Buffalo Springfield - "Again" (1967)

Buffalo Springfield existed a relatively short period, 1966-1968, and managed to make three albums. Again was their second and is widely regarded as a masterpiece and as the high point in the band’s career. The band consisted of several prominent persons - Stephen Stills, Neil Young, Richie Furay, Dewey Martin and Bruce Palmer, where especially the first two are well known to a wider audience. The recording was not an entirely smooth process, there were some tensions between band members and Neil Young was largely absent. Also Bruce Palmer was absent in large part because of charges for drug possession. In contrast to their first album, Again is rather a collection of songs by individual artists than an effort from a band. Fortunately, each member had such musical qualities that the result was magnificent.

This album is a newcomer in my collection. As mentioned earlier, I regularly browse in the dangerous book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. The purchase of Again is a consequence of this browsing. A growing list of other records I need to buy is another. I found.Again in one of Uppsala's stores for used records, and it proved to be an American second pressing from 1968. It was Mint condition (=like brand new), which commanded a price that was a little bit higher than I usually pay for a record. But I made ​​an exception. The business owner himself was thrilled when he found the record in his back room and photographed it before giving it to me. The vain part in me has thus raised the emotional value of this album many times and I can see myself bragging a bit about it when such things come up in conversations. Of course I instantly looked up the price on popsike.com when I got home and was happy to see that it had been sold for quite a lot more than I had paid.

The first time I listened to the album, I found it so-so. Two songs stand out, Expecting To Fly and Broken Arrow, both Neil Young compositions and two songs I already knew well. Expecting To Fly has a completely different sound than the other songs with its delicate but immensely powerful arrangement. An incredibly beautiful song. Broken Arrow also has a different production and is a song that sets out on a lot of adventurous detours and side roads. That’s fun. The other songs I thought sounded pretty standard. The second time I listened to the album, these "standard" songs suddenly sounded a little more interesting. The third time I listened through the record, I realized its greatness and saw that (almost) all the songs are, if not fantastic, yet very, very good. The fourth time I listened through the album, I couldn’t do anything but be fascinated at how great the songs and the album was.

Buffalo Springfield is often described as a folk rock band, and maybe it's folk rock the music on Again should be described as. I don’t know. Somewhere you will hear a spice of country & western, somewhere else some rockn'roll, at a third place a touch of psychedelia and so on.

It is worth mentioning that David Crosby helped Stills write the song Rock and Roll Woman. This is thought to be their first collaboration, a collaboration that later led to the legendary band Crosby, Stills & Nash. A band that also in periods was known as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young as Neil Young reunited with Stills and his friends. But until then it was a few years, and in the meantime, I can’t help but recommend this album. But give it a few sessions on the turntable, it grows with each listening.

Tracklist

Side A

1. Mr Soul 2:35

2. A Child's Claim To Fame 2:09

3. Everydays 2:38

4. Expecting To Fly 3:38

5, Bluebird 4:28

Side B

1. Hung Upside Down 3:24

2. Sad Memory 3:00

3. Good Time Boy 2:11

4. Rock And Roll Woman 2:44

5. Broken Arrow 6:13