Now ironic, evocative music igniting a flashing memory of simple days left behind
The title of this album is now ironic. When I listen to it I can remember the sweet smell of smoke as an 8 track cranked out music and pick-up trucks and cars formed a lazy half circle around a small fire. Leafs crunched and cracked under our feet and in the night air a few wore jeans jackets and some wore plaid wool shirts but all wore Levi's and sneakers. A silver keg had many many friends and clusters of laughter would roll from one group to the next. We shared the laughs and we shared the beer and the weed. Opinions were so clear. We shared everything but fear. There was so little fear in youth then though we all knew someone in the war far away. That bought it home. Through the night our party marched to it's own beat making progress standing still and that was getting high. So high. Youth goes on and on and in those nights no clock could say when or that's enough. Through the night cars left and came to the place in the woods down by the Res bringing more friends of my friends. Taunt and supple bodies danced above the shining smoke. Everyone was real and perfectly flawed. Ambition was set aside that night for desire. My eye had an apple spied. You were there too weren't you. We have all been here before. Do you know. Do you wonder. Feel like I've been here before. Four voices in harmony with guitars. I had a blanket in my pickup and I knew a place a short walk away. Over a hill and near the water. We'll bring some beers. Come sit with me down by the water and whisper with me away from the fire. I'll get you warm. Through the trees we can still hear the four voices in harmony with guitars and the see the sweet smoke that drifted over. What's going on down under you? We have all been her before. The night left back at the Res is locked on a compact disc. A fire with no smoke sings on.

Sum of the parts...
With the Beatles, the whole was greater than the sum of the parts. Here, I'm afraid, the opposite is true. On this pretentious catastrophe of an album, two "great" (??) bands collide, the drippy and mellifluous Crosby Stills & Nash and the astringent-voiced faux yokel Neil Young. Adding to the confusion, one of the best songs on the album, "4 + 20," is channeling pure Paul Simon and one of the worst, "Everybody I Love," is a watered down version of watered-down-white-boy-Three-Dog-Night-style soul. I love this album, despite its obvious defects, for the timeless "classic rock" hits (e.g., "Carry On" and "Woodstock") but perhaps most of all for its early 1970s hippie turned farmer nostalgia value ("Country Girl..."). A solid two stars. Or three. At *MOST* four. All these five star reviewers need to pass me the bong...

A True Classic
Definitely an album everyone wanted back in 1970, especially with the rich texture of the LP cover. Only weak spots are Teach Your Children and Our House, both by Graham Nash, by far the weakest member of the group.

CSNY - Raw
If you're fan of the 60's music then you'll enjoy this CD. If you're a CSNY fan then it's a must. I found the quality very good.

Awesome CD!
This is one of CSN&Y's best. I listened to the vinyl version in the 70's till it was worn out. Glad to see it is on CD now. I highly reccomend it to any music lover.