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"...Horses Through A Rainstorm..."
The liner notes to the 2006 'Expanded & Remastered HDCD Edition' of CSN's monumental 1969 debut album "Crosby, Stills & Nash" opens with an Introduction from Ahmet Ertegun – founder and owner of the mighty Atlantic Records. It describes the first time Ahmet heard the tapes by ex Hollies man Graham Nash who had linked up with ex Byrd's tunesmith David Crosby and Buffalo Springfield's guitarist and songwriter Stephen Stills.
The canny Record Industry Giant was stunned and knew something huge was happening. He quotes, "...Crosby, Stills & Nash immediately became my No. 1 project..." And even now in late May 2023 - a full 54 years after the 29 May 1969 US release date of that LP event - their opening salvo album is so damn good – a melodious masterpiece still casting a harmony-vocal shadow over today's myriad-genre musical landscape. Their follow up studio platter "Déjà vu" was just as good in March 1970 and then after a short live stint – it split into solo work and combos thereof.
Which brings us to this "CSN" nugget – a 4CD Box Set Anthology first released 30 September 1991 in the USA in LP-Sized packaging and now shrunk down to a more manageable (and more dinky frankly) 4CD Fat Jewel Case with Card Slipcase for 13 August 2013 Reissue. Encompassing 1968 to 1990 – you get Twenty-Five Previously Unreleased songs and versions, Neil Young on 14 and a guest list that reads like a dream - Jimi Hendrix, Jerry Garcia, John Sebastian, James Taylor, James Mason, Jimmy Page, Rita Coolidge, Art Garfunkel, Joni Mitchell, Fred Neil, Carole King, Branford Marsalis, Craig Doerge, Leland Sklar, Tim Drummond and Russ Kunkel, Members of Jefferson Airplane, The Grateful Dead, Buffalo Springfield, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Manassas, Poco, Joe Walsh's Barnstorm and many more. There is so much to document, so here are the helplessly hoping details of three men on a sofa with some other Canadian dude on occasion...
UK re-issued 13 August 2013 (original LP-Sized Box Set was 30 September 1991 in the USA) – "CSN" by CROSBY, STILLS & NASH on Atlantic 8122797323 (Barcode 081227973230) offers you 77 Remastered Tracks (done in 1991) across 4CDs and pans out as follows:
CD1 (73:36 minutes):
1. Suite: Judy Blue Eyes (Unreleased Alternate Mix) - CSN
2. Helplessly Hoping (Unreleased Live Studio Version, Rehearsal) - CSNY
3. You Don't Have To Cry (Unreleased First Crosby, Stills & Nash recording)
4. Wooden Ships – CSN (from the debut album "Crosby, Stills & Nash" US released 29 May 1969 on Atlantic SD-8229)
5. Guinevere (Unreleased Early Demo) – DAVID CROSBY
6. Marrakesh Express – CSN (from the debut album "Crosby, Stills & Nash" US released 29 May 1969 on Atlantic SD-8229)
7. Long Time Gone – CSN (from the debut album "Crosby, Stills & Nash" US released 29 May 1969 on Atlantic SD-8229)
8. Blackbird (Unreleased Live Studio Version, Beatles cover) - CSN
9. Lady Of The Island – CSN (from the debut album "Crosby, Stills & Nash" US released 29 May 1969 on Atlantic SD-8229)
10. Song With No Words (Tree With No Leaves) (Unreleased Live Studio Version) – CROSBY & NASH
11. Almost Cut My Hair (Unreleased Unedited Original Version, 8:49 minutes) – CSNY
12. Teach Your Children (from their 2nd studio album "Déjà vu" US released 11 May 1970 on Atlantic SD-7200)
13. Horses Through A Rainstorm (Unreleased Song) – CSNY
14. Déjà vu – CSNY (from their 2nd studio album "Déjà vu" US released 11 May 1970 on Atlantic SD-7200)
15. Helpless – CSNY (from their 2nd studio album "Déjà vu" US released 11 May 1970 on Atlantic SD-7200)
16. 4 + 20 (Unreleased Alternate Mix) - CSNY
17. Laughing – DAVID CROSBY (from his debut solo album "If I Could Only Remember My Name" US released 22 February 1971 on Atlantic SD-7203)
18. Carry On/Questions – CSNY (from their 2nd studio album "Déjà vu" US released 11 May 1970 on Atlantic SD-7200)
NOTES on CD1:
Tracks 4, 6, 7 and 9 are from the debut album "Crosby, Stills & Nash" (1969)
Tracks 12, 14, 15, 17 and 18 and Track 4 on CD2 are from their second studio album "Déjà vu" (1970)
Tracks 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 10, 11, 13 and 16 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED
CD2 (74:13 minutes):
1. Woodstock (Unreleased 1969 Alternative Mix) – CSNY
2. Ohio – CSNY (4 June 1970 US 45-single on Atlantic 45-2740, A-side – first LP appearance (along with the B-side "Find The Cost Of Freedom", Track 19 on CD4) was on the 19 August 1974 Best Of vinyl LP compilation "So Far" on Atlantic SD 18100)
3. Love The One You're With – STEPHEN STILLS (from the 16 November 1970 US Solo debut album "Stephen Stills" on Atlantic SD 7202)
4. Our House – CSNY (from their 2nd studio album "Déjà vu" US released 11 May 1970 on Atlantic SD-7200)
5. Old Times Good Times – STEPHEN STILLS (from the 16 November 1970 US Solo debut album "Stephen Stills" on Atlantic SD 7202, features Jimi Hendrix on Guitar)
6. The Lee Shore (Unreleased Studio Version, 5:28 minutes) – CSNY (originally showed up as a new song on the 2LP Live Set "4 Way Street" from 1971 on Atlantic SD 2-902)
7. Music Is Love – DAVID CROSBY (from his debut solo album "If I Could Only Remember My Name" US released 22 February 1971 on Atlantic SD-7203 – Vocals and Guitars include Graham Nash and Neil Young)
8. I'd Swear There Was Somebody Here – DAVID CROSBY (from his debut solo album "If I Could Only Remember My Name" US released 22 February 1971 on Atlantic SD-7203 – Acapella Vocals only)
9. Man In The Mirror (Unreleased Live Version) – CSNY (originally released on the Graham Nash debut solo album "Songs For Beginners" US released 28 May 1971 on Atlantic SD-7204)
10. Black Queen (Unreleased Live Version) – CSNY (although credited to CSNY it is only Stills and Acoustic Guitar doing a live version of a song that first appeared on his November 1970 debut solo LP "Stephen Stills" on Atlantic SD 7202)
11. Military Madness – GRAHAM NASH (originally released on his debut solo album "Songs For Beginners" US released 28 May 1971 on Atlantic SD-7204)
12. Urge For Going (Unreleased Version) – CROSBY & NASH (originally written by Joni Mitchell in 1966, but unrecorded by her until 1972 as a Non-LP flipside to "You Turn Me On, I'm A Radio" – first released version was a January 1967 US 45-single be George Hamilton IV on RCA Victor 45-9059, A)
13. I Used To Be A King – GRAHAM NASH (originally released on his debut solo album "Songs For Beginners" US released 28 May 1971 on Atlantic SD-7204 – features Neil Young on Piano and Gerry Garcia, Phil Lesh and John Barbata of The Grateful Dead on Pedal Steel Guitar, Bass and Drums)
14. Simple Man (Unreleased Alternate Mix) – GRAHAM NASH (originally released on his debut solo album "Songs For Beginners" US released 28 May 1971 on Atlantic SD-7204 – features Rita Coolidge and David Lindley)
15. Southbound Train – DAVID CROSBY & GRAHAM NASH (originally released on the 5 April 1972 US album "Graham Nash/David Crosby" on Atlantic SD-7220)
16. Change Partners – STEPHEN STILLS (originally released on his second solo LP "Stephen Stills 2" US released 30 June 1971 on Atlantic SD 7206 – line-up includes Fred Neil, David Crosby and much of what would become Manassas)
17. My Love Is A Gentle Thing (Unreleased Song, recorded April 1975) – STEPHEN STILLS
18. Word Game – STEPHEN STILLS (originally released on his second solo LP "Stephen Stills 2" US released 30 June 1971 on Atlantic SD 7206)
19. Johnny's Garden – STEPHEN STILLS & MANASSAS (originally released on the 12 April 1972 US 2LP Studio Album "Manassas" on Atlantic SD 2-903)
20. So Begins The Task – STEPHEN STILLS & MANASSAS (originally released on the 12 April 1972 US 2LP Studio Album "Manassas" on Atlantic SD 2-903)
21. Turn Back The Pages – STEPHEN STILLS (originally released June 1975 on the album "Stills" on Columbia PC 33575 – his debut with the label)
NOTES:
Tracks 1, 6, 9, 10, 12, 14 and 17 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED
CD3 (71:21 minutes):
1. See The Changes (Unreleased CSNY Version) – CSNY (first issued on the 12 June 1977 US LP "CSN" on Atlantic SD 19104)
2. It Doesn't Matter – MANASSAS (Stephen Stills) (originally released on the 12 April 1972 US 2LP Studio Album "Manassas" on Atlantic SD 2-903)
3. Immigration Man – CROSBY & NASH (originally released on the 5 April 1972 US album "Graham Nash/David Crosby" on Atlantic SD-7220 – Lead Guitar by Dave Mason of Traffic)
4. Chicago//We Can Change The World – GRAHAM NASH (originally released on his debut solo album "Songs For Beginners" US released 28 May 1971 on Atlantic SD-7204 – features Rita Coolidge, Clydie King, Vanetta Fields, Shirley Matthews, Chris Etheridge and John Barbata)
5. Homeward Through The Haze (Unreleased Version) – CSNY (first issued on the 15 September 1975 Crosby & Nash LP "Wind On The Water" on ABC Records ABCD-902)
6. Where Will I Be? – CROSBY & NASH (originally released on the 5 April 1972 US album "Graham Nash/David Crosby" on Atlantic SD-7220 – Craig Doerge on Piano and Leland Sklar on Bass)
7. Page 43 – CROSBY & NASH (originally released on the 5 April 1972 US album "Graham Nash/David Crosby" on Atlantic SD-7220 – Danny Kortchmar on Guitar, Craig Doerge on Piano and Leland Sklar on Bass)
8. Carry Me – CROSBY & NASH (first issued on the 15 September 1975 LP "Wind On The Water" on ABC Records ABCD-902 – James Taylor on Acoustic, Craig Doerge on Piano, Leland Sklar and Russ Kunkel on Bass and Drums)
9. Cowboy Of Dreams – CROSBY & NASH (first issued on the 15 September 1975 LP "Wind On The Water" on ABC Records ABCD-902 – David Lindley on Fiddle, Craig Doerge on Piano, Tim Drummond and Russ Kunkel on Bass and Drums)
10. Bittersweet – CROSBY & NASH (first issued on the 15 September 1975 LP "Wind On The Water" on ABC Records ABCD-902 – Danny Kortchmar on Electric Guitar, Craig Doerge and Carole King on Piano, Leland Sklar and Russ Kunkel on Bass and Drums)
11. To The Last Whale...Critical Mass – CROSBY & NASH (first issued on the 15 September 1975 Crosby & Nash LP "Wind On The Water" on ABC Records ABCD-902)
12. Prison Song – GRAHAM NASH (first issued on the 2 January 1974 LP "Wild Tales" on Atlantic Records SD-7288 – David Crosby on Duet Vocals, David Lindley on Mandolin, Tim Drummond and Jon Barbata on Bass and Drums)
13. Another Sleep Song – GRAHAM NASH (first issued on the 2 January 1974 LP "Wild Tales" on Atlantic Records SD-7288 – Joni Mitchell on Duet Vocals, Joel Bernstein on Acoustic with Ben Keith on Lap Steel Guitar, Tim Drummond and Jon Barbata on Bass and Drums)
14. Taken At All (Unreleased CSNY Version) – CSNY (original version first issued on the 25 June 1976 Crosby & Nash LP "Whistling Down The Wind" on ABC Records ABCD-956)
15. In My Dreams – CSN (first issued on the 12 June 1977 US LP "CSN" on Atlantic SD 19104 – Joe Vitale on Vibes, Tim Drummond and Russ Kunkle on Drums)
16. Just A Song Before I Go – CSN (first issued on the 12 June 1977 US LP "CSN" on Atlantic SD 19104 – Joe Vitale on Vibes, Tim Drummond and Russ Kunkel on Bass and Drums)
17. Shadow Captain – CSN (first issued on the 12 June 1977 US LP "CSN" on Atlantic SD 19104 – Craig Doerge on Piano, Joe Vitale on Organ and Flute, George Perry and Russ Kunkel on Bass and Drums)
18. Dark Star (Allies LP Version from 1983) – CSN (song first issued on the 12 June 1977 US LP "CSN" on Atlantic SD 19104, but this re-made version is the one issued on the 6 June 1983 LP "Allies" – James Newton Howard on Keyboards, Joe Vitale on Drums)
19. Cathedral – CSN (first issued on the 12 June 1977 US LP "CSN" on Atlantic SD 19104 – George Perry and Russ Kunkle on Bass and Drums)
NOTES:
Tracks 1, 5 and 14 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED
CD4 (74:33 minutes):
1. Wasted On The Way – CSN (first issued on the 21 June 1982 US LP "Daylight Again" on Atlantic SD 19360 – Craig Doerge on Keyboards, Joe Lala of Manassas on Percussion, Timothy B. Schmit of The Eagles on Backing Vocals with Wayne Goodwin of the Emmylou Harris Hot Band on Fiddle)
2. Barrel Of Pain (Half-Life) – GRAHAM NASH (first issued on the 15 February 1980 US LP "Earth & Sky" on Capitol SWAK-12014 - David Lindley and Danny Kortchmar on Guitars, Craig Doerge on Organ, Joe Vitale and Russ Kunkel on Drums)
3. Southern Cross – CSN (first issued on the 21 June 1982 US LP "Daylight Again" on Atlantic SD 19360 – Richard T. Bear and Mike Finnigan on Keyboards, Joe Lala of Manassas on Percussion, Timothy B. Schmit of The Eagles on Backing Vocals)
4. Daylight Again (a) Daylight Again (b) Find The Cost Of Freedom – CSN (first issued on the 21 June 1982 US LP "Daylight Again" on Atlantic SD 19360 – Art Garfunkel of Simon & Garfunkel on Backing Vocals)
5. Thoroughfare Gap – STEPHEN STILLS (first issued on the September 1978 US LP "Thoroughfare Gap" on Columbia JC 35380 – Al Gould on Fiddle and Paul Harris on Piano)
6. Wild Tales (Unreleased Live Version, 3 Aug 1979) – GRAHAM NASH (original studio version first issued on the 2 January 1974 LP "Wild Tales" on Atlantic Records SD-7288)
7. Dear Mr. Fantasy (Unreleased Version, Recorded 17 Nov 1980, Traffic cover version) – STEPHEN STILLS & GRAHAM NASH
8. Cold Rain – CSN (first issued on the 12 June 1977 US LP "CSN" on Atlantic SD 19104)
9. Got It Made (Unreleased Live Version) – CSNY (original version first issued on the 3 November 1988 US LP "American Dream" on Atlantic 81888-1 – this Live Version recorded 25 January 1997 in New York features only Stills & Nash on Acoustic Piano and Sticks)
10. Tracks In The Dust – DAVID CROSBY (first issued on the 23 January 1989 US LP "Oh Yes I Can" on A&M Records 395232-1 – Michael Hedges on Guitar with Backing Vocals from Graham Nash)
11. As I Come Of Age (Unreleased Version) – CSN (original version is on the 1975 US LP "Stills" on Columbia PC 33575 – this version recorded January 1981 – Michael Finnigan and Richard T. Bear on Keyboards, George Perry on Bass with Joe Vitale on Drums)
12. 50/50 – STEPHEN STILLS (first issued on the 30 July 1984 US LP "Right By You" on Atlantic 7 80177-1)
13. Drive My Car – DAVID CROSBY (first issued on the 23 January 1989 US LP "Oh Yes I Can" on A&M Records 395232-1 – Michael Hedges on Guitar with Backing Vocals from Graham Nash)
14. Delta – CSN (first issued on the 21 June 1982 US LP "Daylight Again" on Atlantic SD 19360 – Dean Parks on Guitar, Craig Doerge on Keyboards with Leland Sklar and Russ Kunkel on Bass and Drums)
15. Soldiers Of Piece (Unreleased Version) – CSNY (original version first issued on the 3 November 1988 US LP "American Dream" on Atlantic 81888-1 – this Live Version recorded 25 January 1997 in New York features only Stills & Nash on Acoustic Piano and Sticks)
16. Yours And Mine – CSN (first issued on the 11 June 1990 US LP "Live It Up" on Atlantic 82107-1 – Branford Marsalis on Soprano Saxophone, Craig Doerge on Keyboards)
17. Haven't We Lost Enough? – CSN (first issued on the 11 June 1990 US LP "Live It Up" on Atlantic 82107-1 – Stephen Stills only on Vocals and Acoustic Guitar)
18. After The Dolphin – CSN (first issued on the 11 June 1990 US LP "Live It Up" on Atlantic 82107-1 – Mike Landau on Guitar, Craig Doerge on Keyboards, Uses a President Truman Radio Broadcast mixed into the music)
19. Find The Cost Of Freedom – CSNY (4 June 1970 US 45-single on Atlantic 45-2740, B-side of "Ohio" – first LP appearance for both sides on the 19 August 1974 Best Of vinyl LP compilation "So Far" on Atlantic SD 18100 – A-side is Track 2 on CD2)
NOTES:
Tracks 6, 7, 9, 11, 13 and 15 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED
As with all of these CSNY-related retrospectives – a team of experts were called upon to do properly real transfers to digital – and the results are gorgeous. In this case 1991 Remixes were carried out by STEPHEN BARNCARD at Sunset Sound along with Analogue-To-Digital by JOE GASTWIRT at Ocean View Digital with both JOE GASTWIRT and JOHN MODELL doing the eventual remastering. Take CD1 for instance- the audio quality on the unreleased "Song With No Words" (Track 10) or the "Déjà vu" title track (Track 14) or the Alternate Mix of "4 + 20" (Track 16) or the Crosby solo piece "Laughing" (with sublime counterpoint vocals from Joni Mitchell) are all little short of breathtaking for us old farts used to hearing our battered LPs of 1969, 1970, 1971 and those early remastered 1990s CDs. The instruments are so clear, their harmonies coming at you like a wall of vocal marshmallow – it’s beautifully clean and not just amped up for the sake of it. Lovely stuff.
Staying with presentation for a moment - a really great touch (and smart move) is that the 2013 reissue has an upgraded booklet from the 1991 variant that shows Additional Releases. So the Discography goes from 1969 up to all the big combined and solo sets - up to 'CSN 2012' in July of 2012. The booklet is a crammed 66-pages long, and apart from song-by-song breakdowns (recording dates, musician credits including guests) that also include the boys explaining their history and meaning. Amazingly there is a pictured LP-by-LP Discography (with catalogue numbers) of stuff like Stills and his fab "Manassas" 2LP set (see separate review for the Japanese CD variant in Repro Artwork Mini LP Card Sleeve) to the "Wild Tales" album for Graham Nash in 1974 and so on up to the 2000s. It may be a chubby jewel case, but man both the booklet and the content are loaded with info and musical goodies where you would want it. The card slipcase of course mimics the original LP-Sized photo and is undeniably pretty and frankly more compact than its original big brother.
The track placement is clever too – when you go to CD2 it opens with their electric guitar rockier version of the Joni Mitchell song "Woodstock" (an Alternate Mix) which perfectly precedes the same kind of angry sound their stand-alone single "Ohio" exuded – both Neil Young as Lead Vocalist and Crosby as Backing towards the end letting the US political machine know their disgust at University shootings that murdered protestors of the ludicrously poisonous Vietnam war. That in turn is followed by the hugely popular "Love The One You're With" – a 1970 Stephen Stills winner that features Rita Coolidge, Pricilla Jones, John Sebastian propping up Crosby and Nash on Backing Vocals. Then the chipper "Our House" from "Déjà vu" – then Hendrix providing Guitar on the Stills solo track "Old Times Good Times" - you get the picture. In short – someone has paced this set and made each CD a smarter more coherent listen by doing so.
For sure when you get to CD4 and the ill-advised Cuban strut of "50/50" by Stills – it is countered by the excellence and beauty of Crosby doing "Tracks In The Dust" from his 1989 "Oh Yes I Can" album. I had genuinely forgotten the gorgeous harmonies and melodies to "Delta" from the 1982 LP "Daylight Again" – another affecting melody that is not thankfully drowned in Eighties production values. And the 7:04 minutes of an unreleased cover version of the 1968 Traffic classic "Dear Mr. Fantasy" recorded in similar slinky Rock mode in November 1980 by Stills & Nash is a genuine discovery – Stills letting rip on distorted guitar ala Neil Young to amazing effect while Nash harmonizes on the chorus. Stills admits in his liner notes to the song to a lifetime admiration of British songwriter Steve Winwood and had intended him to be the keyboard player in the original line-up of CSN (Michael Finnigan adds his trademark Hammond Organ sound to the cover version to get that Traffic vibe). Though well-meaning, the unreleased version of the 1988 "American Dream" track "Soldiers Of Peace" is overwrought with orchestration – and for all its undoubted recording sophistication, the very Sting with Branford Marsalis "Yours And Mine" from the 1990 album "Live It Up" is the same – not touching but ever so slightly insufferable. They end their odyssey on CD4 by putting on the gorgeous and practically Acapella B-side "Find The Cost Of Freedom" – their 1970 plea for an end to war and the politics associated with it – a perfect finish for a spectacular vaults trawl.
This 30 September 1991 "CSN" 4CD splurge was by no means to be the end of unreleased material. Stills released his "Carry On" 4CD Hardback Digibook Anthology Set in February 2013, David Crosby had his 3CD "Voyage" back in November 2006, while Graham Nash brought us "Reflections" in February 2009 – another 3CD set with mucho unissued. There has also been a beautiful 50th Anniversary LP-Sized Book Set for "Déjà vu" in May 2021 (see separate reviews for all of them) and Neil Young has not stopped reissuing unreleased material in his infamous Archive Series of CD and Vinyl.
Atlantic Records also put out a 2CD paired down variant of this 4CD "CSN" set for the UK, European and Australian marketplaces on 3 December 1991. Called "Carry On" (reissued 30 June 1998) – it was and still is a great twofer with 36 tracks and can be bought online for relatively piddly sums of money. But I would however advise to opt for this 2013 Reissue of the 4CD Big Daddy instead, because there is just too much to miss out on.
Dennis Hopper asked Stephen Stills to pen a tune for the final scene of the Easy Rider movie he was in with Peter Fonda and the fantastic "Find The Cost Of Freedom" was what he offered (even if Hopper was too out of it to get its genius). The band ended every live concert with it – a clarion call to a generation hurting. Well do not leave this amazing overhaul "...buried in the ground...” anywhere near you. I envy you the journey and thanks Coz (passed 18 January 2023 aged 81) for all the beautiful music and memories...
