Neil Young 1966-1975

[CRAZY-HORSE]

BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD "last time around" 1968, #42 US.

off the back of two previous great albums, this one was a dissapointment back in 1968, but holds up well nowadays as a good album, Neil Young only contributed two songs on this one(tracks 1 & 9) and one co-written with Furay(track 2). NY only sung on one track on this one, the classic "i am a child",again very mature lyrics for one so young. he kept what he thought was his best tracks for his solo album which he had been recording between "BS again..." and this one. Stills was doing the same thing with hopes of joining David Crosby and Graeme Nash a future project together.
Springfield as a band did not play as a unit on this album,they all recorded as individuals, Stills and Young both refused to be in the studio at the same time and booked individual studio time. although most of the tracks here are quite good, there are several duds,at the time i believe they needed eachother to throw around ideas and with these not forthcoming it sounds like an album of songs rather than a unified recording. indeed, even the cover was not a group photo, but pasted pics of all members, Stephen Stills was incharge of the artwork design and ensured Young was facing the other way to the others to appear he is not on the same side as the others, this was probably true to a large extent, but Stills was only on his side also.
this album is not one to judge Buffalo Springfield by, instead i recommend the debut album and onf of the "best of" sets available.

tracks:

1. on the way home** #82 US
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBQ2HbowaZo audio
2. its so hard to wait*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JklAKzdk_ZQ audio
3. pretty girl why**
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9v4iQWYqL3I audio
4. four days gone**
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YA7HCHZIaBA audio
5. carefree country day***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3-7bxgHfME audio
6. special care*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQC1-HFs1yY audio
7. the hour of not quite rain*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsHZonG4gfU audio
8. questions**
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDjmmCvTH7o audio
9. i am a child***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C082AtpUqxg live vocals by Neil Young
10.merry-go-round***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7PrIn8-O10 audio
11.uno mondo**
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPHLZPlXgWY audio
12.kind woman**
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoPJdvowc5Y live Richie Furay/Poco

3s=3
2s=6
1s=3

rating: 2.1

as a footnote to Buffalo Springfield, they reformed for the 2010 annual Bridge House concert series to raise monies for famillies with severely disabled children, a fullscale US tour is being planned for 2011/2012 according to Neil Young.