Crosby & Nash Albums (4)
What The Critics Say
At the time of its original release in November of 1977, Live was a disappointment. As a single LP in the wake of Wind on the Water and Whistling Down the Wire, it seemed a backhanded insult to this duo, who had a lengthy and illustrious history (on the other hand, ABC Records, who released it, was virtually out of business at the time). The music also seemed somewhat perfunctory, and the content offered almost no recent material, just an odd choice of older songs. The 2000-vintage CD fixed some of those problems, adding two key songs and improving Live in just about every way possible. Remastered from the original tapes, the music now has a lot of presence, the vocals retaining their warmth while the electric playing of the duo's backing group, the Mighty Jitters -- featuring Danny Kortchmar on lead, David Lindley on slide guitar and violin, and a rhythm section of Tim Drummond and Russ Kunkel -- is tight and muscular, and a lot closer to the listener. The improved sound makes it easier to appreciate the performances: "I Used to Be a King" is transformed into a soaring electric number ornamented by Craig Doerge's electronic keyboard playing on the break and a rousing, raw vocal performance by Graham Nash; similarly, Crosby's "Lee Shore" is given a fresh, punchier interpretation, miles from the ethereal studio rendition -- and perhaps not preferable to that version, but definitely different from it. The CD also includes a haunting, previously unissued Crosby song, "King of the Mountain," a beautiful, angry, ironic poetic essay into the consequences of fame and isolation, with a towering, startlingly atonal performance by co-author Doerge at the piano, and one of Crosby's best vocal performances ever. "Fieldworker" has a bracing urgency and immediacy that the studio version could never match. "Simple Man" sounds stunningly intimate and personal here; Lindley's violin accompaniment to Nash's solo acoustic guitar lends it a special level of lyricism and poignancy; and Crosby's "Foolish Man" starts out smooth and cool, harmonized very subtly, and suddenly sprouts a jagged, soulful edge to his singing and a surprisingly elegant lead performance by Kortchmar, until the last verse, where singer and guitarist cut loose with a sound barrage that's electrifying. "Bittersweet," the other track new to the CD, is worth the price of the CD, a lean arrangement for piano and acoustic guitar behind a soaring vocal performance by Crosby and Nash. Only the nine-minute-plus version of "Déjà Vu" doesn't quite come off. The annotation is highly informative, explaining the choice of certain tracks and the neglect of others, and putting the release in a historical context. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Maybe it took more than nine months to come up with another batch of first-rate material, or maybe David Crosby and Graham Nash were saving their first-rate material for the next Crosby, Stills & Nash album, but Whistling Down the Wire, their third and final new studio album as a duo, was a distinctly second-rate effort. As usual, Crosby's loosely arranged jazz-blues tunes were offset by Nash's more pop-oriented songs, but this time around neither of them came up with anything memorable. Crosby seemed most comfortable on his "Dancer," an instrumental, while Nash expressed himself in poetic metaphors that were difficult to follow. In "J.B.'s [Jackson Browne's?] Blues," he seemed to have what be considered a potentially critical message to deliver to a friend, but to his wider audience it seemed merely cryptic. Happily, Crosby and Nash bounced back the following year when they reunited with Stephen Stills for CSN. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
As two of the most distinctive artists from the '60s and '70s given their work in CSNY, Crosby & Nash also did great work as a duo act. Wind on the Water was released in 1975 after the previous year's CSNY reunion tour and the dissolution of their contract at Atlantic. In many respects, this alliance made perfect sense. When it was just the two of them, they were often more likable. Crosby wasn't as much of a blowhard and Nash became more pragmatic. Wind on the Water's virtues are apparent with the first song, the warm and pensive single "Carry Me." "Homeward Through the Haze," "Low Down Payment," and "Naked in the Rain" are gems that all but sum up their complicated harmonic and melodic style. Besides Crosby & Nash being on their game, the studio players here are impeccable. Lovers of '70s pop/rock will love to hear players like Danny Kortchmar and David Lindley effortlessly doing their identifiable riffs. James Taylor, Carole King, and Jackson Browne also showed up for these sessions, but do not intrude or overshadow Crosby & Nash. Without a doubt, despite the strong production, the stars of the show here are Crosby & Nash. The album concludes with "To the Last Whale...: Critical Mass/Wind on the Water." The song is not only a testament to the album's skill at making the complex seem effortless, but it also gets its point across without being mushy. Wind on the Water has an instant classic, lived-in sound and is a definite must-have. ~ Jason Elias, All Music Guide
'Graham Nash/David Crosby'
Release Date 1/1/1972
Tracks 11
Label Atlantic
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
This self-titled release is one of -- if not arguably the -- most impressive side project to arise from CSN. Taken beyond face value, Graham Nash/David Crosby is a direct reflection, if not an extension, of the musical and personal relationship between its co-creators. Likewise, the results remain true, enhancing rather than detracting from the very individualistic styles of Crosby and Nash. The best elements of each are readily available here, punctuated at every turn by their complicated vocal arrangements and air-lock harmonies. In the wake of the enormous successes garnered by the albums Crosby Stills & Nash, Déjà Vu, and Four Way Street, the principal members were essentially given carte blanche studio access to pursue solo projects as well. This release is the first in what would turn out to be a series of collaborative efforts between Crosby and Nash. Musically it continues in much the same vein as their respective debut solo releases, If I Could Only Remember My Name and Songs for Beginners. Nash's contributions include "Girl to Be on My Mind," "Stranger's Room," and "Southbound Train" -- a twangy piece of Americana featuring a high and lonesome steel guitar solo from Jerry Garcia that likewise hearkens to the Grateful Dead's American Beauty, Elton John's Tumbleweed Connection, or the Band's Music From Big Pink. These tracks co-exist in stark contrast to Crosby's more cerebral and incisive contributions, such as "Whole Cloth," "Games," and "The Wall Song." The latter features some outstanding instrumental support from the Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia (guitar), Phil Lesh (bass), and Billy Kreutzman (drums). The core band revolves around another set of all-stars: Russell Kunkel (drums), Leland Skylar (bass), Craig Doerge (keyboards), and Danny "Kootch" Kortchmar (guitar). This same band would more or less continue to back up Crosby and Nash's duo efforts throughout the remainder of the '70s. Graham Nash/David Crosby offers much of the same unique songwriting and personal style which informed their better contributions not only to the CSN-related efforts, but as far back as their offerings with the Hollies and the Byrds. Interested enthusiasts are also urged to locate Another Stoney Evening -- a live acoustic release from October 10, 1971 -- which includes seminal live versions of "Southbound Train," "Where Will I Be," "Immigration Man," and "Stranger's Room." ~ Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide
