My only complaint is that they don't use an Oxford comma in their band name. Nice combo of nostalgic and folksy rock, this might have been my favorite album so far
Crosby, Stills & Nash is the debut studio album by British-American folk rock supergroup Crosby, Stills & Nash (CSN), released in 1969 by Atlantic Records. It is the only album released by the band before adding Neil Young to their line-up. The album spawned two Top 40 singles, "Marrakesh Express" and "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes", which peaked respectively at No. 28 the week of August 23, 1969, and at No. 21 the week of December 6, 1969, on the US Billboard Hot 100. The album itself peaked at No. 6 on the US Billboard Top Pop Albums chart. It has been certified four times platinum by the RIAA for sales of 4,000,000.
My only complaint is that they don't use an Oxford comma in their band name. Nice combo of nostalgic and folksy rock, this might have been my favorite album so far
Nice and chill album, I get why they were popular. Idk if it's heinous to say it but felt like the Beatles meets Simon and Garfunkel
High school in the 80's I listen to mostly thrash metal, hard rock and some punk/hardcore with a splattering of some random things like the Cure. I starting hangin out with other kids into different music. One of my first times getting high, my friend puts this album on vinyl, Suite Judy Blue Eyes comes flowing out of the speakers filling my ears and head with those warm sweet harmonies, wow I never heard anything like this. I was hooked, on both the music and the weed. I still love this album and CSN, even though David Crosby is an ass.
I expected this to be better and score higher, but in reality this album pretty much made me angry. It should be better, it has all the ingredients to be better, yet it is really boring, almost all the songs sound the same, and that same isn't an enjoyable song to begin with. It should probably score 2, but I'm angry at it, so 1 it is.
CSN's self-titled debut cannot be touched! From Judy Blue Eyes to You Don't Have to Cry to Wooden Ships to Teach Your Children Well (and everything in between), there is no better folk rock record of its time. Where is the 6 star option?!
Absolute classic album. One of the best folk rock albums ever. Great guitars, great diversity, and of course, the harmonies. Legends.
Perfect album, shame Neil Young had to go ruin such a great group.
Another band I've never listened to that I assumed would be pretty dated sounding, but man I really dug this one too. Marrakesh Express and Guinevere were my favorites here.
They were better with Neil Young and Neil Young is better without them.
Great harmony and comfortable music
I always forget there's CSN & CSNY. This is classic easy, chill, jamming music.
Here are some fun facts. In 1982, David Crosby crashed his car into a fence after having a cocaine seizure. Responding police found his coke and a loaded .45. When they asked Crosby why he felt the need to travel with a loaded weapon, he supposedly replied, "John Lennon." At one point, Stephen Stills started to believe he had been on missions with the US Marines in Vietnam and began wearing fatigues on stage during concerts and signing autographs “Stephen Stills, US Marine Corps”. In 2016, Graham Nash, who was in his 70's at the time, divorced his wife of 38 years to marry a 40-year old. His adult children stopped talking to him, which he said was probably for the best. These were three talented individuals and this is a pretty decent album and Deja Vu is even better. It is a shame that after making some pretty decent albums these guys spent the next 50 years ruining their lives and the lives of the people around them. Don't do drugs kids.
Pleasant but forgettable. Unlike other supergroups these three don't seem different enough to provide an interesting contrast.
Needs more Young
Fan-fucking-tastisch album
I bought this album off my Cousin about 1973. Loved the album and it is still one of my favourite albums of all time. Teach Your Children and Guinnivere are my favourite tracks. Well worth a listen
Love it
Nice but lacking the magic of the previous CSN&Y album I've listened too. Not bad though.
very good album
I could imagine Neil Young collaborating well with these young upstarts
I was blissfully unaware that this album had been the backbone of every campfire guitar singalong. Songs like Everybody's Talking, Love the one you’re with and teach your children well are it seems the bread and butter of every acoustic guitarist.
I had never listened to CS&N before, but there is a warmth and feeling of familiarity that came with it anyway. Loved the album.
yeah
great album by them!
Stellar, folksy harmonies with rock instrumentation. Makes you want to put on a shearling jacket and build a cabin.
I usually just think of them as classic rock but I was really blown away listening to the whole album together
Each track is a classic. Such good harmony and guitar on show here. Fresh.
The debut album from the definitive vocal supergroup of the 60's and 70's. Crosby, Stills & Nash showcase their incredible songwriting and unworldly tight vocal harmonies, pulling flavors from their previous musical forays into a perfect blend of folk, blues, and rock. Obviously, lyrics and voices are front and center on this album, but there's also some subtly awesome instrumentation backing them, including iconic acoustic guitar, mesmerizing organ, and respectable bass and drums. A fantastic breakout album, and a taste of more great music to come. I'm very biased toward this album for personal reasons and familial history. It could have been 40 minutes of screeching brakes and just "Helplessly Hoping" at the end, and I still would give it five stars for that track alone. Stand out tracks include "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes", "Marrakesh Express", "Guinnevere", "Lady of the Island", and "Helplessly Hoping".
Impeccable vibes. This album caught me on a good day and made it even better.
i like the first song a lot. nice sound
By far the best thing about CSNY was Y. Without Y they are a one trick pony; they have the lovely harmonies but not a lot else. In particular, the songs on this LP written by C or N are weak.Some of Stills' songs are good and their harmonies make those songs very good. This is the case with Suite: Judy Blue Eyes. The four songs that follow can't be saved by the harmonies. I kind of like Wooden Ships, probably because it sounds like a Neil Young song, lol. I suppose Stills lays down the lead guitar on that track. We must give credit where it's due. Helplessly Hoping is beautiful and the best song on the LP imo. I just don't think a couple of good songs can get the LP north of 3. PS I do like Teach Your Children but didn't let it influence my rating since it's a bolt on to the 2006 re-release and more appropriately considered a Deja Vu track.
I thought this album was good, but not great. I believe Young added a certain something to the mix that just made this band pure magic, and for me, that magic is clearly lacking on this album without him. The impact of this album however, is not to be undermined. This debut album popped up in 1969, just in time to inform and be an inspiration for many 70s soft rock, folk rock, and singer-songwriter acts. They naturally had a sound and a style here that many bands would go on to covet and seek. While Crosby, Stills & Nash was not the first supergroup, they're an incredibly significant one. Before them, any group formed of members from other bands was considered a "supergroup". But Crosby, Stills & Nash all came from already pretty successful bands and created an even more successful band than any of them came from individually. Crosby, Stills & Nash, along with this album, ultimately set a strong precedent for true supergroups going forward; it's a good introduction to that 70s folk rock sound and a good foundation for things to come with this band.
It’s great if this is what you’re into. It won’t blow away any neutrals though.
incredible debut; best bits on the Greatest Hits [edit: to explain, this is a 3* because it's so wussy. So much crying everywhere!]
This is the first album I listened to and rated as part of this project. I love this style of folk rock music and it provided for a very easy listening experience in which I didn't dislike any song. I felt that it started off a little boring with 'Suite: Judy Blue Eyes' but I could find that growing on me after a while. I did love 'Guinnevere' and 'Wooden Ships' was probably my favorite track.
When the last Boomer on this critics' list rages into that good night, half of the 1,001 will quietly drop off with them, and this will be one of the leavers. But is that fair? This has some great songs (Wooden Ships slides and rocks, You Don’t Have To Cry is a classic of the dead genre of pedagogic goodbyes, Long Time Gone is panther-like yacht rock), a bunch of middling ones, and a creepy one in Guinnevere (I hated it so much on first listen that I tip-toed up to it on subsequent play throughs, worried that it’d bite). More fundamentally, I don’t know what to do with all the harmonies. CSN advance on me like a tripled hippy terminator, earnest and la la la, the threat of a syrupy “milady” keeping me on edge. The harmonies don’t repel me as they once did, but they sound doubled, with a doll-like creepiness - “I’ve heard enough,” my wife declared in the car earlier. And these harmonies are why this band exist. When they turn down the harmonies, let them loosen up, they can be pleasant, extra oomph in the choruses. I wish they’d let them get ragged. I don’t need to hear Marrakech Express again, but it’s cute novelty, albeit one drummed by roots rock’s favourite murderer, Jim Gordon. The opener dares me to hate it, so by the end I’m its pet. I prefer Déjà Vu, and that’s not down to the added Y, fnar fnar.
I really enjoyed the sound. I would need to listen more for the lyrics when I'm not working sometime. But enjoyable album with a sound I like
Although I love Neil Young, these guys just rub me the wrong way. So without Neil, CSN is a chore. It's just excruciating for me to listen to their hillybilly harmonies and I couldn’t listen to the entire album
No Neil Young....but still lots of classics here. It reminds me of high school. It was old then, it sounds pretty dated now. There are just a couple songs that were fun to hear again, like Teach Your Children
I'm a big fan of The Beatles and Simon & Garfunkel, so you would think this would be up my alley, but this album sounded a bit samey from track to track for my tastes. Apparently there were iconic hits, but none of the tracks really grabbed me. It appears that all of their songs that I enjoy are on other albums in their career, particularly those with Neil Young, which is weird because I typically don't enjoy Neil Young's solo career. Great harmonizing but I found the songs boring pretty quickly. I'd rather just listen to another Simon & Garfunkel album. If I had to a pick a track I might want to listen to again, I guess "Marrakesh Express" was okay.
Love this one.
Do do do do do, doot doot, do do do do! These guys are good. Pleasant 60's rock, the harmonies are lush and give me a real heady high. 40 minutes flew by and before I knew it the album was over. That's a damn good feeling, just grooving the whole way through, not worrying about a thing. I looped it a few times throughout the day and just really dug it. This is a very well-rounded trio. I like me some Young in the mix too, but you can't go wrong with CSN.
very good
Yeahhhh now this is some old-timey music that still crushes it. I've had some 60s folk/singer-songwriter albums of late which have been ... eh. For a most-recent example and in a musical vein that is sort of similar: I'm not a fan of Bob Dylan - maybe he could turn a phrase and accurately tap into the young mood of the time but his music just wasn't very good - almost like a quick basic template for him to write poetry over. Dylan's music for me pales to this - CSN's first album is different and you know it right off the bat - this isn't going to be 40 minutes of basic blues-based V-IV-I progressions. What I love most is that although CSN were all singers, and each excellent (those harmonies are worth the admission), these songs are legit and would be good even without the great vocals. Which is everything. Variety! Progressive rock - folk - straight up rock... often with unpredictable progressions and chord voicings ("Guinevere" is an example that's hard to categorize - lush and strange harmonies over unresolving guitar melodies) It's admittedly hard for me to be objective to music that I've heard for decades - some of these songs are just all-time world classics. Seems facile to say "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" (I thought it was "Sweet Judy Blue Eyes until I was a teenager) is one of my favourites since it's so ubiquitous but it really is that great. It's essentially 3 songs in one - it's Yes before Yes were Yes. But better (and coming from a Yes fan, this). There are some points where the album slows up a bit but I think it may add to the album, giving it all an ebb and flow. "Long Time Gone" as a near-final track is as hard rock as rock could be in 1969 with soft voices and (mostly) acoustic guitars. Overall this is an indispensable album - a template of the best music of its time and holy hell this is a freaking *debut* album. Top notch. 9/10 5 stars
This is the straight dope of the late 60s
This and Deja Vu are two of the greatest albums I've ever heard. While decidedly 60s in tone, the songs still transcend time.
Muy chulo
One of the greatest albums ever.
David Crosby er faen et unikum med stemmen sin. Dog tenker jeg bare på den rare luen han går med nå som han er gammel. Steven Stills smeller fra seg med gitaren, noe som gjør det lekende lett å høre på. Det er så forbanna bra.. Jeusus christ... låt #3 er det villeste bruken av vokaler. 6/6
This album is full of hits. And it proves to me again that Nash is my favorite songwriter of the bunch, with Marakesh Express and Teach Your Children being the standouts for me.
Great band, great album
Lovely album of soft psych tinged folk rock, rich in those west coast harmonies and vocal prowess, fantastic playing by some of the finest in the American music scene at the time, it is warm and autumn golden like honey. Alternatively it’s the sound of bloated fly blown rich asshole rock stars indulging their excessive egos with vast capitalist fantasies of self indulgence and blissful/wilful ignorance of harsh and unfair reality and suffering of others Whichever takes your pick, or a bit of both? This is the sound of the blossoming hippie ideal, albeit seen through the eyes of the sometimes unpleasant, Stoned, talented, privileged and lucky
solid. fun for the whole family
Doodoodoodoodoo DOOT doo doodoodoodoo
Really enjoyed it, very laid back music. Considered giving it a high 4, but Spotify played a bunch of Steely Dan when the album ran out and that put me in a generous mood.
Undeniable quality.
Already done, bitch!
one of few groups that had their best album as their debut album. besides the commonly known songs, the album has unbelievable depth.
Weirdly, I had Helplessly Hoping running through my head this morning, and then it turns up here. It's so good! I love the way that this album takes the infectious pop of The Byrds and adds a dash of cynical folk rock to the mix.
Lots of things going on in this music, but enjoyed the tight harmonies and use of rhythm. Casual yet still precise and professional. Enjoyed listening to the lyrics as well - Teach Your Children brings back memories.
Excellent folk album
Excellent listen
I have their greatest hits for my car, so I am partial. Judy Blue Eyes is a great start to an album, loads going on, iconic sounds. Jangly folky rock, smooth harmonies, thoughtful lyrics (for the most part), what more could you ask for? A second peak for the album is Lady of the Island, Helplessly Hoping and Long Time Gone. Helplessly Hoping in particular is a top 10 song for me - melancholy, introspective, but powerful. Exactly my kind of music. I just like the era and this kind of sound. I have to say that this is not my favourite album of theirs, I prefer Deja Vu (with Neil Young) as I think it is stronger as an overall product, but this one is a 5 nonetheless.
A Perfect album.
I greatly enjoyed my time with this album. The harmonies are just excellent, the songs are both emotionally engaging and catchy as all hell, and the bright spots on this are so incredibly bright. The three come together to make something really interesting and great to listen to. High recommend. Best is easy Judy Blue Eyes, its just a trip the whole way through, but the rest is great too (HM lady of the island for the opposite vibe done just as well)
A near perfect album. Can you believe Apple Records passed on them?
Trop bon, quel talent. Un apercu de ce qui s'en vient avec young et Deja vu mais quand m^peme un super album qui résume bien le courant musical. 5
Крутой альбом! Как и все у них
A classic!
становится понятно, думаю, что мне уже очень сложно ставить оценки... но это будет очередная пятёрка, потому что нет причин ставить меньше (как можно не оценить хотя бы song with no words)
Beautifully crafted instrumentals and exquisite harmonies. It gets a highest rating from me and when you consider that they released Deja Vu the following year, I can't think of better back to back offerings from anyone.
A stone cold classic. Encapsulated the laurel canyon vibe.
Beautiful
Classic CSN album from '69, not the same classic status as Deja Vu, but still an easy 5 stars, just like the classic CSN album from '77 (the latter being the ultimate yacht album after all). I realized that the debut album of the modern CSN variant, Fleet Foxes, is also approaching semi-classic status status (released 15 years ago) yet that album is not in the same league as CSN(Y)...
Suite: Judy Blue Eyes- 9/10 Marrakesh Express- 9/10 Guinnevere- 7/10 You Don't Have To Cry- 10/10 Pre-Road Downs- 10/10 Wooden Ships- 10/10 Lady Of The Island- 5/10 Helplessly Hoping- 9/10 Long Time Gone- 10/10 49 Bye-Byes- 10/10 Do For The Others- 7/10 Songs With No Words- 9/10 Everybody's Talkin'- 10/10 Teach Your Children- 8/10 Crosby, Stills & Nash- 9/10
Good album, I knew a few songs and will probably remember them forever
A classic. Hopeful, aspirational, formative.
tfw they're riding on a Marrakesh express: ☺️
There's something just so satisfying about the harmonies.
Pretty much a perfect album. Easy listening with some beautiful lyrics that likely go overlooked. Lots of favorites on here: Judy Blue Eyes, Guinnevere, Pre-Road Downs, Marrakesh Express, Helplessly Hoping, 49 Bye-Byes.
What a fantastic album, super easy listening while never being dull, boring or simple. As always I love the guitar work of Stephen stills and them combining their voices with harmonies in the majority of the songs was the last puzzle piece that I was missing from their other albums
Quintessential hippie folk music. Listening to it makes me want to go buy a VW bus, wear a bunch of tie dye and grow out my hair. Time to turn on, tune and drop out
Had to listen to a different album with most of the same songs. Saw them in concert s few years ago. Awesome harmonies.
Love this album!
Absolute gold! These guys were talented individually but together they are magic. The songwriting, those gorgeous harmonies. If I could give it a sky full of stars I would.
Brilliant and beautiful -- is there a better or bolder track 1 of a debut album than "Suite Judy Blue Eyes"? The rest of the record holds true, too, and the strength of the lesser known songs is testament to the overall quality. Deja Vu might be even better. One wonders how modern production techniques would have lifted the sound, elevated the harmonies even higher.
This is one of the albums that defines the summer of 69. Their harmonies are wonderful. They voices fit together well. The guitars fit nicely under their voices Wooden Ships is one of the scariest songs ever written about war, it’s beautiful, melodic and chilling at the same time CSN perfected the ‘singable’ protest song
A lovely album! The layering of the instruments and the vocals make for a most enjoyable listening experience. The variety in tempos and style also add interest for the album.
Took me back. Hard to believe some of the songs were from their first album
Muito bonito, gostei bastante. Uma pegada folk maravilhosa, me lembrou muito Simon & Garfunkel.
Another wonderful opportunity to listen to a classic album for the first time. "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" is a very familiar classic, of course (though I never knew that it was about Judy Collins!). Much of the album has their amazing signature harmonies, but I really enjoyed the different sounds that they brought to their first album. "Guinevere" and "Lady of the Island" were two new favorites, both apparently taking some inspiration from Joni Mitchell!
Classic as folk gets. The 41 minutes fly by
A classic. What a way to debut your music.
Nearly perfect
One of my favorites. Love the melodies, the harmonies, and the layering of the vocals and guitars. This one makes me feel good.
This was a lovely way to spend a rainy afternoon. The harmonies are beautiful and soothing. I loved rolling along with this album. Of course the two opening songs tower over the proceedings. Suite: Judy Blue Eyes and Marrakesh Express sound as great as ever. An incredible one-two punch that instantly put this band on the map right out of the gate. But I liked the rest really well as well. Really nice.
A true classic.
Outstanding as always. Defines the genre.
I guess I'm pretty neutral in my opinion of this group. I mean I appreciate their great harmonies but can't say I went out and bought any of their albums. This debut has some rock radio heavy hitters in "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes", "Marrakesh Express" and "Wooden Ships." It appears they took a democratic approach in the songs switching lead singers after every song. Thinking back and actually forward, their approach probably was very unique for folk with their blend of acoustic and electric guitar songs and their complex harmonies. This is a great sounding and produced album. Outside their hits, I appreciated "Guinnevere" - subtle and acoustic love song, "Lady of the Island" - another very soft song about Nash's relationship with Joni Mitchell and "Helplessly Hoping" - maybe my favorite harmonizing on the album, which surprsingly are led sung by each of the three. Not really any stinkers or fillers here to me. Although you hear enough of this album on the radio, this is definitely an album worth going back to listen to as a whole.
Tengo que escuchar más de ellos y a este disco volveré más de una vez. Me han gustado muchas canciones y el disco en general. Favoritas: Suite: Judy blue eyes, Marrakesh express, Pre-Road downs, Lady of the island, Helplessly hoping, 49 bye-byes y Everybody's talkin'. Un 5 estrellas *****.