Album Review

Richie Unterberger [allmusic.com]

The band themselves were displeased with this record, feeling that the production did not capture their on-stage energy and excitement. Yet to most ears, this debut sounds pretty great, featuring some of their most melodic and accomplished songwriting and harmonies, delivered with a hard-rocarole_king punch. ''For What It's Worth'' was the hit single, but there are several other equally stunning treasures. Stephen Stills' ''Go and Say Goodbye'' was a pioneering country-rock fusion; his ''Sit Down I Think I Love You'' was the band at their poppiest and most early Beatlesque; and his ''Everybody's Wrong'' and ''Pay the Price'' were tough rockers. Although Neil Young has only two lead vocals on the record (Richie Furay sang three other Young compositions), he's already a songwriter of great talent and enigmatic lyricism, particularly on ''Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing,'' ''Out of My Mind,'' and ''Flying on the Ground Is Wrong.'' The entire album bursts with thrilling guitar and vocal interplay, with a bright exuberance that would tone down considerably by their second record.