4 Way Street [Live]

Only close friends with egos locked in mortal combat could have produced a manifesto as tense but as intimate. This rare combination – fierce rivalry crossed with artistic and emotional inter-dependence - comes across in several ways: Sarcastic/affectionate banter between numbers, impossibly perfect live harmonies often sung round a single mike, frantic duelling during the long improvised solos, and a collection of (with a couple of exceptions) superb examples of the singer-songwriter's craft.

The real fascination of this album, however, is the way time has played with the reputations of its stars. It was once fashionable to dismiss CSN&Y (or more realistically with hindsight, YCS&N) as a mismatched collection of solo numbers rather than a real band project, and to regard Crosby and Nash as junior partners - almost an irrelevance, in fact.

It will come as no surprise, then, that it is Neil Young whose songcraft and keening vocals make the strongest impression. He also sounds the most modern of the crew – again unsurprisingly, given that the grunge generation was so indebted to him.

What will come as more of a surprise (to everyone but hardcore fans – to whom I apologise in advance) is how downright unnecessary much of Steven Stills’ contribution sounds to modern ears: the cheesy Hammond organ…the clumsy lead runs on guitar…the interminable, shapeless, mock-soulful vocal improvisations. Sadly, the songs picked for the album don’t really do justice (apart from a blazing “Carry On”) to his fantastic song-writing skills.

And what will come as even more of a surprise is how well time has treated David Crosby. His raw/tender vocal work is finely shown off – indeed he now sounds the best voice on the album. More to the point, on the extended electric workouts that make up half the original package, the rambling guitar duels between Stills and Young (in which Young incidentally wins hands-down) are beginning to sound their age. What stands out now is the creative, driving, remorseless rhythm section comprising Crosby’s incisive guitar work, and Manassas stalwarts Johnny Barbata and Fuzzy Samuels on drums and bass.

A final word on those extra tracks. They’re a mixed bag. Stills’ Black Queen is utterly surplus to requirements, and Nash’s self-conscious acoustic treatment of the Hollies’ pop single “King Midas” is merely tolerable. However, with Crosby’s poignant searching song, “Laughing”, we’re really in bonus territory. And finally, for Young aficionados, his fresh and imaginative acoustic reworkings in “The Loner/Cinnamon Girl/Down By The River” almost justify the purchase price by themselves.

Opinions will thus differ on whether this is really a group performance or a portfolio of solo numbers. The main competition for the spotlight is clearly between former Buffalo Springfield bandmates Stills and Young, and when they hit their respective strides the junior partners Crosby and Nash almost become an irrelevance. On the other hand, when David Crosby's superb voice is allowed to dominate, its raw-tender soulfulness carries material that might otherwise sound mediocre. Ex-Holly Graham Nash brings less to the party in the way of songwriting, but his tirelessly supportive vocal harmonising in support of stronger material from the three Americans helps bring home that this is ultimately a band project.

Standout tracks naturally include the live performances of all five of Neil Young's compositions, along with an extended jam around the CSN&Y studio number "Carry On". The rhythm section, comprising Johnny Barbata on drums and Calvin "Fuzzy" Samuels on bass, lays down a powerful groove on the electric sides. However, as with the four singer/guitarists, their key strength is the ability to share in the sensitive interaction that joins all six musicians into a tight but flexible ensemble. Even during the free soloing that fills over half of part 2, the interest never slackens and the polish never fades.