David Crosby - "If I Could Only Remember My Name" (1971)

The people who join Crosby on this LP are like an allstar teams when it comes the psychedelic era. Jerry Garcia, Grace Slick, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Graham Nash, Jorma Kaukonen, Paul Kantner and others The risk with such an accumulation of musicians, all stars in their own, is that it becomes unfocused, too many ideas to put down on one album. This is not the case with Crosby's solo debut, though. Overall, the music has a clear direction and Crosby seems to have held a firm hand over the production and kept the other musicians in reasonably reins.

I like this album a lot better than Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's Déjà Vu, the album Crosby appeared on before the solo debut. Side A is filled with laid-back songs with great vocal harmonies and airy guitar playing. It's a little west coast rock over it. And you get the pleasure of hearing Garcia play guitar / steel guitar on the songs. The only weak song, according to me, is the long Cowboy Movie, it sounds more like a standard rock number you've heard a hundred of different versions of, difficult to hear something unique with it. Otherwise, just sit back, relax and enjoy the beauty Crosby creates with his harmonies and fellow musicians.

The B-side opens with What Are Their Names that sounds like a Jefferson Airplane song, and indeed both Slick and Kantner participate on the song. This song is a little loud compared to most other songs on the album. The following songs offer a greater beauty as Crosby is back in a calmer area, with fine guitar playing and beautiful harmonies, although I may find Traction In the Rain a bit boring. The last two numbers, Orleans and I'd Swear There Was Somebody Here, teach the listener about more advanced harmonies with their acappella. A calm album, with some exceptions, which offers somewhat fragile, beautiful songs that should suit most people. Unfortunately, it would take until 1989 before Crosby releases an album again, due to advanced drug problems. Given the beauty of his debut album, the world probably missed out on something.


Tracklist

Side A
1. Music Is Love 3:16
2. Movie Cowboy 8:02
3. Tamalpais High (At About 3) 3:29
4. Laughing 5:20

Side B
1. What Are Their Names 4:09
2. Traction In The Rain 3:40
3. Song With No Words (Tree With No Leaves) 5:53
4. Orleans 1:56
5. I'd Swear There Was Somebody Here 1:19