Reviews (page 3 of 7)
I like it enough to give 4stars or B- and that could rise to B+ with more listens.
really loved this double album. So much to love. The percussions and musical diversity kept it interesting.
I wouldn't say any of this material is necessarily filler, but the album could definitely use some shaving down. It lacks a sense of adventure and versatility, leaning heavily on a proto-reggae rock feel for nearly every track. That being said, it reeks of "dad album", which I approve of. Stephen Stills is great at that gentle, acoustic, American texturing (a la Eagles, Neil Young, Elton John) that all fathers of the world can unite under. Colorado is so warm and campfire singalong-y that it's hard not to love. Several tracks like these are proof that Stills's vocals really shine when accompanied by a few backing vocalists. By itself, the lead vocal sometimes struggles to push past the in-your-face mixing of the drums and guitars, but it has a fun Southern American twang that's really likeable. It's noticeable in all tracks, but I especially like the main vocal in Song of Love, Rock and Roll Crazies, and Johnny's Garden. Overall, great stuff. Warm, accessible, fun-filled. A bit bloated, but no individual song is necessarily bad, so who am I to complain? 4/5 Key tracks: Jet Set (Sigh), Song of Love, Colorado, Johnny's Garden, The Love Gangster, What to Do
A big album by the great guitarist. It's a good listen that unfolds it magic after multiple listenings.
I really enjoy this genre of country/folky/bluegrassy rock. It makes me feel happy and is really easy listening. This record is quite conservative. It doesn't feel like they're taking any risks and everything feels pretty safe. I'm content with easy listening albums but they usually end up being 3 star albums for me. There wasn't a single song that really stood out to me. It all kind of just blended together. I think I'd give this one a 3.5 but I'll round up.
Great guitar. Country half ain't that great.
7.5/10 This was a pleasant surprise - not always the biggest fan of country/blues rock, but this combined so many genres in an engaging way Rock, country, folk, blues, bluegrass Really feels of its early 70s time Excellent musicianship and production. Layered sound is very nice, not many albums have such a good interplay of lead and rhythm guitar Everyone clearly having fun, maybe so much fun that they forgot to cut a few tracks... Not enough variation to sustain a double album for me Clearly an influence on modern stuff I like such as SFA/Gruff Rhys Best: Both of us
Stills at his best
really long album, but liked it more than expected. old school country, a bit plain but easy to listen to
Really come to love this one
I really enjoyed most of this album and wished I’d started listening to it earlier in the weekend. I particularly enjoyed the Cuban Bluegrass track ! I’m going to give it 4*. I probably wouldn’t on subsequent listens but I did find it rocking ( in most parts !)
This is a really well done and well performed album, plenty of great tracks here to choose from. But, I have some qualms with it, production being spotty here and there, and the album being just a little bit too long. A 5 star single album, a 4.5 star double album. And I round down
Country rock is a great genre. There's some Three Dog Night, a little Bachman Turner Overdrive, and a complete hoedown in the middle of the album. There's also a weirdly religious song in the back half that feels out of place. It was a great listen, but it was a little all over the place.
Reading about the what seem like hellish recording sessions make this even more impressive. I do think it could have been shorter though
Not bad! I liked it for country
- Stephen Stills, was ne Legende! Mitgründer von Buffalo Springfield und Crosby, Sills, Nash & Young - Und der Kollege weiß einfach, wie man bei mir die richtigen Knöpfe drückt - Was ein geiles Konzeptalbum. Leider so nicht auf Spotify zu sehen, aber auf Platte ist das Doppel-Album in vier Kapitel aufgeteilt - auf jeder Plattenseite ein Kapitel: 1. The Raven (Rock mit Latin Einflüssen) 2. The Wilderness (Country/Bluegrass), 3. Consider (Folk/Folk-Rock), 4. Rock & Roll is Here to Stay (Bluesrock) - Tolle Instrumentierung, super Produktion, wunderschöne Harmonien Rating: 4/5
Thoroughly enjoyed that. Jesus Gave Love Away for Free, Hide It So Deep, and Colorado were my favourite tracks. The album was on the long side if I'm honest, and wasn't overly dynamic, but the feel and the atmosphere created are definitely my kind of thing. Lots of jamming. CSNY flourished best when working together.
These guys definitely loved a bit of slide guitar! This album was a mixed bag which isn't surprisingly considering there's 21 tracks here. They could have done some trimming of the fat. I preferred the Blues style songs more than the Folk stuff so think I'll revisit this one. Highlights: Song of Love Rock and Roll Crazies/Cuban Bluegrass Anyway Jet Set (Sigh)
Favorite Tracks: What To Do Fallen Eagle Johnny’s Garden
Good listen! I'm not crazy with country, so some of the song didn't fully click with me. But there are a good amount here I did enjoy, a couple I can see myself adding into my Spotify Playlist. High recommend!
I like it
Album Nr. 53 Guter 70iger Jahre Rock.
Strong at every point but way tooooooo loooooong.
I forgot how good this was...
Cool easy-going sound. I'm not the biggest fan of Stephen Stills' voice but it's still good and there is so much awesome music on here. Just a nice chill rock album with some southern/country vibes thrown in.
Pretty solid. Surprising mix of hidden genres
Fängt richtig stark an, kann das Niveau aber nicht halten. Zwischendurch ein paar ultra cheesy Songs, die nicht hätten sein müssen. Auch passen manchmal die Übergänge zwischen den Songs nicht. Insgesamt ist das Album deutlich zu lang. Mit Blues Man nochmal ein richtig guter Abschluss. 4, aber nur wegen einzelner Songs. Das Album als ganzes ist leider schwächer.
Het album begint swingend rockend en de radio gaat gelijk een tandje zachter. Ergens, het zal de volgende kant van de lp zijn, veranderd het naar soms tergende zeurende muziek. Net als ik het gillend uit wil zetten komt er weer sterke bluesy rock. Hoe rate ik het totaal nu? Een gemiddelde van 2 topdelen en 2 verschrikkelijke delen kan een 3 opleveren. Maar ik kan er niet omheen. Het heeft allemaal veel kwaliteit en creativiteit. Dus laat ik hem wat opplussen.
This was something of a surprise. Through the course of the album there are jumps between styles, although underpinned by the soft rock that had framed earlier work. Although a solo effort it clearly benefits from the collection of musicians assembled. It probably works better through streaming without interruptions than it would as a physical double album.
What in the Dixie chicken is this?! Embarrassed to say, I didn’t know Stills was something before Crosby Stills and Nash. Love a sweet southern jam/rock band. More cowbell!!!
Really good 70s rock. Love Stephen Stills. Didn't know this album.
I really enjoyed this album. I had no idea Stills had a solo album.
This was a great discovery for me, I'd never branched out to any of CSN's "solo" projects. This felt both of its era and contemporary to me -- so many festival bands still chasing this sound.
This is right up my alley. Never heard before.
Wow! I'm amazed. The quality of the recorded material is amazing. And this is 1972! Unbelievable. A cool lamplight and very warm country blues-rock album. The songs all fit together and flow one into the other. The album is very cohesive and enjoyable for both thoughtful listening and background. First time listening to Stephen Stills and very impressed!
Really good – the whole thing vibes excellently and consistently, and grooves mellowly. "Colorado" and "So the Task Beings" are both teriffic. "Jesus Gave Away Love for Free" might be the all-time hippie line. The trio of "Johny's Garden" and "How Far" and "Move Around" is another highlight sequence ... the last being a master class about how to incorporate synths (or cutting-edge musical tech) into songs.
The only problem of this double album is its length. But at the same time, said length is an intricate part of the record's overall concept, going to a wide array of different genres: southern rock, country and country-rock, bluegrass, blues, latin-infused grooves and the usual CSN(Y) hippie stuff. And each of the four sides is dedicated to an overall theme, helping you find your way into those 21 songs. Stephen Stills and his friends shine as performer and instrumentalists from start to finish here. Now the question is: are the *songs* worth it? The best sides are side 1 and 4. On side 1 you have "Song of Love" and its catchy bassline and vocal hooks, lively "Rock & Roll Crazies / Cuban Bluegrass", followed by equally lively "Jet Set (Sigh)", plus moving "Anyway" or the Santana-inspired "Both of Us". And on side 4, there are "What To Do", "Right Now" and "The Treasure". By all means, don't miss side 4, it's got the best rockers in the whole LP, with some incredible build-ups -- it's just that this apex takes a while to come up after sides 2 and and 3. Indeed, side 2 is mostly displaying country / bluegrass tunes, which is a change of pace that might not be to the liking of a lot of listeners: three of them are quite boring extraneous cuts, yet it's also got the stellar "Colorado" fortunately, whose infectious chorus might linger long in your soul, along with the nice torch song "Anyway". Don't miss those as well. And the same criticism pointing out second-rate tunes goes to the mellow-rock soundscapes of side 3, with only smooth and elegant "Johnny's Garden" and early Moog-synthesizer-enhanced (!) "Moving Around" being worth a visit. I was tempted to give this LP a 5/5 grade, in spite of its relative share of fillers: since I count around 12 or 13 essential songs in this album (including atmospheric barebones closer "Blues Man"), it didn't seem like a stretch. There was obviously enough material in Stills for this one to write an "essential" single album, even if he chose to use the admirable personnel in this record for something much more sprawling (and consequently less cohesive) than that. The thing is, I've given a 4/5 mark to Curtis Mayfield's *Superfly*, also out in 1972 (maybe I was a little harsh on this one, come to think of it). So I got to preserve some sort of consistency somehow. 4 stars, then. But 4 star *+*, as this double album is still a keeper, particularly essential for anyone interested enough in the extended Buffalo Springfield / CSNY "family".
Nice tunes, love it.
Good album, though a little more country than I was hoping for.
Damn man, I was under the impression that we've had solo albums from Crosby and Nash as well, but instead it's number two from Stills. And wow, it's actually really awesome. A big, broad album spanning different styles, some rock, folk, country, etc. The other album we had from him was great too. It may be early to call it, but Mr. Stills may be my favorite in the group. Favorite tracks: Jet Set, Both of Us, Jesus Gave Love Away for Free, Colorado, So Begins the Task, Bound to Fall, How Far, The Love Gangster (goofy title), Blues Man. Album art: Nothing too special, band photo using a sign as the title. I do appreciate that Stills took the time to credit the other people who worked on this with him on the cover, you don't see that often if ever. Not bad. 4.5/5
Great sounding album I really liked Move Around which seems more of a stretch. I like the heavier momebnts and not as connected to times when it sounds like straight CSNY or bluegrass related. But over all very good and will listen again.
A technical very impressive album throughout, resulting from coccaine-fueled marathon recording sessions lasting days. There's a bit too much twang for my taste but there are also a handful of stand out tracks. If I'd had any say, I would have cut out about half of the album but I recognize that I'm not the target audience. Despite that I enjoyed this much more than I expected to.
Honestly would’ve been a five if it was about 20 minutes shorter. A bit *too* much of a good thing.
i've listened to this a lot and it just continues to grow on me... maybe some day this will become 5 stars in my mind... for now i say 4 i like you stephen you are my friend
Solid Album start to finish.
Definitely on the long side, but varied enough to keep my interest. Some rad guitar solos, more music that sounds quite similar to CSN if you're into that (I am). Not mind blowing, but definitely fun and worth the listen imo, I could definitely come back to this one.
Starts off really strong out of the gate. Solid 5. And then it keeps going. Jarring insertion of country fiddle. 4. And it keeps going. Sides 3 and 4 become an inconsistent assortment of loosely related songs. By the end, we land on a three, the average content diluting the excellence of the start. Had it been a shorter, more focused experience, strong 4/5. Meandering to the end we arrive at a 3/4. Happily, I'll recognize the excellence of the musicians.
Solid album. Enjoyable rock, funk, county all the way through. I'll come back to this album for sure.
Ooooo this is a great addition to my collection of beloved southern rock.
Great harmonies, no standouts but all solid tunes.
love the vibes
Honestly pretty good I wasn't expecting to like it that much, very catchy
The funny thing about Crosby, Stills, Nash and, eventually, Young is that they would wound up doing what was least expected. They should have been triumphant foot soldiers, taking it easy whilst basking in the glow of their successes. Instead they aimed to challenge. While Young would soon head for the ditch and Crosby was trying to remember his name along with duetting with Nash, Stills brought forth a sprawling double album with some of his contemporaries from the past and named it after a station in Virginia that was located where the Confederates won The Battle of Bull Run. While this is far from flag bearing reminiscing of a century's past, Manassas is full proof of Stephen Stills' ambitions and the lengths he was willing to take in order to make it, once more reminding the listener of the kind of talents he possessed at the time. While his accomplishments from prior will always define his legacy, it would be a mistake to either push Manassas aside or ignore it altogether, for this could perhaps be his finest statement. Favorites: Song of Love, Rock & Roll Crazies/Cuban Bluegrass, Anyway, Jesus Gave His Love for Free, Colorado, So Begins the Task, Johnny's Garden, Bound to Fall, How Far, Move Around, The Treasure (Take One), Blues Man.
8/10
Ég hef af einhverjum ástæðum aldrei spáð í meðlimum Crosby, Stills & Nash (en hef auðvitað hlustað á Young sem bættist við seinna) þannig að þetta var skemmtileg uppgötvun. Eðalplata og tónlist fannst mér.
Þægilegt gamalt rokk.
Great blend of blues, bluegrass, southern rock, and other genres, with vocal harmonies and varied instruments--guitars, harmonica, banjo, etc.--to form a wonderful album.
I started out not liking this, and then it grew on me. Really cool mixtures of genres, Im gonna go google this album now and see what pops up for it.
Very good! 4/5
Goed country/rock album, muzikaal, goede stem, gebruik van toffe instrumenten. Colorado & So Begins the Task +++
first 2 sides surprisingly great. 4/5. Overall, the second half (sides 3/4) not as great, but still a solid album for sure - 3.75. Listened 2x.
This is Still best solo work, great songs and very cohesive.
It's probably rounding up a wee bit, but there's enough solid rock, bluegrass, folk on this to easily appreciate. the slide guitar and the harmonies are spot on and the variety keeps it interesting (though it occasionally is a little corny when a bluegrass intro spins up). overall enjoyable.
This feels like a real journey through American music. A long, thorough journey, but also a quite lovely one.
This album eased into my ears nicely today. Again, a bit on the longish side, and that made it difficult for me to get an uninterrupted listen in, but I got a couple times through, eventually.
Pretty jamming’ overall. Jet Set is a nice blues rock jam! Really like the outro into Anyway. This is nice classic rock. Johnny’s Garden is a nice tune. Not sure I’ve heard it before but definitely jumps out as a hit. Really pretty good! I think I’ll listen more.
I had never heard of this one. It was pretty good!
Pleasant sounds, quite easy to listen to
I expected to dislike this, but it turns out even a lesbian can like some man asses.
I’m not a huge CSB fan but it was interesting to discover Stills had a different band for a few years.
If there's a correct ambition for an American double album, it's reflected here: Subdivide about four times, leave the borders fuzzy, play it out. Manassas surely benefits from a good mood: There's nothing in it to shock the emotional senses. Plenty of distinction, though. Stills's quietness works this time around.
Country-blues-folk-rock. Está bien. Un 4.
Country. No está mal.
Kul opplevelse, stort album! Hørte det under fisketur alene I båten.
I've never heard this album before. I'm well acquainted with CSN and sometimes Y, but my only Stills solo material have been a couple of tracks on live albums. Pleasantly surprised! Interesting sound, material, songwriting, good harmonies. I'll have to listen more.
Solid album. Definitely Stills lead but you can hear Hillman’a influence bringing in that Byrds/Burrito Brothers sound. A wide swath of music with a country blues foundation.
C'est super bon, classique de ces années la. Un double album il y plein de super truc et plein de trucs que j'ai entendu des 100 de fois dans le genre. 4.25
Sweet
Was not expecting to become a CSNY fan, but this is pretty cool, even for a lengthy double album. The guitar playing is really good, and helps to show off Stills’ songwriting. Would pick up a cheap copy. C+
Yeah, some good stuff. Generous 4
First half of the album reminds me of quintessential 80s driving montage.
I don't think you can truly go wrong with any of the CSNY bunch. I hadn't heard this one before and while there were some that I didn't particularly enjoy, there were others that I can't wait to listen to again. 3.5/5, rounded up to 4/5.
Nice album, would be good for a summer BBQ
It was fine. Southern rock, but pleasant to listen to.
Love me some Stills especially with a super group, breaks my album length rule but I’m allowing a pass
Definitely sounds like an a Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young album. Or an album by one of them individually. Giants of folky rock. A good time! A little overlong.
A very nice album though a bit all over the place that touches on country, blues and folk influences with even a little jazz thrown in. I'm not that big on the bluesy stuff but I can't fault the song writing nor the playing at all. A big sprawling epic of an album that I'm glad I was intrudeced to and which deserves more scrutiny. 4 stars
It’s got a good sound to it, similar to the likes of the Allman Brothers, and CSN of course. Since it’s a double album, it’s got some fat that doesn’t add to the overall value
- never heard of - eagles vibes - I like it
They don't make albums like they used to HOT DAMN. Continuity through a thoughtful 4 part album?! Sign me up Impressive segueing of styles and composition. A bit odd to listen to as such but really interesting
Very cool mashing album of varying genres. Blues, folk, country, rock and roll, even some latin! While there's some really great songs on this album, I think it could've benefitted from some trimming. Some songs are just too run off the mill and don't stand out that much. Favorite lyrics: - But I'm all right you know I pay my dues - Is that really how you see me? Just a statue making sound. - Sing to the noble eagle. Help is on the way. - Come a woman who wants to be near. Me and my mountains, we'll be right here. - In the treasure of the oneness. That like sand becomes a diamond. Key tracks: - Song Of Love - Rock And Roll Crazies / Cuban Bluegrass - Jet Set (Sigh) - Anyway - Both Of Us (Bound To Lose - Colorado - So Begins The Task - It Doesn't Matter - Johnny's Garden - Bound To Fall - How Far 7,5 out of 10
I've not heard this before I don't think, I will ne listening to it again because it was a nice mix of fun and relaxing
Out of CSNY Stephen Stills is definitely my biggest blind spot. This is solid! Cool that we have a different member of the Byrds here in Chris Hillman. Steel guitar work is great. Wide range of genres is cool, though I wish it was sequenced to feel less jarring from track to track. I had not heard any of these before but they all felt pretty familiar, which was cool. Treasure is obviously the stand out.
bluses babyyy
It is wild that this album shared the top 5 with albums by Neil Young and David Crosby/Graham Nash. This album didn't make a huge impression on me, but I thought it was good overall. There's a lot of variety to the music, which keeps it really interesting. Some of it is more like CSNY, and some of it is more straightforward blues, but it's all really well done 4/5
This album is a good balance of Stills' vocal and lyrical talents and a superb band. Probably 50 years since I last listened to it and it's as good as I remembered it.
An interesting record.
Warm 70s fm rock. Will love to revisit. Out of CSNY I am the least familiar with S
Pretty diverse album with blues and bluegrass songs. I really fuck with Fallen Eagle.
Quite long but I won’t hold that against it. My biggest complaint is that the style of this album was all over the place, but the songs were actually quite solid.
Forgot how great this is. Lots of genre mixes but strong country. Chris Hillman!
Enjoyed this very much!
Curioso que este album de Stephen Stills si esté en Spotify no como otros del conjunto Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Suena muy bien desde el principio. Qué discazo!!! "Song of love", "Colorado", "It doesn't matter" o "Move around".
This is the album that got me to like Stephen Stills. Bluesy, laid back sound featuring some really strong musicianship. Love the low key Latin percussive vibe on some of the songs. I do think this would have made a spectacular single disk. As a double album, it feels a bit watered down and the best tracks get buried. Fave Songs: It Doesn't Matter, Colorado, Song of Love, Anyway, How Far, Rock & Roll Crazies/Cuban Bluegrass, Hide It So Deep, Don't Look at My Shadow
Quality American blues/folk/country rock
I thought this was great. Great playing, great atmosphere
Just a bunch of sweet jams by one of the best to ever do it. Best track: Colorado
I bought the cassette of this album from a bargain bin back in the day. Then promptly loaned it to my dear friend, & future NDP senator, Bob Wood, and that was the last I ever saw or heard of it. Until today. What a terrific listen, although, like a lot of double albums, it was probably an album overweight. Stills is in top form on this, & a lot of it has to do with the band, particularly the great Chris Hillman. Many styles are traversed - bluegrass (Fallen Eagle); country(Jesus Gave Love Away For Free); acoustic blues (Blues Man)and great rock & roll (It Doesn’t Matter still slays me. There are also a lot of obvious influences, to my ear, anyway : Rock & Roll Crazies is reminiscent of Stills’s own Love The One You’re With; Both Of Us reminds me of Neil Young’s The Loser; So Begins The Task could be C,S& N ; Hide It So Deep harks back to Hank Williams; Right Now opens just like a Stones’ song. I can also hear Jimmy Buffet & Lynyrd Skynyrd, but it was them being influenced by Manassas. The second album is not as strong as the first, but hey, I’m not quibbling. It was so good to hear this again.
A little sprawling and unfocused at times, but the overall effect felt worth the time, and some really stellar pieces I hadn’t heard before pushed it into great territory.
Some CSN, some CBGB.
A really enjoyable and consistent album. ‘Colorado’ was probably my favorite track.
Country-blues-folk-rock. Está bien. Un 4.
Went into blind having never heard of them before and was very pleasantly surprised with how good it was. Almost every track was good and despite being well over an hour never felt as though it was dragging. Why this album seems to have been forgotten idk
Possibly a five star album if not for the fiddle songs.
Enjoyable range in styles, solid guitarwork, great tunes.
hippies smell like boogers but i have to admit i enjoyed this far more than i expected to
Veel verschillende stijlen op een album, goede muzikanten.
Was a good one to tune out to while working. This is the store of music that makes me think...this is what my dad came to America for.
I really enjoyed this album.
Chill country, good.
Great combo of folk, rock and blues…that CS&N vibe. Texas roots definitely showing through!
A double album of really 4 different themed sides. I would guess that this would make the most sense on the LP's on which this was originally released. If you felt like some bluegrass you'd put on Side 2, if you were in the mood for something heavier, you'd put on Side 4. Which for me would mean I could skip a side because when this album goes from side 1's great latin-rock into the country on side 2, my mind starts wandering and i feel the need to start skipping songs. I recognize the quality of the songs, I hear the amazing songwriting and musicianship, but it's just not my style and will never be. The folk on Side 3 and Bluesrock on Side 4 are once again more to my liking fortunately. All in all is this an incredible album, with quality songs throughout and that's not something you see much on double-albums. This might in fact be one of the best double-albums of all time.
Surprised me with the musicianship. Lots of great songs. Does get a bit long and starts to be jam tracks
Enjoyed this. Easy going, bluesy, groovy, dad rock with attitude
Listened to on 9/12/22 4.5/5 Favorite song: Colorado, Both of Us This album was a bit of a hodge podge with lots of different styles of music but I loved all of it from rock to Caribbean to country vibes
7/12/22 Generally background, but I really liked how groovy it was. Actually enjoyed this. I liked Song of Love and The Love Gangster
I think this is a very good release and ranks among Stephen Still's best work. I vacillate between thinking the thematic sides are a great idea and a so-so notion, but the expansive band is impressive throughout. The stylistic variety is broad and seems to be a collaborative effort.
This was a very good album. I did not know a single song beforehand but had everything I like about Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Some songs with nice harmonies, some songs with searing guitar parts ("The Treasure" in particular) and a very "end of the 60's" feel over all. Almost like a final gasp of the decade although it was 1972. I will definitely listen to these songs again. Would have gotten a 4.5 if possible but a little too long. Also "Johnny's Garden" sounds like "Midnight Rider".
Excellent stuff - love this vein of southern rock
Squams…..
Dunno if it’s the joy from finding a way to listen to this besides YouTube but I enjoyed listening to this album a bunch… just very solid, direct and stylistically varied across the four sides of the lp
Get on Spotify. Otherwise pretty good.
Wish this was spotify
Great chill album. Americana.
That was a nice listening experience. Loved the folksy, bluesy southern rock sound throughout!
fun album
Really good blues rock and bluegrass for 70 minutes.
Unfortunately I got assigned this album right after he took himself off Spotify, so I had to find sources elsewhere. Not sure I got the full experience. There weren't any stand out songs for me but the entire album felt like a great example of southern rock overall. Really enjoyed it.
Totally dig this album! Love the mix of folk, rock, blues and bluegrass. Twangy guitar and country fiddle really completes it with a southern rock type of sound. Need to go find a copy of it.
This album exemplifies folk/rock, but isn't the same stuff you hear on the radio all the time, so it still feels fresh. Great stuff. Highlight - Don't Look At My Shadow, What to Do
Like I know every song, yet I've never heard one before. Musically super high quality. Need to revisit, like the guitar more than the voice maybe
Cet album du groupe Stephen Stills est très long mais néanmoins excellent. Il doit d'ailleurs beaucoup à la performance de son leader, Stephen Stills. À l'inverse du précédent opus, il dépeint un Stephen Stills bien plus conscient du monde qui l'entoure et moins égocentré. Le premier projet de la bande, sobrement baptisé Stephen Stills, était en effet construit autour de la personnalité de Stephen Stills L'unique morceau du CD, Stephen Stills, n'avait pour seules paroles que les mots Stephen et Stills inlassablement répétés pendant plus de soixante minutes. La moindre intervention d'un des autres membres du groupe donnait lieu à une tarte en plein visage de la part de Stephen Stills.
Solid, great instrumental interplay, enjoyed most songs. Albums a little long (72m) though for its lack of peaks
4.25/5. Very versatile, rockin, but too much country :/
Easy listening!
I like that the double album is divided up into similar sounding sections. Wikipedia says the first section is supposed to have a latin feel, which I don't really see. I still enjoyed that side, and felt like I enjoyed the country side the most (side B). Favorite tracks: "Fallen Eagle", "The Treasure", "Colorado"
-"Right Now" gets bangin' -"Fallen Eagle" is a good, classic country song -"Don't Look At My Shadow" has a good beat and the like guitar and violin are groovin' -"Bound to Fall" has lots o' instruments going and the harmonies are interesting -The first chunk of tracks (maybe up to like "Fallen Eagle") are pretty solid. Lots of cool instruments and stuff going on, but then it becomes a little up and down
Stills at his height following CSNY's breakup. I love the thematic shifts from side to side. First side is like a jam session, with tracks blending into each other, simultaneously distinctive yet hard to tell when one ends and one starts. Sometimes there's a break like in "Jet Sigh" halfway through the song and it fools with you. Huge sudden shift with the second track going back to the roots in country and bluegrass. Next huge sudden shift (starting with "It Doesn't Matter") is largely folk rock with plenty of blues and other influences (like psychedelia in "Move Around"), and continues to the end, although the fourth side gets notably harder. Double albums are best when there's diversity like this. Yet nothing is out-of-place, and Stills makes the best of each aspect. No hits but there are standout tracks on each side. Great placement of tracks to keep the energy going.
Never paid so much attention to solo work of CSNY apart from Y. And this is one of the few albums so far that I did know at all, not even the album title rang a bell. Quite a few different genres - the start of the album is not so special but I am glad that I did not give up: at some point there is a whole sequence of excellent songs especially The Treasure (Take one), so definitely 4*
Just the thing for an autumnal day
I really liked this album! Great guitar solos. Great sound. Good vocals. Great rock album. I think I like this better than Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young stuff.
Нормальный альбом, но не сверх того
There are so many five star songs on here but with the exception of Colorado, he really lost me in the mid section between Fallen Eagle and Johnny's Garden. Too much fiddle and slide guitar in this section detracted from an otherwise beautiful album. It finds its edge again real nice from Bound to Fall, his vocal range is incredible. Move Around is a sick tune, his voice in this reminds me of someone that I can't put my finger on (maybe Neil Young which would make sense). The drumming across the whole record is out of control good.
Saved a few of those songs. Country vibes. Reminded me of the Soundtrack of O Brother Where Art Thou. Not bad, but not hypeworthy either
Blues mixed with bluegrass. Big band putting it all together really well. Double-length album with lots of great tunes. Feels like a continuation of CSNY, clear that Stills was a major part of their sound. Really good album, definitely would listen again.
Good, solid classic rock
Digging the crunchy guitar & the organ. Oooh, bluegrass outa nowhere on Fallen Eagle, nice! Tempo change in The Treasure (Take One) is rad.
Usually hate country, but this was great
Esta bien, no tan excelente pero está bastante bueno. Me agrada el sonido.
Super underrated group as a whole.
Leuke teksten en variatie in de nummers. Geslaagd.
Yup, that’s going in the library. Like me some Stills
Blues, Funk en Folk in 1 album. Mooie verrassing!
This was a fun album. Classic rock is a place I can easily abide. I liked the blues stuff and the bluegrass stuff. A good mix of good sound. It was a little long
Good folk rock album. Good chillin music.
Everything is right
This album exemplifies folk/rock, but isn't the same stuff you hear on the radio all the time, so it still feels fresh. Great stuff. Highlight - Don't Look At My Shadow, What to Do
Country. No está mal.
this was really good, at some point I wondered if I was listening to the same record.
Musically fantastic. I think I’d like it better if someone else was singing the songs, however.
I had no idea what to expect from this one, and was pleasantly surprised to find that the answer was "a little bit of everything"! I love an album that's not afraid to wade around the genre pool, so really enjoyed hearing rock, folk, country, blues and who knows what else in quick succession. Definitely up for more listens. Fave track - "Bound to Fall"
Probably could have been cut down to a single disc, but I think there’s enough good material to warrant the second.
Allman vibes, really good southern rock!
A typical sounding early 70s album from an icon of the industry. A good listen but certainly not something I would consider a classic or a must have on this list.
Well, it’s fine but doesn’t really justify the length
I like the 70s California sound that Stills (along side Crosby & Nash) was a big part of. This one didn't fully get me though. The double album goes on far too long (a lot of filler - could have made a much better single album), and the Nashville overtones don't mix well with his Laurel Canyon sound. Not a bad album, but not a great one, either. 2 1/2 stars
Nice guitar and vocals. Could do without all the fiddle.
Pretty good stuff - I always enjoy this kind of west coast driving music - but there are a few too many songs with that terrible country twang. The rest is great
This album went on for longer than necessary, but was fine.
A double album. I’m not sure why these CSN guys get so much time on this list it all kind of sounds the same.
Alright 70's rock
Some music is for the ages, some is for the moment. This album feels like it was a good fit for the moment. Stephen has a host of credits that are high in the stratosphere, some even locked into the musical firmament. This just feels like a fun jam. Fun to listen to, a sweet treat and then quickly forgotten. On second listen, this sounds like Stephen Stills taking a stab at Americana music in the vein of The Band. It does not stand up well in that comparison, however. Don't Look at My Shadow feels like a parody of Americana, perhaps that is intentional and I'm just not seeing the wink and the nod. Perhaps they should have cut this down from a double album to a standard album and lost some of the "just ok" songs.
Some good songs in a sea of abundance.
Some decent folksy music, exactly what I'd expect for Stephen Stills. I found the story behind this to be interesting, how Stills was so invested in the recording process that he logged 100+ hours straight in the studio at some point and would call his band in at 4am to bounce ideas off. I don't think the result was *that* groundbreaking, but I can tell it's a high-quality recording. Standout track: Bound To Fall. Love the highly compressed acoustic guitar used throughout.
Мені подобаються рок-пісні на альбомі. Мені, скоріше, не подобаються кантрі-пісні на альбомі. І відверто він задовгий, та й зайві пісні тут теж є. Все одно загалом приємні враження від альбому.
Serviceable country folk-rock album
I found this quite an enjoyable listen
Too long for what it is. There are some good songs on here, mixed in with less remarkable ones. Half of this could have been trimmed to make this album more succinct and cohesive.
Pretty solid, nothing major 3/5
Good album. Too twangy at times
Did enjoy all the talk about Colorado
Man asses? I don't see any man asses here! Maybe they're on the back cover. This album's good. Stephen Stills is one of the lesser discussed members of Crosby, Stills and Nash, but he's still got some talent to his name. This album of his is proof of that. However, it's not amazing. I have issues with this album. For one, it's too long. 70 minutes can work for some albums, but this album isn't one of them. The songs are a bit too similar for the runtime to feel warranted. On top of that, while I enjoyed every song on the album, none of them felt like masterpieces. You'd expect an album with 21 songs to have at least one all-time classic, but there really aren't any on this album. Stephen Stills is a good songwriter, but I do think that I prefer the songwriting of people like Neil Young. I also think the singing is just alright. I did enjoy my time with this album a good deal, but I also found it a bit too similar to a lot of the other Laurel Canyon Scene albums for the 70 minutes to really feel worth it. There's some good stuff on this album, but none of it amazes. It's a good effort, but I guess Stills was just better with Crosby and Nash (and Young sometimes) than he was with his Manassas crew. Good album, but not one that I think will stick with me much beyond today. High 3/5.
This album is like sitting down for a bourbon after a long day working the land. It was a tough day, because the night before you and the farmhands had gone out for a couple of drinks that had let to a lot more drinks. Jerry, the ex-con with a chip on his shoulder, had mouthed off to a couple of fellers at the bar and a fight broke out. Thinks got pretty sideways and after being kicked out, you were faced with the choice of going home, or finding a new bar. Foolishly, you went to the strip club down the road. After a few hours of cheap rum and cheaper lap dances, you head home for a couple of nights sleep before your alarm goes off. It is hot as Hades outside, your head is thumping and you're running off two and a half hours of disjointed sleep. But that doesn't matter because a bull has broken through the fence on the top paddock and you've got loose animals to wrangle. Finally at the end of the day, you're settling down with a long-awaited straightening bourbon to cap off the day. It is a tough life, but not everyone is made for it. You should go and get some rest, but you'll have one more drink at look at the stars.
Look, I love Stephen Stills in CSNY where he has C, N, and Y to act as a buffer between his songs—many of which are favorites of mine! I think a double album of just his songwriting is a little too much, especially when none of the songs particularly stand out to me. Was Manassas a skilled band? No doubt. But country rock is already a little outside my interests, and this just doesn't capture my attention the way many records on this list do.
Not bad not amazing! Listened easily 3/5
Highlights: Songs of Love, Colorado, Johnny’s Garden, It Doesn’t Matter and So Begins The Task. 3.8
i enjoyed it! it was cool listening to this right after buck owens bc i could hear the lineage of that genre over time. just seven years had passed between the albums and the genre had already evolved so much / spawned new sub-genres. Fav tracks: Fallen Eagle; Colorado
eh. I do remember being really into this album for a minute during a short Stephen Still obsession but I don;t hear what I heard then. It's good, much like all the supergroupish things in the CSNY universe, but it doesn;t touch on the vulnerability of his better solo work
This is a well-conceived, arranged and played double album of blues and country-rock that sounds perfectly fit for the AM radio of its era. There are some good songs, but nothing about it particularly excites me, either. Fairly or unfairly, I think I associate Stills with being a backing singer more than a bandleader.
like a Marvel film, almost anything in the CSNY Universe is 1) overly long 2) fine for while I'm engaging with it 3) largely forgotten, except for a few small well done bits, the next day.
Muy retro y tal pero se hace un poco pesado. Muy igual todo el rato, muy monótono
Standard Stephen Stills. Sounds great, production is ok. Songs are fine.
Long one, but split into four distinct parts. Side 1 (The Raven) was solid. Blues and rock with some latin rhythm mixed in here and there. Side 2 (The Wilderness) was awful. Country and bluegrass just isn't my thing. Side 3 (Consider) is also pretty good. A lot of smoother light-rock, some experimentation (nice MOOG work). Starting to enter jam-band territory on some tracks but not in a bad way. Side 4 (Rock & Roll Is Here to Stay) starts off with some southern rock then slides FIRMLY into jam-band territory. All-in-all, it's not a bad release and I'd probably listen to it (at least three sides) again, but it's not going to be in my regular rotation.
It's...fine. Very 70s country-rock, with some bluesier and even some bluegrass stuff thrown in. Some songs I quite liked, a lot passed me by and one or two caused me to raise an eyebrow. Not sure why it's really necessary for me to have heard this before I expire, but...I guess I have now.
A bit lengthy, but each song had its own charm so I didn’t mind that much. A real solid collection of songs.
Virginia is for singers?
Bloated pap. I couldn't care less for more than half of these songs. As always, Less Stills is better Stills. And as others have mentioned, he's no Neil. 3 "lukewarm mediocrity" stars.
Not listened
3.5/4
Eh, this was fine.
Listened to it twice and nothing stuck with me.
It's time for yet another album from the CSN(Y) verse. The CSN(Y) albums themselves are all pretty good, but I have some mixed mileage with the solo stuff. Let's get the easy one out of the way, I don't really count Neil Young's stuff in this conversation, he has kind of eclipsed all of it. But the other stuff has been pretty decent, but not especially interesting. So I'm not especially enthusiastic to hear Stephen Stills' 71 minute opus. Fascinatingly enough, this album is very transparently trying to reach for a more eclectic, adventurous sound, but does not end up *much* more interesting than the other Stephen Stills album I've listened to. Although, that does imply that this *is* at least a little more interesting, and I'd agree with that. Each side of this album is very rigidly themed and titled. Side A (The Raven) is kind of slightly, vaguely inspired by Latin music. Side B (The Wilderness) is Americana. Side C W(Consider) is slightly experimental, but mostly it just has some synths and a psychedelic vibe. And Side D (Rock & Roll Is Here To Stay) is pretty straightforward, internally consistent rock music. Even if these sides aren't *radically* different, there is enough going on that it makes this a fairly engaging 71 minutes. Side C is probably my least favorite, for as much as it kind of plays itself up to be unexpected and daring, but just kind of ends up feeling whatever; it also has the weakest identity of all the sides. Side A is my second least favorite, it also wears it's identity kind of weakly, but it's songs flow well, and are generally pretty good compositions. Side D is my second favorite, featuring a rock and blues sound that Stills is comfortable in, and a couple of the best songs here, like Blues Man and The Treasure. And Side B is my favorite, Country is another setting that Stills is very comfortable with, and the songs all present a unique take on the genre. Fallen Eagle, Jesus Gave Love Away For Free, and Colarado are all very different, fantastic country songs. The real downsides to the structure here are that Manassas feels a bit bloated, and Stills doesn't really manage to pull it all together into a coherent statement. But there is enough quality here to keep me engaged, and much like the other stuff I have heard from Stills, Manassas ends up fine.
Not his best solo album. Another weird pick for the list
Some parts of Manassas work better than others. I particularly enjoyed the rootsy Side Two (“The Wilderness”) and the folk-y Side Three (“Consider”), but Side One (“The Raven”) left me flat. None of the songs really worked its way into my head.
No. 402/1001 Song of Love 4/5 Rock and Roll Crazies 3/5 Jet Set 4/5 Anyway 3/5 Both of Us 4/5 Fallen Eagle 3/5 Jesus Gave Love Away 3/5 Colorado 4/5 So Begins the Task 5/5 Hide It so Deep 3/5 Don't Look at My Shadow 3/5 It Doesn't Matter 4/5 Johnny's Garden 4/5 Bound to Fall 3/5 How Far 3/5 Move Around 4/5 The Love Gangster 3/5 What to Do 3/5 Right Now 3/5 The Treasure 3/5 Blues Man 3/5 Average: 3,43 Pretty good record. Could have been better with a little bit of trimming.
Rather too rambling and unstructured to actually be all that good. But there are decent songs and I tend to enjoy this sort of style of music. So it's another 3.
Nothing new here. Another late-60s-to-early-70s Laurel Canyon County-Folk-Rock album, just like all the others that we've reviewed already. Minus one half-star because it's too long.
Неплохой альбом. Отдельно могу выделить инструментал, ведь он отлично дополняет сам альбом: небольшие пассажи интересные аккорды - все это украшает альбом. Однако альбом остаётся обычным, без каких либо весомый отличительных черт.
Quite a long meandering double country rock album at around an hour and a quarter long. No real standout tracks for me, it was fine but don't think I'll be rushing back to listen again.
Songs flow well but it's quite a mixed bag of similar country, folk, and blues rock. It's like an amalgamation of all the styles that were really popular in the late sixties and early seventies: CSNY, Buffalo Springfield, CCR, and the like. I'm at that point in this challenge where I'm noticing how similar a lot of these albums sound. Manassas is an example made worse through it being a double album.
There are plenty of good songs on here, but the album is far too long as much of this feels like filler. The album as a whole suffers from this as much of the material is fairly forgettable.
A display of good musicianship but frankly a little bit unmemorable in my opinion. Might bump it later though
It was cool but nothing really grabbed me
The musical quality is good throughout, and I was enjoying it when it first started. But it’s SO long and everything started blending together and sounding the same.
Some nice blues but in the end...steel guitar...who wants that?
Interesting mix of styles and genres on this album, blues, country, folk, rock. All decent songs but nothing that just screams I have to listen to this again.
great musicianship, too too long
Bland but listenable.
Song of Love - 3.5/5 Rock and Roll Crazies/ Cuban Bluegrass - 3/5 Jet Set (Sigh) - 3.5/5 Anyway - 4/5 Both of Us (Bound to Lose) - 3/5 Fallen Eagle - 3/5 Jesus Gave Love Away for Free - 2.5/5 Colorado - 3/5 So Begins the Task - 3/5 Hide It so Deep - 2.5/5 Don't Look at My Shadow - 4.5/5 It Doesn't Matter - 3/5 Johnny's Garden - 2.5/5 Bound to Fall - 2/5 How Far - 2/5 Move Around - 2/5 The Love Gangster - 2.5/5 What to Do - 3/5 Right Now - 3/5 The Treasure - Take One - 3/5 Blues Man - 2.5/5
6/10
This was way too long and every soung sounded fine.
Didn't see this one coming. I love Stills voice, have heard a few songs off this album but never would have considered it a Top 1001 album. I read that it's lauded as "roots rock landmark album". It's a good rock and roll album, I enjoyed a good portion of it. At the start, it has a bit more muscle than his CSN stuff, which I appreciate. The albume lacks a single song still played on the radio over the last 55 yrs. "Colorado" was the most memorable track but "It Doesn't Matter" was the only 1972 single that came close to the Top 40 (peaked at #61). Interesting Fact:The album was certified Gold on May 30, 1972, just over a month after being released.[2] Stills has stated the album did not receive the recognition it deserved due to Atlantic Records and Ahmet Ertegun (head of Atlantic Records) wanting him back in the "goldmine" that was Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Stills said that as soon as the album shipped gold, Ertegun pulled it, and people could not find it in stores. While it was good, it wasn't great nor memorable, and it was entirely too long to lack hits or game changing songs. 3 stars tops.
Pretty good, though it feels kinda samey.
Stephen Stills debut solo album. Folk/Country/Country rock. Nothing stands out. Not sure why this album is on the list other than it's Stephen Stills' debut solo album post Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young. Lots of people love it, but not me. Pitchfork: n/a Rolling Stone: n/a
FAVS (top 3): both of us, so begins the task, it doesnt matter mençoes honrosas: song of love, jet set (so high), anyway, dont look at my shadow, what to do gente é um bom album? é. tem boas musicas? tem? mas sinceramente? achei nada de mais nao, ele é bom nao da pra negar mas tipo i mean what the hell sure! nota final: 3.5/5
I enjoyed this so much more than the CS&N album we had. So Begins The Task is a lovely song
This album started off a lot better than I thought it was going to be...I was bracing myself for a CSN repeat but was surprised that it was good, swampy southern rock. Somewhere between the Allmans and CCR. Then the middle came and it strayed from what was making it so great to begin with, it got into more folk stuff, more stuff that was closer to CSN. And then I realized it was a double album...it finished fairly strong but the first 4-5 songs were bangers.
Ya rather good, feel like there is just so much music like this from this time. And ya I can dig it but can't find a 4 here with how much of this existed. Blues vibes kinda great for a chill work day. 3+
Decent. But I didn't get fully drawn in for quite a long album
Love Crosby Stills and Nash, was cool to hear his solo work
Really enjoyable album. Was expecting some early 70s folk, but this is banging, bluegrasses, and folky. High 3s.
there could be so much more substance to this
Chill pasiklausymas.
great!!!
The more folky songs are enjoyable and punchy but then the country slide guitar comes in. I'm not a fan of country music. An extra star for the folk rock tracks.
Sadly this seemed very commercial to me. It is good. There are some really surprising slide steel sounds and the lyrics to moving around are interesting. It’s fine.
3.5
Overall: 5/10 Did this really need to be a double album? The songs aren't bad or anything, but none of them stood out as exceptional and quite a few felt like throwaways. It's dissapointing as I generally consider Stephen Stills to be a borderline genius musically. Fav Song: It Doesn't Matter
6/10
boring
I can dig it
There is a lot in this album, and not everything is great, but at least they tried. 6/10
I need a new head and probably new ears. I really liked 80% of this, I got the vibe completely. It wlreally was a bunch of musicians enjoying themselves. Apart from the overt 'Bluegrass' shit it was a great listen.
So Begins the Task, Don’t Look at My Shadow, It Doesn’t Matter, The Treasure À réécouter
If this album stopped after side one, I probably would have enjoyed it a lot more. I was really vibing to The Raven side and then the album does a 180 and has a whole country/Bluegrass side that I did not enjoy. Side 3 and 4 kind of blended together and both were just alright. Side One: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Side Two: ⭐️⭐️ Side Three: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Side Four: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Average: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Favorite Track - Song of Love Least Favorite Track - Hide It So Deep ⭐️⭐️⭐️
7.5. Pretty mellow.
Not nearly as good as I expected this to be
j'ai l'impression d'écouter chaque fois le même album rock country ça devint lassant 1001albums !!
Was hella bored at first until it got to the folk revival era
5/10
Pretty good folk blues album.
Something I never really thought about prior to this project was how much C, S, N and Y moved around creating music with friends on side projects. Reading about the history of rock, this was a period when musicians hung out together, smoking weed and playing tunes. Pretty cool. In this case, we see Still getting together with folks from The Flying Burrito Brothers to create a double album that is really four separate half-albums: Side 1, “The Raven”: Rock and Latin Pretty solid rock tunes. Side 2, “The Wilderness”: Country and Bluegrass The transition to this section was abrupt. It probably worked better when flipping the vinyl. I like mandolins and fiddles. Not usually my genre, but this is pretty good music. Still, probably the weakest of the four. Side 3, “Consider”: Folk and folk-rock This section is what I was expecting. This is the sort of music that I associate with Stills. Good song writing. Side 4, “Rock and Roll is Here to Stay”: Blues and Blues-rock The variety of music on this album makes it hard to rate, but overall this a good record, with some great songs.
Jest fajne, chillowe ale nie jest na tyle dobre abym mógł dać 4 w kontekście najlepszych płyt all the time. Miłe dla ucha i ma swój vibe, ale to wszystko.
very long, but good vibes. just too long but if it weren't for this 1 album a day stuff I'd prob be fine w that
one of the cooler jam supergroups of the early 70s. sure there's nothing particularly groundbreaking on this album, but it's still a lot of fun to listen to. probably will revisit a little as it continues to warm up and i can drive down 68 with my windows down.
This started out as a real treat for a windows down driving experience, but it lost a little steam by the end. I still enjoyed it overall. 3-3.5
3 out of 5. Some good songs here.
possibly the most 'fine' album to exist
A nice mix of folk rock, blues and country and bit of easy listening that would be reasonable background music for a Sunday afternoon potter around the house while youre doing your chores. I doubt that makes it an album that I had to listen to before I died - I'll have mostly forgotten about it by this time next week - but it was nice enough. Particular favourites were So Begins The Task and Don't Look At My Shadow, and it's a low 3 stars.
A solid album, but not one of my favourites within its own genre
best aardig. wel echt veel te lang en erg samey in de tweede helft. 19 nummers geluisterd, afgehaakt toen t volgende nummer 8 minuten duurde en de eerste 3 totaal wegvielen als achtergrondgeluid <3
mja weinig over te zeggen eigenlijk. van genoten, maar ik denk niet dat ik het nog een keer ga luisteren
No complaints but it just did not excite me in any way. I added the single “It Doesn’t Matter” to my Generator playlist.
Nice folkish rock album. Some familiar tracks and great vocals throughout. Sounds like a Crosby, Stills, and Nash record as expected which is welcome. However this album is way too long and some pretty boring songs almost like filler
I love his voice, and some gems in here, but a bit all over the place and overly long.
6/10, good but lacks standouts
Good but sad?ish
Album #67 Stephen Stills: Manassas I feel like every album on this list is within a few degrees of separation from Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, out of any band ever, they surely have the biggest reach between members combined projects. From CSNY to Crosby, Stills, and Nash, to Buffalo Springfield, The Byrds, The Hollies, all of their solo efforts, hell, you can even get a direct link to Pearl Jam through Neil Young; truly one of the most talented and impactful groups of musicians. However, other than Neil Young, whose solo catalogue I am in awe of, I have never ventured into the other members' solo projects. Though to call Manassas a solo project would be a bit disrespectful, since it is actually another group spearheaded by Stills involving respected musicians such as Chris Hillman of The Byrds. This album is sort of just a massive set of songs where Stills and the gang throw everything they have and see what sticks, and more often than not, they hit. There is a lot to get out of this project, probably would take repeated listens to truly get a grasp of the contents inside of it, but from what I gathered from my listen, there is definite quality. Maybe if they were a bit more selective and cut it down to around 40 minutes or so we would be talking about a classic album, but they certainly went for something more ambitious and fans of Stills won’t be disappointed. As for me, I enjoyed it a good deal, but I won’t be clamouring to return to it. Best Songs: Colorado, Move Around, Johnny’s Garden Worst Song: The Love Gangster Score out of 10: 7
I can appreciate that this is good blues but I wouldn’t listen to it again, it was nice while doing housework though.
Manassas – Manassas (1972) On Day 57, Manassas was a great listen, but ultimately a decent one rather than anything groundbreaking. With a runtime of over an hour, it was the perfect album to have on while attending to errands, as it successfully created a chill, country road trip atmosphere that didn't disappoint in that specific context. However, across the four thematic sides, the only track I found truly interesting and memorable was Colorado. It’s a solid body of work with high-level production, but it lacks the consistent triumphant energy to be more than a 3/5.
Despite how this site labels it, this is an album by Manassas, a group fronted by Stephen Stills. It's primarily country/rock, but with this being a double album, things venture into bluegrass and folk rock territory throughout the duration of the album. It's all...safe I guess? It didn't really dare to do much else despite the genre mixing. As a result, I was just simply whelmed after listening.
Best Song: Both of Us (Bound to Lose). The musical outro exceeded everything else in the album with its energy. Worst Song: Jesus Gave Love Away for Free. Classic hippie song delivered in classic hippie style. Overall: There's a nicely rural, country road feel to this album. Everything is understated but seemingly thoughtfully so. It's a bit overly long for the level of energy, but it's pleasant in a boring way.
I'm going to put as much excitement in as this album generates and warrants. It's a 3. Nothing terrible, but nothing worth repeating
Really chill album that is pretty. I guess he's from Crosby, Stills, and Nash?
This album was fine. Nothing crazy. Pretty standard 70s rock.
Started out really strong - I loved the first few songs, but then it lost me at Both of Us (too whiny), Fallen Eagle (too twangy), Jesus…(too whiny and twangy)… and I found the rest of the album to be mostly whiny and twangy which is grating. (3)
is gud, not my jamz Will I listen to again: 14%
I got a lot more on board with this than I was anticipating. Despite being an overly long double album, the majority of songs were short and quite catchy. There was enough interesting guitar noodling and interesting topics to latch on to to make it enjoyable.
Song of love - 4 Rock and roll crazies / Cuban bluegrass - 4 Jet set (sigh) - 4 Anyway - 4 Both of us (bound to lose) - 3 Fallen eagle - 2 Jesus gave love away for free - 2 Colorado - 4 So begins the task - 4 Hide it so deep - 3 Don't look at my shadow - 3 It doesn't matter - 4 Johnny's garden - 3 Bound to fall - 3 How far - 4 Move around - 2 The love gangster - 3 What to do - 3 Right now - 4 The treasure - take one - 4 Blues man - 4
Blues songs - 8/10, Rock songs - 7/10, Country songs - 0/10
So this a quarter of CSNY. I've already had Neil Young & he has multiple albums here. I haven't even had CSNY yet. And not to mention CSN. I get to look forward to the other half of CSNY solo albums. Just sometimes seems like a lot of spin offs. The blessing & the curse of bands. The harmonies are nice & I like the country bluegrass section. It's a very chill album. It's kind of bunch of different styles with varying success. They are good, not great. It's like making a "delicious" 3 course meal & it's all just good, it's fine but nothing stands out. 3
Country rock/roots rock double album from the mid 1970s. It's smooth and nice, and actually there is nothing wrong with this album, but it's a bit...boring to me, and it's also a bit too long for this kind of music.
Listened Before? N Good album. Nice mix of different sounds, and I really like that it's mostly gapless - makes it feel like a performance. It was pretty long, but good enough that I didn't notice. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist:
6.8/10 Actually a solid early 70s record but it definitely is too long and there are some filler songs on here. Not something I think should be on an essential listening list but oh well. Favorite song: Move around Least favorite: Jesus gave love away for free
the band Manassas was, for two albums, Stephen Stills' primary songwriting vehicle. he made a couple records as a more proper solo artist following the demise of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, but it seems like the formation of Manassas (and the recording of their debut album) really inspired Stills, if the stories of its multi-day, sleep-deprived recording sessions are to be believed. it also seems like Stills believed strongly in a lot of the material they cut, too, since they debuted with a double-LP. given that this was certified Gold by the RIAA within a month of its release, I guess his instincts were pretty good! Manassas is organized into four sides by general genre category; sides A and D are mostly for the rockers, side B is folk and country tunes, and side C is kind of a smorgasbord. it's easy to see why there's such a huge range of music on here, even if it doesn't result in the most coherent front-to-back listening experience. there were around a dozen musicians involved in the creation of these tracks, mainly the septet featured on the album cover. even 7 musicians is going to result in quite a lot of different influences floating around the room, let alone 12! while I do think that Manassas pulls off these stylistic shifts with a lot of tact, and the overall production of this album is pretty darn pristine, I just think it's much too long. double-LPs are a tricky, tricky thing to pull off; this is one I probably would've cut down to a single. let your musicians sleep once in a while, Stephen! strong 6/10.
I thought I was gonna hate this one just based on my general disdain for Neil Young's music and anyone who has had any major connection to him over the years (Pearl Jam being the exception there, although I like them so much better when they're not trying to lick Neil Young's balls). And because of his connection to CSN and Young, I was a little nervous that Still's solo album would somehow overlap with Neil Young's sound. I don't know that my fears have been entirely unfounded, but I don't hate this record with the fire of a thousand suns or anything. That isn't to say that I love it, but I don't hate it. I'll never listen to it again after today, and by no means should this ever have been a double record. I can say with almost 100% certainty that I won't be compelled to listen for the entirety of its hour and 11 minute runtime. Manassas is pretty much the definition of "ok". I like the music alright, but only alright. It could be really solid, but it seems content to just exist. The same thing could be said about the singing; for a guy who is kind of known for singing in a 3-part harmony band, it's hilarious to me that his singing doesn't ever try to inspire or impress. It just exists on this record. That's maybe the best way to describe this album: it exists. 2.5/5 I'm rounding up only because it isn't out and out terrible. It's kind of like eating a spoonful of mayo; it won't make you sick or anything, but it's not something most people would probably look forward to.
No clue why we need a 70 minute folk album, and it's yet another album by Crosby, Stills & Nash or rather solo album by one of them. Honestly not sure how many of those guys' albums are left for me, I swear it feels like I've listened to them a bunch here. I thought even if we needed yet another folk album can it not be 70 minutes? Like Crosby, Stills & Nash debut album was honestly fine being 30-39min range. Some of the songs seemed like complete throwaways such as "Johnny's Garden" which seems to make no sense only if you are high I suppose it makes sense. Not worthy of a re-listen, if I do want a re-listen of Stephen Stills I'd just listen to the his supergroup's debut album as that seems more promising. Highlight Song/s: "Song of Love", "Colorado" and "How Far"
This album is all kinds of allright. Quite ecclectic without really standing out anywhere specifically. 3/5
Agradable, sin más
I score this a 4 for the bluesy tracks and a 1.5 for the hillbilly crud.