Almost as soon as CSNY came together, they split into pieces, and each of the boys got on with their lives. Neil was already doing his own thing, so Stephen Stills ended up being the first to really go “solo”.
The most accomplished musician of the group, Stills could have easily done his own one-man-band album a la McCartney. But because he thrived on having foils in the studio (as well as an attraction to other big names), his eponymous debut mixes near-solo tracks with full band performances.
One such song that likely started out alone until he added bass, congas and a pile of voices, “Love The One You’re With” remains a relic of the free love generation, catchy despite itself. “Do For The Others” wouldn’t have been out of place on the CSN albums, as demonstrated by the nice harmony on the “ooh” following the choruses. “Church (Part Of Someone)” uses gospel as a springboard, adding a choir and subtle strings to fill out the sound. “Old Times Good Times” is predominantly a jam featuring a famous guitarist. It wasn’t enough for him to have Hendrix on his album; as soon as Jimi’s solo ends Stills lets loose with a thoroughly indulgent flourish on the Hammond B-3 that is as stupid as it is rude. (Dedicating the album to the man two months after he died is a lame apology.) “Go Back Home” sounds mostly made up on the spot until about two minutes in when there’s an actual chord change, and another famous guitarist of the period, this time Eric Clapton, graces the proceedings.
“Sit Yourself Down” is more soulful piano with choir, and the mood stays on the pensive side with “To A Flame”, with understated strings and drums from one Ringo Starr. “Black Queen” was long a fixture of CSN shows, a slow acoustic blues, during which he would often admonish the audience for not taking it seriously. (The liner notes suggest he was gonged on tequila for this particular recording.) “Cherokee” gets a little jazzy, juxtaposing time changes with horns and flute over a sitar-style guitar, revving up and fading quickly to make way for “We Are Not Helpless”. Taken as a retort to Neil Young’s song, it travels through a few sections, an “America’s Children” detour with more help from Ringo and a choir, winding up to a big finish that obscures the lyrics.
Despite some of our comments, Stephen Stills is extremely enjoyable. The album is an amalgam of styles and sessions on two continents, and it’s a strong one. Only occasionally does he come off as a jerk, which wouldn’t always be the case going forward.
Stephen Stills Stephen Stills (1970)—4
I like this album a lot and "Manassas" has always been high on my desert island list. But--and this is a big one--at some point after the CSN album, he stopped growing. His substance habits have since reduced him to little more than a parody of his former self. Watching him perform now... the word "poignant" springs to mind.
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