Smelly Springfield
Overall Album Score: 8.1 out of 10 It's important to mention that my copy of this album is actually the 1967 reissue of it. Though Buffalo Springfield released this in 1966, they came out with a hit called "For What It's Worth," and so this album was reissued in 1967 with that track included, and a song called "Baby Don't Scold Me" was dropped. Now I'm going to mention that I could care less about this group. I like their music very much, but this stuff honestly doesn't move me. Fortunately, I don't believe you have to fan-worship an album in order to properly review it. This isn't going to be a universally positive review. In fact, unless the Wikipedia editors are lying, the band members themselves weren't unequivocally happy with this release. So I guess the inevitable Buffalo Springfield fan who will write me spirited flame letters disagree with their own heroes!!! Whether or not it was on the original pressing, "For What It's Worth" is the best song of the album without competition. Stephen Stills might not have actually wrote it for Vietnam War protesters, but that's who ended up with it. Well, the track was aimed toward that crowd anyway, and they liked it enough to apply it to that "greater cause." OK, there's the history lesson for you. I'm going to anger a few people when I say that Stephen Stills was the stronger songwriter of this group at this moment. Every one of these tracks were original compositions (possibly a bad idea, but full of merit), Stills definitely wrote most of the songs including "For What It's Worth," for what that's worth. And he also wrote the poppy and fun "Sit Down I Think I Love You." Of course, Neil Young fans know what they're talking about when they say that Young's compositions exhibit a certain charm --- the source of which cannot be attributed to anything other than being from Neil Young's mind. I understand why there are rabid Neil Young fans, and I sympathize. That's the same reason I'm a David Bowie fan. Now please leave me alone! And I really enjoy his composition "Flying on the Ground is Wrong" anyway. That's the nicest of his melodies on the album, but you're going to be stretching your mind to think that it's wholly original. The most interesting song of the album, however, is a Young composition. Yes, I'm talking about "Nowadays Clancy Can't Sing." I can't think of too many songs that switch time signatures from the verses to the chorus... Albeit it comes off as rocky and even misguided. He'll get better for sure. This is a sloppy and rather uneven album in the folk-rock vein, and there's some country flavoring sprinkled throughout. It's certainly worthwhile to note that this was one of the first bands to work on combining country music with rock 'n' roll. But then there's the argument that they didn't achieve this with any particular point in mind... I'll let the rock historians sort that out. What I care about is that Buffalo Springfield's debut album is a semi-inspired album with its fair share of memorable songs. It's worth warning the fan-worshipers to not go too far, because then you'd have to argue that The Byrds and The Mamas and the Papas weren't much better at this. Honestly, I don't think you're up to that challenge. Overall Album Score: 8.1 out of 10 (What a lovely album! Proto-country rock featuring an extremely young Neil Young and Stephen Stills in their humble beginnings... Fine songwriters, but it's only safe to say that it's up from here.) Average Song Score: 8.2 (This is solid music from a bunch of soon-to-be superstars.) Album Tilt: 8.0 (This is charming music through and through --- most notably, Neil Young's compositions seem enormously charming.) Artist Rating: 8.0 (They're not trying to push the envelopes, even though there's a legion of fans who say they are. Well, fans are freaks!!) Track Reviews For What It's Worth 9.5/10 It's hardly worth denying that this isn't a classic. Not that I would want to! The melody is instantly memorable and that's not because I used to hear it in those CD compilation commercials from the late '90s. The melody is great, and it gave something to those freaking hippies to whistle under their breath! This guitar is wonderful as well! Go and Say Goodbye 8.5/10 Hey, Buffalo Springfield likes The Byrds! Not that there's anything wrong with that. This is a nice enough imitation. The jangly guitar tones are done rather well although it's pretty obvious they weren't quite as skilled as that group. The arrangments just aren't as crystal clear or complex as The Byrds would have it. I really like the melody, though... It's pretty catchy. The country bumpkin undertones also gives this bit of a unique edge. Sit Down I Think I Love You 9/10 Here is another enjoyable song. The melody is entirely decent and even memorable. It's Beatles-esque, though it's not quite *that* catchy. The guitars are very nice --- particularly one twinkly guitar we hear in the background. It's hard to deny that this song isn't derivative, but who cares when it's so fun? (Oh, and these lyrics --- what are they about, L-O-V-E??) This is a great pop song. Yeah, that's right. POP. Who knows what was with that weird ending where Stills slowly drops the "you" off ... huh??? Yeah, that didn't really work, did it? Nowadays Clancy Can't Sing 8/10 Not too bad, though it's not that memorable. I really don't like the melody and I can't imagine anyone for a moment wanting to whistle it... Well, songwriter Neil Young will get better for sure! It goes back and forth between a 4/4 regular country-esque ditty and a herky-jerky 3/4 waltz. I mean, I guess the time signature change was an interesting idea. I just get the feeling that Young wasn't too sure what he wanted to do, but I can tell he wanted to do something other than ordinary cliches. That enormously simple harmonica line strikes me in particular. Yes, he's an inspired songwriter, but that's only mildly apparent here. Lucky he wasn't even sure enough about himself to be a lead singer ... Granted, I don't think a lot of people with a voice like that would be sure enough about themselves to be a singer. Hot Dusty Roads 8/10 A pretty boring pop number. It's pretty sloppy and nothing about it really compells me. Musically, this seems to be a slowed down version of a typical British Invasion song except with certain country-western undertones. It's nice that this was one of the original bands to combine country with rock, but --- I guess it's arguable if that was intentional or not. Everybody's Wrong 7/10 This doesn't do much for me to be honest. I like certain aspects of it --- the chord progression seems to be well-used, which is important because I don't think the melody is that great. I sort of respect it, but I'm yawning anyway. The Byrdsian guitars pale in comparison, but they're well-used here. Flying on the Ground is Wrong 9/10 The nicest thing about this track is that twinkly guitar we get to hear. I also like the melody although it's not particularly original --- and writer Neil Young isn't doing much original exploring with melody or chord progressions. But this thing has an undeniable charm and energy --- ah yes, there you are, Neil Young. Burned 7.5/10 Another Young composition. It's hardly worth arguing that this melody doesn't work wonders. This song reminds me of a cheesy old children's song, and I always question these songs... Again, everyone has to start somewhere, and this isn't bad. The melody is enjoyable in the sense that you can mildly nod your head to it and then not mind that you'll never hear it again ever in your life. If you think this is a great Neil Young song, then I must think you don't like him very much... Come on, I'm not even a fan... Do I Have to Come Right Out and Say it 8/10 This is a little boring, but I can take it. There's a certain atmosphere about it that I like. There's a lot of charm to it even though the melody's pretty bland. I guess it's no surprise that this is also an early Neil Young song. Leave 8/10 Much more guitar-heavy than the previous tracks, which I can appreciate. I'm not sure who's playing the guitar, but I suppose this band doesn't contain its fair share of guitar legends for no good reason. They do their rip-roaring solos the best they could back then! It's mostly show, but you can have fun when guitar players show off even without much discipline. I'm not a fan of the song itself though... It's just based on a generic R&B chord progression, and the melody isn't anything special. Out of My Mind 8/10 Again, there's another charming Neil Young song. But it isn't so special. The melody doesn't do anything for me. I wish it would, because I love good melodies above everything else, but I'm not going to lie to you! The instrumentation is rather sloppy, but again the charm sort of wins me over. It's the aspect that Neil Young can't actually make a sucky song, because he's Neil Young and nothing else. That doesn't automatically mean he always makes great songs....... And these are such early works anyway. It's not like I'm undervaluing "Cinnamon Girl." Pay the Price 8/10 An upbeat Byrdisan tune that's difficult to dislike. But I'm going to have to point to the frankly boring melody that really misses that boat. I like the energy of it at least. It's too easy for me to space out while it's playing, which is a quality I *never* like to hear... Groovy groovy e-mails here! |
All reviews are copyrighted by the author, Michael Lawrence. What sound does a buffalo make? BLueuuuuuuuuuughhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
