Customer Reviews

Buffalo Springfield (Reis)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Buffalo Springfield was neither the first vehicle for nor the first group to record and release works by founding members Richie Furay, Stephen Stills, and Neil Young. Rather, it was a sounding board and a starting point for a new direction in rock and the beginning of stardom for its aforementioned members (and even later, Jim Messina of Loggins and Messina fame). Stephen Stills would emerge as the group's main songwriter but, as with Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, he would soon be surpassed for quality of work by peer and colleague Neil Young. The dynamics between the two are simultaneously famous and infamous, yet the mutual admiration and inspiration is evident on this and all future Stills-Young projects.

Emerging at a time when The Beatles had led the British rock brigade into America, and the US had replied with the Dylan-inspired folk rock of The Byrds and The Mamas and The Papas, The Buffalo Springfield would introduce more of a country flavor to the spectrum (a la The Band, latter-day Byrds, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and The Flying Burrito Brothers). Like The Band, Springfield would include both Americans and Canadians, just as CSNY would add an Englishman and former Hollie to the mix. Not necessarily making this a melting pot, it does bring to the fore different cultural elements and an innovative blend of ideas.

This release serves as an appropriate crash course to the form, both in its advantages and disadvantages, and as an excellent introduction to the musical careers of Stephen Stills and Neil Young (Furay's light not shining quite as brightly even though he would achieve some standard of success with Poco). As the saying goes, "the best is yet to come!"

Now, this is the type of reissue I'd like to see more of. The album is presented in the mono and stereo mixes, with the first version of the album (featuring "Baby Don't Scold Me," an unremarkable but fine track) being the mono version and the second version (featuring "For What It's Worth" instead of "Baby Don't Scold Me"). This album is mostly notable for some of Neil Young's earliest songwriting, including the well-known classic "Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing." Well worth it for diehard Springfield fans, but casual fans and the curious might prefer the older, stereo-only CD, if only because it's cheaper.

1966 was a great year for music. The Beatles were in top form, Hendrix was recording his first album, and The Doors were getting thrown out of bars due to Morrison's lyrics. In the middle of it all was a conglomeration of future stars who recorded one of the finest albums of all time. BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD is one great debut album, and is rooted in folk. Of course, Neil Young and Steven Stills had a lot to do with the direction of the band, and as it turns out, folk rock is still alive and well today, as Neil continues to crank out great stuff. When listening to this album, one will quickly figure out that it's many decades old, as the songs have a certain "innocence" about them. Simply put, the year was 1966, and simple tunes (and not long ones, either) were the norm, and were a reflection of rock still in its testy phase. This album has withstood the test of time because of its style. It has Beatles' parallels, but with acoustic guitars and harmonicas. Of course, the song, FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH is a true classic, but there are several other songs that really resonate with me, and they are: GO AND SAY GOODBYE, NOWADAYS CLANCY CAN'T EVEN SING, BURNED, and FLYING ON THE GROUND IS WRONG. Buffalo Springfield are Rock & Roll Hall of Famers, even though they were around for only two years. Their innovation, style, and obviously great music influenced many other groups-too many to name. 10/10

Tinny production and the band's own tentativeness mar this set. That said, there are several very fine moments--Neil's "Out of My Mind," "Burned" and especially "Flying on the Ground Is Wrong" are light years beyond his band mates' contributions on the original (mono) portion of the set. That's not to negate the other songs, mind you, but ... there's good and then there's **good**. As if taking the bait, Stephen Stills' "For What It's Worth"--added after it became a hit, and included in the "stereo" portion here--is as perfect a "protest" song ever recorded, transcending its origins (the Sunset Strip riots) by never saying what, exactly, is going down. Of note, the mono set restores the much-bootlegged "Baby Don't Scold Me" to its proper place (it was dropped in favor of "For What It's Worth" after that single became a hit).

It is amazeing to hear the comments and various reviews of Buffalo Springfield's first record. The record shows an abilty by the groups collective membership to create a totally new sound for the times,circa mid 1960's. The emergence of Folk Rock in the form of introspective songwriteing,intricate guitar interplay, and mystical harmonies. This their first record, demonstrates the wonderful collective contributions made by it's members. This band was working great together to blend it's different personalities, songwriteing talents,guitar styles and voices, into a new and sprited sound. Ever try to get three gutar players together and not get in each others way ? Hard to do,yet Buffalo Springfileld does it with an amazeing dexterity.

The forces in this band are powerful, unfortunately the producers of this album were not sufficient to the task. Even with the poor production. still, the sounds of the bands elements are truely creative.

Richie Furay, was the front man and seems to be the glue that holds much of it together on this record. Steve Stills, an amazeing guitar player with a truely soulful voice, writes what was the big hit, For What it's worth, proveing that he is a force to be reckoned with. He and Ritchie work so well together on this record. Then there is Neil Young, his voice, his song writeing, his frantic guitar solos, truely amazeing.

I always love the first attempt of any bands recordings, you can see where the roots are.
Buffalo Springfield really has a great collective gell,I would have loved to have heard the Band play live in the beginning. By the time Buffalo Springfiled Again was recorded,the Band had expanded in Fantastic ways, but this record,their first,if you listen closely,will show you why the Band and its memebers became legendary.

This album is often misunderstood because of the time it was released. Buffalo Springfield was released in late 1966 and is caught bewteen the folk rock and psychedelic eras. When listening to this album now reviewers expect fire works in line with Bluebird or Mr. Soul and dismiss the modest charms throughout Buffalo Springfield. This album is similar to the Byrd's first 3 albums or the Beau Brummels From The Vaults which is also an excellent mid 60's folk rock album. There is not a weak cut on this album which display great tunes and wonderful harmonies throughout. Go And Say Goodbye is classic mid to late 60's country rock that has that hard charging sound that made Buffalo Springfield so successful. Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing and Flying On The Ground Is Wrong are two exquisite folk rock ballads which I believe Neil Young wrote. Everyone's Wrong and Baby Don't Scold Me are both excellent hard rock tunes that seem to veer towards psychedelia. In addition, the downer rock of Out Of My Mind and Burned are also pretty great. This is a great, underrated debut that is brimming with many ideas and tight musical energy.

It's interesting to hear the mono mix the group did with this first album. Even on a cheap CD player the sound is rich and well-blended. The CD does include ``Baby Don't Scold Me,'' contrary to Aizlewood's puzzling review for Amazon, and while it's a good enough song it's easy to see why it was the one sacrificed. It repeats other elements of the album. The extra photos are a hoot. Sort of psychedelic/thrift shop on impossibly young-looking band members.

I can live without the gimmick of mono and stereo versions of all the songs, but what great songs there are here, with Stephen Stills and Neil Young collaborating in their pre CSNY days. For What It's Worth is one of the great protest songs of all time, I Am a Child is a beautiful ballad, Bluebird is clearly the precursor to Stills' later Suite Judy Blue Eyes, Broken Arrow is a weirdly beautiful Neil Young song, Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing is absolutely haunting and in my opinion the great unknown treasure from the album, and the list goes on and on. Anyone who likes Crosby Stills and Nash with or without Young will love this album.

Great CD, company sent another item, but gave immediate reply, immediate refund and even a prepaid shipping label for the return. I call that a good seller. Thank you

Curiously, the original stereo version of "Baby Don't Scold Me" has never been included in a CD issue. It was available on the first stereo vinyl LP issue in 1966, but only the mono version of the track is here and on the box set. Curious!