Reviews (page 5 of 8)
Good solid music.
A bit overlong, some cuts could have been made in my opinion. Nothing here quite as sticky as Stills best work in other groups, but good playing and the band excels when locking in genre; bluegrass, blues and the like.
Y'know, looking from the outside, I was feeling pretty dismissive about this album. Like, a 72-minute album from a band formed by one-third of CSN? And a band that might not even really be a band, given how Spotify sure doesn't classify it as one, and how Stephen's name is slapped on this thing's cover twice. I mean, I wasn't expecting anything bad, but, like... Y'know, against my better judgement, I was already wondering what it was doing here. Bad form, I know, but that gives the album all the more chance to tell me why it should be here. For this review — well, "review"; this is already feeling like more of a ramble — I've decided to take up the same structure I did for SOMETHING/ANYTHING?. Each record side has its own title, and they're all supposed to have their own themes, so... Sure, why not? Let's treat each side like a mini-album and see how this all pans out. Come on! Give me a reason! SIDE ONE! This side (titled "The Raven"), from what I read, comprises a lot of the rock stuff the group would perform live. And... Yeah, this sure is Americana folk n' country rock. I can't say I dislike it, and there's some Latin rhythms in there sometimes that keep things interesting, but on the whole... Yeah, I'unno, it's just fine. The best song here is "Jet Set (Sigh)", which is this slow burn blues track, and it's not even five minutes but it still kinda feels like it goes on a bit long? Even with the last leg of the song switching up styles. I'unno, I just found it easy to tune this side out. Next. SIDE TWO! Here on this side ("The Wilderness") we have — YEE-HAW!! — country music! This is the side I felt better about drifting away to 'coz, hey, it's country music. I don't ever expect much from it. As long as I get to hear a good pedal steel, **I'M A HAPPY GAL**! I really don't have anything else to say about this side beyond that. It's— y'know, it satisfies, but it's not more than just fine. Next. SIDE THREE! The title of side three makes a simple request: "Consider." Consider what, exactly? Heck if I know. This side is supposed to have a bit more variety in styles than the previous two, but I don't think anything here would've been too out of place on either of them? The most I was able to hear was the Moog on "Move Around" (probably the best song on this side) and the fact that there's a song here called "The Love Gangster". Otherwise, I had to wonder if I was just tired with how hard I zonked out on this side. I guess I can only hope the final side brings it all home somehow. Next. SIDE FOUR! It was during side four (titled "Rock & Roll Is Here To Stay") that I hadda wonder if I was being too hard on this album. After all, I don't dislike anything I've heard — in fact, I quite like it! So why aren't I feeling more up on it? And really, it just comes back to the fact that it's largely just fine, and it doesn't even have the courtesy to be "just fine" in an interesting way. It does the job while it's happening, but I'm not really compelled to be that engaged with it. Heck, I can't even think of much to say about this side. "The Treasure" is maybe the best here, but I don't know. AND IN CONCLUSION! Honestly, I don't think treating this thing like SOMETHING/ANYTHING? helped all too much. Like, don't get me wrong, there **are** clear differences between each side, but I'm not sure if there was really a need to present it like this? At least not when compared to the degree that SOMETHING/ANYTHING? went whole-hog on it. And, yeah, like I've kept going on about through this whole tangent, this album is just the worst kind of "fine." There's nothing I can really say about it beyond just gesturing at it and going, "Eh, right?" I can see myself revisiting these sides and, y'know, not **not** having a bad time, but, beh, I'unno. I feel like I'd take the first CSN album a dozen times over this. So if there **is** a reason why this album is here, well, I sure didn't find it. Kind of a shame, but, eh, wha'cha gonna do? At least none of this was on the quality of stuff he was doing on AMERICAN DREAM, I'll tell you that.
All sorts of country rolled up into one great package. Solid 5 Stars.
I’m at a 5. Just like “Something/Anything?” by Todd Rundgren, this album also has 4 individually titled sides, each with their own particular vibe, and just like that album, I split this into 4 miniature albums. Once again, it really worked. Side 1, taking up the first 5 tracks, is titled “The Eagle”, and it’s rad as hell – sort of an “Americana bossa nova” vibe to the whole thing, blending the 70s rock sensibilities of bands like Chicago or Boston with a little bit of Afro-Cuban percussion and riffs. Not a single miss there – just 17 minutes of pure jams that clicked really, really nicely for me. It’s a stellar start to the album. Side 2, taking up tracks 6-11, is titled “The Wilderness”. It’s a REALLY nice set of country music tracks, with a bluegrass lean that really appeals to my sensibilities. Great fiddle solos, excellent use of the steel guitar, some lovely texturing by the piano, & some really nice lyrics throughout to create some vivid midwestern imagery. The only vague knock I have is that Stephen Stills doesn’t have the full country twang that some of his contemporaries have, but he sounds great regardless. I deeply enjoyed it; special shoutout to “Don’t Look at My Shadow”, which has a perfect finish to the entire side / first half of the album. Side 3, tracks 12-17, is titled “Consider”, which doesn’t really have a specific theme, but it’s just a great variety set. I really liked it – lots of bouncing around between genres & styles of rock, jumping around from influence to influence. “It Doesn’t Matter” feels a lot like a Byrds track, “Bound to Fall” feels like a Beatles cut (sort of White Album-y?), “How Far” feels a lot like Simon & Garfunkel, “Move Around” feels sort of like a David Bowie track, & “The Love Gangster” has a bit of Jimi Hendrix in it that really pulls the funk together. It’s a super fun set of tracks, and it might be my highlight of the whole album. Side 4, tracks 18-21, is titled “Rock & Roll Is Here To Stay” – I was in the zen state for a lot of it, so my analysis won’t be as fruitful, but I liked it a lot. Certainly a rock-driven side, & even though there’s a bit of a homogeneity that emerges after leaving the zen state, it’s really enjoyable in the moment. There’s some great percussion patterns, some really smooth guitar melodies, vocals that glide kinda like silk, and some really nice solos that carry a good chunk of each track. “Blues Man” is a lovely tribute to Jimi Hendrix, Al Wilson & Duane Allman, who all happened to die in 1970 & 1971, all in their 20s. It’s a strong way to end a side called “Rock & Roll Is Here To Stay,” and a solid way to end the entire album. In a weird way, this might be my least favorite side, but only because I didn’t feel like I was as engaged by the content of the tracks, and more so mesmerized & sucked in by their soundscapes and vibes. It’s still a really good set of tracks, though. As a whole album, there’s really not a single miss here. This is weighed down a bit by its length, so I understand why this has a 3, but for my money’s worth, Stephen Stills has proven himself a very, very, very capable artist outside of the vague mythos of CSNY. Obviously, this is “Manassas”, but it’s a band Stephen Stills put together to act as a backing band to perform tracks he wrote entirely by himself. It’s listed on Spotify as a solo Stephen Stills album, & that’s honestly kind of fair. I’d be remiss not to give an incredible amount of credit to that backing band though – they killed the instrumentals on almost every track here. The songwriting isn’t as sharp as the sharpest stuff on the CSN/Y albums we’ve gotten, but it’s certainly not dull. When it clicks in the most vivid ways, it really clicks, especially so on Side 3. It’s a shorter double album, thankfully sitting at just 74 minutes, but if you treat it like 4 mini-albums of around 18 minutes each, it’s a really fruitful set of tracks with a wide variety of styles & soundscapes that never really manages to miss. As a whole, this feels like it’s gone underappreciated in the larger canon of 1970s rock, & that’s kind of a shame. I really, really liked it, & I think it’s worth giving a 5. I’m very glad it’s on the list. Good on you, Stephen Stills (& all the other people you credited on the cover that I’m too lazy to type out).
Great
So so lame. Imagining people jamming to this, bobbing their head to the beat makes me laugh Rating: 1.4
Song of Love 3.4 Medley : Rock & Roll Crazies, Cuban Bluegrass 3.5 Jet Set (Sigh) 3.3 Anyway 3.5 Both of Us (Bound to Lose) 3.5 Fallen Eagle 2.7 Jesus Gave Love Away for Free 2.8 Colorado 3 So Begins the Task 2.6 Hide It So Deep 2.4 Don't Look at My Shadow 2.5 It Doesn't Matter 2.7 Johnny's Garden 2.5 Bound to Fall 2.4 How Far 2.4 Move Around 2.6 The Love Gangster 3.1 What to Do 3 Right Now 3 The Treasure (Take One) 3.1 Blues Man 2.8 Score: 2.895238095
They all kinda sounded the same unfortunately, but it was good guitar playing at least. 3/5 Fav song: Jet Set
Good album that I enjoyed a lot. However, it did not need to be a double album. It felt like there was enough filler songs that this could have either been 2 good albums, or one amazing regular length album. 3.4/5
Urgh, a double album by the most annoying member of The Byrds? Oh wait, its by his other band Manassas but he's such a fragile ego it gets billed as him only.... Too long, too rambling, too indulgent, too little drugs (on my side) and, simultaneously, too many drugs (on their side)
Brilliant album for the most part. A couple of tracks towards the end were kinda middle of the road which cost it full marks.
This was good stuff, probably a 3.5 but I'm gonna round down because it just didn't stick with me.
-this wasn’t entirely what I expected from Stills after only hearing CSNY but i actually really liked it.. the country aspect was interesting to me -it definitely felt a bit long especially near the end.. but damn that first half or so, lots of versatility and enjoyable songs -Favorites are Song of Love, Fallen Eagle, and Jesus Gave Love Away for Free
Let me start off by saying something nice about Stephen Stills, because I’ve been pretty rough on him in past reviews - including calling him the dumbest member of CSNY and mocking him for letting Neil Young take over CSNY after having experienced the exact same situation with Young in Buffalo Springfield. There’s a stretch on this record, from about “It Doesn’t Matter” to “Move Around” (which I’m guessing was the third side of this double album when pressed to vinyl) where Stills and the band turn in some great songs that move to more ethereal territory and feel like a type of songwriting that is underrepresented in his catalog. I think that stretch of the album is really very good and there are few other songs here that I thought were great as well. But once again, I must implore you to listen to the song “Can’t Get No Booty” from his 1978 solo LP, Thoroughfare Gap, so that you can see where Stills took his southern fried blues rock in the late 70’s.
Boomer blues and roots rock. Not unpleasant, but nothing special either.
Not my thing
If there was a 3.5 I'd do that. Just not a 4
As someone who's been to Manassass a lot, I feel qualified to say the album and place have a lot in common; the longer you stay the more boring it gets. But for real, this album starts off decent (like a low 3), it has some nice grooves, but as soon as they start breaking out the honky tonk crap I completely checkout. Could have been a low 3 if they made it a 1 disc album without the honky tonk. Mid 2.
Some songs were okay and my foot tapped along to the beat. But about halfway through, my interest flagged. A double-album is almost never a good idea. It's between a 2 and a 3, but I'll give it a three since the musicianship is first-rate.
Как бы окэй, но я очень устал по итогу. Довольно разнообразно, но как будто бы плоско. Лучшая песня - So Begins The Task.
I enjoyed this more than I expected. Kinda like four short albums, with different styles, in one pretty long one.
I only know Stills from CSN(Y) so this would be interesting. Some cool songs - both of us, don’t look at my shadow, it doesn’t matter, bound to fall. Honestly just the second side is really great, don’t look at my shadow onwards. Overall a nice country tinged blues rock album. Nothing earth shattering but overall good. I’m debating three or four stars. I like it and I don’t mind it being on the list. Not a personal top 100 by a long shot though. How would it compare to Tusk? Let’s do four.
nah
3.5/5
Great album
Not listened to Stephen Stills on his own before but loved the echoes (pre-cursor) of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.
Found it kind of boring.
Just ok. All over the map. Very 70s sounding. Sounded like b-sides and way too long.
I don’t like Stills’ other work but I was surprised how solid this album was. I’ll always like bluesy rock.
Plain white bread of music
I feel like there’s this whole period from the mid-60s to mid-70s that prioritized blues based rock and it’s a real “I guess you had to be there” vibe for me. It’s not that I think it’s bad. There’s good musicianship on display. I just stop caring after three or four songs. And this goes on for over an hour. 2.5/5
This was ok. Something a bit different.
Pretty good.
Kolejna przeciętna płyta. Ma momenty ciekawe, zachodzące w country, ze skrzypcami i zaśpiewem. Innym razem skręca w stronę bluesa, co już mnie dużo bardziej nuży. No a czasmi po prostu leci giatrowyn rockiem. Brakuje mi spójności. Mam wrażenie że ten człowiek chce być Bobem Dylanem i Jaggerem i Lennonem jednocześnie. 6.5/10 równane w dół.
Was looking forward to this as over the years have developed liking for CSN and solo stuff. But this reminds me why I never liked Blue Grass Country rock at the time. Did nothing for me at all. 2/5 12/3/25
Really liked the last song, not bad felt a little too long and like he could’ve cut a couple of songs
This is overall a good album. I started really enjoying it around song five hit me enters a bit and doesn’t always carry a steam but for the most part, this is a good one. At times, it reminds me of Doctor teeth in the electric mayhem in the very best way, and I like to hear the choir style singing. Sometimes southern rock, sometimes bluegrass, sometimes folk overall good. I’m a sucker for a fiddle and slide guitar taking turns. Don’t look at My Shadow is my fav song on this album
Listening to this album allows us to hear Stills’ hard charging blues influence on CS&N. There are some good songs here — classic Stephen Stills funky guitar licks & a great rhythm section. His voice sounds good, though I’m surprised he had an old man tamber even this early in his career. But there are some duds on this album too — several not great “country” songs. And even the better songs sound familiar at this point. Maybe this is where the Stephen Stills sound started (?) but it’s a well trodden path. As an album, it’s a 2 for me.
Solo Stills remains the same.
kuravelliä rockkisoittoa kuravelliä. Yleinen käymälä
Ohyayyyy, another 70's "classic." First track has quite the jam-band vibe; I can taste the flat festival beer and smell the ditch weed already. Track two was a fun blues number but the THC kicked in by track four and I began nodding off... good and typical for its time and genre.
While I don't necessarily disagree with the rave reviews, how is this essential listening? How did this album influence other artists? To make a pastiche--or a collage, or whatever you want to call this--of American music, this is not in any way unique. Good album? Sure. Essential? Another album whose essence is under question.
This is the album you play driving down a country dirt road, which is great because I live down a country dirt road. It's Americana, just enough country. I could have done without the Jesus song though.
There is so much lore around Buffalo Springfield graduates Crosby, Stills, and Nash — and the later addition of the wild man eccentric Neil Young. They were absolute superstars in their own right, and the various configurations they assembled during this era of rock dominated the genre. Despite all of their individual successes, Stephen Stills was the clear leader, both in terms of personality and ego, and in sheer musical talent; he earned the nickname ‘Captain Many Hands’ given his indefatigable energy and efforts in the studio. Stills exists in the pantheon of multi-instrumentalists who are also excellent song writers and captivating performers. His skill and impact can’t be understated during this golden era of dude rock. His two solo debuts released during the CSN(Y) tumult, Stephen Stills (1970) and Stephen Stills 2 (1971) are classics in their own right, but those records featured Stills as a towering one-man band, with incredible support that included a who’s who of the eras one-name greats: Hendrix, Clapton, Booker, Jerry, and Ringo to name a few — a sure flex and testament to his importance and standing in popular rock music. Manassas (1972) is Stills first release following the official breakup of the supergroup, and his first with this new exceptional band that is the namesake of the album. This record featured Stills as the leader of a band full of pros, freeing him to focus on lead guitar, vocals, and various keyboard instruments. His guitar playing on this record is probably the best of his career, and by his own account this album is the best work of his career. Stills and Manassas roam across genres, but the album is firmly rooted in bluegrass, a welcome and fitting focus from his mostly blues and rock-centric music up to this point. The latin rhythms and grooves that pepper the album are so unexpected, but they pull it off so well, and it lends an otherwise pure Americana record a sheen of global influence. My fav track is ‘Both of Us (Bound To Lose)’, and it is one of the only songs on the album without Stills handling lead vocals. The only drawback of this record imo is its runtime. Despite the mastery and synchronicity on display, the stand-out tracks get lost in the sprawling expanse that is Manassas (to be clear though, there are no duds on this album). This would be a classic were it not for this fact, and the album from a modern perspective feels like a deluxe or expanded edition wherein great but not-great-enough-to-make-the-cut songs from recording sessions are included to afford fans a wider view into the interplay and chemistry of the band.
I really loved how this album started - with a bang. Just some great bluesy rock that really scratches a certain itch for me, the kind of itch that has to do with fond memories of playing with other musicians. Great stuff one track after another for the first five or so, some faster, some slower. But all the same attitude the whole way. Then it started to shift tones, and do so rather often. It got real country, real quick. And I really wasn't nearly as into that as I was the bluesy stuff. I dunno, I think this suffers from being a double album. It loses focus at times, trying out other genres and styles that don't work as well. I think a lot of double albums suffer from this, and I wish they were less common. They feel like ego trips to me, and I don't think many artist's best work has been a double album. I'd love to be proven wrong on that. I wanted to love it, and off the bat it was gonna be a five star endeavor. Alas, it's four. Standout Tracks: Song of Love, Rock and Roll Crazies/Cuban Bluegrass, Jet Set (Sigh), Anyway, Both of Us (Bound to Lose), So Begins the Task, Don't Look at my Shadow, Johnny's Garden, The Love Gangster
Nice cruising around cross-country road trip music. Some solid guitar bluesy guitar riffs in here.
He's the least popular member of CSNY, but this is a good album. It actually seems like 2 or 3 albums. One country, one blues, one folk/rock. Good stuff.
Houmous & Chutney will always admire Stephen. But Joe? He’s much less Joe Lala and way more Joe Blah Blah if you ask us! Don’t ask though. We don’t like to talk about it. 2.8
Stephen Stills with Crosby, Nash, and Young is amazing. By himself, he's too soft for my tastes.
Nice palate cleanse after a couple of 1 star albums while playing catch up.
Thoroughly disappointed with the lack of man asses.
I'm sure somebody likes it. Just tired of this 70s whining.
folk rock
Didn't hate this as much as other people did it seems like, but it was definitely too long.
Some bops. Nothing really memorable but pleasant and long, good background album
Was hoping I’d like this better.. great sound but something is missing
Pretty self-indulgent double album consisting more of jams than noteworthy songwriting. Some nice guitar from Stills, but it honestly gets lost in a wide variety of blandness.
There are enough good songs on Manassas to make it a great album. Unfortunately they’re drowned in just as many unnecessary ones. Stills and co went full-out here - it’s too much and the end result is a way too long album and not enough outstanding ideas to warrant it.
Country if it was actually good
gött men man börjar lessna lite på dom här gubbarna nu. sen är det ju för långt
Solid blues rock album. Some good songs in there. Had to listen to it on YouTube.
4 - great southern rock
1 stern
Absolutely brilliant. This album gives you good old fashioned rock &roll, country, bit of R&B. Musically sound, excellent guitar throughout, Still's vocals, and excellent production. This one definitely deserves its place.
Tentatively giving this a 2 because, yikes, I was not vibing with this at all today. I do think in the right frame of mind I might enjoy it more. Even so, entirely too bloated.
Hit or miss songs with more misses than hits. I was expecting to like this album more than I did but it was not the folkish sound I expected from Stills. I understand he may have been trying to experiment in different areas but it’s not what I enjoy.
Better than I expected. Definitely long. The best 9 songs would have made a great album. Music is really good. I grow tired of his voice.
Bland folky bluesy country rock. 4/10
First song: This album is too long. Last song: This album isn't long enough.
Ничё так
Muy bueno
just too long man
Would be great at half the length
Musicianship was solid but this sounded like a massive ego trip. This did not need to be a double album.
Like your friend’s boyfriend that you just have to learn to live with
This is certainly ambitious . Stills album spans 4 different genres ( sorta it’s got similarities across them as well) maintaining a level of quality in each I think my fav is the wilderness but I did enjoy the entire thing . I would have given it a higher score if some of the blending happened in indivisible songs rather than over the course of an album and or the transitions stoodout more. A solid 3
First? 2,5/5 Again? 2/5
I thought this was really good, and for the most part, I liked it a lot. I also enjoyed the variety, particularly the country side of one of the albums. Usually I think that a double album is too long and some songs should be cut, but not in this case. If I see a used vinyl copy for a reasonable price, I will pick it up. 4 stars.
Wow!!!
This one is better than the first one that came up from him on the list. It has theme holding it together but that also kind of makes all the songs sound to similar to distinguish themselves overall. It’s good, it’s fine.
what a shizo record. there are decent rock songs living alongside horrible country jesus hymns. what do i do now?
Not for me. 1/5
Some country, some folk. Not memorable.
Great music. Great writing. Great musicians.
First time hearing this. Cool. Groovy. 4
Very good but veeeeeery long Stephen Still is quite good at this Good album, i enjoyed it. Big 3
I liked song 6 🤭...
2nd Stills album in two weeks, but while I liked his self titled album, this one is just incredibly generic. A double album, so a lot of filler, but no standout tracks either.
Good folk/country/rock. Amazing Production.
liked it. good 70s music
I've been listening to it on repeat most of the day. It's extremely "blah". Even with all these listens, nothing really pulls me. It's like elevator music. I guess I respect that he put the full band with all their names on the cover, so that's something.
Seen in a vacuum, this isn't a bad album. Overlong, but solid roots rock mixed with some 70s breeziness. But, unfortunately, it isn't presented in a vacuum, but instead is apparently entry #74 in the Complete and Total List of Every Album Recorded by a Member of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Ever.
Okay, Boomer.
What a great guitar player Stephen Stills is. Big fan of CSN(Y), very nice to be exposed to some of the great solo stuff and while this isn't as magical as the CSNY classic albums, it's great.
Stephen Stills’ Manassas double LP is as ambitious as it is enjoyable, packed with enough variety to keep you engaged while feeling like a musical journey that goes from coast to coast in the USA. It starts off slow, like someone easing into a jam session, before finding its stride with tracks like "Anyway." By the middle, the album leans heavily into country and western territory, capturing that old Appalachian charm with fiddles and banjos reminiscent of the Carter Family, Clarence Ashley, and Dock Boggs—but updated for the time. It’s the kind of pure Americana sound that might make you want to do a little jig, even if it occasionally meanders before the latter sides bring it home with lush harmonies and tight grooves. Manassas isn’t perfect—double albums rarely are—but it captures the spirit of the early ’70s with its bold ambition and variety. From the bluesy closer "Blues Man" to the layered energy of "Move Around," it’s an album full of heartfelt Americana that feels like a proper road trip soundtrack. It’s a mix of heartfelt and fun, like a long road trip with an old friend who can’t stop switching radio stations, but keeps finding good songs when he does so.
Pretty good. Something I'd put on while working in the yard.
Not important
Favourites: Song of Love, Anyway, Bound to Fall, Move Around, What to Do (9/1001, 8th Aug. '25, 2229h.)
Stills of Crosby Stills Nash. Great album with lots of bluesy bits
Man asses!? Where!?
I’d give this a 3.5. Kind of long but there are some fun songs on here. Overall pretty good.
So far, I think I’ve heard all music I’ve heard that was directly related to Stephen Stills. Gladly, today’s album is no exception to this rule. The genre lies somewhere between folk rock and country, and can pendulum between both as the tracks progress. I found it very soothing and pleasant. The acoustic guitar playing felt like the kind of music that sounds simple but is actually very hard to replicate. It is a bit of a longer-than-average album, coming in at 72 minutes, but it didn’t feel like it outstayed its welcome. This was a nice one.
Pretty good 70s classic rock, or would these oldies now…
Some decent rock. The album drags on a bit long, but it ends with Blues Man which sounds a lot like Treetop Flier, which I love. So I'll give it a boost to 4 stars.
So a double album, a solo album, and a lack of pure talent, not a great start. I will say that this indeed is not terrible. I like the fact that's more like 4 EPs. It's like a 2.45 for me.
Great musicians, varied styles of music, mostly well made songs, but as with any double album, a few could be cut for sounding a bit samey.
Idk. Long. Largely forgettable. Music was okay though
pretty generic stuff from the 70s
A fun and free-range romp, with loads of quality, tons of good vibes and many suggestions of where the sounds of the '70s would head. Best cuts are the mellow and hopeful "Colorado" and "So the Task Beings" and"Johny's Garden" (though "How Far" and "Move Around" are also stong, especially the interweaving of gentle strumming and out-there synthing on the latter. And who doesn't love a song called "Love Gangster"? One's always been a fan of Stills' voice and it doesn't disappoint here. This is a reminder of how many highly musical and ambitious records were made in the '60s and '70s.
good flow between songs
I don’t know what to say. This is a really annoying record. Or maybe it’s just a bad one.
A lot better than the last Stephen Stills solo album I had to listen to, it's certainly more varied given the length and amount of musicians working on this album though it can feel like each side it's just its own vibe (Sides A and C are more folk rock, side B is more bluegrass, Side D is a bit of everything?) which can make it easier to feel like one side is better than another depending on your biases? I certainly lean towards the upbeat folk rock of Side A the most, it's just familiar but fun in a way I wasn't expecting out of this band. Just generally, a good album
Sometimes in music a group of people will get together 3just make pure music Magik. That's this album. Everything in its right place from first note to last. I think it'd be closer to the top 5 greatest albu s of all time if those things weren't popularity poles.
Too long but not bad
It's alright. Has the benefit of being pretty chill and also marred for being a double album.
There’s certainly things here I enjoy but… it’s a bit much of the same innit? Like this is all super listenable but it would have been perfectly serviceable as a single album, when it reaches that double phase it’s really not that interesting.
No me gustó, no es mi estilo de música, pero no es necesariamente malo
Country rock
Apart from Neil Young, I’ve never enjoyed anything I’ve heard from the Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young lot. So, I wasn’t really expecting much, but this was really good.
Oh damn. So many good songs here. I thought the double LP would be a drag but it wasn’t at all.
I gave Stills’ debut solo album a ‘possibly-slightly-harsh 2.5 stars’, and I’m tempted to do the same here. Over the 21 tracks there were moments that piqued my interest, but there were also plenty that piqued my disinterest - especially the country rock plodders. None of it prompted any strong emotional or physical reactions in me.
Managed to get about halfway through this. Formulaic Seventies 12 bar blues with a sprinkling of old-timey Americana just to interrupt the flow a bit.
Wholesome, sluggish, far too bloody long.
I quite liked CSNY but this is fairly forgettable.
It’s fine for what it is. It’s well made. But I genuinely dislike this genre of 70s southern rock. It’s nice he tried to throw in some Santana moves. But white boys with twangy guitars are too suspicious to enjoy.
A double LP from the 70's .... yay.... I liked the slide guitar but it wasn't anything special.
Another revelation. Holy smokes, what an album. A new favourite.
A long album with a lot of similar sounding songs
4.5/10. A whole lot of nothing for a double album. This puts the "ass" in "Manassas".
Seems like most popular rock artists of the 1970's, they've made a hit song, added it to the first track of the album, and then immediately run out of ideas and proceed to fill the rest of the album with country rock slop. The worst of which being Fallen Eagle. It's not to say that this album is bad per sey, there's some quality songs on here. It's just that this sounds like a knockoff Eagles, but even more creatively void. This album is way too generic for my tastes. Not only did they run out of ideas, they decided in their infinite wisdom to make this album dreadfully long so you had to suffer through it gruellingly. I was aiming at a 3 for this one, but fuck me it was a gruelling sit through towards the end. I had to take a break to be able to listen to the last 3 songs. Learn to pace your fucking music out, guys.
thoroughly disappointed by the lack of man asses in this album, only slightly alleviated by some decent music
I think I see now why from CSNY Neil young was the most well known, because even if I personally dislike his vocals, he’s evidently the strongest writer from the group. I think absent the harmonies of the wider group Stills’ vocals aren’t anything exceptional, and the band, while very good, aren’t playing anything groundbreaking here in terms of material. I don’t recognise any of the tracks on this song except maybe Colorado, and nothing here was catchy or impressive enough to warrant a playlist save or a delliberate relisten.
So fucking boring 3/10
Double LPs can be a chore to sit through, I'm pretty sure the band knew this when they made the very smart decision to have a different musical theme for each side. Each side as well has enough variety within it to keep things fresh. Side 1 starts off slow but really picks up on the last couple tracks, really kicking into a higher gear with Anyway. Side 2 starts off strong, carrying over from the end of side 1 and has a very distinct country and western influence, both to its benefit and detriment as it kinda meanders and sounds samey towards the end. None of the songs here are bad, I like them a lot but they're not memorable. Sides 3 and 4 musically are pretty similar and really carry this album through all the way. Very glad to have finally listened to some Stills and I’m happy that I can say now it’s more than just a name I see along side the other guys in CSNY in my recommended songs. This isn’t a masterpiece or whatever but it’s easy listening and musically very well done. Thank you to Rita Coolidge for cheating on Stephen Stills, thereby breaking up CSNY and inspiring him to make this album. Highlights: Anyway, Both of Us (Bound to Lose), Jesus Gave Love Away for Free, It Doesn't Matter, Bound to Fall, The Treasure - Take One
I've always liked Stephen Stills. He is not my favorite of CSNY, but he is still really good. My biggest problem with this album is the "medleying" of the songs. They ran together like the songs in "Abbey Road" (probably my favorite of the Beatles' albums). Imagine you did not know some of the songs on Abbey Road were... "smushed" together. Suddenly you go from "Polythene Pam" to "Mean Mr. Mustard". I felt a bit of whiplash as the album careened from song to song, with no finality in each song. It was a bit frustrating, I thought at least once I thought I had hit the "skip" button. But besides the rapid shift from one song to the other, I liked this a lot. Although some of the riffs sound very familiar ("Jet Set (Sigh)", which I still liked.). Top tracks: "Song of Love," "Rock and Roll Crazies / Cuban Bluegrass", "Jet Set (Sigh)," "Anyway," "Colorado", "So Begins The Task," "What To Do," "Right Now"
I really do enjoy Stephen Stills' voice and his musical sound. Granted, this is really him and the band Manassas, so kudos to everyone who contributed to the album. Solid, and reminded me of his other solo and band work. I want to give one of his albums higher than a 3. This one has some cool tunes, but at over an hour it drags at points. Some double albums are awesome; this one maybe could have cut out a couple sides. I liked side 1 and side 4 for sure - in particular Song of Love, Rock and Roll Crazies, Anyway, What To Do, The Treasure, and Blues Man. But I could've done without Chris Hillman on vocals and most of side 2 - Colorado being a notable exception. Side 3 kind of brought me back - It Doesn't Matter and The Love Gangster are maybes, Johnny's Garden and How Far are both a yes please. So maybe this is 3 out of 4 good sides. And maybe it was side 2 that sent me reeling a bit, whereas if I had just listened to the second album (sides 3 and 4) I'd be way more into them from the get go. I'd say this album is around 3.5, maybe worth a bit more. I'll give it a bump, not sure if it quite deserves it.
Side 1 ("The Raven") made me think this album was going to be a solid 4: really cool tracks, excellent playing...a little basic, but just really good. Enjoyed the way each track flows into the next. My initial impression of Side 2 ("The Wilderness") was "Yeeehaw!!". I thought it was pretty much cheesy country the whole way through, but on closer listen I noticed that the songs are engaging and the musicianship is outstanding. Side 3 ("Consider") had some good tracks, but also some weird moments (e.g., Move Around). Side 4 ("Rock & Roll is Here to Stay") was probably the weakest, with some lousy singing and somewhat lame songwriting. The only plus on Side 4 was that Blues Man was a cool acoustic blues track to end it on. Overall, this album would have been much better if it was just the first two sides. I think the bloat brings it down to a 3. What a shame, because that first side is really good. Favorite tracks: I liked everything on Side 1, but the standouts were Song of Love, Medley Rock & Roll Love / Cuban Crazies, Anyway. I'll also add It Doesn't Matter to my favorites.
Very nice, that folly americana 70s rock sound. A few tracks had this like cuban congo drum in it, gave it a unique sound I liked. A little long, but it's calm rock for sure
IDK it was fine. 6/10
Some good stuff.
IDK, man, this is really good at times, but not always. I guess the thing with double albums is ya gotta have some filler! Lot of songs on here come in under 3 minutes or under. Which does make it go by faster. Probably not coming back to this one.
Right now was one of my fav tracks on here. Feels like it would be a great album for a long road trip!
Ihan todella tylsä vaikka kuinka on eri (americana-)genrejä. Liian siloteltu.
Jos levy on suuri niin ehkä siitä tulee myös Suuri. Ehkä ei.
Classic 1970s Folk-Country-Blue-Rock. Perhaps a tad dated if you didn't grow up in the 1970s.
5/5
Too long but alright to listen to
Sounds great but double albums feel a bit overkill in the age of streaming. Still, I am a fan of Stills!
The stuff truck commercials are made of. Decent road trip tunes. Not really into the bluegrass jam kinda thing but it's fine. Is Stills even that good of a singer though, really?
fantastic album full of elements of country, folk, and blues, even a little bluegrass. not usually a fan of albums that are this long, but this one is a keeper. highlights: “song of love” “fallen eagle” “how long” “the love gangster” “the treasure (take one)”
I enjoyed this album more than I’ve enjoyed an album on this in days, if not a week or two. Good stuff.
Like in a mediocre kind of way
Classic. If you like Crosby, Stills and Nash, this is right in your wheelhouse. The songs are all well-crafted, with beautiful melodies and some flat out rock n roll. Song of Love, Rock and Roll Crazies, Jesus Gave Love Away For Free, Colorado, So Begins The Task, Johnny's Garden are my favorites.
I'm not looking forward to thi. but sure. a wall of really annoying music. 2s
I quite like this but not enough to love it
Close to a 4 but not quite there. I enjoyed this album but it was missing a song that really made me feel groovy baby
Pretty good. Easy music to listen too, maybe around a campfire fire.
i’m very much enjoying the sound and the emphasis on the guitar. varying genres throughout the album, sometimes more rock heavy other times more country heavy. brings in a more synth sound later in the album which is very interesting. overall a pretty good album but not very cohesive.
Excellent musicianship, great mix of blues rock and some bluegrass songs
Impeccable production and musicianship. Not a single song that stands out.
Interesting and mellow sounds
An enjoyable exercise in roots music via a double LP, with beefy backing from the band and gusty vocals.
Boo the tears of bullshit.
There's probably a decent album hiding in here somewhere. Would be better with a bit more editing, a bit less fiddle, a bit less country and a bit more David Crosby.
Has it finished yet? Not he's just going on about his mate Johnny's garden... Not objectively bad, but I just don't liked it.
I liked many of the tracks, but was far far too long!
It's good. I like CSNY better.
unremarkable, but covers a broad spread
Manassas was a pretty good album. Considering a lot of the people that Stephen Stills worked with, it came as no surprise to hear this album have a country rock sort of sound like the works of those other artists. The songs themselves were pretty all over the place when it came to how good they were seeing as the album was very long. The good songs did overpower the bad ones and the bad ones weren't really that bad, just not really up to snuff with the other songs. I don't really think i can say all too much else about this album so I'll just say it's a pretty good album that's well worth a listen. Best Song: Right Now Worst Song: Fallen Eagle
Really wanted this to be boring so it could break the 8/10 streak I'm being forced to give by this site's rating system, but damn it this one deserves it. I hadn't listened to any Stills record apart from his performances in CSN(and Y sometimes) and it ended up being incredibly good. Remarkably consistent over it's runtime and exactly in the cozy spot of country/folk rock I adore. Song of Love is the first track I've been introduced to through this project so far I can consider a real favorite of mine, with its propulsive rhythm and extremely catchy chorus. While this record can be a bit too overlong, it's very consistent. 7/10
Too long but fine
Way too long
My first exposure to Stephen Stills was watching the Americana Music Awards with my dad when I was around 15. He was receiving some sort of lifetime achievement award, and the ceremony closed with him performing Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth” with a giant band for about ten solid minutes. For What It’s Worth is a pleasant (if overrated) song, and I was willing to go for it. Then the performance started, and I quickly realized this band was going to attempt to go full Americana and mix at least five genres together—rock and roll, folk, country, psychedelia, blues, and bluegrass were all there, and most of them were not welcome. As the band riffed on and on, as countless white man blues guitar solos rained down, and as old man Stephen Stills kept wailing the by-then meaningless hook (“STOP HEY WUT’S THAT SOUND? ERRYBODY LOOK WHAT’S GOING DOWN!”), I became so utterly disgusted that I resolved never to watch the Americana Music Awards again. Listening to this album, whether fairly or not, reminded me of that experience. There are a few songs I like here, but it’s just a big fat messy hodgepodge that goes on way too long for its own good. Best song: Colorado?
1.8 no standout songs, it was fine but nothing I will every intentionally listen to again
Bien
Good lord another double album, struggling to catch up after a busy week as it is This is fine enough but it just makes me wish I was listening to the Allmans. And of course it drags on for far too long Highlights: It Doesn't Matter
I think I liked Stills stuff in Buffalo Springfield, and the odd CSN+Y thing. I know nothing about his solo career at all. So this is a double album split into 4 parts, I'll split my notes into 4 parts. Part 1- rock - unmemorable. Part 2- Bluegrass - well it's just bluegrass, which is fun, but these are also unmemorable. Also half of it isn't bluegrass. So Begins the Task stands out. Part 3- Folk rock - sounds like Van Occupanther, Midlake obviously were fans of this. It Doesn't Matter is decent. Part 4- Blues Rock - if I'm honest I didn't twig when this changed over from part 3. It's still just more Midlakey folk rock with no standout tunes really. Oh halfway through the treasure it goes Bluesy and worse. Overall, nah.
Al inicio me tenía sorprendidísimo y me estaba pareciendo uno de los mejores discos en la lista hasta ahora. Un blues potente, melancólico y genial. De pronto, sin el menor aviso, esto se convirtió en un disco de Country muy muy country. Y aunque tiene buenos temas también, no pude evitar sentir que el álbum tuvo cierto bajón. Para nada mal disco, pero me habría encantado que siguiera en el tono de los primeros tracks.
actually kinda gas not quite my tempo
Pre-listening thoughts: all of these recent albums have been LONG! Can I please go back to the streak of 30 min albums 😕 Post/during listening thoughts: This is like okay but all the songs sort of mesh together (perhaps intentionally, but whatever) and it’s way too long (21 songs!!!!) for all that. At least with a long album like Xtina’s the songs were different ENOUGH, but here they’re so vocally, instrumentally, sonically similar. Which usually for an album is a good thing but here I find myself unable to find much that stands out. Side note but Jesus Gave His Love Away sounds like something else and I am tweaking trying to place it rn. Stephen Stills is very talented but I think I prefer his work with CSN(Y). 5/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: no Fav tracks: Anyway, Both of Us, Colorado, Johnny’s Garden, What To Do Least fav tracks: some of the more country and fiddly ones that I can’t remember the names of at this moment *Edit - no rating change but I am pretty sure the song I was thinking of that Jesus Gave His Love Away for Free reminds me of is Wild West Hero by ELO. They're not even that similar. But it's the part in Wild West Hero where it's like "Ride the range all the day/Til the first fading light/Be with my western girl/Round the fire oh so bright". If I am crazy just like ignore me
Es pasable cuando se dedica al rock, pero es mucho menos cuando se pasa al folk o al country
Eine andere review sagts besser: "Like a comfortable, stable boyfriend who is always consistent and dependable, and theres nothing so wrong with the way he looks and he has a decent job and he treats you right, but for some reason you still cant help but feel like something's missing"
It's a double, broken up into four sides with somewhat different vibes: The Raven; The Wilderness; Consider; and Rock & Roll Is Here to Stay. Thankfully it's not absurdly long for a double (I'm fresh off the trauma of the Smashing Pumpkins). It's never awful but genre-wise it's mostly not really my thing. I think I like the Consider songs the least, and The Raven and Rock & Roll Is Here To Stay songs the most.
The definition of mid. There is absolutely nothing special about this album. The instrumentals are technically good, but don’t make me feel anything, and the singing isn’t good, but it’s not bad enough to warrant talking about. Plus, this is a double album. And no, the second half doesn’t really differentiate itself from the first at all.
This was an unexpected love from me
70s 'hard' dad rock that gets more twangy bluesy as the album plods on. totally passable background music that suffers from its length. cannot think of a standout track 2.75/5
Gear: Meze 109 PRO Artwork: 👨🏿🧔🏻♂️👨🏻👨🏻👨🏻👨🏻🦱👨🏻 Production: 😐🙂👌 Music: 🎸✊...⌛...⌛...🥱🤷🏻♂️ Rating: ⌛⌛/5
Yikes, this is really not very good.
I enjoyed this. New to me. Neil young meets the who. Would listen to again.
This was a great vibe for my day.
I didn't necessary dislike it, but it was a little boring.
Meh. I’ve had Limp Bitzkit and Kid Rock on this journey. Nothing is as bad as that. This is excessive and boring. 2/5
I don't smoke and I don't drink scotch nor do I work on the ranch. This album isn't for me.
I have never heard on Stephen Stills before this. Or so I thought before I remembered the group Crosby, Stills & Nash that I never listened to but have heard of. Knowing that I expected some kind of country and I would say that is what I got. It was a pleasant time listening to the album and it seems like a solid country album with some good ballad but not the kind of music I would listen to very often.
not terrible but nothing really stands out either. But boy is it long
Weighing in at over 70 minutes, this is a genuine, good ol' fashion whopper of an album. And it comes from the member of CSNY that I know the least about: Stephen Stills. Love the One Your With is all I know him specifically by and that isn't here (not saying that's a bad thing). Out of the gate, the tone is set for an unhurried blues rock album with deep southern twang. Nothing particularly innovative here, but really well-done nonetheless. Jet Set is a stanky barroom walk about a fuzzy whiskey soaked guitar. Some depth shown between Anyway and Both of Us, with some funk-adjacent percussion on the former and harmonies aplenty on the latter. Colorado plays like Shooting Star by Bad Company -- understanding that this came first by at least 3 years. It Doesn't Matter is basically a better-sung Fleetwood Mac song down to the tone and delivery. The Treasure is a great late album cut; a sprawling 8 minute southern rock opus. For as long as the album was it never felt like it overstayed its welcome. The song writing is tight and varied enough to justify and the unrushed atmosphere made for an enjoyable ride. This is a solid 4 in my book.
Feels very classic rock a lot of the time, but it dips a bit into a jazzier and more prog rock sound at parts in the beginning while rounding into a bluegrassy/country sound at times, especially toward the end. Little long for an album, but the changes in sound throughout had me checking to see if the album had ended.
Just some good old fashioned rock and roll. A great amount of variety too with the different types of songs. Not much more to say just a very solid 4
Feel like I've really enjoyed the Crosby Stills Nash and Young albums we've had so far so I'm pumped to see it, although another country/folk album is meh. All is pretty meh even though I love some of what CSNY is known for, the harmonies. Johnny's Garden is a favorite that doesn't have that. Loving Move Around too. This was a rare one for me where the album just got better as it got going. Was a meh 3 but worked its way up for me.
Good bluesy background music - bit of a downer given the rest of the albums this week.
Some fairly good blues. Like an ok version of CCR. Didn't leave an impression on me
Classic blues rock n roll, I really liked it but I can't say it was really anything special or pushed the boat out, kinda just background blues to me.
I really didn't like this album. All of the songs either sound like 1) budget versions of songs that other soft rock bands have done, or 2) waaaaaaaay too country for me. And it wasn't even that country - I think Stephen stills adds this almost twang to his voice when singing certain songs and I was NOT about it. This 1+ hour album was definitely a struggle to get through. Adding 1 star for the few songs I did enjoy, even if it was mostly for the instrumentals.
Easy listening, was fine
Some good songs are on here, and the overall production was pretty decent. I'd be lying though, if I said I didn't fall asleep to this album a couple of times. Not too shabby. Top 3 Fav: Colorado, Johnny's Garden, and Song of Love Top 3 Worst: nothing notable 3.25-3.50/5
Some very good songs here. Stephen Stills was certainly a very good guitarist and creative. However, I would not say that there is enough innovation on this album to set it distinctly apart. The various Crosby Stills and Nash albums capture much of the same creativity as does Buffalo Springfield.
Started out very strong, but the excess of the double album format (or maybe just a dip in quality) certainly wore down its welcome over time. I feel like it'd be better pared down but will have to give it another listen. I was prepared to give it a 3, but then it picked up again by the end, so a 4 it is.
Nice folk and rock album. Colorado and Song Of love were standout tracks.
Not at all bad
Pretty good, especially if your already familiar with CSN. Surprising amount of range here also. Folk rock is not usually my go to though.
Pretty good. Some of the songs sounded really familiar.
Am I getting jaded about the 70s?
Stills is probably my favourite from CSNY, and this album shows why. It can get a bit dad rock from time to time but generally speaking it's an hour of really nice music
Starting off well, Song of Love is classic 70's blues rock. It's crazy that this album predates Lynyrd Skynyrd, they totally ripped Steven Stills off. Only four songs in, I'm calling it, this is his best work. I spoke exactly one song too soon. Both of Us (Bound to Lose) is more of a CSN type of song. And followed with straight bluegrass on Fallen Eagle. The album feels a little disjointed with the jumps in style, but I think I understand what he was trying to do with the album, it all fits in a way, music, title, cover. It's like he went to Nashville and sat at one bar and wrote a song in every genre that passed through, southern rock, folk rock, bluegrass, country. Some are more successful than others. Just as I'm thinking the county music is getting a little wearisome, I see this is a double album (bad sign) and each side had a different musical theme (mitigating factor, maybe?). I wish Spotify would add a column to show the original album sides each song was on. Now, I'll have to figure out which side is my favorite. Right now, I'm leaning towards the first. Not loving the synthesizer on Move Around. It's an uneven effort, some songs on each side are good, but it's just too many songs to expect all of them to be great or even good.
I doubt if I will ever listen to this album again in my life.
I don’t know. He’s talented but his albums don’t stick.
Suurin osa levystä kohtuullisen joutavaa ja seassa pari kevyttä leiskautusta. Turhauttavan pitkä ja kokonaisuus pakkasella.
Perushyväkolmonen
Ni fu ni fa
Felt like one of the longest albums ever. I'm sure could distill this down to something pretty solid. Still seems like he's trying to flex with so many songs, but they generally run together.
Had some fun tracks but overall didn’t catch my attention
Some albums work as a double album, and do not feel as long as they are. Manassas started to feel it was lasting too long at around the fourth song. Pretty much everything sounds the same throughout.
I really enjoyed this.
Solid 70s rock album but without a lot of standouts. Easy to listen to but didnt leave me wanting more. On the 3 side of a 3.5.
Anybody from CSNY does great work
Surprisingly I was almost completely unfamiliar with this. It was pretty good but didn't blow me away. Probably worth another listen though.
2.5
Good, 2 songs saved
Really good album. Almost a culmination of all the styles he picked up in all those bands he was in, but there might be a bit more to it. Also does everything Chris Hillman touch turn to gold?
Never heard this album or wasn't even aware Stills assembled this band, Manassas. As I mentioned earlier for a David Crosby's solo album, the results are a lot more satisfying when he is a member of a group and the same can be said about Stephen Stills. Stills is at his best (or at least better) when he has other mates to collaborate with (CSNY, Buffalo Springfield), where as his solo album are soul-sucking listening experiences. Manassas is actually better than I was expecting, though a double album of jams and noodling is definitely not without it's flaws and filler. The soul and groove of the record is listenable, as the musicianship and it's diverse sound keep it driving. There's not a whole lot of substance or depth to the album, but it's not all a sprawling mess.
Manassas is the 1972 debut double album by Stephen Stills' new band of the same name, originally released in 1972. Stephen Stills is so damn underrated as an artist. Fresh off CSNY success, he puts together this amazing band. Everyone on here is an awesome musician, and the band is tight. The whole album feels like a jam session. The songs span across many genres including blues, country, bluegrass, folk, jazz, psychedelia, etc. Some people may call this album bloated but I am thankful to have so much content from such a short-lived band. It also helps that each song is so different. As much as I love CSNY, I really wonder how this band would've continued on in the future had they never have to disband for the 1974 CSNY tour.
Too country/folky for me. It's not bad by any means, but I didn't enjoy it.
Not actively unpleasant, except Fallen Eagle and Jesus Gave Love Away for Free. None were really my favorite. There's nothing interesting, influential, or superlative to put this album onto this list.
80% Best: Song of Love; Jet Set (Sigh); So Begins the Task; Don't Look at My Shadow; How Far; The Love Gangster; What to Do; The Treasure Must-Hear? Sure
A good album that overstays its welcome. Big fan of CSNY and Stills is great, the album's brightness is just muddled with a few too many songs.
Wikipedia says this is split into 4 “thematic sides”. It just sounds like a double album that did not need to exist.
Good one
exceptional group for an enjoyable album
Decent 70s
Du plutôt bon rock simili-country, en vrai j’ai rien à redire, c’est très honnête votre honneur
Chill with the double album, just cut this thing into 10 tracks and it would be so much better
Ich kannte bisher kein Solo-Album von Stephen Stills. Country Rock Blues. Das hat was und ist auch noch sehr gut produziert. Sogar wunderbare Gitarren soli sind zu hören. Die Mischung hat mich schon sehr positiv überrascht. Ich dachte ihn gibt es nur in Kombi mit anderen. Jetzt nehme ich alles zurück.
Awesome. Never actually listened to CSNY or any of the members other than the hits. Stills is rocking in this album with this band
Kind of like the stuff with Neil Young but without Neil Young's annoying voice. Vocals aren't like, great here, but they don't annoy me. Guitar work is great. I wish this was an instrumental album, it would be way better. Damn it I was listening to the wrong album. Manassas later became the name of the group, and released another album. OK listening to the correct album. It's like ok I guess. Too long. Some good parts, mostly pretty dull.
Useful point to remind myself that the star rating system is not really fit for purpose. How *i* feel about an album has little to nothing to do with its independent merits. Most of the time, anyway. w/r/t this: heartfelt I think, ponderous I know. I did have high hopes for about half of the opening track but after that it was a bit of a slog.
It's just CSN with more jams and less lyrical content. Too long.
meh country
This is something my dad would enjoy a lot even though he wouldn’t understand the lyrics and it makes me smile just thinking about it. For me, it’s just ok though. It's inoffensive, easy listening, full of pretty melodies and harmonies. Perfect to put in the background while working or driving. Still there’s not much that grabs my attention with the exception of a few songs (Colorado, So begins the task, The treasure). Not sure if I’d come back but I like to think I will. 3/5
This album is basically two parts, and it starts out pretty good, with a solid 3, focusing more on psychedelic rock if you will, and in the second part it descends to mediocre country music which is a 1 for me. With all of that said, the final score makes perfect sense if you ask me.
Favourite songs: Don't Look at My Shadow, Fallen Eagle, Hide It So Deep, Rock and Roll Crazies/Cuban Bluegrass, Jesus Gave Love Away For Free, Colorado, Jet Set (Sigh), Anyway, Song of Love. Johnny's Garden, Blues Man Least favourite songs: none.... This whole album is really solid!! 4/5
it doesn't matter
rapaz que trem sem tempero. Que Picolé de XUXU. SEm graça pra cacete! Um creedence, que já é ruim, mil vezes pior. Ainda bem que conheci pra não mais ouvir. Músicas todas iguais, que não marcam nada, sem emoção...sem nada. Sentaram e fizeram sem amor essas músicas. Grande abraço, tchau e bença!
svipar nokkuð til verka með csn(y), hvorki mjög spennandi né skemmtilegt við fyrstu hlustun. áferðarfallegt og spilar vel á gítarinn blessaður.
Pleasantly surprised. What an enjoyable album to listen to.
272 albums in and I think I found the most middle-of-the-road '70s rock album that's out there. There is nothing at all wrong with this album, but there is also very little that makes it stand out in any way. It has a nice folk-y sound throughout (with the occasional foray into a full country sound), it's generally a mid-tempo, soft vibe, it's nice. Not particularly groundbreaking, but nice. This is a double album, meaning you get 71 whole minutes of the soft melodies of Stephen Stills. I really don't have much else to say about it, it is what it is. Favorite song: Colorado Other: Song of Love, Jet Set (Sigh), Both of Us (Bound to Lose), So Begins the Task, Johnny's Garden, Bound to Fall, How Far, 8/18/24
great vibe for post-mondegreen
What a tight band Stephen Stills has on his side on Manassas. I was concerned when I saw the runtime at well over an hour but this turned out to be an excellent listen. The entire band is made up of pros, specifically the slide guitarist Al Perkins, shit is slick. The Jesus song was pretty lame but I’ll let that one slide. Good blues, good twang, good album. 4 stars
Approved by my dad!
I like how each side has its own theme. Side 1 is probably my favorite just because it's so rocking. Side 2 being country is less my thing but still enjoyable. I dig how eclectic side 3 is. Side 4 is a strong return to side 1's style. The Treasure is epic.
too gd long.... avg mix of blues / country... prob a 3 but im in a bad mood. 2/5. not a fan
Decent album overall. 3.5/5
Favourite tracks: anyway; Colorado; so begins the task; jesus gave love away for free; fallen eagle; the treasure; blues man
And finally I have completed all of the Crosby stills Nash and young solo albums (I think). It wasn’t easy and involved sitting throught mostly bland dad rock albums with limited exceptions but I’m glad I did it just so I can say it’s all boring with some authority. This album was not one of the exceptions.
This was find. Added Don’t Look at My Shadow to my faves playlist. Probably won’t ever listen to the rest of the album again.
I vaguely remember this album from my high school days, but didn’t own it. It was all unfamiliar to me. Quite liked most of it. Stills is an underrated guitarist and songwriter. He was in the running to be one of The Monkees, but his crooked teeth sank his chances. This probably would have been a better one disc release, as is the case for most double albums, but I’m not sure what to cut out. All pretty solid stuff to me.
Honestly, I didn’t finish. Ran out of time today. It was feeling like a 3, though.
Some good vibes by ol’ Stephen.
Boomer wet dream.
A little long, but still solid. Didn't have any standout songs. Length drops it 0.5 pts to 2.5/5.
Bang average bluesy country tinged rock by numbers.
Sooooo long. Sooooo boring. I'd rather be listening to any of these people's main bands. The best parts sound like The Flying Burrito Brothers. The other 60 minutes plod on to nowhere.
A sludgy mess of styles and a double at that. I was weary after the 5th track. Its Stills so musically very competent....but meh
This album feels like Stills figuring out what kind of musician he wants to be - there's rock-influenced country western, blues, bluegrass, gospel....or he's just showing off. For me, he could have stuck with the rocked-up-folk style he developed with Crosby and Nash - and then Young.
Better than I thought it would be, but still too long and too 70s.
unohdettava henkilö joka teki unohdettua musiikkia... ei huonoa, mutta ajan mutiin jumiin jäänyttä... on listalla vaan koska assosiaatio suurempiin miehiin... nimeä 20 stephen stills biisiä... et varmaan pysty!!!! kitaratyöskentely... on se hienoa EI OLE. toistan EI OLE, yliarvostettu kitaristi. bing big ding kitara laulaa ei mitään ego SOITTOA. vaan pidättyväistä, mutta tarkkaa, ääni ei ole kaakossa täällä, ei aina tarvitse olla.... sen takia voi osittain olla tylsäkin monelle,. 7 pingüinos tortuga en el hielo.7 pingüinos tortuga en el hielo.7 pingüinos tortuga en el hielo.7 pingüinos tortuga en el hielo.7 pingüinos tortuga en el hielo. jet set
A beautiful and undoubtedly influential album by probably the most overlooked member of CSNY, it is nonetheless "not really my thing" enough to revisit as a whole. There are some keepers here, though.
Completely fascinating how Stephen Stills clearly had a ton of musical ideas working in this and still somehow barely managed to write any interesting songs.
long double album split into 4 themes; the country and bluegrass one is a bit droll, but the opening side and last half are pretty solid.
This is the album that a guy who refers to himself as a pitmaster listens to first when he buys a Harley
### In-Depth Review of the Album "Manassas" by Stephen Stills **Introduction** Released in April 1972, "Manassas" is a double album by Stephen Stills and his band, Manassas. The album represents a diverse fusion of genres, showcasing Stills' multifaceted musicianship and ability to blend rock, blues, country, folk, Latin, and bluegrass seamlessly. The band featured a stellar lineup, including Chris Hillman (The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers), Al Perkins, Paul Harris, Dallas Taylor, Calvin "Fuzzy" Samuels, and Joe Lala. **Lyrics** The lyrics of "Manassas" are a testament to Stills' introspective and narrative songwriting. The album explores a variety of themes, from personal reflection to social commentary. 1. **"Song of Love"** - This track showcases Stills' ability to blend personal emotions with universal themes of love and longing. 2. **"It Doesn't Matter"** - Co-written with Hillman and Rick Roberts, the song speaks to the transient nature of relationships and the inevitable passage of time. 3. **"Johnny's Garden"** - A reflective piece inspired by Stills' home in England, symbolizing a haven of peace amidst the chaos. 4. **"The Treasure"** - This song delves into spiritual and existential themes, exploring the search for meaning and inner peace. 5. **"Blues Man"** - A tribute to the blues greats, this track blends homage with Stills' personal narrative, showcasing his reverence for the genre. **Music** The musical composition of "Manassas" is characterized by its eclecticism and virtuosity. The album is divided into four thematic sides: "The Raven," "The Wilderness," "Consider," and "Rock & Roll is Here to Stay." 1. **"The Raven"** - This side is heavily influenced by Latin and blues. Tracks like "Cuban Bluegrass" and "Jet Set (Sigh)" demonstrate the band's ability to blend Latin rhythms with rock and country elements. 2. **"The Wilderness"** - Featuring country and bluegrass influences, this side includes tracks like "Fallen Eagle" and "Hide It So Deep," showcasing intricate guitar work and tight harmonies. 3. **"Consider"** - This side leans towards folk and acoustic sounds, with songs like "It Doesn't Matter" and "Johnny's Garden" emphasizing lyrical content and melodic simplicity. 4. **"Rock & Roll is Here to Stay"** - As the title suggests, this side is a celebration of rock and roll. Tracks like "Right Now" and "What to Do" are driven by electric guitars and energetic rhythms. **Production** The production of "Manassas" is another highlight. The album was recorded at Criteria Studios in Miami, Florida, with Stephen Stills and Chris Hillman taking on significant roles in the production process. The production quality is notable for its clarity and balance, allowing each instrument and vocal part to shine. 1. **Sound Quality** - The album boasts a clean and polished sound, with meticulous attention to detail in the mixing and mastering processes. The separation of instruments is particularly well-done, providing a rich and immersive listening experience. 2. **Instrumentation** - The use of a wide range of instruments, from pedal steel guitars to congas, adds depth and diversity to the album's sound. Each instrument is expertly recorded and integrated into the overall mix. 3. **Vocals** - Stills' distinctive voice is complemented by harmonies from Hillman and other band members, creating lush vocal textures that enhance the emotional impact of the songs. **Themes** "Manassas" explores a variety of themes, reflecting both personal and broader societal concerns. 1. **Love and Relationships** - Many songs on the album deal with the complexities of love and relationships, from the joy and fulfillment of connection to the pain of loss and separation. 2. **Reflection and Introspection** - Stills' lyrics often delve into introspective themes, exploring his own experiences and emotions. This is evident in songs like "Johnny's Garden" and "The Treasure." 3. **Social Commentary** - Some tracks, such as "Fallen Eagle," touch on social and political issues, reflecting the turbulent times of the early 1970s. 4. **Homage to Musical Roots** - The album pays tribute to various musical genres and influences, from blues and country to Latin music, showcasing Stills' deep appreciation for the roots of American music. **Influence** "Manassas" has had a lasting impact on both fans and fellow musicians. Its blend of genres and styles has influenced a wide range of artists and contributed to the evolution of rock and Americana music. 1. **Genre-Blending** - The album's successful fusion of diverse musical genres set a precedent for future artists looking to experiment and blend different styles. 2. **Musicianship** - The virtuosity and versatility of the band members have been widely recognized, inspiring musicians to push the boundaries of their own abilities and explore new musical horizons. 3. **Legacy** - While not as commercially successful as some of Stills' other projects, "Manassas" has garnered critical acclaim and a devoted following over the years, solidifying its place as a seminal work in Stills' discography. **Pros** 1. **Musical Diversity** - The album's eclectic mix of genres keeps it interesting and engaging from start to finish. 2. **Expert Musicianship** - The technical proficiency of the band members is evident throughout, with impressive instrumental performances and tight harmonies. 3. **High Production Quality** - The production is polished and professional, ensuring a high-quality listening experience. 4. **Lyrical Depth** - The lyrics are thoughtful and introspective, adding emotional depth to the songs. 5. **Innovative Sound** - The blend of genres and influences creates a unique and innovative sound that stands out in Stills' discography. **Cons** 1. **Lack of Commercial Success** - Despite its artistic merit, the album did not achieve significant commercial success, which may limit its recognition and accessibility. 2. **Complexity and Length** - The double album format and diverse range of styles may be overwhelming for some listeners, requiring multiple listens to fully appreciate. 3. **Inconsistent Themes** - The thematic diversity, while a strength in some respects, can also lead to a lack of cohesion across the album, making it feel somewhat disjointed at times. **Conclusion** "Manassas" by Stephen Stills is a richly diverse and expertly crafted album that showcases Stills' versatility as a musician and songwriter. The album's blend of genres, high production quality, and introspective lyrics make it a standout work in Stills' career. While it may not have achieved significant commercial success, its artistic impact and influence on future musicians are undeniable. "Manassas" remains a testament to the power of musical exploration and the enduring appeal of genre-blending artistry.
70’s
They really put their worst foot forward with this one. The first few tracks are very generic blues rock, but the rest of the songs are nice, folksy tunes that work a lot better. Still way too long.
At first I was oh great a country album, but then as it went on it just kept getting better and better. Of music. Going to leave it on the hard drive for the Sunday Shuffle.
What to Do // The Treasure //
Nope
Surprising, Complex, diverse
Not for me
Quite varied blues country, some echoes of CST&Y harmonies. Just a little bit unfocused for me.
Muito legal! Parceiro do Neil Young. Mas tmbm achei um pouco enjoativo
Stills is someone I enjoy listening to and I can't help but wonder if he'd be lame to hang with. I like a lot of the feel and texture of this. The playing and arrangements are solid. I don't know if this needs a double album since some draws on but the skill is there. Worth a listen for sure. CSNY are better than all of the solo work besides Young. I'm torn on a 3 or 4 here. I feel like The Treasure should've ended the album (order, not needing to get rid of Blue Man).
The stereo mixing is great. The music has nice warmth to it. There is too much here. They should have cut this down. I'm about halfway done and nothing is popping out. Solid instrumentation, but I was waiting for a moment when it popped and it never happened. Maybe with some deeper listens I'd find something.
Decent. Not great for me, but not bad at all.
oh boy a double album from the 70s with a genre that im indifferent to! surely i will have a fun time this listen; a surprise that that i ended up not enjoying this album. ill admit side a was pretty ok, hits here and there. but holy shit was side b c d (ok d was kind of ok but still eh) a total snoozefest. if this album was just side a and c ok cool ig albums ok. double album of this though guh. over the course of the listen my score went from anticipating a 3 to dropping down to a 2. i was just tired after the listen. anyway yea its a 2 personal favs: song of love, both of us
Stills, it was way too long man. Not many people can pull off a double album tbf. In the end i couldnt remember much of the album if im honest.
Smooth
3.66 rym country folk quindi 1/5
Smooth, yet raw. Very much enjoyed.
Pleasant. But that's it.
Deserves another listening, that's why I'm giving it a 4 ;-)