One can only speculate what was brewing in Neil Young’s mind when he wrote and recorded his 2006 protest album, Living With War. It’s easy to say that the urgency behind its making and release was just another sign of Young’s boundless creative energy. But its honorable intentions and direct language didn’t sit well with the masses. Then, as if out of nowhere, Young decided to take the record on the road with a little help from his friends David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash. Could there be a better way to convey the message than combining the firepower of four headstrong, politically outspoken individuals like Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young? CSNY: Déjà Vu, the film and its companion soundtrack, offers all the answers you could ever need.
According to its IMDB entry, CSNY: Déjà Vu, the film, which, at press time, lingers in mystery with regards to a local screening or DVD (I suspect a political conspiracy), “the war in Iraq is the backdrop as the Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young ‘Freedom Of Speech Tour’ crisscrosses North America. Echoes of Vietnam-era anti-war sentiment abound as the band connects with today’s audiences…” But it’s the music, and nothing else, that you get on the CD. Having seen a show on the CSNY tour, my main concern with the CD has to do with quantity, not quality. The variety of music one can expect on a CSNY rivals the big top of rock and roll, so cutting a song or two takes its toll on the total sum. In this case, the 16 tracks may be representative of the film and the ideas it reinforces, but it is by no means representative of a Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young concert.
That being said, I have no real complaints with the chosen few that made the cut. You’re getting eight of the 10 songs from Living With War, hopscotching it with a few incidental snippets and some classic, mostly in the protest-style, songs penned by Crosby, Stills and Nash. Obviously, the omission of classic Young tracks (Where’s “Ohio”?) and an influx of Living With War songs won’t resonate with certain Neil Young fans. But after a few spins, the spirit and whimsy behind the collection starts to take hold. Of the songs from Living With War, “After The Garden,” “Families” and “Living With War” all receive swift, melodic kicks in the trousers courtesy of CSN. Nash’s “Military Madness” is rejuvenated with an earthy and sound reading, while Crosby sings the hell out of both “Déjà Vu” and “Wooden Ships.” Even Stills, who’s struggled vocally in recent years, still holds command over the drama of “For What It’s Worth.” But in the end, CSNY: Déjà Vu is dominated by Neil Young, whose “Y” magically transforms CSN into a powerhouse unit without rival or limit. Backed by players from Young’s Prairie Wind album, including bassist Rick Rosas, drummer Chad Cromwell keyboardist Spooner Oldham and pedal steel guitarist Ben Keith — each and every tune is played with care and precision, while the four principles reach down deep in their treasure trove of tastefully wistful and wild tunes.
The only issue I have with this CD is that there are loads of other songs that were played on the tour that could have rounded this package out with a little more thump. Not knowing if they’re actually included in the movie (and keeping in mind that CSNY: Déjà Vu is a soundtrack album), I still think the aforementioned “Ohio” and other MIAs like “Almost Cut My Hair,” “Helplessly Hoping,” “Chicago”
and “Rockin’ In The Free World” would have given the set a more balanced and even-handed feel. Yeah, this should have been a two-CD set, if there ever was one — which there hasn’t been since 1971’s 4-Way Street. That, of course, means CSNY: Déjà Vu, despite its brevity, is a precious piece of plastic to throw on and appreciate for its very existence.
~ Shawn Perry
