Customer Reviews

Crazy Horse

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This hard-rocking little gem features a supergroup of sidemen working at a high level of skill and passion. Crazy Horse is Neil Young's backup group--the original group, which was comprised of Danny Whitten on guitar, Billy Talbot on bass, and Ralph Molina on drums. For this album, however, they added three significant ringers: Nils Lofgren, who had played on Neil's "After the Goldrush" album, and would eventually have a solo career before joining Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band; Ry Cooder, the famed slide guitarist who played with the Rolling Stones, John Hiatt, Randy Newman, Ravi Shanker and the Buena Vista Social Club; and Jack Nitzche, who (among other things) was an arranger for Phil Spector, had his own hit in the early 60s with the lushly orchestrated "Lonely Surfer," and helped Neil Young assemble two of his greatest Buffalo Springfield tunes, "Broken Arrow" and "Expecting to Fly."

Shortly after this album came out, Danny Whitten died of a drug/alcohol reaction--one of the two premature deaths documented on Young's "Tonight's the Night." The degrees of separation, ranging from the early 60s girl groups to "The Rising," span much of U.S. rock and roll history--which all seems to come together in one place, on this unassuming little album full of deceptively simple, great tunes.

It opens with a churning version of an obscure Randy Newman song, "Gone Dead Train," that sturdily rocks you toward the one Neil Young cover, "Dance Dance Dance," a countrified song that features the fiddler Byron Berline. The first of several Whitten originals, "Look at All the Things," establishes his primary mode--simple tales of heartache. I can't figure out why I like his songwriting so much. It's simple stuff, but it holds up, and works well in a rock band context. "Look at All the Things," for example, has a very cool vocal arrangement that has a Mozart-like echoing effect. After a Nils Lofgen tune, the psychedelic "Beggars Day," another Whitten song appears, the classic "I Don't Want to Talk About it." This tune, played here with Cooder's slide guitar accompanying the lovely little acoustic rhythm figure, is vivid and emotionally delicate. As you may recognize, this is the original version of a tune that Rod Stewart covered some years later with much success. Crazy Horse's version, however, is better.

It's followed by "Downtown," a song that appears to be about scoring drugs. In what was meant to be an ominous gesture, Young put a version of the same song on "Tonight's the Night." But on this album, it sounds like an anthem of joy: "Come on baby let's go downtown, let's go let's go let's go downtown/ Come on baby, let me turn you around now, turn you turn you turn you around!"

Of the remaining songs, "Carolay" is a highlight--the connection with Phil Spector made explicitly with the urgent piano opening that sounds like a flipped-over version of "Doo Doo Ron Ron." I also love the bluesy "Crow Jane Lady," the one song written and performed by Nitzche--a weird but enjoyable finale.

At the time he died, Whitten was mourned more as a tragic life cut short by substance abuse, and not so much as an artist of consequence whose work would be missed. This album was in my collection as an LP back then, mostly because I was a Neil Young fan. I liked it a lot, but when I converted to CDs, it never occured to me it would be re-released. But here it is, it's really great, it's rock history that also packs a very enjoyable punch. And, with the passage of time, you realize that the world is indeed a poorer place for the loss of Danny Whitten, the songwriter who gave us "I Don't Want to Talk About it," "Downtown" and "Carolay." As the years since then have shown, there is nothing easy about writing a great rock song.

Danny Whitten overdosed in 1972, shortly after failing to be sober enough to tour with Neil Young. The loss of Whitten almost certainly put Young in the darkness for several years. What a loss! This album boasts four outstanding Whitten compositions and several more strong vocals. The effect of the record is somewhere between late sixties Rolling Stones and the most disturbed sixties Neil Young. This may be due in part to the presence of Stones session man and Buffalo Springfield producer Jack Nitzsche on piano (and production). In addition to the Horse and Nitzsche there are two fabulous young guitar players, Nils Lofgren and Ry Cooder. Not to be missed and very comparable to Neil Young's contemporary offering 'After the Goldrush'.

Really about 4 1/2 stars, but I would rather risk over-rating than under-rating this by even a bit. Great little album by Neil Young's backing group. Really essential too, not only for Neil fans but early 70's fans. Nils Lofgren, Neil's piano man on "Southern Man" is here in the mix too as the fifth member, but not always properly credited as so. Lofgren's version of "Beggar's Day" is superior here to remake on solo years later, so you Nils fans also should have a look into this. People who love Robbie Robertson & The Band, some Grateful Dead fans who fell in love with them first and foremostly for a pair of albums in the year 1970 likely also find this Crazy Horse album of country/folk/rock appealing. Yes, indeedy, a tasty, tasty offering eschewing the goody-goodiness of the likes of Poco or CSN. Closer to hippy life in the country than any of them; dark shadows as well as good times; deeper without being weighted down. Good times and hard times, "A drunkard's dream" if ever to be believed, get your hog heaven right here, those of you who know what I'm getting at. Moments of exhilarating fun, moments to give pause. "I Don't Want To Talk About It", a Danny Whitten song here later covered by Rod The Mod, intrigingly worth a listen in its authoritative version as well, especially in the retrospective light of the subsequent tragedy of his short life.

It's a shame more people don't know about this album, a nearly forgotten treasure recorded in late 1970. Other reviewers on this site describe it well, so I won't add much detail, except to say that Carolay is a fantastic track with almost a Phil Specter-like sound and a very catchy melody. Had it been released as a single, it would have had top-10 potential. You never hear this song, or any of the songs here, on the radio today, which is too bad because they're better than most of the garbage that passes for classic rock on so many stations.

Many of the album's other songs are also memorable and enjoyable, and the guitars sound wonderful. I give the album four stars rather than five because a couple tracks aren't quite as good as the rest, but these don't detract much from the overall package.

It's a shame that lead singer and guitarist Danny Whitten destroyed himself with heroin (he died at age 29 about a year after the album was released). Whitten, a former singing and guitar partner of Neil Young's (listen to Young's Everybody Knows This is Nowhere album from 1969 to hear how well the two sang and played together), had a fine voice, played a fantastic guitar and most significantly, possessed tremendous song-writing ability (I Don't Want To Talk About It, Downtown, Look At All the Things, etc.) that's really on display here. Had he lived, he might have become a big name in music. Young's Tonight's The Night album, released in 1975, was inspired by the life and tragic death of Whitten.

This is one of a handful of albums that came out at the turn of the decade--Sixties to Seventies--that remains as brilliant and powerful today as it was then. The beauty of it also serves to underscore the tragedy of bandleader Danny Whitten's death--he succumbed to a heroin overdose not long after this came out. Whitten was a great songwriter, a brilliantly rough-edged, soulful singer and a stinging guitarist who remains one of the great lost talents of the Sixties.

This is a truly BOSS album. The track 'Downtown' alone is worth the purchase. But it also features Nils Lofgren, a Neil Young tune 'Dance, Dance, Dance', Ry Cooder and Jack Nitzche.

It's very well put together and all of the songs are super. Some have actually been covered.A live version of 'Downtown' is on Neil Young's 'Tonight's the Night' album. Heck, even Rod Stewart covered 'I don't want to talk about it'.

But neither cover matches up to the originals on this album. And it doesn't matter if you're a Neil Young fan are not. Once you like good rock, you'll find this album taking up residence on that tape loop of your favourite songs inside your head.

Truly an overlooked, underrated gem of a recording. Hopefully this review will help bring this album the attention it deserves. Buy it.

Crazy Horse achieve a sinister, gritty edginess with this album -- perhaps in part because Jack Nietsche (who worked on several Stones albums in the sixties) took part in the recording. They do a great slow-grind version of Gone Dead Train by Randy Newman (whose equally good pumped-up version appears on the Performance soundtrack along with Jagger's Memo From Turner). Each song is distinct and memorable and affecting. Danny Whitten was a terrible loss.

A classic album throughout.I'd go into the background , but it has been covered quite thoroghly in the previous reviews. It starts with "Gone Dead Train",a balls-out rocker that grabs from the get go. George Thorogood redid this song years later and did the Horse proud.Another rocker "Dirty , Dirty" and "Downtown" show that this band can kick. Sounds a little like The Grease Band. And then , out of left field , comes "I Don't Want To Talk About It" , one of the most achingly beautiful heartbreak songs I've ever heard. Aside from the aforementioned Rod Stewart remake , the Indigo Girls also cut a credible version. Ry Cooder shines throughout. Nils weighs in with "Beggars Day" and "Dance,Dance,Dance" is a reworked "Love Is A Rose" or perhaps an earlier incarnation. Simply marvelous throughout , this is the reason Neil has stuck with this band through thick and thin. This is the American Gothic of rock 'n' roll. Simple , heartfelt and genuine.

This has got to be one of the most underrated albums of all time. it is an excellant debut from what could of been one of
biggest bands of the 70's. I think they could of been as big as
the eagles. they had danny whitten, (a gifted songwriter),
nils lofgren(a excellant guitarist and good songwrter), jack
nitzsche (who could write and was a good producer), billy talbot
and ralph molina( a good rock rhythm section). as well as quests
like ry cooder. The album was recorded in late 1970 and released in early 1971. by then danny whitten was deep into
heroin, and it all fell apart as the band could not tour without whitten. the album is full of excellant songs, especially whittens I don't want to talk about it and downtown.
(a live version later appeared on neil youngs tonights the night. but it was recorded at a april 1970 concert of neil young & crazy horses at the fillmore east, and features danny
whitten on lead vocals). nils lofgrens beggars day is also very
good, as well as nitzsches gone dead train. As good a debut as
you'll find. should be in everyones collection

I've always been a big Neil Young fan but it wasn't until a few years ago that I started purchasing Crazy Horse cds. This turned out to be my first and favorite Crazy Horse purchase. It's just a tight rock and roll album with some very good songwriting and playing. "Look At All The Things" is a hauntingly beautiful piece of work and is my favorite song on the cd. Other highlights include "Downtown", "Dance, Dance, Dance" and "Beggar's Day (covered by Nazereth on Hair of the Dog!). Danny Whitten would succumb to a drug/alcohol overdose after the conclusion of this album and was part of the inspiration for Neil Young's "Tonight's the Night" effort. Whitten was a multi- talented musician and song writer and as the case of many young musicians fell by the wayside and halted his life at a young age due to drug and alcohol abuse. We will never know how far Whitten could have gone in his musical career. Crazy Horse were able to step out of Neil Young's shadow on this cd and create heartfelt and meaningful music on their own. A good investment.