Customer Reviews

After the Storm

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I like this CD! While it is not as good as their early stuff, I think it is better than anything they released in the 80's and 90's. My favorite song is "It Won't Go Away"; while it is typical preachy Stills, it has a great hook to it. Not sure why it didn't get some airplay on classic rock stations. "Find A Dream" and "These Empty Days" recaptures the classic CSN harmonies of old. "Street To Lean On" while it is also preachy may be Crosby's best work since "Almost Cut My Hair". If you are a CSN fan I think you will enjoy this set.

"After The Storm" is a very average CSN album. The songwriting and performances are all good, but they do not match up with the best stuff these guys have done. There is not much that really stands out here and not much that really sticks with the listener. The high points are few, with David Crosby's "Camera" being the best cut on the album. Stephen Still's guitar playing is another bright spot and he really lights it up on several of the tracks. Overall this is not a bad disc, but far from essential.

A good solid album fron CSN.A little spotty at times,But overall this album features some of their best work in years,especially song's like.It won'tgo away,camera,find a dream,and these empty days.Despite a couple weak song's it's definatly an encouraging boost from the album live it up.

I saw these guys play a couple of these tunes live before this record came out. Stills did a ripping, inspired version of "It Won't Go Away" on acoustic guitar that clearly had the audience as surprised as it was pleased -- Old Steve still had it in him! Nash and Crosby did "Unequal Love" and "After the Storm" at Carnegie Hall in '93, and they were sublime. Unfortunately, this album doesn't capture the wonder of those live performances, and we're left with another mediocre outing from these three. I agree with the guy below who says they should just bag the heavy production, get out their guitars and sing some good songs.

I have almost all the recordings from CSN,CN,CSNY and this is a very good effort from these legendary musicians. True it is not their best but I think anyone who has enjoyed their misic over the years will agree this is a very good CD. Especially enjoyed
the songs by David Crosby and Graham Nash. It is definately
enjoyable music.

"After the Storm" is really a monumental LP. Not because of its overall strength, but because it is the LP that severed CSN from Atlantic Records. On its 25th year on being with Atlantic, CSN released this album. Atlantic's limited promotion (and conspicuously absent vinyl release of this LP) caused the band to leave.

Amazingly, this LP is better than "Looking Forward". Sadly, though, what sells -- sells.

A step down from "American Dream", "After the Storm" succedes on many levels. A new team spirit helps CSN greatly. On the first side, Graham's "Find A Dream" shines. It is his allowance, however, of Stills' "Big White Guitar" that gives the song life. "Camera" is David and Stephen trading lines and riffs that we haven't seen since "Wooden Ships".

The second half of side one is just as strong. "Unequal Love" is as good as anything on CSN's self titled debut. Stephen's big guitar is as good as Graham's singing/songwriting/harmonica. It's another in a line of Graham tunes that imitate Neil's stomping rhytm quality. But, letting Stephen back in does a ton for this band. Crosby gives CSN "'Till it Shines", from his near classic "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" LP. And, it's a good thing. Stills gives it new life. It's too bad, though, that Stephen's songwriting has gone so far away. "It Won't Go Away" is better live at Woodstock '94 only because it's an excuse for a guitar solo.

The second side, however, is not as good. Although Stills is front and center on "These Empty Days", it's not his song. This song is actually borne out of the magical partnership of David and Graham. Not much on the first half of the second side equals the first. Stills' reading of Lennon/McCartney's "In My Life" is perfunctory at best. "Street to Lean On" is a good Crosby groove, but is made great by Michale Hedges' acoustic duel with Stills' electric. That's, after all, what Stills still brings to this band in the 1990s.

The second half of side two is one of the highlights of this album. The title track "After the Storm" involkes memories of CSN day of the past. It's just right.

Like with any CSN, "After the Storm" is filled with strenths and weaknesses. Maybe that's what makes this band so intriguing. The mulitple facets. We are filled with "good" and "bad" -- maybe so are they.

This album, despite one or two misfires, is excellent, easily CSN's second greatest album EVER! Crosby, particularly, is having a creative rebirth in recent years, and here are two of his best recent songs "Camera" and "Till It Shines." I refer you to the review Entertainment Weekly gave this. It really is awesome, folks. Shut off your radios and listen to something new for a change!

O.K., this is not one of the best pieces of work these guys ever did. But it's still pretty darn good. I've loved CS&N for over 35 years but admit they have definitely done some real crap stuff from time to time. "After the Storm" deserves some respect. There are a couple duds on the disk but only a couple. Over all, this is a very good piece of work.

I could possibly be in the junior division of the reviewers here. I wasn't around for the debut, Deja Vu, Woodstock. My parents were, and that is how I got my intro to CSN. My parents were there in Chicago, 1969, the night before they performed at Woodstock. Yes, I do own Crosby, Stills, and Nash, Deja Vu, 4 Way Street, and So Far on CD. Yes, I know how these guys are supposed to sound. Yes, I know, back in the late 60's and early 70's, these guys are the cream of the crop. The baby boomer generation has such fond memories of the music of their youth, not only by these guys, but by other bands at the time.
Having said all that, I thought this was a very good album. One or two stinkers, but you know what, every CSN or CSNY album I own has a stinker or two on it.
Basically, I think they grew up a little, and wanted to try something different that still sounded like CSN. In that respect, they succeeded. I mean, you can not see the name of the album and at note one you know what group it is. Yet they sound a little more...mature. David and Graham still sound great together here, the songwriting is above average, the music is good. What more do you want?
Songs like Deja Vu, Teach Your Children, Suite: Judy Blue Eyes...all great songs. But to expect them to follow that exact formula with every song, every album...it isn't fair. Let the boys branch out and try new sounds. Personally, I love it.

Hey, I love these guys but the feeling just ain't there on this one. Too few highlights to mention and the lack of even one solid keeper makes this CSN effort a dust collector in my CD rack.