Buffalo Springfield Again
Buffalo Springfield Again is the second studio album by the American rock band Buffalo Springfield, released on October 30, 1967, by Atco Records.[1] The album, which runs 33 minutes, blends folk rock, country rock, and psychedelic elements, featuring songwriting and performances primarily from core members Stephen Stills, Neil Young, and Richie Furay, alongside drummer Dewey Martin and bassist Bruce Palmer, though internal conflicts led to the use of session musicians on several tracks.[1][2] Recorded between January and September 1967 at various Los Angeles studios amid band instability—including Young's temporary departure and Palmer's legal issues—the album's production was fragmented, with individual tracks helmed by different producers such as Neil Young for his compositions, Stephen Stills for his, and Ahmet Ertegun for others.[3][4] Key tracks include Young's gritty "Mr. Soul" and orchestral "Expecting to Fly," Stills's ambitious "Bluebird" and "Rock and Roll Woman," and Furay's "A Child's Claim to Fame," culminating in the epic closer "Broken Arrow."[5] The full track listing is: "Mr. Soul," "A Child's Claim to Fame," "Everydays," "Expecting to Fly," "Bluebird," "Hung Upside Down," "Sad Memory," "Good Time Boy," "Rock and Roll Woman," and "Broken Arrow."[6] Despite reaching only number 44 on the Billboard 200 chart, Buffalo Springfield Again is widely regarded as the band's strongest work, highlighting the emerging songwriting prowess of Stills and Young that would influence their later projects in Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and solo careers.[6][2] It was ranked number 188 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time in the 2003 and 2012 editions, but was not included in the 2020 revision, and has been praised for its eclectic yet cohesive sound amid the band's impending dissolution.[6][7]Background and Recording
Background
Buffalo Springfield formed in Los Angeles in April 1966 when Stephen Stills and Richie Furay, former bandmates from the Au Go Go Singers, encountered Neil Young and Bruce Palmer driving a hearse on Sunset Boulevard, leading to an impromptu audition and the addition of drummer Dewey Martin to complete the lineup.[8] The group's self-titled debut album, released in December 1966 on Atco Records, captured their folk-rock sound and included the Stephen Stills-penned protest anthem "For What It's Worth," which peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a countercultural staple, propelling the band's rising profile amid the burgeoning Laurel Canyon scene.[9][10] By early 1967, the band's stability began to erode with bassist Bruce Palmer's arrest for marijuana possession, resulting in his deportation to Canada in January and necessitating temporary replacements such as Ken Koblun and Jim Fielder to maintain performances and rehearsals.[11][8] Palmer's absence highlighted the group's precarious position, as immigration issues repeatedly disrupted their momentum just as demand for live shows grew following the debut's success. Neil Young's involvement became increasingly erratic throughout 1967, marked by multiple departures and returns driven by ongoing health challenges, including epileptic seizures that had plagued him since his move to Los Angeles, compounded by creative differences over the band's direction.[12] These absences strained relations, particularly with Stills, whose leadership role clashed with Young's independent tendencies, fostering a rivalry that underscored the group's underlying tensions.[13] Amid this turmoil, Richie Furay stepped forward as an emerging songwriter, contributing his first original compositions—such as "A Child's Claim to Fame"—to the material that would shape the follow-up album, signaling his growing influence within the fractured ensemble. The cumulative dysfunction, including egos and logistical chaos, set the stage for a disjointed creative effort, reflecting the volatile dynamics that defined Buffalo Springfield's brief but impactful run.[8]Recording Sessions
The recording sessions for Buffalo Springfield Again spanned from January 9 to September 18, 1967, taking place across several Los Angeles studios, including Sunset Sound, Gold Star, and Columbia Recording Studios, with an early session in New York.[14][15] Early sessions began on January 9 at Atlantic Studios in New York, with additional work on tracks like "Mr. Soul" extending to April 4 at Sunset Sound, while "Everydays" was captured on March 15 at Gold Star. Later efforts included June and September dates at Columbia and Sunset Sound, such as the recording of "Hung Upside Down" from June 30 and September 1–5, and "Bluebird" recorded on April 4 at Sunset Sound. This extended timeline reflected the band's use of 8-track recording technology, allowing for layered overdubs amid a shifting schedule.[16][2] Lineup instability significantly impacted the session pacing, as original bassist Bruce Palmer faced repeated deportations, necessitating substitutes like Jim Fielder on bass for tracks such as "Everydays." Neil Young's intermittent absences due to health issues and creative differences further disrupted cohesion, leading to guitarist Doug Hastings filling in on later selections like "Broken Arrow" during June through August. These changes contributed to a fragmented workflow, with the band relying on session players to maintain momentum.[17][2][18] Stephen Stills took a hands-on role in producing several tracks, guiding the acoustic and electric arrangements with an emphasis on innovative effects like compression and EQ at Sunset Sound. In contrast, Neil Young adopted a more isolated approach, often working separately on his compositions, such as collaborating directly with co-producer Jack Nitzsche on "Expecting to Fly," recorded May 6 at Sunset Sound. Nitzsche's orchestral arrangements for that track featured a string section and English horn, creating a lush, dreamlike texture through live layering and echo.[16][2][19] The sessions were marked by challenges, including extensive overdubs and revisions prompted by Young's absences, resulting in a patchwork assembly of the album from disparate recordings. Creative tensions between Stills and Young over song selection and leadership exacerbated delays, though engineers like Bruce Botnick helped refine the final mixes for cohesion.[2][16]Music and Lyrics
Musical Style
Buffalo Springfield Again represents a significant evolution from the band's self-titled debut, shifting from straightforward folk-rock foundations to a more expansive palette that incorporates psychedelia, hard rock, and country-rock elements, reflecting the experimental ethos of the 1967 Summer of Love era.[20][16] This transition is evident in the album's fusion of genres, where traditional folk and country influences blend with emerging rock subgenres, creating a dynamic sound that captures the band's internal tensions and creative growth.[1] The result is an eclectic collection that fuses hard rock's intensity, country's twang, and psychedelia's atmospheric haze, marking a departure from the debut's more unified folk-rock cohesion toward a fragmented yet innovative style.[16] Central to the album's sonic identity are the prominent electric guitar contributions from Stephen Stills and Neil Young, whose interplay drives much of the material. Stills delivers R&B-infused riffs with a bluesy edge, providing rhythmic drive and melodic hooks, while Young's feedback-heavy, distorted style adds raw aggression and experimental texture, as heard in tracks like "Mr. Soul."[21][1] This guitar-centric approach underscores the album's hard rock leanings, yet it coexists with country-rock flourishes, such as pedal steel and harmonious vocals, evoking the wide-open landscapes of American roots music amid urban rock energy.[20] The production further enhances these elements through orchestral and experimental arrangements by Jack Nitzsche, who introduces baroque strings and psychedelic swells that lend a lush, otherworldly dimension to select tracks.[1] These additions create intricate layers, blending classical influences with rock instrumentation to produce baroque-pop and psychedelic textures that elevate the album's introspective mood.[21] Lyrically, the songs delve into themes of personal turmoil, social commentary, and self-reflection, mirroring the band members' experiences with fame, relationships, and societal upheaval, often delivered through Young's and Stills' emotive vocals.[21][1] In context, Buffalo Springfield Again stands as a bridge between mid-1960s folk-rock pioneers like the Byrds and the more polished harmonies of early Crosby, Stills & Nash, while foreshadowing 1970s rock's genre-blending innovations.[20][1] Its stylistic breadth positions the album as a pivotal work in the evolution of American rock, influencing subsequent country-rock and psychedelic acts.[16]Track Listing
Buffalo Springfield Again consists of ten tracks, divided across two sides of the original LP release, with songwriting credits primarily attributed to band members Neil Young, Stephen Stills, and Richie Furay.[6]| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Mr. Soul" | Young | 2:48 |
| 2. | "A Child's Claim to Fame" | Furay | 2:09 |
| 3. | "Everydays" | Stills | 2:38 |
| 4. | "Expecting to Fly" | Young | 3:44 |
| 5. | "Bluebird" | Stills | 4:28 |
| 6. | "Hung Upside Down" | Stills | 3:29 |
| 7. | "Sad Memory" | Furay | 3:02 |
| 8. | "Good Time Boy" | Furay, Messina | 2:15 |
| 9. | "Rock & Roll Woman" | Stills | 2:48 |
| 10. | "Broken Arrow" | Young | 6:13 |