The
Crosby, Stills & Nash
triumvirate shot to immediate superstardom with the release of its self-titled debut LP, a sparkling set immortalizing the group's amazingly close, high harmonies. While elements of the record haven't dated well --
Nash
's Eastern-influenced musings on the hit
"Marrakesh Express"
now seem more than a little silly, while the antiwar sentiments of
"Wooden Ships,"
though well-intentioned, are rather hokey -- the harmonies are absolutely timeless, and the best material remains rock-solid.
Stills
' gorgeous opener,
"Suite: Judy Blue Eyes,"
in particular, is an epic love song remarkable in its musical and emotional intricacy,
's
"Pre-Road Downs"
is buoyant
folk-pop
underpinned by light
psychedelic
textures, and
Crosby
"Long Time Gone"
remains a potent indictment of the assassination of
Robert Kennedy
. A definitive document of its era. ~ Jason Ankeny