Welcome to Frankie’s Film & Music! I’m the ‘Melody Freak,’ Frankie Akhi - it has been 36 days since Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia was deported to El Salvador - and the album I want to talk about today is a hidden treasure and gift from years past: A Thousand Roads by the late David Crosby.
Crosby was of course a member of legendary folk-rock group Crosby Stills & Nash, who were basically founding members of the LA music scene in the late 60s and early 70s. Crosby was in the band, The Byrds, before teaming with Stephen Stills of Buffalo Springfield, and Graham Nash of The Hollies, and this partnership would last for more than 40 years, throughout which the three would tour almost non-stop, sometimes joined by Neil Young.
David Crosby’s own songwriting is unique for compositions that often don’t have choruses, but rather several verses that are like different scenes within a single story - with a cool, steady groove guiding the way. The lyrics are just as poetic as in a verse-chorus, however the structure of the songs provides the space for narrative. That said, he does something a little different with this record.
A Thousand Roads is Crosby’s third solo album, following the seminal debut If I Could Only Remember My Name in ‘71 and Oh Yes I Can in ‘89. This album bats around .500 or .600, led by the standout, ‘Hero,’ along with ‘Too Young to Die,’ ‘Through Your Hands,’ and the very captivating ‘Natalie.’
Now, you could call him a musical genius, a rock and roll elder statesman, or even a goddamn hippie if you’re so inclined; but, Crosby was also a rebel, and was said to be a difficult collaborator, at times. You know, these legends we come to praise and sometimes idolize for whatever reason are just human. They’re fallible people, like you and me; they found out early on what they were really good at, but that doesn’t mean life no longer had any challenges.
All art comes out of pain, or at the very least some kind of affliction. And he who hurts the most hits the hardest, so maybe Crosby gets a pass for having been difficult along his journey. He gave his life to the craft and made some beautiful records, while staying true to himself; and, that’s something.
After A Thousand Roads, David Crosby would continue to tour with CSN but wouldn’t release another album until 2014’s Croz, followed by Lighthouse in 2016, as well as Sky Trails, Here If You Listen, and finally, For Free in 2021.
And none of those later records would disappoint. A Thousand Roads had marked a departure for Crosby toward shape, form, and containment, as he teamed with some big-time songwriters - wizards of the form, keepers of the long established, Pythagorean thought-school. So, when you put them together with a free-wheeler like David Crosby, you’d expect fireworks; what you get, though, is an elevated and very balanced group of songs.
This album features collaborations with legends like Jimmy Webb, John Hiatt, Irish songwriter Paul Brady, and Phil Collins, who co-wrote and sang backup on ‘Hero.’
A Thousand Roads was released on May 4, 1993 - one of favorites - check it out.
And that’s my review for today; please like, subscribe, comment, and join me again, next time, on Frankie’s Film & Music!
Share this post