More of the Music of Crosby, Stills and Nash
More Albums with Key Tracks for Critical Listening (112 Strong as of 2022)
We stopped doing shootouts for this album many years ago after running into too many mediocre-at-best if not downright awful sounding copies. These notes are from about ten years ago.
Replay is a very handy record for setting your VTA. The end of Shadow Captain has loud vocals and punchy bass, which are a bit difficult to reproduce. (Forget trying to get this song to sound good if you don’t have an exceptionally good copy.)
The next song is To The Last Whale, which starts with Nash and Crosby’s multitracked voices in a big hall. With the correct VTA, their voices should sound silky and sweet. If your arm is too far down in the back, they will get a bit dull. Too high, and they will lose that breathy, “fluffy” quality.
And once you get their voices to sound just right, make sure the ending of Shadow Captain is still punchy and dynamic.
TRACK LISTING
Side One
Carry On
A crappy remix, with added guitar, ugh.
Marrakesh Express
Nothing special.
Just a Song Before I Go
This song sounds WONDERFUL on the better pressings. One of the best reasons to play this album. It’s probably better here than it is on almost any pressing of the album it comes from: CSN.
First Things First
This track tends to be aggressive.
Shadow Captain
This track on the typical pressing of this album will tear your head off. On properly mastered copies, it’s surprisingly smooth and sweet, a quality I never associated with this song before, until I played the Hot Stamper.
To the Last Whale
This song also sounds WONDERFUL on the better pressings. Another one of the best reasons to play this album.
Side Two
Love the One You’re With
Nice but a little spitty as a rule.
Pre-Road Downs
This track tends to sound dull but sometimes it’s magical.
Change Partners
Nothing special, from a nothing special sounding album, Stills’ second outing (which usually sounds like cardboard).
I Give You Give Blind
This track can sound quite good on the better pressings, better than almost any pressing of the album it comes from: CSN.
Cathedral
Nice, and, as with some cuts mentioned above, better than almost any pressing of the album it comes from.