and singing that sounds like it's coming from the next room. Best track: Go Back Home
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.
Another great album from a great artist that makes great music.
Great music, however would have liked just bit more blues rock or blues guitar by Stills
Not a lot different from CS&N, which I think is a good thing. Good listen, especially the first half
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.
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.
This is fucking miles better than anything his mate Neil Young ever did, it's really good in places. Love the One You're With sounds like a 90s pop hit 25 years early, Church is a soaring uplifting ballad type, Go Back Home is bluesy, generally a really enjoyable listen.
Solid
8/10 solide album. très plaisant. hard rock, rock, soul. beau mélange. a revenir
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!
Have and love this album
Mjög kósí plata.
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.
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
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 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'.
I enjoyed this a lot. Great listen and a great artist.
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
Blues. Folk. Emotion. 70s Rock. Best Song: Cherokee
Folk. Blues. Rock
Delicioso álbum
cool, but not my genre
Pretty great, wasnt expecting such a vibrant and fun album honestly
Blues probably my least favourite style, but it ain't a bad album. 3/5 Top tracks: Love the one you're with, Cherokee
Don't judge an album by its' strange album cover. I was aware of the opening track, it's a very good one. But the album gets better towards the middle segment with some awesome guitar work. The final track is brilliant. Thanks Stephen. Favourites: Old Times Good Times Go Back Home We Are Not Helpless
Cool simple vibes
Do we get Manassas later?
The more listenable and talkented of CSN - it might get a three if only becasue hes not Crosby.
Thoughts before listening: I'm pretty sure that Manassas has already been on here, and I feel like we don't REALLY need to hear another Stephen Stills solo album as part of this project. Review: "Love the One You're With" is on this album. Apparently this is Stephen Stills' first solo album as CSNY was breaking up, and I'd say the sound closely mirrors that band's sound....just with fewer harmonies. I like this (I like CSNY) and there are some cool guitar workouts on here including "Old Times Good Times" and "Go Back Home". Nothing groundbreaking here, but definitely some solid 60s/70s rock. 3-stars
Milquetoast. Feels like this should be playing quietly in the background while people are talking. Favorite Songs: Love the One You're With, We Are Not Helpless
a few enjoyable songs but leans too hard into uninspired folk for me to really love it
Gut hörbare Musik. Stellenweise rockig, viel Akustik-Gitarre. Typischer 70er Sound. 3-4/5
Questo mi é piaciuto leggermente di piú rispetto agli altri ma il genere non mi riesce a prendere
3/5 only because of the sick solos by Hendrix and Clapton. The rest of it is very forgettable.
Stark trea
trevligt och tråkigt
Its a decent solo effort, but WTH is this album cover?
Love the one youwith is such a classic that ditty earns a star alone
With the exception of Neil Young, I feel like these guys were better together than they were separate. That being said, this is a solid album. I'm not sure what the deal is with that giraffe on the album cover though. Favorite track: Love the One You're With
I've only ever heard the opening track before and wasn't expecting some of the more funky tracks. Overall, one to return to periodically. Some good songs on here and with all the other artists involved, I guess that isn't surprising. The opening and closing tracks stand out for me.
No private session used for Spotify. Album was what I expected. I liked the guitar work, don't see myself listening to this again though.
3/5 Favorite Songs: Love the One You're With Do for the Others Old Times Good Times Go Back Home Cherokee
Middling album really. Good musician, some good songs, but nothing that really gripped me. Some weird things on this album though, fairly bizarre. Some people will love this, some will hate it.
Sometimes it feels like Stephen Stills might have wanted to take another pass at some of those vocal takes. Anyway, lots of twelve string acoustic guitar, massive backing vocal choirs, VERY late late 1960s. Don’t think I’ll listen again but pleasant enough. Best: We Are Not Helpless Worst: Black Queen
Serviceable enough for some gentle adult contemporary/singer-songwriter. It's so vanilla and bland though. The lyrics are trite, the music just good enough to be commercial. Even with help from Clapton and Hendrix, he manages to bland it out. Come on, man.... My Rating: 3/5
There were really only two songs that caught my attention on this album: “Go Back Home” and, obviously, “Love the One You’re With.” Beyond those tracks, not much stuck with me. A lot of the album feels rooted in its era, and I don’t think most of it has aged particularly well. The talent is there, but the songs themselves just don’t have much staying power for me.
It's fine. Feels like a cop out to say that, but it is a perfectly fine album. It inspires no strong feelings in either direction. There is enough going on that I can't give it an "it's boring, 1 star" review, but I wouldn't say it is a gratifying listen. It is the ideal of a 3/5 album. Also I spent like 10 seconds trying to remove the hair strand from my phone screen before I realised that the album cover used here has a pen mark on it.
As much as I hate the sheer amount of pysch rock albums in this timespan on this list, this is one of the ones I think should actually be in the list. It’s actually got some level of sauce to it.
This is a fairly interesting album, with intricate parts. Nice pleasant album that showcases his musical abilities well.
Like many of the albums on this list, I enjoyed it and might listen to it again, but question just how special this is to be on this list
not wow music, but still nice to hear in the background
Listening out of the blue in 2026 without any background knowledge it just kind of blends into the background of country from that era. Has a specific nostalgic sound that you really only get from that time.
There’s gotta be at least twenty albums on here from the guys in CSNY and we need at most three
And if you can't listen to the one you love honey // Love the one (of the 1001) you're listening to. I still prefer CSNY but their dissolution also gave us some good records. I know this album deserves more time with it, and maybe that time will come but for now it'll have to remain waiting like a giraffe in the snow.
never as good as the sum of CSN(Y), but still a good album
Stills is at his best in a band...
just all around lovely vibes with meaningful songwriting. 3.5
Stephen Stills reminds me of whole grain bread. Is that weird? I like whole grain bread as it turns out. That being said I can only eat it once a day. In music terms that means once a year.
What a pleasant surprise. I forgot this is who wrote the wrong "Love The One Your With" and based on the album cover I incorrectly assumed it was going to be some country or folk album and it wasnt.
some classic Stills. Nice solo work from an excellent musician.
Hendrix and Clapton in one place. That's pretty impressive
Love the one your with feels like a sad mindset
Chillig, aber bleibt nicht im Gedächtnis
“Love the One You’re With” is catchy and obviously why this record moved units but the rest of it just sounds so tired and bland. It’s like the boomers all decided that they had enough sex, drugs and rock & roll at a NYE party on 12/31/69 and just wanted to get super boring and lame and be the worst people to ever walk the earth for the rest of time. The album cover also looks stupid.
The highest spec version possible of totally generic classic rock.
Perfectly listenable but didn't really grab me.
I was more excited for this one than I ultimately had a right to be. It was just okay.
Decent, enjoyed the bluesy bits
OKish, I guess? Probably a thing 50 years ago. 5/10
This was alright, but not really more than alright. A couple of good songs, a bunch of mediocre ones, didn't overstay its welcome
No suena mal, pero no me llega mucho
Off the dome, Stephen Stills wasn't a name that rang any bells for me. I couldn't recall any of his tracks— although the first song right off the rip was something I was familiar with. "Love the One You're With" is probably about the only track I expect to sonically recognize. It's got this great, gospely but also folk-pop kind of feel to it. The "doot dooting" and hook are insanely catchy, and there's some great guitar work here to boot. "Do for the Others" is, while not a big hit like the starting track, still had this great acoustic-rock sort of playing. The vocals have this raspy, folk feel to them while also incorporating some humming to give it an instrumental feel. "Church (Part of Someone)" has this great, slow-dancing rock kind of feel to it until the chorus kicks in with the organ, culminating in this sort of slow rock gospel kind of track that, while not my cup of tea, was still an enjoyable listen. "Old Times Good Times" has a great rocker tone, although I don't feel like Stills' vocal delivery fits the track as well as the prior ones. It feels almost a little jarring, where it's seemingly too smooth and soft for what the track is. Killer guitar solo on the track, and I love the rock organ too. "Go Back Home" is another, more bluesy rock kind of track. Great guitar tone here, but compared to the prior track, I think Stills' vocal delivery is a lot more fitting here. There's a level of raspyness that I think maybe fits the bluesy rock tone a bit better, and with the mix being a little more minimal the soft delivery seems to sit better within the track. "Sit Yourself Down" brings back what feels like some more of those gospel influences, but keeps that great blues rock guitar tone— but really forces it into the background of the track. "To a Flame" has this slow, cinematic feel to it. Beautiful, but also it just sort of washes over you in a hazy, sort of sunny day kind of wave. It's like I'm really tired after a long day, the sky is a rich red hue as the sun goes down, and I'm trying to fight back the urge to fall asleep. "Black Queen" has this great, solo acoustic tone matched with some raspy humming & vocal delivery. While lyrically void, and sonically dialed back compared to the other tracks on the album, I did think there was something solid about this track. "Cherokee" feels like such a vibe shift coming off the track prior. I like the big band sort of feel to this track, and honestly that guitar tone is so much fun on this one. "We Are Not Helpless" is a solid way to cap off the album. It's a return to the more gospely style tracks earlier. An opening, slower part that hits a more gospely section that then picks up in pace. Overall, I felt like the album was good. I think it has an interesting mix of rock, folk & gospel paired with vocal delivery that hits the mark for the majority of the album. I don't think this is particularly an album I would seek out again, but it's also not one that I struggled to enjoy. Favorite Track: "Love the One You're With"
Average folk rock with a well known opener
It was OK
Pretty solid folk album - really dug some of the imagery of the lyrics. Musically nothing special and the chords were predictable but that doesn't make this bad! He does a lot of cool things on this album. Highlights: Church, Black Queen
A few days ago I had "Manassas" from Stephen Stills. So much better than this one, which is ok but not more.
It's so interesting a super group out a great album and the everyone in it immediately went and did a solo album. Stills has some moments and some talent but comparing this to what Neil Young did is almost unfair. It's alright. Love the one you're with is catchy.
He is a great song writer and composer, but his voice just isn't it. A nice vibe overall, but I don't see myself revisiting this album.
had higher hopes for this but still decent
GIRAFEEEEE ROUGE A POISSSS je pensais pas trop kiffé mais c'est vraiment pas mal me likey
Perfectly fine while it was on, not a poor album by any means but it gave off a very delible impression across most of its duration, aside from a couple of numbers such as the opener "Love the One You're With" and "Old Times Good Times".
Getting this in a period where CSNY's Deja Vu has been in constant rotation for me is sorta fantastic timing. Stills' core contributions to that album (specifically his work on side A, "Carry On" and "Woodstock") rank among my favorite songs from that record, so I was very excited to get this record. And I gotta say I'm a little disappointed. Stills has a soft yet soulful voice and has a knack for pretty arrangements (even still, I think "gospel folk" is a much cooler concept on paper), but there's nothing particularly gripping about these songs. Even the one song I knew beforehand, "Love The One You're With" has always sorta grated on me subconsciously. Hendrix and Clapton, guitar gods and creators of their own masterful records, turn their respective songs into tacky schlock fests. Maybe this one is a grower, but I'm not as in love with this as I should be. I do think part of that has to do with my present obsession with Deja Vu and hoping that everything in its orbit sounds just like it, so I plan to revisit this in the future at some point. It's not like After the Gold Rush is a Deja Vu clone either.
i mean its alright
This was very nice, but little more than that. Much like David Crosby before him, it feels like Stephen Stills is discovering that life without Neil Young might be less annoying, but it's also a good deal less musically rewarding.
Love The One You’re With: buena pero ahí Do for the others: me gustó más, peor tampoco wow Church: meh Old Time Good Time: mejor que la anterior pero también mej Go Back Home: la instrumental increíble mal, pero no me gusta tanto el tipo. es la que más me gustó Sit Yourself Down: esta también está muy buena To a Flame: volvió el meh Black Queen: no Cherokee: esta está bien pero no tan bien We Are Not Helpless: mala
Some good tunes
I was hoping for more.
Good
Well then, a Stephen Stills solo album. One of two in the book even. This is my first experience with Stephen Stills outside of the context of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Based on the low score, I really had no idea what I was going to be in for, and having listened to it, I can say it’s pretty damn close to a 4 star album. Not quite there yet, but I don’t get why it’s rated so low. Sure, some of these songs are pretty boring. He’s not Neil Young, not many people can be. But as a solo artist, he’s still got a lot to bring to the table. Notably, guest musicians. I’d really love to know how my 2 favorite songs on this album came to be. “Old Times Good Times” has Jimi Hendrix come out of nowhere to play guitar, and “Go Back Home” has Eric Clapton playing guitar. These are the only songs each respective guitarist plays on, and they’re right after each other on this album. What the hell???? Not only does that feel very random, but it’s specifically what pushes this album to almost be a 4. It’s actually quite jarring when you come to the realization that yes, you did just hear those 2 back to back on an album, and yes, the album did just continue on like normal, as if it didn’t just hit you with some of the coolest shit imaginable. The rest is just alright at best and boring at worst, but it’s way too slow for my personal liking. Some great chords come through occasionally, but this album is mostly just pretty as a whole. It’s got great features by Crosby and Nash, but not much that I’d personally return to. “Black Queen” is a pretty neat song, as it exemplifies how good of a singer and a guitarist Stills is by himself. I actually did enjoy that song a lot as well. “Cherokee” feels like an acid trip and is also kind of neat. Having a running time of 38 minutes is actually the perfect length for this album, as it doesn’t overstay its welcome. Going on to my favorite song on the album, it’s genuinely hilarious that I’d have to pick between 2 of the best guitarists in human history as my favorite song on someone else’s album, but I’ve gotta give the edge to Jimi here. I’d actually heard “Old Times Good Times” previously, but his immaculate guitar playing mixed in tandem with the cool singing truly elevates this one to goated status. This song particularly works better as a tandem in my opinion, and it just ROCKS as a whole. That isn’t to say that “Go Back Home” doesn’t absolutely rock itself though. Eric Clapton can do no wrong, and this song proves it. There was a point in the day where I considered giving this a 4, but I came to my senses when I realized I only really loved those 2 songs, and not even strictly because of Stills. Again, it’s a fine album as a whole. He’s a great singer, but besides the classic “Love the One You're With” and my 2 favorite songs on the album, you can kind of take or leave the rest. Nevertheless, this album was an enjoyable time, and my first taste of Stills music has me wanting more. Fun album if not just a little teeny tiny bit too slow at times. Immensely front loaded, and then a whole lot of filler. Not necessarily bad filler, just kind of unmemorable as a whole. But when I tell you those 2 guitar solos are worth the price of admission, you best freaking believe it. This was a really neat album to check out, and I’m very glad I listened to it today.
As I digest the tunes and lore of the era, I cant help but think if the CSNY boys were a thing today there would be heaps of Tumblr pages and fanfic dedicated to their comings and goings.
Ok, but not my style. ★★★
I'm not a fan of CSNY, mainly because I cannot fathom Neil Young. So Stills was not on my list of musicians I must listen to. The opener is a banger, and the next few are also quite good. Then it ebbs off, with Black Queen as the low point. We are not helpless is too much White Man Gospel for me.
I had a fun time listening to this. The first song is so good. I love the song “Movin On Up” by Primal Scream, I had no idea it was a Stephen Stills ripoff. The rest of the album varies a bit though. White dudes gotta be careful with their gospel choirs for real. 3.5
........i mean sure man i guess. ------------ me personally i wouldn't have checked for the solo stuff of the 4th most famous CSNY member but. that's what this is for. anyways. lowk overproduced paul simon (paul simon always manages to be the right amount of produced) flow. i like it tho. stills is a high work rate (one of the things i was gonna say about jack white {i forgor 💀}) musician. the songs take their one idea and wring out as much as they can (do for the others, church, old times good times, to a flame). unfortunately the lyrics are letting him down a bit. a real "folk" (scrappy, plays guitar the right way) man writes songs about the same topic matter as mick jagger. and i'm supposed to care? unfortunately i do. jimi hendrix and eric clapton on guitar back2back are brilliant pulls. ironic. these licks hit like a baby on manhattan pavement. "it's like saying goodbye to paris for the first time" is a great line. a whole song of poker metaphors for evil woman™️? less so. a song has never been less about its stated topic (emo boys copied this bar for bar). --------- 2.8-4.1. (did need to hear some of this before i kicked bucket). yada yada meridian white guy guitar bathroom graffiti. a testament to what was possible when all the best session guys lived near each other.
A better than expected album. Really enjoyed the flute and other orchestral elements. Didn’t love the song Black Queen, more white guy blues. Wish I could give it 3.5
Dude was one of the names back in the day. Now kids might not know him but some of the tunes they will know. I realized I knew WAY more of this album than I realized. It was wild listening to it going, wait, he did this? So although you won't hear him played now your grandparents and parents did. So because of him being in like three huge bands and his solo work it's worth listening to just for the historical context. Although Love the one your with is still a weird song.
"Stephen Stills" is the debut studio album by American musician Stephen Stills. Folk rock and hard rock are the Wiki-listed genres. The album was one of four high-profile albums released by members of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young with all albums charting within the the top 15 of US album sales. The album themes were common to the 1960's counterculture beliefs and inspired by ongoing and previous girlfriend relationships. Stills sang vocals, played the guitar, bass, piano, organ, steelpan and percussion and arranged the strings. He enlisted an all-star lineup including Jimi Hendrix (guitar), Eric Clapton (guitar), Booker T. Jones (organ, backing vocals), Ringo Starr (drums), Conrad Isidore (drums) and backing vocalists Rita Coolidge, Graham Nash, David Crosby, Priscilla Jones and John Sebastian. Commercially, the album reached #3 on the US Billboard Top LP's and #8 in the UK and, critically, it had mixed reviews. An organ and strumming acoustic guitar open the hit single "Love the One You're With." Congas, an organ solo and, of course, a host of notable backing vocalists in chorus including Rita Coolidge, David Crosby and Graham Nash. Stills said the title was inspired by a remark from Billy Preston. A song that is meant to be about acceptance and enjoying the moment; Stills has been married three times to date. "Church (Part of Someone)" takes the album in a gospel direction. A loud, striking piano. Stills with heartfelt and soulful vocals. A soaring gospel chorus. Strings are also added. The pace picks up with a rock and funky beat in "Old Times Good Times." And why wouldn't as Jimi Hendrix joins Stills on guitar. That's never a bad idea as we get Jimi riffs and a solo. The album follows up Hendrix with Eric Clapton in "Go Back Home." This is more bluesy with Clapton on a wah-wah guitar. The guitar interplay between Stills and Clapton is outstanding. The other released-single "Sit Yourself Down" has the same backing vocal chorus as the album opener. Piano and drums in an anthemic song about self reflection and desire for peace. The album closes with "We Are Not Helpless." The tone turns to more gospel-like with an organ and piano. No this not a response to Neil Young's "Helpless" but it does call for active participation in the community. The music on this album delves into folk, rock, gospel, ballads, blues and even some funk. It appears that the additional guest musicians and vocalists probably contributed to that variety and that is a strength. The album has a nice sounding mix with guitars, organs, piano, strings and even horns. Yes, 70's flute guy makes an appearance. The lyrics are very 1960's-ish with hope for peace, love and openness but Stills does have songs on self-reflection, loneliness and relationships. This album has a fairly strong collection of songs and is recommended for fans of folk rock and/or late 60's/early 70's rock.
I was not familiar with Stephen stills before this but I guess I have to see more of his stuff because this record was pretty good. The album cover made it seem more acoustic but this was a Great multinational album. It had great guitar solos and I like his voice. The lyrics on it were good especially the closing track. Over all I think this album is a strong 7
it's fine maar pakte me niet
Talented musicians!
Good stuff, got a little repetitive towards the halfway point
Ho, hum. I am not overly invested in CSNY (more interested in Neil Young's work than the others). I am iffy on the lyrics: "'cause she's a girl and you're a boy" tells me the singer is only singing to other males and both persons are reducible to sexual identity, eurrk. On the other hand,, if I don't focus on lyrics, there are soul and funk vibes in some of this, that I like. Wikipedia article is mildly interesting - not for the social scene from which the album sprung - but for the stuff about Hendrix, fact he played on "Old Times, Good Times" was a good reason to listen to that song twice, trying to pick his parts. Overall I think it's Mix of Good and Bad, 5/10.
Bookended by two good songs, with a bunch of okay songs in the middle. Solid guitar antics, good vocals, the heavy parts ain't so heavy, the soft parts are often dull. Feels like three stars to me.
Nice instrumentals, great guitar work. Nothing in particular stood out to me
6.5 / 10
It's alright, I'm genuinely beyond tired of soft rock at this point, though.
Love the One Your With is played so much it’s almost background noise and I forget Stephen Sills has an incredible voice and I like his voice best in the Crosby, Stills, and Nash songs. Some songs didn’t age well, but still a good album.
It was fine I guess
I thought that Stephen Stills was a very solid album. Stephen Stills is in a lot of places on this list so i more or less expected what this album was gonna sound like. And even though i could easily see the sound of this album coming, that doesn't mean that it wasn't any good because it very much was. The songs here had a very acoustic vibe to them as they were slow moving and generally focused on the vocals and lyrics but there were points where this album could get quite extravagant and very textured. Those were the parts i liked most from this album. I also thought that this is a better album than Manassas since it's not nearly as long. Real solid album here. Best Song: We Are Not Helpless Worst Song: Black Queen
Muy bueno
'Love the One You're With' has no right to be that good because everything else on here is so bland... *yawn* Also are we not gonna address the giraffe in the room
Good, easy listen Fave track: Love the One You're With
It’s fine, but ultimately forgettable. 3/5
I have sat myself down and I’m taking a look around. Dude the middle of this is nasty the beginning maybe I wasn’t paying attention but I am blown away by the progression is on these. How is it that it’s so folky but ethereal and psychedelic What a misleading album cover it is so amazing after the 3rd song
Enjoyed this more than I expected.
OK, but it didn't get better with age.
Banger opening track, pretty good record by this boy.
Love the vibe and this kind of music is right up my alley. Songs are a bit below those in CSNY, but I still enjoyed it. Love the Hendrix track and the guitar playing in general.
Starts strong and keeps going pretty good. The acoustic guitar strumming parts are layered well as well as the vocal harmonies. 3.6/5.0
Love the One You're With is familiar. Fine.
Goo guitar work and some nice songs tbh
This is a record that I should love on paper, and Stills’ talent is certainly apparent here. I just find it a little boring? Stills may have been the greatest musical talent in the CSN&Y ecosystem, but his solo output doesn’t really hit with me as well as Crosby and certainly Neil. Still (lol) there is some impressive guitar and vocal work here. It’s the songs themselves that fall short for me. Love The One You’re With falls especially flat for me and feels like hippie bullshit. I think the message in the song is “if you can’t convince the person you love to love you back you should bang whoever is closest to you”.
This is a STRONG 3. Side A is as good an output that any CSNY members has ever produced and side B tends to meander a bit. Real sleeper here though, not to mention the underrated cover, like wtf is going on here?ha
the first half of this clears the latter, its not bad by any means, its actually pretty enjoyable, but it strays from the folk rock and goes into blues and funk more and more. Also this guy sounds a lot like Chilliwack at times, especially Go Back Home.
Front loaded as frick. And super disappointing that Black Queen was about a card game and not about Stephen Stills love of beautiful black women. Church might have been my favorite track surprisingly
This was a solid album. Love The One You're With is a really good song that I have liked for a while. The rest of it is very solid folk-rock. It is a very high 3 for me. It's an easy listen and I like the instrumentation and the guitar work, but probably not something I'll go back to.
Amazing guest stars that somehow don’t take over the album. Prolific few years for Stills. But it’s still rich, famous white guy vs. the blues and gospel. Can’t wrap my head around that… In the immortal words of Mama Cass, “Aaarrggghhhh!!!” 2.5⭐️
Quite groovy at times, different sounds across the album. Interesting for a quick album
Started out pretty optimistic for this album and by the end it lost me.
3.5
Great blues rock, but a couple of real duds
The album starts boring. It almost hits 2 stars for me. Then Black Queen and We are not Helpless shows me I don't hate everything this man produces. So okay, three stars Stills, but get your head in the game!
Good stuff 3
Opener was captivating, didn’t really do much for me after that.
3.5/5. I wasn't expecting Hendrix, Clapton, Booker T, Ringo, and Mama Cass to all show up on this album.
I've always liked "Love the One You're With," and I enjoyed the second track, "Do for the Others." At that point, I thought this album was going to be a pleasant surprise. Unfortunately, it was downhill from there. I can't even pinpoint what's wrong with this. It feels like I *should* like it on paper, if I look at all the elements. But there's just something missing.
Surprising. I was expecting mellow harmony rich folk rock (just more csny I guess) and instead got a surprising amount of blues guitar. There is some beautiful songwriting there too for sure and actually - as much as I don't get on with all the blues guitar on this list - it's very well executed.
Damn, I really loved “Love the One You’re With,” but the rest was kind of a letdown
I liked a couple of songs
Fairly by the numbers folk rock album, decent enough I suppose if you enjoy that sort of thing but nothing remarkable happening here 3*
Of all the white guy blues and CSNY, i think this is my favorite
Sounds like it would be more fun to play on the instruments than it is to listen to. It was ok, but not something I see myself listening to again.
It's like Neil Young if he could sing and wasn't a ****
Decent 3,5
you gotta love what you have and this is what i have
Definitely my favorite of the Crosby, Nash, & Stills tree that I've gotten so far. But this particular branch has a very corny feel to it. Like Christian Rock. There's some tasty guitar solos though.
70
Didn’t expect to like this but to be fair it was a good easy listening album. Played it a few times just to make sure.
Really smooth country singing really makes me want to lay back in the sun and just enjoy the breeze and this album makes me wish for summer today (despite the album art). I really like the vibes he creates coherently throughout the album.
bing chilling
Skimmed throught it but seems like singer songwriter type of music. Doesnt seem bad quality. He can sing for sure. Not my thing.
Pleasantly surprised by this album, prog-rock mixed with gospel was a surprising combo, but worked pretty well.
It’s ok, I guess. It’s not bad, but it’s not good either, it’s just very mediocre. Certainly doesn’t compare well with Neil Young’s output (on the whole).
Like the other albums I've heard from Stills and his supergroups, this is an album that's hard to pin down because of the variety of styles on display. There's some gritty rock. There's some blues, both a bit trippy ("Go Back Home") and more traditional ("Black Queen"). There's some flute on "Cherokee." And, in contrast to all of that, there's some pop stuff. The opener is the hit, and it's got big backing vocals. "Church" and the closer are big songs with strings, kind of touching but also bordering on sappy. All this variety is nice, but the mix of stark blues with the more produced stuff makes it feel like the album doesn't know what it wants to be. An enjoyable listen, but also - again like the other albums of his I've heard - unimpressive compared to what similar artists were doing better at the time.
This is one of the most passive listening experiences I have ever had, I forgot I was even listening to music for like 15 minutes. Nothing here is bad (maybe besides Black Queen, there is no reason for that song to be 5 and a half minutes). The only good thing I can say about this album is that I like the backup singers, that was a nice touch. Also what's with the scan of the album cover on this site, why is there a piece of hair on it? Mid 3.
Stephen Stills is one of those artists I don't think of much, and that's fine. I was only familiar with Love The One You're With on this album, stuff like Old Times, Good Times and Black Queen stick out to me. It's a fine album.
I wasn't really familiar with his solo material besides the opener, which is... odd. "If you're not with the one you love, love the one you're with?" What the hell is that? Anyways, the rest of the album isn't bad. Kinda catchy in places. Nothing Earth-shaking. That pink giraffe thing on the cover is cool.
Enjoyed some songs more than others, but nice album for my commute.
Not bad, not good, solid white people music
I used to hate the song Love the One You're With. Heard it too many times working retail. Listening to it again now many years later - it's a fantastic album opener and one of the best songs on the album. I still don't love this music but I can appreciate it more now.
Folky, rocky, good enough. But maybe not really a great album.
A joyful and funky delight where world-class guitar work is front and center, hardly surprising given that legendary guests like Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton make appearances. Tracks like "Love The One You’re With" and "Church" offer a rich blend of gospel soul and bluesy jams that feel earnest and sincere. A fixture of the era that serves as a perfect, easy to absorb companion for a long drive.
A fun and low stakes listening experience with a variety of styles represented and some exciting choral arrangements that nicely buttress Stills’ limited vocal ability. Stills is a jack of all trades and master of none- he doesn’t have anything much to say and he’s a middle of the road songwriter, but he plays a lot of instruments, is a talented arranger and knows a lot of cool artists. In particular, guest spots from Hendrix and Clapton elevate tracks that would be forgettable otherwise. This record is impressive but not quite affecting.
Love the One You're With is a tune (although like every song covered by the Isley Brothers, their version is better). The rest of it was decent but not that memorable - it has the sound of a classic album but not the songs, if that makes any kind of sense.
Starts out great but it is pretty average after that. 3 stars or C+.
3 out of 5. Better than I thought it'd be, this album was a good time.
Generic
Chill, folksy, not my vibe but okay. Was this groundbreaking, or is it on the list because of who he is??
i’ve been lacking with this project, as i listened to all but one song on this album. regardless, i still think i can give it a fair rating. i thought this album was a bit slow, but i would recommend! my top three songs were: - church (pt. of someone) - sit yourself down - we are not helpless
this was fine but didn't grab me
Enjoyed this but definitely prefer CSN/CSNY. I liked the style but nothing particularly caught my attention. A nice album to have listened to, but not one I’d reach for over his group stuff. Fav song: Love the One You’re With Least fav: Sit Yourself Down
Insane cast of characters on this album. I like the folky feeling songs more than the gospel and funky guitar ones (but maybe that's me imposing my expectations for the album...). I don't like this album as much as when he's in the bigger groups but I'm still very glad to have listened to it! Favourite song: Do For The Others Least: Cherokee
Just not all that interesting
3 - decent
It's good, but it gets absolutely bodied by every other CSNY solo album that came out around this time.
I mean I guess sure
Egentlig okay hyggeligt Americana
Weak opening, but it's not that bad
Love the One You’re With is a certified first-ballot hall of fame banger. After that, things get pretty boring. Great musicianship, some sick guitar solos from Jimi and Clapton (imagine having Jimi Hendrix as a sideman on your album!), but overall the songwriting is not great — and the lyrics in particular are just terrible. Stills also isn’t a great singer, though he has his moments. All-time banger + great guitar playing - boring songs - terrible lyrics = 3 stars.
I really feel like I should be more familiar with the music of CSNY, I like what I've heard of them but I hardly know it, and I get the impression that being more familiar with their music would give me the proper context to appreciate this fully, and actually all of their other solo works too. But that being said, I can still enjoy this as a nice simple folk rock album, but I just know that I could enjoy it more if I give it more time to grow on me as well as being more familiar with the essentials from the while CSNY gang.
Never heard anything from Stills as solo so got into album with interest. It was ok, some good moments, but will probably never listen again.
Had heard of Stephen Stills before, but had just made the assumption he was a folk singer kinda like a Simon & Garfunkel sound. Turns out he's quite the guitarist with some good pop rock and gospel rock chops! Highlights were "Love the One You're With" and "Go Back Home"
6.5/10
Folk, funk, soul and rock all bundled up into one record. I didn’t know what to expect from this one but I’m pleasantly surprised. A lot of great tracks and moods, complemented by nice vocals. I dig this one.
10 song•38 minutes Combination of singer, songwriter, and psychedelic guitar and heart Church choir it’s a fun album. If there’s a Kruse room to be had, they said it’s too many genres blues, psychedelic, singer songwriter, choral church but a good listen.
Take me to church, Stephen.
Fourth album in a row from 1969... So I'll def give 1969 range. As for this album, solidly OK.
I really liked the first few songs, and then the rest were kinda boring. It’s a little folksy and a little balad-y but upbeat and fun. The later stuff is fine, but less interesting. The second song kinda sounds like Cat’s in the Cradle
This has way more balls than I was expecting. It was also quite soulful in places. The hammond organ hangs it all together.
Pretty soft and nice rock(?) album. Didn't mind it, but probably wouldn't go out of my way to listen again.
one heater and a bunch of alright songs
not bad but not good.
6/10
Good
How can an album be this bland when Stephen Stills was producing such great music, this very same year no less, with Crosby, Nash, and Young? Jimi Hendrix is on track four (IKR!!) and yet... even this falls flat. How does that even happen?? I don't blame Stills or Hendrix, I blame the Seventies. Clearly the Seventies were determined to smooth the edges of the Sixties, emboldened by what they were able to do to Paul McCartney. There were forces at work here we may never fully understand.
It is good to hear an album like this. It really helps contextualize the contributions that Stephen Stills makes when partnering up with David Crosby, Graham Nash, and whenever possible, Neil Young. I love the range of music on this album, and while it doesn’t measure up to his work with Buffalo Springfield and CSN & Young, it is worth a listen… despite the emotionally dubious “Love the One You’re With.”
Meh…
I wrote something and then it got lost for some reason. So this album basically is really good at the beginning, sort of loses me near the end. It has a lot of all-stars (Jimi, Clapton, Ringo, Cass, Crosby, Nash, etc.) which really make it shine. A lot of it is good, but ending is eh. Shoutout Scott Pilgrim and that pink giraffe (7/10, 4/5 on this scale) (Update: 3/5 on this scale)
Some goods and some ehs
LTOYW plus a handful of decent deep tracks 👍
3.5
3.5
Pleasant, some really good songs, but doesn't feel really essential either. 3.5 stars
I thought this was just kind of average. I think "Love the One Your With" is a great song, and I also like the Hendrix feature, "Old Times Good Times", but most of it is pretty generic 70s folk rock. 3 stars.
3.5
Honestly pretty underwhelming for the primary songwriter behind CSN(Y). Felt very generic and didn't do a whole lot for me. The best tracks included the guest guitarists, which maybe speaks to why CSN(Y) works so well when I find all their solo albums fall short of the mark. Top tracks: Old Times Good Times, Go Back Home, Cherokee
Stephen Stills' self titled album is... fine? There are tracks that are incredibly strong ("Love the One You're With," and "Black Queen"), and some that I found incredibly drab (I am not a fan of gospel music), the net result is that this averages out into an average album. Stills is FAR from untalented, but his showing here has just furthered my belief that Neil Young is the strongest member of Crosby Stills Nash & Young 3/5
Average
Pretty run of the mill 70s singer-songwriter stuff. Not the best at it, but has a few decent songs.
Best Song: Love the One You're With. Really great gang vocals that give the song a bright, lively feel. Worst Song: Black Queen. I have no idea what compelled him to think that this series of grunts and "bluesy" groaning constituted a song. Overall: Who knew that one of the middle guys from CSNY could actually rock on their own? Exceeded my expectations with great pseudo-psychedelic folk rock.
Hey it's the guy from Scott Pilgrim! This album was nice. Just nice.
Solid album where you can tell he was just fine on his own without Buffalo Springfield, Crosby or Nash. Opening with "Love the One You're With" was strong & didn't realize that was just his song. This would be a great album for camping.
Heard Before: No Fav Tracks: Old Times Good Times, To a Flame. Would I listen again: likely A dynamic album with a lot of different sounds and feels to the song, but cohesive. I enjoyed listening and would likely listen again. Rating: Strong 3
++: Old Times Good Times, Go Back Home, Cherokee +: Love the One You're With, Do for the Others, Church (Part of Someone), To a Flame, Black Queen +-: Sit Yourself Down, We Are Not Helpless 6,7/10
Situation: once again sat at my desk working, didn't feel the need to skip any songs or turn it off. Stand out songs: 'love the one you're with' & 'old times good times' 3/5, seems to be my score for when I can appreciate the album is good, just not necessarily my type of music. reminded me of the band that feature in 'jack frost'
Loved the hint of blues & gospel. Aside from that not my absolute favorite but good nonetheless.
Love The One You’re With is a work of genius, the rest was pretty decent.