Stephen Stills - Stephen Stills

He wasn't the most accomplished member of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young--or even of Crosby, Stills &Nash, for that matter. But his songs are certainly in a league with those of the other members, and it's chiefly on his solo albums that Stills's own personality comes through. Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth" belongs to Stills, which shows where his influences lie. The hits "Love the One You're With" and "Sit Yourself Down," both of which live here, show how they developed. Sensitive? Lyrical? Not exactly. Think rugged denim, an acoustic guitar, and a woman at home to sew on his appliqués and pick the seeds out of the pot. --Gavin McNett Amazon.com

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FAMED SEER BRINGS ESTEEMED LECTURE TO TOWN. OVERWORK BECOMES A CONCERN

By Mabel-Stone Pebble
Associated Press

BOISE - Metamorpho, the world class Seer, came to the Church of the Disenfranchised Majority yesterday evening. Even though he agreed to severely lower his usual fee, ticket sales were slow and only half of the church's capacity was met. As the lecture time approached, scalpers were drastically cutting their prices by fifty percent. But this was to no avail.
Despite this highly unusual set back, Metamorpho arrived by limosine. He was dressed, very stylishly, in his white linen seersucker outfit. He exited the limo with two new aquaintances from the Norwegian Women's Volleyball League. Puffing on a cigar, he nodded to the crowd of twenty cheering scalpers. Upon flicking an ash, a scalper was hit in the eye, prompting him to cut his ticket by seventy-five per cent.
Undaunted, Metamorpho, looking fit and cheery, entered the church and made his way to the podium. Smiling and waving, he then announced the topic for the evening's lecture. It was Stephen Stills first solo album called "Stephen Stills".
He reminded the crowd that Stephen was a vital member of Crosby, Stills and Nash (and sometimes Young). He then went on to say that even though most of the music on this selection had the musical stamp of this artist, his solo effort, although quite good, didn't have the magic of the harmonies of his famous group. But, Metamorpho also crowed, that many musical dignitaries contributed their talents to his effort.
Crosby and Nash were on quite a few songs. Add to the mix Cass Eliot and John Sebastian plus cameo guest lead guitar by Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton, and you wind up with serious and well produced effort.
Stills "Love the One You're With" sounds most like the music of his group and succeeds in being a radio staple until this day. Other stand-outs include "Do For the Others", a mostly acoustic moaning about a lost love (which he is master of), "Church", a piano infused soulful song along with a choir and the very interesting track of "Black Queen" whereby he gives us a bluesy acoustic while under the influence of tequila. This reporter thinks the state of the artist really gave this song something extra.
Half-way through the lecture though, Metamorpho looked very tired and weak and was slowly becoming a whiter shade of pale. Despite his lack of energy, he proceeded on telling us that there is much variety here. He said that all the songs run the range of acoustic, soul, gospel and jazz. This unique blend made this album a noble effort. He pointed out that Stephen was a multi-instrumentalist and that many of these songs offer his unique talents. At this point, we had to get Metamorpho some water because he looked alarmingly dehydrated. Being a true selfless Seer, he muddled onward with his talk. He doesn't want to disappoint his loving fans.
He concluded his lecture by advising us that, although the song topics offer nothing earth shattering, the production is well worth the hearing. Summing up his analysis, Metamorpho stated that he hears ethereal and raw elements within this work. Stills, the southwestern gentleman, had examined all types of music to give this gallant offering. And it shows.
The lecture concluded, Metamorpho and his lovely companions, made their way through the cheering crowd back to their limo. This reporter got to him before he was whisked away and asked if he was feeling o.k.? "Oh, It's nothing really. Too much volleyball I suspect". And with that, he was gone.
I advise everyone in town to come out next time to catch his lecture. It is well worth your time and he is an excellent and insightful speaker, especially when he doesn't ask for contributions.

Mabel-Stone Pebble
July 25, 2008

Setting the record straight on Stills

I have never written an Internet review before, but I just have to set the record straight. The lead reviewer on the Stephen Stills page just has it all wrong when he says "He wasn't the most accomplished member of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young--or even of Crosby, Stills &Nash, for that matter". For the record - Stills played practically every instrument on Crosby, Stills & Nash. With the exception of songwriting credits to the amazing Cros and Nash - this was a Stephen Stills album. While making 1969's Crosby Stills and Nash, David Crosby and Graham Nash christened Stephen Stills "Captain Manyhands" for his prodigious gifts as a multi-instrumentalist and arranger. Not the most accomplished? Nah....that ain't it.

December 12, 2007

Folk-rock, guitar gods, and just a bit of bombast

Very solid solo debut from Stills released during the seven-year gap between Déjà vu and CSN. It contains Stills' biggest solo hit by far - the catchy "Love the One You're With", an already fantastic gospel-folk crossover that could've been ever better had Stills simply gotten rid of the hordes of backup vocalists (David Crosby, Graham Nash, and Mama Cass among them. Anyone surprised?) adding a completely unneeded "doo doot doot doot doot doot doo-doot!" sequence stolen right from "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes". Eh, why the hell am I complaining? They're all great singers, it's just that I don't like the "doo doot doot etc." part. And there is occasional bombast - those hordes of backup vocalists from "Love the One You're With" return to throw "Church (Part of Someone)" and "We Are Not Helpless" overboard. And what's with all of those flutes and strings and whatnot on "To a Flame" and "Cherokee"? Steve Stills, master of Baroque pop? I think not! It's much better when Stills sticks to his guns, especially when Jimi Hendrix (yeah, that Jimi Hendrix) shows him who his daddy is on the careening rocker "Old Times, Good Times". You know, Stills plays a nice little solo, and then Jimi Hendrix comes along and mops the floor with Steve's nice little solo. Eric Clapton also provides guitar on the long blues-rocker "Go Back Home", a song that suits Slowhand much better than a lot of the solo work he would later put out. He shows Stills who his daddy is, too. Again, Stills plays a pretty nice wah-wah part, and then Clapton comes along and does his Eric Clapton stuff. Oh yeah, and this is the only studio album to feature both Hendrix and Clapton on it. "Sit Yourself Down" has more hordes of backing singers on it, but they actually add to the song, so I'm not gonna complain about them. And while the acoustic ballads aren't like Neil Young's acoustic ballads, they aren't without their charms: the raw "Black Queen" is arguably the best on the record, in fact, if only for Stills' bluesy vocal. Oh, wait, changed my mind... "Go Back Home" is better by just a bit. And "Do for the Others" has a pretty melody. This won't change anyone's life, and sometimes Stills' ambitions get the best of him. But it's a great companion to the first two Crosby, Stills, Nash, and occasionally Young albums. November 8, 2007

Hippie Masterpiece With A Guest Appearance By Hendrix AND Clapton

A 1970 masterpiece showcasing the multi talented Stills in various styles never veering from the raspy,soulful,folky bluesy Southern roots growl that remains his mark of distinction.
Distinct from his partners in Crosby,Stills,Nash and Young and closer to his sound with his later work with Manassas,this influential musician was able to release a top selling album boasting exciting charting hits with Jimi Hendrix playing lead guitar,and Clapton playing lead on another, fellow band mates Crosby and Nash,reknown fellow travellers, Mama Cass, John Sebastian,Rita Coolidge all coming together on this highly structured album that remains a classic.
Very well produced for it's day, even exotic touches of Conga, and Stax horns courtesy of Booker T, with elegant touches by Arif Marden made this LP a classic of many textures within the blues idiom that it stays faithful to.
The remastered sound is very good.
October 24, 2007

Stills is great

I found this album to be great. I just heard Steven Stills in Concert and had to get this album. Reminds me how much I enjoyed his music in my younger years! October 21, 2007

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