Customer Reviews

Deja Vu

5 star:		(120)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

"Deja Vu" is a timeless masterpiece of classic rock! It's the crowning achievement of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young (CSN&Y), arguably one of the greatest rock bands of all time. Much of their fame and durability over the past 30 years can be traced to this album, which was originally released on vinyl in 1970. It contains some of their most outstanding and famous songs, including the rock anthems "Carry On" and "Woodstock," David Crosby's tongue-in-cheek "Almost Cut My Hair," Stephen Stills' forlorn ballad "4 + 20," and the personal favorite of both my wife and me: "Our House." Every song shows CSN&Y's tremendous dynamism, versatility and musical maturity. Superbly intelligent lyrics, great guitar riffs (especially Greg Reeves' bass riff in the song "Deja Vu"), beautifully crafted harmonies, and Dallas Taylor's sizzling percussion all converge to make every song on this digitally remastered CD a rock masterpiece.

"Deja Vu" is one of the landmark albums of all time. It's also one of my personal favorites, and an essential CD, not only for fans of CSN&Y, but for all fans of rock and roll music.

This album has been part of the fabric of my life for thirty years now. Few records are quite so perfect from beginning to end as this one. It has what I believe are some the best songs ever written by these artists--Stephen's triumphant "Carry On", and his anguished and poignant "4&20"; Graham's lovely "Teach Your Children" and "Our House", David's "Almost Cut My Hair" (a signature tune if there ever was one) and the wonderfully trippy "Deja Vu"; Neil's near-operatic "Country Girl" and the exquisite "Helpless", one of the most heartbreakingly beautiful pieces of popular music ever. . .But DEJA VU doesn't stop with the songs. The sublime moments are seemingly endless--the guitar duelling on "Woodstock", the majestic climax to "Country Girl", the hazy, scatty intro to the title track, Jerry Garcia's wistful steel guitar on "Teach Your Children". . .and of course the gorgeous harmonies throughout. Man oh man, has this music enriched my life, and it will continue to do so for as long as I draw breath. . .and hopefully beyond.

Deja Vu is CSN's best album. A big reason of this is Neil Young. CSN were great together, but when they joined with Young, the possibilities were endless. This album shows that. Crosby wrote two great songs on the album; Almost Cut My Hair and Deja Vu. Graham Nash also wrote some great songs, including one of the best songs they ever did, Teach Your Children, and also Our House. Stills and Young really shine on this album, collaborating on the great Everybody I Love You. Individually, Stills wrote such classics as Carry On and 4 + 20. Young wrote Country Girl, which is a great song, but Helpless may just top the album as the best song on it. With these four incredible songwriters on one album, how did they ever find room for Joni Mitchell's Woodstock? I don't know, but I'm glad they did, because it is a great song. This album is very essential to any fan of any of the four artists.

From the very beginning of their fateful collaboration, it was clear that this was to be the first of the new super-groups, composed of discontented refugees who either quit or were bounced from monster groups like the Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, and the Hollies. When after an initial success with a first album the group decided to add Still's former partner in crime from the Buffalo Springfield group Neil young to the line-up, the strange witches brew of creative energy and talent that resulted exploded onto the contemporary rock scene at Woodstock to an amazed audience with such power and originality. Of course, this number one album was the first result of their original collaboration, and it shot to the top of the charts, where it remained for years!

This album is full of smash hits and breath-taking sounds, from the opening "Carry On" to the elegiac "Teach Your Children" to the faux-comical "Almost Cut My Hair". They don't make a single false step here, in what was then acclaimed to be the first technically "perfect" studio album. Indeed, everything is seemingly perfect, from the plaintive sounds of Young's piercing falsetto in "Helpless" to Nash's masterfully gentle ballad "Our House". Of course, their masterpiece on this album is the epic tribute to "Woodstock", a cover of Joni Mitchell's song that they rushed to include on the album after hearing her sing it to them on the phone right after the Woodstock festival, which she couldn't get to because of the traffic. To see how well they transformed her folksy dirge into a rock classic is to understand their native talents and interpretive skills. Everything here is terrific, and my own favorites of "4 and 20" and "Everybody I Love You" are less played and appreciated than most of the other hits emanating from this classic album. This is one of the ten best albums from the sixties, and one everyone who calls himself (or herself) a rock fan must own and have on the shelf. Enjoy!

From the ouset of their star-crossed collaboration, it was clear that this was to be the best of the new super-groups, composed of discontented refugees who either quit or were bounced from other monster groups like the Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, and the Hollies. When after an initial success with a first album the group decided to add Still's former partner in crime from the Buffalo Springfield group Neil Young to the line-up, the strange witches brew of creative energy and talent that resulted exploded onto the contemporary rock scene at Woodstock to an amazed audience with such power and originality. Of course, this number one album was the first result of their original collaboration, and it shot to the top of the charts, where it remained for years!

This album is full of smash hits and breath-taking sounds, from the opening "Carry On" to the elegiac "Teach Your Children" to the faux-comical "Almost Cut My Hair". They don't make a single false step here, in what was then acclaimed to be the first technically "perfect" studio album. Indeed, everything is seemingly perfect, from the plaintive sounds of Young's piercing falsetto in "Helpless" to Nash's masterfully gentle ballad "Our House". Of course, their masterpiece on this album is the epic tribute to "Woodstock", a cover of Joni Mitchell's song that they rushed to include on the album after hearing her sing it to them on the phone right after the Woodstock festival, which she couldn't get to because of the traffic.

To see how well they transformed her folksy dirge into a rock classic is to understand their native talents and interpretive skills. Everything here is terrific, and my own favorites of "4 and 20" and "Everybody I Love You" are less played and appreciated than most of the other hits emanating from this classic album. This is easily one of the ten best albums from the sixties, and one everyone who calls himself (or herself) a rock fan must own and have on the shelf. In my humble opinion it is the single best effort from that era. Enjoy!

I just purchased this cd because records are no longer used in our house. The turn tables are all broken and the records are just collecting dust. This was an old album I bought in the late 70's And played it all the time. The songs are all great,every one a masterpiece no question. I put in the new cd and what I got was a HUGE letdown. The sound is flat, compressed and lacks dynamics. This is a bad sounding disk, it is no comparison to the crisp, bright and dynamic sounding record. Thinking it could just be my imagination I called a friend mine who still uses a record player and he let me bring the album and cd over just to see what the comparison would sound like. There was no comparison. The cd says "remastered", that is a joke. Atlantic records did a terrible job in reproducing the sound. The record had a much better seperation of instruments. It had a more sensitive reading. All in all the cd just kinda lays there. Great songs lousy sound quality. The record did have pops and static like sound,( which all do) but it just was more alive and a wide open clear sound the cd lacked all of those things.

O.K. So I embedded myself into the photo on the cover. O.K. So I got Chance (an indian guide in a former life) to help me find out where I was at. And, to my surprise, it was 1870 and I was in a hilly area of Wyoming. Wy, you may ask? But, in a larger sense, that is the very question we should ask C,S,N & Y. If we all have lived before -then wy? For mere monetary compensation your knowledgable Seer will answer you. If not, you have to suffer through this review. :)
I liken this group to a band of ex-patriot renegades (see cover) who, for whatever what reason, saw fit to escape former situations to create a new creative band. How or why they got together is anyone's guess. But it works in a more than substantial way and the vocals and music are more than a snug fit like pieces of a puzzle.
The songs here have a tendency to embed themselves into self-serving memory for some reason. Perhaps it's the artists; perhaps it's the songs, perhaps it's the harmonies, perhaps it's the production. Then again, maybe, perhaps it's everything.
Even in the slower and more somber tunes, there is something here that awakens you - leads you on to some type of discovery. Whether it be inner or outer is your own choice. But realization of yourself and your world is a never ending process. Maybe we would all be better in Wyoming at a simpler, less complicated time. But, here we are. And we have no choice except to learn and evolve - or else, in the next life, this one will be the Deja Vu.
We begin with "Carry On" which borrows lyrics from Still's "Questions" that was on the last Buffalo Springfield album. On this he expands into a galloped beat with pronounced ensemble singing. Also a change in tempo. In a sense, the message is pronounced (as later in the Joni Mitchell song "Woodstock") that life is for learning. A call to carry on and learn.
The seemingly simple country slide guitar ode of Nash's "Teach Your Children" carries with it the underlying motif of understanding by shifting your perspective. In this case, older and younger generations. It's easy to discount others in which there is no reward. Better yet to take the effort to truly "see". The blessings are well worth the chance.
Crosby's "Almost Cut My Hair" with it's lazy walk riff poses questions within the self. Justifying inner decisions as opposed to whatever out there wants to decide for you. An amazing stream-of-conciousness tune. Or maybe drugs. With Crosby it's always a flip of the coin. What is next is one of the most glorious tunes on the album. "Helpless" conveys the awe and magnitude of the Canadian countryside that Neil knows. Nature in itself is a force beyond human comprhension or control, and in this we are all helpless.
"Woodstock" rocks righteously. And it is a call of a generation. It is also a song of moving forward with a clensing. We have all fallen- but we are golden and have to get ourselves back to the garden. Again- a moving on.
"Deja Vu", with Crosby's outerworldly guitar chords and ethereal meters beckon further examination of the world. "Do you know? Don't you wonder". The construction on this song never ceases to amaze your favorite Seer. Maybe I could have written this in a former life. O.K. - I won't go there.
"Our House" is Nash's ode to domestic bliss. Nothing exceptional but oh so addictive. That tune is just so incredibly pleasant. This must be what the afterworld is like! "4 + 20" finds Still's still aching about a lost love. Simple but effective acoustic guitar on this. Still, the dismay and depression of heartache is one of the most deeply confessional tunes I've heard. The ways of the world are sometimes wicked and cruel. Sometimes we create those ways.
Again, Neil Young shines bright with the trilogy of "Country Girl". Amazing, lush, and inventive changes in structure. This could not have been an easy tune to pull off. But, with musicians this talented anything is possible. "Too late to keep the change, too late to pay". Neil always throws these dilemmas in his tunes (see my review on "Everybody Knows this is Nowhere). Neil is consummate conveyor of enigmas within the soul. His own as well as others. Brilliant.
"Everybody I Love You" closes out this rock classic. A call to open up and let love through - even to one's self. Your "heart is an anchor" and "you expect for me to love you when you hate yourself my friend". With C,S,N & Y somehow, underneath it all, is a call to freedom and movement towards the dawn- the dawn of realization.
Well - that's it. I made you suffer through another review. Did you like it or did you need novacaine? I'm leaving Wyoming now. Being pelted with pinecones is not Metamorpho's cup of tea. No.
If you like wonderous harmonies, creative effort, and a classic from a magical bygone age - this is definitely a treat and essential to any rock collection.

A star in a bar --- your Metamorpho

The addition of Neil Young to the already stellar trio of Crosby, Stills, and Nash produced an album of incredibly well-crafted songs. Stills' amazing talent on the guitar is bolstered by his interplay with Young, and as usual the group's vocal blend is amazing. Stills' album opener, "Carry On," which began life as two seperate songs, is my favorite track on the album, along with their cover of Joni Mitchell's "Woodstock." Crosby's title cut is wonderful, as are Nash's two songs, "Teach Your Children" and "Our House." Stills' short but sweet "4+20" (reminiscent of earlier CSN songs such as "Helplessly Hoping") showcases Stephen's great voice, and Young's "Helpless" and "Country Girl" suite are great additions to the album. If you're new to CSN(Y), get this album! One of the best there is!

Back when I was in high school, Deja Vu was one of the most popular albums with kids who were of a counter-culture bent. But it was also an album, due to the presence of the Graham Nash contributions Our House and Teach Your Children, that kids could play loudly at home without parents shouting at them to "turn that g#*d*#* noise down!". While the band's eponymous debut (sans Neil Young) brought them fame and fortune, it was Deja Vu that had such broad appeal that it became the musical portrait of a generation.
Admittedly, my vinyl copy of Deja Vu had been gathering dust for years as I have so much other music I had nearly forgotten CSNY. But recently, I saw this on sale at a bargain price in Costco and snapped it up after remembering how much I used to enjoy it as a kid. Well, I tell you, one listen brings the old days back to life. The industry reviewer says that songs like Almost Cut My Hair are dated, but I say they still sound as good today as when I first heard them.
Though the entire album is highly enjoyable, my favorites are: the stirring Carry On, the country-rock Teach Your Children, the anthemic Almost Cut My Hair, the evocative Our House, the plaintive 4 + 20, and the glorious Country Girl. Everytime I put this on, visions of old times and places flash though my mind.
Note that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and some other organization have chosen Deja Vu as one of 200 albums that should be in everyone's collection. I've seen that list and my stomach churns as I read it. But I was pleased to note that the compilers got roughly one out of ten right and this album is definitely one of those few. Obviously, if you are checking this CD out on the listings here you must have some familiarity with it. So if you have not gotten this remastered version of Deja Vu yet, the time to do so is now. You'll never be sorry you did.

The first album to have Neil Young in the line-up, which changes the atmosphere of the group considerably compared with the first album. CSNY arguably reached its creative peak after Deja Vu with Ohio/Find the Cost of Freedom, which had Young in the mix.... although it isn't included here.

It is a bit misleading on his contributions to the group, as there are few "CSNY" cuts with all four of them actually present. Songs such as "Woodstock" & "Almost Cut My Hair" is vintage CSNY, with harmonies & dual guitars of Stills & Young. But on songs such as "Carry On" & "Our House", Young supposedly wasn't even there for the session.

Each member contributes strong material, & each of them shine when given the opportunity. Around this time, the most accomplished member might've been Stephen Stills. His talents EXPLODE during the late 60's & early 70's.

It's unfortunate that innner squabbles forced these guys to waste valuable time making music together. This album may seem as though it hasn't aged too well, but in the age of the Hippie Dream, the Vietnam War, & Woodstock, this is arguably THE album. And hey, don't we all need to "find the cost of freedom" again... after 9/11?