Reviews (page 5 of 7)
The first solo album after CSN (though only the second if you could CSNY...though Neil Young is in a league of his own if we're being honest). The four-piece had been touring throughout 1970, but poor Stephen Stills couldn't keep his alcohol and cocaine habits under control. Prematurely ending the tour and splitting the group in the process, each of the four members perused their solo careers and would release an album in either late 1970 or early 1971. Between each of the four solo albums, it was Stephen Stills' self-titled that was most successful charting Billboard, primarily powered by the catchy opening track Love the One You're With. They still play that song on my local classic rock radio station, so it was a clear favorite. The album fluctuates between band jams, solo jams, and Stills attempting to outdo Neil Young at his own game. The only track that really stands out is the single Love the One You're With, which Stills doesn't quite manage to replicate anywhere else throughout the album. This leads to the overall experience being pretty good but not noteworthy enough for my liking.
Not much to say other than meh
Stephen Stills is a very talented musician. Nothing monumental here but a nice record
As much as I talk about "dude with guitar" albums on this list, this one was fine, I'll be more surprised when one rates above a 3 though. Overall I enjoyed it.
Liked the bluesy instrumental parts and not so much the rest.
1970 really was a peak period for the members of Crosby, Still, Nash and Young with the release of the group's album, Deja Vu, Neil Young's, After the Gold Rush and Stephen Still's debut self-titled solo album. To a lesser extend, Nash and Crosby issued solo records in 1971, so it was a time of chart-topping success for the quartet. This was a high standard for Stills to live up to as Young's album is considered a classic, but it is a commendable effort. The lead track, Love The One You're With, is well known and probably Still's best solo song, but the rest of the album plays out like outtakes from a CSN album. Nothing as memorable, all well done with some famous guests appearing, but I can't help thinking this was kind of underwhelming compared to the group's releases. Nice try Steve.
This was a bit of a weird one to figure out whether I liked it or not. For the first couple of songs I thought it sounded like soundtrack music for a romcom or something Jools Holland would like and put on his Hootenanny. Not "fake", proper music, and all that, but just not with much edge or danger or whatever it is I like. Then there were songs that didn't just do the standard "rock guy with a gospel choir to add soul" thing. There was some wah guitar and a sort of Sly Stone vibe. Then a sort of 70s crooner pop song. Then there was a bluegrass / blues "one blues guy and his guitar" type song. So there's lots of elements and sounds and musicianship and stuff that I like... but it wasn't my cup of tea... why not? And then I twigged. I don't like his voice. It's the same problem I usually have with things I don't like. He sounds very average American white guy doing blues / rock vocals. A bit Rod Stewart. A bit whatever. There's currently a great sax solo going on, but as soon as the vocals come in I want to turn it off. The irony is, I wonder if all these different musical styles were to prove his "range" and yet his voice is the thing that always sounds, boringly, the same. Oh well.
Enjoyed this more than I thought I would….
love me some hippies
I like this more than just Crosby or Nash. Good not great.
Yacht rock...
I was initially excited since I grew up loving Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young (mainly Young). I also like the little Buffalo Springfield I’ve heard. This record isn’t bad by any means, and has some tracks I’ll add to my liked songs, but it’s just okay to me. There’s not much to say about it really.
Not bad but kind of expected to enjoy it more
A solid folk-rock album. Actually, it's a bit more varied than I thought it would be - there are some baroque pop string flourishes, huge gospel choruses. Even a sitar makes an appearance! There are songs with some interesting ideas, but there are others that bog the album down. All in all, it's good, if not great. Fav tracks: Do for the Others, To a Flame, Cherokee
Not bad, not memorable
I like the group better than this solo effort
Ok listen 3/5
You’re love the with one. Or whatnot. That song has been played to death but I begrudgingly accept it is a good song. Album is decent overall.
This was fine. Probably better than fine, but it feels like we’ve had a lot of dudes who play guitar in the 60s/70s in a row. Good but not necessarily good enough to stand out for me.
Stephen Stills is a very talented songwriter and musician. ….but. He’s just not as good as when he made so much 5 star music with Buffalo Springfield and CSNY. This album is pretty good-ish. It’s got some cool parts. I’ve heard it before and it’s in my vinyl collection. By the end, it had drug down from a 4 to a 3.5 for me. And if I’m going to give it a 4, it’s gotta earn it.
Not sure about the other two, but in Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Neil Young was the one whith the whiny voice, while Stephen Stills was the one with the talent. 3/5
My favorite year in music history, the year of Deja Vu and After the Goldrush. In comparison this one feels like a bit of a dud. Not too many memorable tracks. What saves it is the warm production and strong instrumentation
Good! Beautiful music
Out of CSN stills usually has the most extreme output, in that I mean he wrote the albums best and worst songs. And I feel that’s what this album’s like… but the song don’t really stand out 3/5
It's fine, enjoyable but not anything I'd comeback to. It has some interesting uses of these gospel backing vocals (weirdly reminds me of the latest Bad Seeds album) but personally it was at its best when it was aiming for more purely folk rock stuff
interesting to uninteresting to interesting again, first song stands out among everything
Of course we all know Crosby, Stills & Nash. Then of course Young as well. Hard to think that it almost looked totally different. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Chutney. If it wasn’t for Stephen’s insecurity it could have been so different for all of us. But then we never would have had Houmous & Chutney. Everything happens for a reason. It has left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth and even after all these years, deep down I am quite pleased that this album was a bit of a non-event. 3.2
So much better than the jazz and crooner nonsense of the last albums. Straight ahead folk/ rock in the vein of Neil Young but a lesser version. Bobo Neil Young.
Took me way too long to realise that Stephen Stills is the "Stills" of "Crosby Stills and Nash". I thought this was quite upbeat and a nice listen. Not the most memorable album but still enjoyable. Good mix of blues and folk rock. Not sure if listening to Stills solo compared as a part of "Crosby Stills and Nash" has any benefits though. Favourite song probably "Go Back Home" and "Love the One You're With".
average
It's no After the Gold Rush, but it's alright. The guitar on some of the songs stood out on first listen, I looked up the personnel and found out that Hendrix and Clapton played on this. That'll do it.
Really enjoyable album but felt it was lacking something I couldn't put my finger on. Probably Crosby Nash and Young Stand out tracks: - Love the one you're with - Church (Pt. Of someone) - Go back home - Black Queen - Cherokee - We are not helpless
If beige were an album.
Stills is a great songwriter, and there are some really good bops on this album, but with the changing landscape, his hippie vibes just don't land the same way they used to.
Only the first song really stuck out to me and it was more just like ‘ahhhh so this is who this song is by’
Good album but nothing that makes you listen to it again. is like pasta with tomato sauce, you eat it but you would prefer something else
Nothing special but I did like Go Back Home a lot.
1001 albums by Crosby Stills Nash and Young you must listen to before you die
Good 1970s album.
Love the opener, but missing the Crosby and Nash otherwise.
One of the four top solo selling albums released within a year of the Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young's 'Deja Vu'. Neil Young's 'After the Gold Rush' seems to have survived the test of time the best. David Crosby's release was a pleasant surprise in this challenge. But Stephen Stills' self titled release hasn't blown me away as much. There's an impressive collection of collaborators, including his CSNY bandmates, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, and Jimi Hendrix. For 1970, that's quite a line up! And it's not a band album at all. It's well produced, the performances are good, the soulful backup vocals sound like they could have inspired some of Primal Screams works. But I'm just not as excited by the album as I'd like. Maybe another day if I'm in the right mood it would speak to me more.
Folk rock. Ni fu ni fa.
Country, correcto.
Guitarra notável, especialmente quando é o violão acústico.
an interesting collection of decent tunes, including the original of a great Luther Vandross song - but just a bit bloodless and bland
bloody 70s dad yacht rock.. MY FAVE!!!! nothing groundbreaking in terms of the genre and never heard of this guy but i throughly enjoyed the vibes
7.2 really nice first gald but 2nd half is mostly filler
fine
Not a big fan of Stephan Stills
# Playlist track - Love the One You're With # Notes - Pleasant country, if a little unremarkable. - Some interesting instrumentals here and there, cool vibes and mostly OK tracks. Gets tired a bit too quickly. - I could give the album another star if it wasn't for "We Are Not Helpless", which is pretty bad.
Love the One You’re With // Church // 3.5/5
Nice music bye the "S" of CSNY. 70's vibe.
Listenable without being anything special
blinked and I missed it
A man who must have a golden horseshoe up his arse. Middling songwriter who is a pretty good guitarist somehow manages to keep going and even has two albums in this list. If we have to have one it may as well be this bog standard 70s rock album -even his addition of a bunch of heavy hitting musicians friend (Hendrix, Clapton, Starr) can't stop this from being mediocre at best.. Best Tracks: Love The One You're With; Go Back Home; Black Queen
Country, correcto.
Great arrangements, unmemorable songs.
The first half is pretty strong and almost had me forgiving the fact that this is yet another CSNY adjacent album. It fades away in the second half though so the blandness of the genre is just about restored
A better album than I expected.
There are highlights like Love the One Your With, but CSNY is far superior- Stills should have stuck with the group albums.
A good seventies acoustic album!
I dare say pleasant
I'd probably give it a 3.3 if I'm being honest
I have trouble distinguishing these guys apart (not Neil Young though as he's unique) but these songs are really good to listen to. Not absolutely brilliant but really soulful and meaningful. Some hits on here too so that's even better.
"Love the One You're With" is great. The rest is pleasant but unremarkable.
Nice instrumentation and some decent tunes. 3.5
A lovely piece of work, some nice songs, some nice textures. Not a stellar album but plenty of charm.
Nett, aber nicht besonders.
One-fourth of the great quartet of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, this was the debut solo album effort of Stills. Starting with his biggest hit, the jubilant "Love the One You're With", this album jumps between some folk rock that many would expect and some harder and funkier rock with the help of names like Hendrix and Clapton. Heck, even Ringo came in to play the drums on a few tracks, so this album is actually pretty loaded with talent. I don't know if that helps or hinders Stills in terms of showcasing his solo chops (seemed like only a handful of songs featured him prominently), but there's definitely no lack of effort in the production.
Bro does pack some nice guitar stuff
3.5. Can’t remember which track, but one of them has Jimi Hendrix on it. Think it’s Good Times Bad atimes
Still for stills
CSN (and sometimes Y) was always more than the sum of its parts. This isn’t to imply that Stephen Stills is untalented, far from it, but without those stunning harmonies and collaboration this album is a bit lacking.
I was halfway through this and suddenly thought, this is Blues rock, this guy is stills. He must be one third of Jeffery, Stills and Mash! Hard to move beyond such a revelation!
Better than Young.
When this album came up, I was like "who's Stephen Stills?" Which is the real tragedy, as he's a talent and should be more well known than he is. Ah yes, Buffalo Springfield; Crosby, Stills & Nash, of course! Several decent songs on this album, not always my sort of thing, but overall quite good. 3.5
Not my favorite Stills album.
Favorite track: Old Times Good Times
Tempted to give this 4 because it was slightly better than all the 3s I give. 3.49 maybe.
I assume we'll get all 4 of CSNY's solo ventures from 1970 & 1971 on this list - Nash's is the only one that hasn't come up yet. So far Young's was the best and Crosby's was better. Everyone knows Love the One You're With and it's a great classic. I was so-so and many of the rest. Do for the Others and Church were decent softies, though I found I liked them a lot when they started and was a bit bored by the end of each. Old Times Good Times and Go Back Home had some nice guest guitar work from Hendrix and Clapton, respectively. The latter was a better song overall. And that was side one and where I stopped caring as much; side two wasn't as good. Black Queen had some nice plucking and Cherokee had some decent energy. Doesn't quite feel like a 3 but closer to that than a 4.
bigger arrangements than i was expecting with that album art but not bad, just not great either
Just like his CSNY band member from a few days ago, outside of one or two songs it's meh.
I'd not listened to much Stills solo stuff but yes this is exactly what it should sound like. Gentle and hipsy-folkish.
This is an album I listened to.
Chill
Yeah this is okay. Love the One You're With is an all timer, and there's a couple other great moments, but most of this album is unremarkable and forgettable
It was okay. First song was a nice acoustic version, the rest of the album was pleasant but nothing blew me out.
Some great moments, some not-so-great moments, but overall, not bad.
Little more gospel-ey than I was expecting. You can hear the undiluted good and bad he brought to CS&N and Buffalo Springfield.
- Habe mich nie mit den Soloprojekten von CSN&Y befasst. Klingt natürlich ähnlich, es fehlt mir aber irgendwie die kreative Durchschlagskraft, auch wenn Stephen Stills hier, wie viele andere Sänger*innen in ihren Soloprojekten, die Weltmusik ein bisschen ausprobiert. - Im Gesamteindruck etwas zu schleppend und träge. Erster Track der Beste 3/5
This was pretty solid it had a classic sound with a newer feel. 3.5/5
This was better than I expected. 3.5
A lot of highs filled up with a lot of mediocrity. For every 'Go Back Home' there's a 'Sit Yourself Down' and for every 'Cherokee' there's a 'Black Queen.'
Stephen Stills is surprisingly dynamic, it’s not just the soft 70s folk I expected. There is a variation of of styles that blend pretty well, it could use a remaster however. 7.2/10
A strange album, mixed with some good tracks. Not what I expected
Don’t really like Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young so I guess by extension this was never going to make it past okay
Favourite songs: Love the One You're With, Church (Pt. Of Someone) Least favourite songs: To a Flame 3/5
Solid album, folk, rock and a couple of funky numbers. Pleasant enough to listen to but I probably won't revisit it
Today I learned that the lyric isn't "and there's a road with a piss stained glove" so this album just lost at least a star.
I have never listened to this before, and it was about what I was expecting. A nice short record with good quality songwriting and harmonies. Totally reasonable.
Not for me but maybe it’s because I’m not 65 or a man
some pretty dodgy lyrics here but i liked it anyway
Liked the breadth of sounds on this album, I checked a few times to see if the album had ended and transitioned to some adjacent Spotify recommendation. Ranking this over the various ensemble work I know of Stills
He cut a wide swath. Paul Simon might not have reached out to Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Ry Cooder might not have gone to Cuba to record Buena Vista Social Club. And, there’s a lot of self indulgent noodling.
It's certainly not bad, but certainly not memorable either. I just had it playing in the background and thought it was pleasant all the while. But then I didn't really notice when the album ended and the automatic playlist of similar songs started. When I did notice, it was because the songs were more engrossing.
One song is head and shoulders above the rest: Cherokee. The rest is good for the campfire in case you run out of wood
I found many of the CSNY solo records to be severely lacking without the rest of CSNY on them. This one is definitely not severely lacking, only minorly so. Favorite track: Cherokee
Love the One You're With is the banger on this album. The rest is petty chill bluesy/psychedelic folk that sounds very much like 1970.
Enjoyable laid back 70s folk rock. Doesn't veer much from the Crosby, Stills and Nash sound, though the female backing vocals fill out the sound well. Best song Love the one you're with. 3/5
Unlike most albums of its time, the last two tracks in particular brought it home for me. A surprisingly solid finish. If there’s one thing I’m learning, it’s that old heads love CSN&Y, and that includes all of their careers individually. Understandable, this was a respectable effort with a tasteful amount of shredding. Hard working 3
Highlights: Love the One You're With, Church, Sit Yourself Down, Go Back Home. Lowlight: Black Queen. Found this album sonically inconsistent in the wrong way. Not very cohesive, some songs had a clear direction, while others meandered past the point of boring. Will be listening a lot more to Love the One You're With, but I probably won't stick this whole record on again.
Dece
Not really my jam, but I didn't hate this.
Solid, if a little bland
Very still
stephen stills must be the epitome of mellow, folk music. his vibes and his voice match it perfectly. the harmonies on his songs aren't over the top and are just right. he even experiments in the psychedelia and jazz areas, both of which were popularly combined with rock at this time, but his music is different because of the folk emphasis. the song "we are not helpless" and its lyrics seems to stand out the most, and it tells me a lot about stills as a person--instead of a song written by all members of CSNY. all in all, a good album that i can respect--and even found a lot of respect for--but it was just OK. it can be hard to get excited about music that's so chill as stills', even if he does a lot right.
I thought this album was okay. As I have alluded to in previous reviews, I absolutely adore Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young together, but have struggled with their respective solo careers. Granted, Neil Young has had an illustrious enough career and many of his albums are on this project and have since won me over. But between the lack of harmonies that CSNY can produce and the originality and depth that Neil Young can produce, this Stephen Stills solo album comes off as rather conventional and ordinary. As far as Stills' solo career goes, I even found his work on and with Manassas to be better overall. This was generally enjoyable, but didn't win me over in any kind of significant way.
Pretty good but not blown away.
I’m enjoying this more than I thought I would. Love the bluesy Go Back Home.
A couple good songs
Primera vez que escucho a éste artista. De hecho, no recuerdo haber escuchado Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Tal vez, sólo de pasada o en alguna radio: son como bandas que se convierten en música ambiente de tanto sonar y de tan históricas que son. Sonidos sesentosos, hippones, con la voz profunda de Stephen Stills. Muy para fogata con amigos, previa de un asado o de algo que implique compañía frente al fuego. Me gustó. Me recordó al recital de Woodstock y a toda esa generación de rockeras y rockeros.
Folk rock. Ni fu ni fa.
Considered giving a 2, but that felt a bit unfair and perhaps more related to the mood of the day
really enjoyed go back home and black queen.
I like that sometimes the rock music is infused with funk.
I had heard "Love the One You're With" and Stephen's work with CSN(Y). I thought this will be a singer-songwriter album. I was pleasantly surprised. Enough so that I considered rounding this up from a 3.5 to 4 stars. But on second listen, with some of the surprise gone, I'm giving it 3 stars. Definitely better than I expected, but it doesn't belong with the 4 star albums on here. I'm glad I listened to it though. Twice even.
Didn't know this but enjoyed it enough! Classic easy listening
It's your grandad's sing-a-longs
Pleasantly surprised - enjoyed the opening track and the ones with Hendrix and Clapton. Was a lot more blues based rather than country and that is good in my book. Cherokee was a letdown, and I can't listen to a flute without seeing Anchorman jazz flute in my mind. 3 stars, only just though.
3.8 - “Black Queen” is a showstopper. Stills really wails on that acoustic guitar, bending the strings to coax a soulful blues. “Church” is also great. Overall, an uplifting roots rock record.
This was good
Before listening: I never listened to Crosby, Stills and Nash but my dad did. Now, most of what my dad listened to I liked, but for whatever reason I could never get into folk. I'm sorry, I just don't get it. I imagine this album will be a folk album, so I'm sure you can understand that I'm not exactly tingling with excitement. After listening: Twas not a folk album. There were maybe two songs that might be considered folk but the rest were not. I keep going on about this, but the context of an albums release must be taken into account. Was Stills, at release, trying to break away from folk? Was this a new direction that everyone loved, or was this a foray into something everyone thought was a misstep. This album had gospel, soul and funk elements, which were things I wouldn't have expected. Overall, this was good. Just good. Not great, but I found I did enjoy myself.
It was ok. Earnest. Sounded like C,S and N off cuts tbh. Also weaker on 2nd half Some murky production..
Strange to have has Stephen Stills on successive weekends and I didn’t get a lot of chance to listen. It was alright so a generous 3* because it wasn’t outstanding.
Rating: 6/10 The first two songs are great, the rest of this album is boring but listenable.
Pleasant album, very much in line with the (better) CSNY Deja Vu album
Some of the slower stuff not 100% my jam, they don't seem to really go anywhere, but those choirs are really nice and guitar work is really cool. The faster paced ones I realllyyy liked. This is defintley a HIGH 3 star rating but as an album isn't 4 stars for me. 3.6/5. Fav tracks: old times, good times, black queen.
my bad as a reviewer I didn’t get an opportunity to listen to this in a vacuum and it pretty much just sounded like noise as a result of that
Decent. Not great, but decent. 3/5
It was alright, nothing exciting. Rather see him with Crosby, Nash and Young.
The guitar solos in some tracks save this otherwise generic but of the era 70s singers songwriters music
this was decent. Kind of bored by the end but I didn't dislike it.
Meh
Nothing notable.
This project has intro'd me to the whole Cosby/Stills/Nash/Young thing. Enjoyable album. Highlights: love the one you're with
I like it! Not my fave or anything, but I’ve discovered through this project that this is the type of old people rock I enjoy!!
Stills may still be the most forgettable member of CSNY, but still, I can't help but admire his efforts on this record. Outside a few nonsensical ramblings on tracks like Black Queen, there's a lot of great, pretty powerful music to be found here, including a fantastic closer in We Are Not Helpless.
Good album. Consistent Stephen Stills twang. Easy listen. Lyrics and tone work well. Otherwise unremarkable. but a good listen.
Great solo album after their monster group hit, but not as good as the other members’ albums.
Who knew that Stills was the fun one. :) Just kidding - but this is a pretty funky/rocky album. I didn't realize the star power he had on this one either - Hendrix, Clapton, Ringo - pretty impressive.
If you can't listen to album you love, love the album your're currently listening to? The first song is a blockbuster. The others are pretty decent as well. The extended use of organs doesn't really carry very well, though.
For the most part pleasant, though I'm not sure messages like "Love the One You're With" is really that timeless. Tracks like Church and Go Back Home are also pretty strong, good melodies, engaging harmonies and energy. The use of an organ makes it sound dated in places, and by the time we've hit Cherokee and We Are Not Helpless, we've gone pretty much full hippie. Never go full hippie.
People who try too hard on these reviews are annoying. It feels wrong to go less than 3, and this album is just boring enough not to warrant more.
A unique wide ranging album from stills. Never really listened to his solo stuff but this wasn’t that bad. Little bit of a mix with a lot of genres yet the album felt pretty cohesive. He is clearly talented and knows how to play a lot of instruments. Not sure how much I would revisit it but I enjoyed it. Pretty average stuff to me. 6.3/10
Taki trochę folk, jakieś ballady, rock. 3/5
Album is fine for the first half and tapers off after that.
Another day, another average album
3.5/5. You can kinda tell who wrote which song in Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young when you listen to their solo stuff.
Ik vind dit net niet lekker en daar erger ik me aan. Het heeft wel een flink aantal elementen waardoor ik het goed zou moeten vinden namelijk. Ik vind z'n stem net niet relaxed (er zit wat Axl Rose in, hekel), de drummer gebruikt regelmatig teveel fills (je kunt maar ergens over zeiken), de instrumenten klinken over het algemeen wat te ver weg in de mix, het gospelachtige koortje is me teveel en het is me net wat te ongeorganiseerd. Het bevalt me gewoon niet echt, met als uitzondering Go Back Home en Black Queen en in iets mindere mate ook Old Times Good Times. Een 3.3.
- easy listening - some really uplifting/joyful moments
Nice
Not sure why, but I really like this album cover.
quality, not all that interesting. Stills is good but this record won't be on repeat
Nice enough, like a bland Neil Young.
3 / 5
• Ser kallt ut + en förklädd giraff? • ”Svängigt” tycker Kajsa • Mer gospelkör än väntat • Lyssnade inte så noga, men det låter som om han sjunger bra saker om livet Betyg: 3/5
Snart har vi samlat in hela bandet Crosby Stills Nash Mysigt Gamaml country är en vibe ändå
Old Times Good Times featuring Hendrix was my favourite track. Very 70s cruisy album.
Plays it a little too safe for most of the album, but finishes strong, and of course featuring Jimi on "Old Times Good Times" is always worth an extra star. Might be the best of the massive CSNY record heap this list gives us.
Enjoyed the two listens. Couple of good tracks. It’s definitely got CrosbyStillsNashYoung vibes. 3/5.
Me había dejado este atrás yyyy error. Tiene cosas muy buenas, muy modernas estilo Fleet Foxes (copiones) y otras menos interesantes. Suena muy bien, me sobra el sitar que hay en algunos temas. Me guardo Love the one you're with, Do for the others y Go back home y puede que Cherokee (si no fuera por el sitar).
Nice songs tending to pointlessness.
Solid. Not a big CSNY fan but this I enjoyed.
Basic folk album. Nothing i would return to but he has talent. They all sound so samey to me though lol
Very dad rock. Not my thing, but it wasn't awful.
Very iconic sound from 70's. As long as he stays away from that wanker Neil Young he is awesome
3.5+3+3+4.5+4+3+3+3.5+3.5+4 3.5 3/5 Well put together but not much was really great, go back home and good times old times made the album for me.
It's impressive that Stills played all of the primary instruments for this album himself, but the music itself doesn't really stand out. '70s UK had plenty of guitar + electric organ-based bands, and the best ones had much more memorable songs and vocals than the ones on this record. The tracks that are closer to his usual folk-rock style are actually the best. The guitar solo in "Go Back Home" is another highlight.
You know what you're getting with Stills. This is more of the same. Plus a bit of syrup.
Good
Too much blues and electric guitar.
3 de 5
I like the folkier tracks, they're not all winners though - 3 stars
Meio entediante. Os melhores momentos do álbum são o Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton e outros participantes! Tem algumas músicas que parecem gospel.... Not for me.
The man had good friends. Great guitar solos going on. Sounded like church music at some points.
I starten troede jeg virkelig det ville være noget kedeligt akustisk plirelir, men så kom der kor og bluesy ting og andre fede ting. Fangede mig ikke 100, men bestemt ikke elendigt!
Definitely a classic. Great driving/background music.
Wish him and Young had done more just the two of them, with more emphasis on Youngs songwriting and Stills as a frontman and guitarist. But what do I know
Better than I was expecting, had no idea this was Stills from CSNY
Hyvä paketti. Vaikkei suuria tunteita herättäny, nii tasaisen laadukas
2.5/5
Hmm. I don’t much care for Stills without his pals Crosby, Nash, and Young. It’s not a complex or nuanced album, it’s just basic soft rock. I’ve always low key hated “Love the One You’re With” too, the only song from this album I’d been familiar with previously. It’s not a great song, and it’s an even worse sentiment or suggestion. This listening experience was neither net positive or net negative to my musical expansion. Neutral.
It was ok.
Quite mellow, a solid 3
Country ligero con buena voz y con buenas melodías. No aporta nada especial al género y se deja escuchar.
3.5/5 it had potential! I'll have to relisten though
It was alright. I recognized a couple of songs. I am not sure I would willfully choose to listen to it again. Relatively short. I will round up.
Started strong but faded, 3.4/5
This album is alright but nothing outstanding in my opinion. I really love Neil Young and through that have grown to enjoy CSNY but Stills has never been my favorite songwriter of the group. All in all it's a pretty decent album, I just find a lot of it to sound like CSN(Y) B-sides except for the standouts. That being said, I'm pretty blown away by the musicians he got on this album. Jimi Hendrix, Booker T., Mama Cass and Ringo Starr as well as many others. I just don't hear that level of artistry making it through into the final cut. Standout Tracks: Love the One You're With, Old Times Good Times, Sit Yourself Down, We Are Not Helpless
This is an easy to listen to, mostly upbeat, folk rock album. At first, it gives cultural appropriation, but within this hodgepodge is real talent. The variety in this album is probably the most surprising. While some tracks have absolutely ripping guitar and great beats, other songs are almost akin to dirges. Overwhelming chorus and then suddenly snoozers with unappreciable lyrics. This album almost feels like a shuffle of a couple different albums of highly different quality. The reviews for this album are astronomical and are only topped by the celebrity backing including Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr... and Crosby and Nash... Many of the components of legendary music are here, but it does feel like something is missing.
This was a good album and one I wouldn't have discovered, probably. The songs are good - and well delivered (not surprising considering the guest stars: Hendrix, Clapton, Ringo Starr). Worth a listen and I might listen again in future, occasionally. Not life-changing, but a good album.
Riding off the success of CSN, every member released their own solo, and the public ate them all up. I'm a fan of Stills. His songwriting in Buffalo Springfield was second to Young, and Manassas is a roots rock masterpiece that grew on me slowly. And here, he churns out folk rock pop tunes the whole family could enjoy. It's good but a tad bit commercial and uninspired. Yes, Stills is still a strong songwriter here. It's produced well. But very little coming together well. "Do for the Others" sounds like an empty CSNY song. Bet it'd sound better with the others contributing. "Church" and "Sit Yourself Down" are boring gospel tracks. The choir is no substitute for the CSNY harmonies, and nothing else really sticks out to me. Pretty forgettable. Jimi Hendrix steals "Old Times Good Times" with a sick ass guitar solo, and Stills' vocals are lovely and catchy (my favorite on the record). Solid song but Hendrix does feel like he's doing his own thing. "Go Back Home" is a similar example, with Clapton carrying the song with his bluesy guitar, but Stills' vocals, the punchy drums, and groovy bassline all support the jam vibe that warrants its 6-minute length, justifying it as the strongest track on the record. (But I wouldn't say that beats the energy and catchiness of "Love the One You're With".) "To A Flame" is a standout to me, a psychedelic folk tune with strange lush instrumentation and mysterious vocals, in the same vein as Crosby's If I Could Only Remember My Name or Tim Buckley's Happy Sad. It sounds like a demo tape though, incomplete and slightly messy. But it did peak my interest nevertheless. "Black Queen" sounds like a swamp blues demo, also incomplete and drags on but cool on the surface with the muddy guitar (dirty yet fluid). "Cherokee" is one of my favorites, an extravagant psychedelic rock piece featuring all sorts of cool and distinct instruments with a groovy vibe. A bit messy, especially with the sudden closer, but otherwise fantastic. "We Are Not Helpless" is a complete and thoughtful closer, tying in the themes of the record with well-divided sections and a satisfying conclusion. Still not a fan of the gospel choir though.
Pleasant
YEs I like this 3.5 rounded to 3.
I still like Love the One You're With, but the rest of the album was pretty mediocre. I am also suffering from late 60s/early 70s fatigue.
I was familiar with "Love the One You're With", but not the rest. The album was fine as background music. Nothing pulled me in particular.
I mean, I guess.
Not into it. All songs sounded the same
Enjoyed this. The opening track sounds exactly like Moving On Up by Primal Scream.
Didn't hate it.
Pleasant enough listening but ultimately mostly unmemorable stuff. Cherokee probably the best of the bunch. Didn't really like Black Queen.
11/22/23. Some standout songs but thought this was an average, acoustic driven album. May revisit again down the road, perhaps might learn one or two on guitar.
It's good album but nothing special
Middle of the road but nice background music 2.8
So I guess they split the talent of Stephen Stills between the 3 of them after Neil left. Choir goes crazy
Love the One You're With, Go Back Home, Black Queen. Especially Black Queen - jammy acoustic tune.
This was pretty all right. I don't have much to say. It felt very mid, but not in a bad way. Just a calm, fine album. Fav tracks: Go Back Home, Black Queen, Cherokee
3.5 Some hits and good tracks, some filler
ну это норм альбом. не противно, но и не вау
Good but kind of samey and boring
Pretty good :) I liked love the one you’re with the best
It was okay, I liked love the one you’re with, go back home, and black queen because I always support black queens
A lot more varied than expected. Good songs nicely produced with some deft contributions from various glitterati.
Country, correcto.
I usually don't like folksie/Americana stuff and would just be like "ugh, I have to listen to this?" Stephen Stills album was better than expected. While its no 4 star, its a solid "better than I expected" surprise. 3 stars!
Standouts: Love The One You're With, Church (Part of Someone), Go Back Home, Sit Yourself Down, To a Flame, We Are Not Helpless. 3.5/5
Ok, couple of good songs. Probably worth another listen.
It’s ok
Interesting blend of west coast early 70s and bluegrass/country
Easy going album but nothing special
This album contains the classic "Love the One You're With" and features an impressive line-up of guest musicians. The rest of this Folk Rock album is OK, but apart from "Go Back Home", (which features Eric Clapton on electric guitar in superb form), it's nothing special.
Look, that first track is a banger. But the rest of it falls away pretty easily. It sounds a little like warmed over Neil Young? Not great, not bad either.
Alfa guest musicians. Hendrix, Clapton, Ringo, Cass Elliot. The guests are the best part. Kind of boring and bland without them.
Some good songs in here but feels pretty generic.
Yet another CSNY spin-off. What is this, a Disney+ franchise?
Not as good as CSN, but solid
There are a few terrific songs on this album, Love The One You’re With being my favorite, and Stills’ guitar playing is always interesting, but this album still didn’t do a whole lot for me.
Early folk rock. Listenable, undemanding.
1/4 it's just stills
This was fine, pretty plain but not bad.
The opening track is killer but, despite having Hendrix on a track or two, the rest is sooooo middle-of-the-road same-ish 70s vibe that I said "oh fuck off" twice while listening, and skipped tracks.
Enjoyable.
Unpopular opinion - better than Neil Young?
This album was shockingly average. Definitely not anywhere close to the impact that listening to Manassas through for the first time, but I guess that is not too surprising considering this was his debut record. It's cool that his opening song is Love the One You're With, which is a classic. I love that feeling of finally knowing who wrote that one song you know that you haven't heard in forever and how its connected to them.
A fairly inoffensive album, but just nothing special as well. I would never be upset that this was playing but could also see myself never looking to go out of my way to listen to it. All in all, could listen to again
More soft boy Laurel Canyon output
Although stylistically I do find this album to be too dated-sounding for my tastes, my ear also hears an enormously talented musician and, really, an underrated and under-appreciated guitarist. Sooooooo good!
This felt like an almost textbook definition of a white artist aping black music. Almost every song but especially black queen and church might as well be copies of Black gospel music of the mid 20th century. However, the lack of originality doesn't mean it's bad and I thought this album was fine on its own merits. Nothing super notable except maybe love the one you're with but I would feel bad giving it the same rating as that shit algerian album I just got.
This one has a nice variety of tracks on it. Pretty enjoyable, almost fun enough to be a 4.
This is my first experience listening to Stephen Stills outside of his most famous work with the supergroup of musicians. I definitely want to give this one another listen to fully evaluate the music. My first impression was that this was ok.
Chill earlier 70’s vibe.
kinda mid tbh
Middelmatig album, wel met historische waarde
This album is full of guest appearances by a ridiculously talented group of artists. But it feels unfocused and a little pasted together. This seems to be a problem with some of CSNY's solo works, because I've complained of similar issues on albums by Neil Young and David Crosby. It's like they had a bunch of random ideas they're working on, and they invite all their friends over to flesh it out. The result is some solid songs that are interesting enough to listen to, but lacking in vision and probably a little more ambitious than Stephen Stills' vocals could handle. Fave Songs: Love the One You're With, Go Back Home, Old Times Good Times, Sit Yourself Down, We Are Not Helpless
More solo albums from the CSN+Y gents. Stephen Stills has a soulful, raspy bluesy voice. I like it. His songs cover the range of folk, pop and rock. Solid, but not amazing.
I didn't clock that this guy was part of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young until I read some of the other reviews. Given that, it's more interesting than you might expect, with more energy too. Opening track is a good one, a bit dated in its style but still decent, and there are a couple of other solid songs (Go Back Home being the most notable). Vocals get a bit strained and almost slurry towards the end of the album, and it fades in terms of quality towards the end, but not an unpleasant listen. 3/5.
This was okay. "Love the One You're With" is the most well-known track on the album, but "Go Back Home" was my favorite. Apparently Clapton was on lead guitar on that track, and he slays it. Hendrix is my favorite guitarist, and he was on lead guitar for the previous track, "Old Times Good Times," but Clapton outdid him on this album (although to be fair, it feels like Jimi reined in his style a bit so he didn't stand out too much). The rest of the album was fine.
Better than I expected
A much livelier, jammier album than I expected. Some great guitar and overall songwriting on this one, the pervasive rock organ does date it a bit but not enough to detract from an overall good time.
Meh. It's fine, but I'm not in love with it.
Fine!
Rating: 6/10 Best songs: Love the one you’re with
Awesome acoustic guitar work.
Somewhat different. But ultimately not really anything close to breakthrough in musical world.
Some standouts (Go Back Home, Cherokee) but overall this was only OK for me.
Nice and sweet 70's pop but nothing special. Type of album you listen when you don't want to feel alone in home.
stills tenía un gran disco dentro pero no es este. perfectamente aceptable.
first song is a boperoni and cheese. rest of album wasn’t bad but nothing really stood out
It differs a lot from song to song both in styles and quality. The worst ones are still listenable and the best are pretty good
First song is the only great one; the rest is ok, I wouldn’t object to having it on in the background…
About what I expected
Ok album. Could hear some early 70s folk and blues influences.
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
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.
Decent folk rock, but if I never heard “Love the One You’re With” again, it would be too soon. Rancid song. C
It was fine, some pretty good moments, but overall not too outstanding.
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.
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 first half is 4 stars and the rest is forgettable. Not the folk album I was expecting from the cover but cool
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.
It's your dad's favorite vinyl.
Stoner tunes.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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”.
Substantially better than the NY albums we've had. Great voice and pleasant music.
This was ok as background music as I was doing housework.
Like but don't love this album
Love the One You’re With is a standout song. Clapton and Hendrix are also on a couple songs.
Enjoyable. Not mind blowing, but nice.
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.
Hit or miss.
Interesting eclectic album. Fun
This didn't stand out for me as much as I had expected it to.
Música para boomer que agrada a mi alma milenia.
Great opener but for me downhill from there.