Buffalo Springfield - Retrospective: The Best Of (Vinyl)

Buffalo Springfield - Retrospective: The Best Of (Vinyl)

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Retrospective: The Best of Buffalo Springfield is a compilation album released in February 1969 after the band disbanded in mid-1968. A compilation of America’s answer to Cream, in the sense that they curdled quickly and went their own ways.

The American psychedelic scene of the late ‘60s produced some really strange birds, few stranger than Buffalo Springfield. Though the group only released three albums, people have pored over that trilogy and drawn from it a rich musical legacy. (You’d have to look across the pond at Cream and Traffic to find the same phenomenon.) A lot of that legacy belongs to Neil Young, whose restless creativity and fierce independence transformed the Buffalo from just another smart folk/rock band into something bigger. Without his acid electric guitar and solo experiments, Buffalo Springfield might have been merely a precursor to Poco and CS&N. But with Young there was no telling where Buffalo might roam: miniature epics (“Broken Arrow”), icy innocence (“I Am A Child”), Motown (“On The Way Home”), Phil Spector (“Expecting To Fly”) or heavy psychedelic R&B (“Mr.Soul”).

In between these minefield masterpieces are strewn the contributions from Stephen Stills and (occasionally) Richie Furay. There’s no denying that Stills and Young feed off one another; you hear that on “Bluebird” and “Rock And Roll Woman.” But the three of them are coming from very different places and, rather than meet in the middle, tend to stay in their own camps. Cream, Traffic, even The Beatles arranged their songs so that each was identifiable as the work of that band. By contrast, it’s hard to believe today that “For What It’s Worth,” “Kind Woman” and “Mr.Soul” are the work of the same band. What you hear in the music of Buffalo Springfield is the sound of three separate songwriters growing together in isolation. Retrospective marked the fork in the road where the trio diverged and where fans return to commemorate a serendipitous alignment of talent.

Customer Review

Buffalo Springfield "Retrospective" is in many ways the only album by this band that you absolutely need. It's flow is as perfect as you can get for a greatest hits compilation. Musically this album is comprised of beautiful, soft, autumnal folk rock combined with psychedelic/political lyrics that reflect the 1960s. There are elements of fuzz and effected electric amongst the acoustic guitars and pianos and knotty, percussive layers. The vocals (and backups) are absolutely stunning in their clarity, conviction and range -- going from lazy to earnest in a heartbeat. Throughout this compilation there remains a softness, relaxedness and simplicity that shows just how talented these guys were, like they weren't even trying. But the songs here still have the energy and swagger of rock music hidden deep in there...this IS rock music to it's core. The end result is some of the best Folk Rock songs ever recorded - songs like "Kind Woman", "Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing", "I Am a Child", and "Expecting to Fly". A supergroup accurately describes Buffalo Springfield, and this album reflects their extraordinary talents well and is a good introduction to the band. To fans of Neil Young: get this immediately if you haven't heard it yet.

By: wakeupitstomorrow

Tracklisting

Side one
"For What It's Worth" (Stephen Stills) – 2:37
Recorded December 5, 1966, Columbia Studios, Los Angeles, California. Lead vocal: Stephen Stills. Bass: Bruce Palmer. Producers: Charles Green and Brian Stone. Running time incorrectly listed on the album's cover as 3:00.

"Mr. Soul" (Neil Young) – 2:35
Recorded April 4, 1967. Lead vocal: Neil Young. Bass: Palmer.

"Sit Down, I Think I Love You" (Stills) – 2:30
Recorded August 1966, Gold Star Studios, Los Angeles, California. Lead vocal: Stills, Furay. Bass: Palmer. Producers: Green and Stone.

"Kind Woman" (Richie Furay) – 4:10
Recorded February–March 6, 1968, Atlantic Studios, New York City & Sunset Sound, Los Angeles, California. Lead vocal: Richie Furay. Bass: Jim Messina. Producer: Messina.

"Bluebird" (Stills) – 4:28
Recorded April 8, 1967, Sunset Sound, Los Angeles, California. Lead vocal: Stills. Bass: Bobby West.

"On the Way Home" (Young) – 2:25
Recorded November 15-December 13, 1967, Sunset Sound, Los Angeles, California. Lead vocal: Furay. Bass: Palmer.

Side two
"Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing" (Young) – 3:26
Recorded July 18, 1966, Gold Star Studios, Los Angeles, California. Lead vocal: Furay. Bass: Palmer. Producers: Green and Stone.

"Broken Arrow" (Young) – 6:13
Recorded August 25 & September 5–18, 1967, Columbia Recording Studios & Sunset Sound, Los Angeles, California. Lead vocal: Young. Bass: Palmer.

"Rock & Roll Woman" (Stills) – 2:44
Recorded June 22, August 8 & October 8, 1967, Sunset Sound, Los Angeles, California. Lead vocal: Stills. Rhythm guitar: Jim Fielder. Bass: Palmer.

"I Am a Child" (Young) – 2:15
Recorded February 5, 1968, Sunset Sound, Los Angeles, California. Lead vocal: Young. Bass: Gary Marker. Producer: Messina.

"Go and Say Goodbye" (Stills) – 2:19
Recorded July 18, 1966, Gold Star Studios, Los Angeles, California. Lead vocal: Stills. Bass: Palmer. Producers: Green and Stone.

"Expecting to Fly" (Young)– 3:39
Recorded May 6, 1967, Sunset Sound, Los Angeles, California. Lead vocal: Young. Arrangement: Jack Nitzsche.
Young is the only member of the group who appears on this recording.

Notes

Companies, etc.
Record Company – Warner Music Group
Marketed By – Rhino Entertainment Company
Manufactured For – Rhino Entertainment Company
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Atlantic Recording Corporation
Copyright (c) – Atlantic Recording Corporation
Published By – Ten East
Published By – Springalo
Published By – Cotillion Music
Published By – Screen Gems-Columbia
Pressed By – Record Technology Incorporated – 36482
Remastered At – Bernie Grundman Mastering
Credits
Lacquer Cut By – CB*
Remastered By – Chris Bellman
Sleeve Notes – Ahmet M. Ertegun*
Notes
First time on LP in decades
Rhino "Start Your Ear Off Right 2021" Release

From back cover:
℗ & © 2021, 1969 Atlantic Recording Corporation
Made in U.S.A.

All tracks are stereo except A1, A3, B1 and B5 are mono

Published By:
A1, A2, A4 to B6 -- Ten East-Springalo-Cotillion, BMI
A3 -- Screen Gems Columbia, BMI
Barcode and Other Identifiers
Barcode (Sticker): 603497845408
Barcode (Text on sticker): 6 03497 84540 8
Rights Society: BMI
Matrix / Runout (Runout side A, etched): R1-38105-A 603497845408 CB 36482.1(3).
Matrix / Runout (Runout side B, etched): R1-38105-B 603497845408 CB 36482.2(3).