Last Time Around [Import]

Despite having released two excellent and wildly diverse rock and roll albums, Buffalo Springfield just never managed to achieve any major popularity. This was a shame, because they really were excellent musicians. Among their ranks were the widely talented Stephen Stills (who wrote most of the band's compositions) and the future rock legend Neil Young. For the band's third album, which would be their final one, they recruited new bass player Jim Messina (who would achieve great fame in the seventies playing alongside Kenny Loggins.) How does the band's final album, the appropriately-titled Last Time Around, measure up? Read on for my review.

This was Buffalo Springfield's third and final album. The band must have finally realized that their music, while good, could never be as influential as that of, say, the Byrds or Bob Dylan (the major folk-oriented rockers of the day.) It was a shame that they decided to call it quits, but before quitting, the band served up this album, and I'm glad they did. By far Buffalo Springfield's greatest strength was their musical diversity, and they serve up plenty of that on this album, drawing influences from a number of genres and artists of the day. There's really not a whole lot more that I can say about this album, but it's not quite as good as it's predecessor, Buffalo Springfield Again. However, in my mind, it DOES top the band's self-titled debut. It's doubtful that any fan of the band will be disappointed with it.

Like the other Buffalo Springfield releases (as of July 18, 2004), there is only one version of the album readily available on CD. This is a real shame, because it could use some remastering and bonus tracks, since so many of the band's excellent rarities are unavaiable outside of their restrictively expensive box set. If there are executives from the record company reading this, I urge you to reissue the band's catalogue and remaster it!

Last Time Around was, well, the last time around for Buffalo Springfield, but it certainly wasn't the last time around for the members of the band. Several spin-off bands were born from the downfall of Buffalo Springfield, including Crosby Stills Nash And Young, Poco, and Loggins And Messina. Many of the former members also released solo albums. Last Time Around stands as the last effort by this great classic rock band, so it's fortunate that its members would find successes elsewhere. If you're new to Buffalo Springfield, I would have to recommend either starting with the band's sophomore effort Buffalo Springfield Again, or the Retrospective hits compilation. This is an excellent album, no question, it's just not a very good starting point for new fans.

Young only makes two contributions to the songlist, but they are stellar compositions that he has continued to perform throughout his career. The opener, 'On the Way Home' also appears on the Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young 'Four Way Street' LP, and 'I Am a Child' graces 1978's 'Live Rust' LP and the 'Rust Never Sleeps' film. Aside from a writing collaboration with Furay on 'It's So Hard To Wait', this was all Neil would muster for BS's swan song.

That left Stills and Furay to take up the slack, and both make admirable contributions. The standout is Stills 'Questions'. The song was later grafted by Stills onto CSNY's 'Carry On' for the 'Deja Vu' LP, but more importantly it previewed the folk-rock, singer-songwriter style Stills was honing. It is unquestionably (pun intended) one of his finest compositions, instrumentally bright and lyrically moving... Stills at his best.

Other Stills contributions include two songs which would later appear on his 1974 tour and 1975 'Stephen Stills Live' LP: 'Four Days Gone', which with the BS sounds more country, while the live version is more bluesy, and 'Special Care', which Stills turned into an obliterating tsunami of a finale in 'Live's electric set. While the BS version is certainly more restrained, it's enjoyable to hear the cleaner and more methodical (traits the band hated in their studio productions), studio version offered on 'Last Time Around'. 'Pretty Girl Why' has an appealing melody and chiming vibrato guitar work, and 'Uno Mundo' ("One World") introduces us to Stills' Latin influence, with a curious but entirely effective addition of a fuzzy, psychedelic lead guitar. Overall, 'Last Time Around' is a work dominated by Stills more than any other Springfield member.

Furay makes four contributions, the best of which is the melodic love ballad 'Kind Woman'. It's really a Pogo/Poco tune, recorded without Stills or Young in the studio. 'It's So Hard To Wait' is aptly named, moving so slowly one wonders if it will actually be stopping anytime soon, while 'Merry-Go-Round' offers a more bouncy, pop fare. 'The Hour of Not Quite Rain' is an interesting, seemingly experimental attempt at psychedelia, quite unique for Furay, and perhaps demonstrating the reach of Young's influence. While not groundbreaking, or even able to stand on their own, Furay's additions save the album from Palmer and Young's abandonment.

One last song is contributed by Jim Messina. 'Carefree Country Day' has it's own unique feel, light and unassuming in contrast to most of what Furay and Stills were serving up.

Six of the twelves songs on the disc check in between two and two and one-half minutes, and only one song (the closer, 'Kind Woman') exceeds four minutes, so quantitatively there isn't a lot of music to be had. The real appeal is in the overall mix... Buffalo Springfield was a truly eclectic band, and the classic work offered by Stills and Young, covering seven of the twelve compositions, debuts the artists ascent into the prime of their careers. It is an especially desirable album for fans of Stephen Stills.