Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young 4 Way Street CD

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young: David Crosby, Graham Nash, Neil Young, Stephen Stills (vocals, guitar).
Additional personnel: Calvin Samuels (bass instrument); John Barbata (drums).
A double live album originally released on April 7, 1971 by CSN&Y is an indispensable part of any collection, with additional Neil Young and Graham Nash material (and even a version of "King Midas in Reverse," the old Hollies tune) that any serious listener will want. Some of the extended guitar jams between Stills and Young ("Southern Man") go on longer than strict musical sense would dictate, but it seemed right at the time, and they capture a form that was far more abused in other hands after this group broke up. ~ Bruce Eder
4 WAY STREET caught Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young on their 1970 concert tour at the height of their success. Even with its included bits of audience patter and a few overlong tracks ("Southern Man" and "Carry On"), the album is varied and exciting, and perfectly captures the quartet's remarkable singer/songwriter chemistry and sparkling harmonies. Stephen Still's classics like "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" and "Love the One You're With" abut David Crosby tunes like the beautiful "Laughing" and Graham Nash's positive, instructional "Teach Your Children."
But the real treat of 4 WAY STREET is the inclusion of Neil Young's solo material, including "Cowgirl In the Sand" from Young's first solo album, and the riveting "Ohio," about the Kent State student massacre. (The CD reissue also includes the Young medley "The Loner/Cinnamon Girl/Down By The River.") By the time the album came out, however, Young had already left the group, and Crosby, Stills & Nash began to work on solo and duo projects. 4 WAY STREET captures the end of an era, then, and remains an essential part of any folk and singer/songwriter collection.Rolling Stone (5/27/71, p.47) - "...a surprisingly good album...Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young are all performers of unquestionable talent, and--mostly because they stay out of each other's way--4 WAY STREET must surely be their best album to date..."