Pity Rhino just doesn't offer the third as stand alone
o dubhthaigh | north rustico, pei, canada | 11/04/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"ACCOUSTIC and DAYLIGHT were terrific documents, and so I agree with art here that it's a bit redundant to offer them again without the option to purchase the third by itself. However, if you don't have the other two, buy this! The third historical overview is very good and includes some footage of Moe, Larry & Curly playing with the Ontario Shemp on "Down By The River" that indicates they could on occasion produce music as a quartet. I
The historical footage traces the early days of the three of them well and helps bolster the notion that Nash at one point was really a major catalyst to the effort. Always though, Crosby is the one who rivets your attention. From the start, he was the creative genius, the one in the group who cast aside the ropes and flew far too close to the sun. Yet had he not, the power of his music and observations would not ring with the accuracy that they do today.
What's really missing is Ol Shakey's JOURNEY THROUGH THE PAST. I have never figured out why he thinks he is exercising meticulous artistic integrity, but then I was born in Ottawa. They get loopier as you go West. JOURNEY would round out the nascent period in the lives of these four, at least up to the mid-70's.
As a package, get it if you don't have the other 2. Otherwise wait, Rhino is sure to issue the third sooner or later."
Early Christmas
Spider Robinson | British Columbia, Canada | 12/08/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Santa sent me this 3-DVD set in the mail. Did I wait until Xmas to open it? HA! I just finished watching all three discs, straight through.
The word is perfect.
I can imagine no improvement. An acoustic concert, an electric concert, and a career retrospective, all brilliant. Perfect. It's as if CSN had answered prayers I never coherently formed. At no time does it become even faintly repetitive, because every song is different, every time: those guys always add something new, usually something surprising that then seems inevitable in retrospect.
Rhino did a really first-rate job of packaging and presentation, too. The discs are clearly related, a set, but they're not wearing uniforms. Great covers and liner notes on all three. Painless DVD menu process...and I love the defacing of J. Edgar in the opening FBI Warning sequence. Terrific video and audio throughout. A class act all the way.
Robert Heinlein once said some things are just perfection of their kind, and the only possible improvement is a whole new design approach. The examples he gave were the M-1 carbine and the Goony Bird airplane. This DVD set is another one.
Mind you, I still want a Crosby-Nash DVD titled LAY ME DOWN, featuring James Raymond, and a CPR live concert DVD, and a CSNY FREEDOM OF SPEECH `06 DVD...and I want `em real bad. But this will hold me over."
Disregard for consumers
art 87 | LA, Ca USA | 10/20/2004
(3 out of 5 stars)
"acoustic & daylight again were released earlier this year, so rhino should have issued long time commin as a seperate dvd. i'm not going to rebuy this box just for that even though im a big csn fan."