Disco de Crosby, Stills & Nash: “Live It Up”

This is Crosby, Stills, & Nash's weakest album. They venture too far into pop and not enough rock on this one. The most interesting song on it is "After The Dolphin" where Nash seems to try to remake the C&N classic "Last Whale". All-in-all, this is a very forgettable album. Recommended for hardcore CSN fans only.

Released in June of 1990, CSN's "Live It Up" album usually takes a beating from big fans of the group, and it's understandable in a sense, but the criticism also seems unfair and excessive.

Admittedly, based on this album, it seems CSN have almost completely forgotten how to rock out. Apart from the album-opening title track and "If Anybody Had A Heart"--the latter of which has a lame, overblown beamed-in bridge--not one track even remotely qualifies as a rocker. And even in regard to those two, the title track, written and largely played by Joe Vitale, is driven by a mid-'80s synth riff (the liner notes indicate it was actually recorded in February of 1986); and "If Anybody Had A Heart", written by J.D Souther and Danny Kortchmar, is a jarringly sugary pop-rock ballad (with wannabe-hard-rocker Kortchmar most likely responsible for the aforementioned bridge section).

There's also one more song that wasn't at all written by the group, the listenable-but-generic pop-rock tune "Straight Line", written by Tony Beard. There's also a co-write from, of all people, REO Speedwagon's Kevin Cronin on "Haven't We Lost Enough?".

"Yours and Mine" and "Arrows" would have sounded right at home on Sting's debut solo album, and it's no wonder, because both of them feature Branford Marsalis adding his instantly recognizable soprano sax ornamentation. "Arrows" has a strikingly similar feel as the Sting song "Children's Crusade".

All that said, most listeners seem to feel the group had lost their edge at this point.

When you get right down to it though, the album mostly works. The title track, even if it is a bit strained lyrically, is undeniably catchy and energetic (the chorus, with its echo-y effect, amusingly recalls "Walking On The Moon" by the Police). Stills' "Tomboy" is fun and amusingly lightweight, despite the lyrical twist at the end. "Haven't We Lost Enough?" is an excellent, edgy lost-love number with just Stills on acoustic guitar and vocals and the others joining in on harmonies. "Yours And Mine", despite some distractingly unimaginative sax work from Marsalis, has a surging chorus and is a powerful statement about teens/pre-teens with a predisposition toward violence. Co-written by Nash, "(Got To Keep) Open" is Stills' token Latin-pop number, and it's an irresistible, uplifting feel-good tune. The downbeat "House Of Broken Dreams", with its simple-but-engaging acoustic riff, is a no-nonsense Nash ballad, haunting and extremely moving. The pensive "Arrows", written Crosby and the late Michael Hedges, is a beautifully melodic, flowing, 3/4 time adult contemporary ballad.

Unfortunately, the album ends in fairly weak fashion with the overwrought 'epic' "After The Dolphin" which, with its added soundbytes from news clips, presages Neil Young's "Let's Impeach The President".

Still though, the positives definitely outweight the negatives of "Live It Up". This is a highly recommended album, and with so many dirt cheap copies floating around, this CD should be considered a steal for CSN fans who don't already have it.

(P.S. Granted, the album cover, along with the back cover of the insert, is appalling--who the heck's idea was it to have hot dogs all over the place?? Ick!)

Issued in 1990, just before the boxed set, with great expectations (Lou Reed, Neil Young, Bob Dylan had just issued relevant and popular albums), this LP was universally banned by the critics and was a flop commercially.

The prejudice at the time was probably more against the production (slick 80's and actually not what one expect from a CSN album) than against the songwriting itself. In fact both were good. Live it Up is a cathy opener with a great guitar solo. Yours and Mine (with a Brandford Marsalis solo !) After the Dolphin are also very goog songs. And the best track of the album Haven't we lost enough ? is one of Stills alltime best.

Just give it a try, you may have a good surprise if you're a CSN fan.

This CD came out at a low point in my personal life. I was extremly depressed over a long (ten yr.) job I was leaving because of corporate downsizing . Major changes in the overall of my life was making me manic. When this music was released it was an anthem for me to throw caution to the wind and to "LIVE IT UP " . It pulled me out of my depression and I truly want to thank CS&N for the kick in the pants that those lyrics gave me; to pull up my boot straps an press on! Seeing it performd live in Manchester was just the jolt my ego needed. I realize this may not be the best venue to spill my previous psychosis but I always wished I could thank the band personally, AND wanted them to know of the admiration that I have always had for all of their talents and to thank them for helping me out of the lowest point in my 43 years . Thanks again. treemd@webtv.net

The songs Arrows and House of Broken Dreams are reason enough to own this CD. I own nearly all of the CS&N (and CSN&Y) albums, and this has always been one of my favorites.