Last Time Around

Buffalo Springfield

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 2, 1992)
• Original Release Date: 1968
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: East/West Records
• ASIN: B000002JKX
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #8,379 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
One of America's seminal 1960s rock bands, Buffalo Springfield's brief career yielded just three studio albums before its various members splintered into a variety of successful solo career and new group endeavors (including Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Poco, and Loggins & Messina). In fact, one of its chief architects bolted before this, their last album, was even completed. Fortunately for both the band and their fans, Neil Young left behind a pair of pop gems--the band showcase "On the Way Home" and the country-tinged "I Am a Child." Stephen Stills largely picked up the slack in Young's absence, penning a slate of tunes as ambitious as they were eclectic (his "Questions" here eventually evolving into CSNY's "Carry On"), while Richie Furay weighs in with three tunes, including the clear Poco precursor "Kind Woman." A bit more pop-oriented than its predecessor, the often haunting Buffalo Springfield Again, but nearly as memorable. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars they've come undone, February 19, 2004

By	running_man (Chesterfield Twp., MI) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Although bandmembers concede that Bruce Palmer was the glue that held the Buffalo Springfield together, functionally the band existed as a steppingstone in the development of Neil Young and Stephen Stills into mega-stars, and Richie Furay and Jim Messina into minor stars. So just how unglued had Buffalo Springfield become by the time 'Last Time Around' was released in July of 1968? Unglued enough to applique a portrait of Neil Young over a photo of the rest of the band looking in the opposite direction on the emblematic cover illustration. Neil would have his first solo album released within four months of this release, and Stephen Stills, the only remaining epoxy in the Springfield, would follow Neil by only a month to appear on the 'Super Session' recordings with Al Kooper and Mike Bloomfield. Even Richie Furay and Jim Messina would be aligned with Poco (originally named 'Pogo' until cartoonist Walt Kelley sued to protect the namesake of his progeny) within a year. Basically, it was over for Buffalo Springfield by the Spring of 1968 (and Palmer well before then)... which is a shame because they were such a unique and diverse band, and 'Last Time Around' evokes this stature.

Young only makes two contributions to the songlist, but they are stellar compositions that he has continued to perform throughout his career. The opener, 'On the Way Home' also appears on the Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young 'Four Way Street' LP, and 'I Am a Child' graces 1978's 'Live Rust' LP and the 'Rust Never Sleeps' film. Aside from a writing collaboration with Furay on 'It's So Hard To Wait', this was all Neil would muster for BS's swan song.

That left Stills and Furay to take up the slack, and both make admirable contributions. The standout is Stills 'Questions'. The song was later grafted by Stills onto CSNY's 'Carry On' for the 'Deja Vu' LP, but more importantly it previewed the folk-rock, singer-songwriter style Stills was honing. It is unquestionably (pun intended) one of his finest compositions, instrumentally bright and lyrically moving... Stills at his best.

Other Stills contributions include two songs which would later appear on his 1974 tour and 1975 'Stephen Stills Live' LP: 'Four Days Gone', which with the BS sounds more country, while the live version is more bluesy, and 'Special Care', which Stills turned into an obliterating tsunami of a finale in 'Live's electric set. While the BS version is certainly more restrained, it's enjoyable to hear the cleaner and more methodical (traits the band hated in their studio productions), studio version offered on 'Last Time Around'. 'Pretty Girl Why' has an appealing melody and chiming vibrato guitar work, and 'Uno Mundo' ("One World") introduces us to Stills' Latin influence, with a curious but entirely effective addition of a fuzzy, psychedelic lead guitar. Overall, 'Last Time Around' is a work dominated by Stills more than any other Springfield member.

Furay makes four contributions, the best of which is the melodic love ballad 'Kind Woman'. It's really a Pogo/Poco tune, recorded without Stills or Young in the studio. 'It's So Hard To Wait' is aptly named, moving so slowly one wonders if it will actually be stopping anytime soon, while 'Merry-Go-Round' offers a more bouncy, pop fare. 'The Hour of Not Quite Rain' is an interesting, seemingly experimental attempt at psychedelia, quite unique for Furay, and perhaps demonstrating the reach of Young's influence. While not groundbreaking, or even able to stand on their own, Furay's additions save the album from Palmer and Young's abandonment.

One last song is contributed by Jim Messina. 'Carefree Country Day' has it's own unique feel, light and unassuming in contrast to most of what Furay and Stills were serving up.

Six of the twelves songs on the disc check in between two and two and one-half minutes, and only one song (the closer, 'Kind Woman') exceeds four minutes, so quantitatively there isn't a lot of music to be had. The real appeal is in the overall mix... Buffalo Springfield was a truly eclectic band, and the classic work offered by Stills and Young, covering seven of the twelve compositions, debuts the artists ascent into the prime of their careers. It is an especially desirable album for fans of Stephen Stills.

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One I always come back to, September 23, 2000

By	"stenchy" (Champlin,, MN USA) - See all my reviews

I really don't care who was or was not in the studio when certain songs were recorded. I also don't care if Richie Furay was looking ahead to Poco, or Stills to his moving to the Lightweight Division with Crosby and Nash, or if Neil Young was contemplating his musical future with---Neil Young. I like this album, and I like it a lot.

It starts out with Young's classic On the Way Home, and ends with Furay's once in a career masterpiece Kind Woman. For me, in terms of "romance value", Kind Woman makes Johnie Matthis music sound like a John Phillips Souza march!. I also love Richie's mystical, enchanting Hour of not Quite Rain. Toss in Young's only other song I am a Child, and these two are well represented.

But 5 of the 12 songs are written and the lead sung by Steve Stills. Four Days Gone has been a tune that has remained fresh in my head for over 30 years. It is one of those hidden nuggets that few people know, but is a great work. It contains political overtones as does two more well-know Stills compositions, Special Care and Uno Mundo. I like the version of Questions far more on this album than on Crosby Still & Nash, but obviously I am not a big CSN(Y) fan.

Buffalo Springfield I feel was the strongest American responce to the "British Invasion", overshadowing The Byrds and Youngbloods. They were an amazing band who could remain powerful and even "heavy" while teetering on the brink of sounding bubblegum. Many have criticized their lack of a coherant style or sound, while others have praised them for their ability to be diverse. When you have three giant talents such as Furay,Young and Stills allowing eachother to share the writing and lead singing, you are bound to get a great deal of diversity. But I don't love their music for its diversity, but for its greatness. Of course when you do have three such talents in a group, all allowed to do their own thing, the music will be great but it won't last a long time. Three and out (with a mandatory best hits album), for the best American band of its time, and maybe for all time.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A glimpse of things to come, October 25, 1999

By A Customer

This final Springfield album was a jumping off point into the solo careers of Steve Stills and Neil Young. It also marked the debut of what was to become the country-rock group Poco. Though generally an average album overall, a few of the songs are outstanding. 'On The Way Home' and 'I Am A Child' are Neil Young masterpieces. Driven by Richie Furay's delectible lead vocal and a perfect horn arrangement, 'On The Way Home' has a great pop feel. 'I Am A Child' is just plain elegant - a simple arrangement, a lovely acoustic guitar and Neil's understated voice make you want to keep hitting the repeat button on your CD player. Still's 'Pretty Girl Why' is an example of his mastery of musical styles - a pretty song with excellent harmonies and a nice trade off of guitar licks from Neil and Steve. When you listen to 'Questions' you'll swear you've heard the song before. Well, you have - if you bought 'Deja Vu', Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young's first collaboration, Stills used the song as the second part of 'Carry On'. 'Kind Woman', a Richie Furay penned tune was actually the first Poco song. The song was performed by Furay, Jim Messina (the Springfield's new bass player)and Rusty Young (a pedal steel guitar player who was shipped in from Colorado for the session), these three went on to become the core of Poco - Stills and Young weren't even in the recording studio when the song was cut. The Springfield had already broken up prior to this album's release. As witnessed by this album, Furay, Stills and Young were already discovering their future musical directions.