Stephen Stills 2: Opinions?

If Stills II is a weak album...

...think about how lucky music fans were in the early seventies...

 

Love it.

Just picked up a 1st US Artisan PR pressing this week.
Fantastic album.

Bluebird revisited is sublime.

 

Isley Brothers certainly dug Stills 2. They covered a number of Stills songs.

 

I agree. It's always been my favorite of his.

 

My first solo Stills album back in the summer of 1971. Dated, but still a fave.
"How do turtles talk to one another ... ?"

 

Stephen Stills was my musical hero when I was in high school. I was blown away by 'Buffalo Springfield Again', especially 'Bluebird'. His contributions to CSN and CSNY were my favorite cuts, and I enjoyed his first album. I tried and tried to like 'Stills 2', but never could. It started out great with 'Change Partners', but for me, the rest never came close. I thought the cuts with horns were, for the most part, bombastic, hot messes. (Still do.) The rock and blues cuts like 'Nothin to Do But Today' were lost in in echo chamber, as were some of the quieter cuts like 'Singin' Call'. I really hated 'Bluebird Revisited' and still do. I liked a lot of what he was trying to do with elements of Cuban music, but overall, it didn't work out like I think Stills planned. So much of what he tried here really worked out and came to fruition on 'Manassas, in my opinion.

I saw a show from the tour promoting the album, and other than Stills highlighting Steven Fromholz as his foil, it was disappointing. Some songs were awesome, but the horns and massed choral songs were still hot messes.

That's how I heard it. Still do.

 

Great Lead Guitar by Eric Clapton on that one.

 

Good point. I graduated from high school in June of 1971, and the music released right around then was incredible. I got Stephen Stills 2 when it came out in June 1971 and really liked it, but also in that short time period of March through August
that year we also got classics like Who's Next, Sticky Fingers, Every Picture Tells A Story, Aqualung, Ram, 4 Way Street, Every Good Boy Deserves Favor and LA Woman.

 

Yeah, that's a great song, especially the slow part with horns.

 

Yeah, it's pretty good. Best Stills solo album IMHO is this one…

 

Bluebird revisited is my favorite, especially the thick sounding guitar solo towards the end. I think it is his Gretsch White Falcon I am hearing. His first two, his first Manassas and his Live album (half electric/half acoustic) are what I consider his core, essential albums. I have never considered "2" to be self indulgent!

 

SS2 was the first CSN&Y related LP I ever bought. Had Stills retired after the first Manassas LP, he would have remained my favorite. His song writing got weaker as time went on (with exceptions). Young is more prolific but just as spotty as Stills. In any event SS2 is better than any solo or duet album Nash and or Crosby ever put out. The only ones that comes close are Songs For Beginners and the first C & N album. And Stills songs on the early CSN (&Y) albums have also been my favorite. But Neil Young's Everybody Knows, Harvest and Comes A Time remain my favorite from this bunch, along with the first 3 Stills albums, Songs For Beginners and Crosby, Stills and Nash, Deja Vu and CS&N. Crosby does not hold my attention for long.

 

Picca...where you been? Haven't seen that avatar in forever

 

what I can remember off the top of my head is Word Games and Change Partners and not a thing else. My impression from memory is that it was not a great album at all. If Manassas is indulgent by the way then I'm fine with him indulging in whatever it took to get that masterpiece out of him, and Down The Road is awesome anyone who denies it is a fraud and a charlatan!

 

I've been from Tucson to Tucumcari
Tehachapi to Tonapah

 

To paraphrase John Lennon (in regard to George Martin), "I'd like to hear some of Robert Christgau's music, please, y'know, just play me some!"

If you like Down The Road, you'll love Manassas.

I would agree. There's nothing wrong with the first two records but they are way too overproduced IMO. Stills is more restrained and low key.

 

Stephen Stills, Stills 2, Manassas, Stills - all essential imho. Down The Road is good and Illegal Stills has its merits too.

Coming up with creative album titles wasn't his thing clearly...

 

I do not understand how or why a RESPECTABLE reviewer would ever let their opinion about the artist as a person influence their review of that person's work. If a notorious serial killer puts out a great album, does that make the album any less great?

 

I love the photo inside where he's in the mountain. Would have made a great cover.

 

It lacks a hit singe but it's a more cohesive record than the first album and Bluebird Revisited is one of his strongest achievements.

 

change partners was a huge single

 

It's certainly unprofessional and lazy, but that used to be okay. Music journalism (in print) has improved imo. It's hard to understand why Christgau is so revered, must be simply because he was one of the first rock critics .

 

I stopped bothering with Mojo after reading a Little Feat review that focused more on Lowell George's waistline than his music.

 

You've been willin', to be movin'!

 

Someone (I forget who) once asserted that Stills' Right By You was THE ONLY good CSNY solo album released in the 80s.

Yes: that was what they said.