Pieces

....I couldn't wait to get my hands on this album (especially when you pre-order, time seems to stand still(s)....)and I wasn't disappointed! Stills has always been my main man when it comes to melodic tunes with a bite and Manassas proved to be an excellent vehicle for his creative prowess. If there is a downside, I only wish that some of the "pieces" where longer in length. What I wouldn't give to hear a five minute version of "Tan Sola Y Triste"!!! Anyway, if you're a Stills fan, do yourself a favor and buy this LP. Like everybody else, I'm looking forward to purchasing that "promised" box set that Nash is putting together for Stills. No doubt there will be a few choice "gems" to surface from the archives. Besides, its way past time to critically reevaluate the Stills canon. Song for song, I think Stephen Stills towers over the likes of an over-hyped Neil Young. Keep em coming, Stephen!

Stills should have been the American Clapton. He certainly had no fewer vices and yet his muse was a fragile thing that would come and go as he engaged in different projects or dissolute directions. His records, then, can be very hit or miss, and by the 90's were largely less than impressive. And that's the tragedy. He had talent to spare and Manassas at its peak was a force to be reckoned with. After a very strong debut, he followed with an overproduced second album, a protean live document and then the brilliant Manassas double CD. Unfortunately, that was followed by Down The Road, as low a point in Stills' canon as there is. PIECES represents sessions engaged between the first record and DTR, and it's a genuine pity that this was not the second album. All of Stills' strengths are on display and none of his weakenesses. DTR followed these sessions and somewhere along the way the songs fell flat and the musicianship got unfocused and Stills' voice sounded like he had spent the weekend yelling at people. It was a mess. This, while not quite Stills 1 or the first Manassas, is a joy start to finish. There are songs you have not heard before, songs that would find life with the Flying Burritos, songs that recapitulated earlier statements from Just Roll Tape and Stills 2, and what results is a well-disciplined band hitting on all its cylinders. This band must have been a powerhouse live, and God willing, Stills has some tape worth releasing that documents just how good both the front line and the rhythm section were in concert.Obviously, in the overly competitive framework of CSNY, this band was a gauntlet thrown at Crazy Horse and the CN back up bands of the time. Crazy Horse was a barely competent gaggle of misfits who could somehow rise above their abilities under the direction of Young and Briggs. CN's group of crack session players had to deal with Crosby's relentless indulgences of a different crack, and over a very short time could no longer rescue him from free fall. Manassas in some ways would not be able to save Stills from himself either, but while they were on, they were mighty. And how can you lose with Chris Hillman, Al Perkins, Joe Lala, Calvin Samuels, et al?As I mentioned, Stills' career would have erratic highs (STILLS, Illegal Stills, Stills Alone, CSN 2) and lows (everything else), but just when you'd be ready to write him off, along comes MAN ALIVE, his very best CD. He readily admits that he isn't sure if he still has it, but perhaps by reviewing his CV he'll find he can rejuvenate his strengths. As a cancer survivor and dedicated Democratic campaigner, Stills has something to say that we all could learn from. While the next CSN CD is purported to be a Richard Rubin covers set, I'd rather have Stills head to the woodshed.

Always been a Stills fan and I loved the first Manassas album. The follow up, Down The Road, was something of a disappointment. It's a shame that this material wasn't released instead as the pacing of the songs and the musicianship was tighter that what was eventually released on DTR. I always thought that if Stills had been able to keep the band together they would have surpassed CSN&Y in popularity, without the ego problems. Although this was a real missed opportunity, it's both great, and a little frustrating to hear this great music and wonder what might have been.

Fantastic set of outtakes for Manassas and Down the Road, and some of this music had an effect on the first album he made after he moved to Columbia (entitled Stills, with Donnie Dacus in the band). Someone with some smarts rummaged through the Alberts brothers' studio and found a lot of fragments, some of which Stills elaborated on, some of which he forgot about or gave up on. Pieces shows that Down the Road and even the first Manassas album could have sounded quite a bit different from the way they do. I think this is equally as essential as Just Roll Tape for the serious Stills fan. Too bad Stills isn't the archivist that Neil Young is.

This "bits and pieces" from jam sessions with Manassa's is really good. The musicianship is outstanding, and I like the unstructured flow, sounds like the guys decided to get together to jam and have some fun!

A must for Stills fans.

Excellent out takes of Manassas

Ottima raccolta, arrivato quando previsto e in ottimo stato, non smetterei mai di ascoltarlo! Lo consiglio vivamente agli amanti di questo genere

お蔵入りになった音源としては、極めて質が高く、何より、音質がいいです。内容も十分満足です。特筆すべきは、クリス・ヒルマンのソロアルバムに収められていた「Witching hour」のオリジナル・スティルス・ヴォーカルヴァージョンが入っていることです。これには泣けます。やはり、マナサスは最高です。

.....que les deux autres albums et quel son. Etonnant, on a l'impression d'écouter un nouvel opusde ce groupe mythique des seventies: un mélange de country/rock/blues avec la crème des musiciens de l'époque.Un must à posséder et à classer entre les deux autres albums(et un bootleg enregistré à Amsterdam pendant la tournée européenne 1972,et en F.M superbe!)