Released at the end of January 2014 on Blue Castle Records (the label that Crosby founded with Graham Nash in 2011) and downloaded here in FLAC from HighResAudio, “Croz” is David Crosby’s first album of solo material in twenty years and contains eleven new and original tracks recorded at Crosby’s home studio. Croz will be supported by series of concert dates in the US.

Croz is produced by Crosby himself, James Raymond (Crosby’s son) and Daniel Garcia with a number of the tunes being written by Crosby and his son. Guests on the record include Wynton Marsalis (“Holding on to Nothing”), Mark Knopfler (“What’s Broken”), Leland Sklar (“Find a Heart”) and Steve Tavaglione (“Morning Star” and “Find a Heart”).

The album is a nice collection of tunes with a distinctive West Coast feel to them and that shouldn’t come as any real surprise to those that already know Crosby and his past associations – it’s also a very well produced record and sounds great when played on a decent rig. Crosby’s voice belies his 72 years, not to mention his colourful past, with there being a really familiar and beautiful tone to it – fans will certainly not be disappointed.

Content-wise there’s a touch downheartedness tempered with hope to the songs as in the beautiful “Holding On To Nothing” and you get the felling that Crosby is comfortable with himself and his life…with perhaps a hankering for the past. Harmonies are present and correct (as you’d expect) and the arrangements are professional and polished – as is the playing. Fans will love Croz I guess and for newcomers to David Crosby the album offers a fine album of sincere tunes with its heart very much in the present but then tipping its hat to the past.

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