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When I first got this home, I popped it into the tape deck and browsed through the sparse liner notes. My initial discovery was slightly disheartening. Only three of the ten songs were written (or co-written) by Crosby. The rest were composed by various notable songwriters. Even so, I wondered if the other material would live up to standards of his past works. After playing it twice, I'm ecstatic to report that Thousand Roads is unquestionably excellent. If you didn't know better you'd swear that he had penned every tune. He gets inside each song, becomes the muse and makes the music his own. There are few artists who are capable of such magic. The album opens with"Hero" which was co-written and produced by Phil Collins. The ambiguous lyrics can be interpreted on many levels. How much you'll get out of it depends on how far you delve beneath the surface. Jimmy Webb's "Too Young To Die" is next. Dedicated to the late drummer Jeff Porcaro, it serves as a fitting tribute to a great musician and features Bernie Leadon, Graham Nash and Jackson Browne. Nash returns with harmonica and vocals on a Marc Cohn tune called "Old Soldier." It's nice to hear their warm harmonies again. John Hiatt contributes the thought provoking "Through Your Hands." The chorus ties the song together with a certain canniness. "And you ask/What am I doing?/She says your voice cannot command/She says in time you will move mountains/ It will come through your hands." "Yvette In English" was co-written with longtime friend, Joni Mitchell. (He wrote the lyrics, she then changed some of the words and wrote the melody, he changed the tune a little more and guitarist/arranger Dean Parks added the Brazilian feel.) The autobiographical "Thousand Roads" is the lone song written entirely by Crosby. It, like his book "Long Time Gone," makes an unflinchingly honest statement. "Columbus" written by Irish composer Noel Brazil, was chosen for the album by David's wife. (She's also the Executive Producer.) Nautical images are used as metaphors for situations that occur in life. His love of the oceans and sailing shines through and makes the tune come alive. "Helpless Heart," an endearing love song with a gorgeous string arrangement by David Campbell, is dedicated to his life partner and friend, Jan. The ironic and playfully rocking "Coverage" is next, written by Bonnie Hayes, it's a gentle poke at the poor state of radio. (Like usual no one will take the hint.) For the last cut, Crosby approached Stephen Bishop and returned with the heartbreaking "Natalie" with its unusual chord changes and melody. Aside from recording the music found on Thousand Roads, he's been busy the past few years with many different projects. (Nice to have you back, David.) Last year he toured with Stills and Nash on the "Acoustic '92" marathon and has been quietly developing a steady career in films and television. (See him in the flicks: Backdraft, Thunderheart and Hook. On the tube he's been on Roseanne, Flying Blind and he made a cameo appearance on The Simpson's.) As for the album, he puts it this way, "I lucked into some of the best players, producers and songwriters in the world to work on the new album. Some of them, like Nash and Jackson, I've worked with many times and others are people that have just come along recently. I couldn't be happier about Thousand Roads . "I've listened to it a couple of hundred times and it wears pretty well." Indeed it does, David, indeed it does. (SC) © 2000 Dr. Rock'n'Roll
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